I’ve been reading Michael Atavar’s ‘How to be an Artist’ (top tips always appreciated) and finding it working in a very serendipitous way. Dipping in at random – like taking a fortune card, I have always found something pertinant to my current situation – this may be because I permanantly have a lot of issues, but I like to think that the book just knows what I need to be advised upon at that moment.
So today’s page has made me think again about the materials that I use and why I use them. Pertinent to this is also Stuart Mayes – Project Me blog of today
where he talks about washing the used reclaimed items that he uses as his materials. This also applies to my work.
Atavar advocates using the best materials you can and in this way demonstrating to yourself and others that you value your work. Whilst I wholeheartedly agree with this it makes me question exactly what I am saying about myself in my choice of old and stained clothing as a medium. To relish the blemish – is this a protest against perfection? or am I saying that underneath it all I don’t really value what I am doing enough to buy new things?
I really don’t know. And I am coming to the conclusion that I may not know but my subconcious has it all figured out and there is nothing I can do about it as I don’t seem able or interested in using anything else at the moment.
All I have to hope is that my subconcious has my best interests at heart.
