Touching the Core of it all
Finding oneself as an artist, getting ones artworks “out there”, and the vital networking with other artists all need to happen in tandem. How can one balance these demands?
Contrary to expectations forming the Inside Out group of about 40 artists has not hindered my own practice, but rather fed into all of these demands.
As an abstract expressionist painter this may be because I have found that my practice works best with a “little and often” approach. However I think that even if I was producing “careful” work that required more sustained periods of time, networking with other artists would still need to come very high on my list.
What can be a problem is finding enough time to write and record thoughts and ideas, for example on A.N, because I am a naturally gregarious individual who prefers the real world to the virtual one!
In my experience the stimulation and vitality that feeds ones own creativity frequently comes from seeing the work of other artists, and sometimes engaging with them in their own journeys.
My photograph to accompany this entry illustrates this. It is one about the artist George Triggs, son of a member of the Inside Out Group, Frank Triggs.
Both Judy Greaves (an Inside Out sculptor) and I were privileged to be able to see George’s work in his Shropshire studio before he took it to London for his recent show, Glimpses of Clarity. We were both “blown away” by the iconic nature of the work.
To see it now featured, as it is in Art of England Magazine*, and to read about George’s passion for his art is “the icing on the celebratory cake” of networking, and such a crucial part of finding oneself as an artist. Thank you George.
Diana Baur 29th July 2009
*obtainable now from WH Smiths
