In my previoue post I waffled on about the conundrum of aesthetic and saleability. After spending weeks mulling over the suitability of the materials I have decided that it is more important for me to stay true to myself regardless of the financial implications. My work is very much an expression of my personal emotional situation and as such is too raw to be influenced by somebody elses expectations.
Working as a community artist/craftperson recently and entering that sphere of competitive creativity has been somewhat fulfilling but it is work and I dont get the same release and satisfaction as I do when creating my own work. It is yet another ball to keep in the air.
As for my work I have decided to introduce a new material into my pieces – chewing gum. For my purposes it fits perfectly with the abject qualities I am drawn to.
The material represents an action, a gnashing of teeth, a tension, there are marks left by the person, DNA is present. Someone once told me that her mother told her to chew her fear like gum and it struck a chord and created a wonderful image. And that is what will stick the chosen objects together.
