Tuesday, December 30, 2008

I'm Trying Not to Think About It...

Included in the last Arts Council newsletter of 2008, as regards the Awards 2009:

Changing Threads

...

Supported by establishment assistance from the Creative Communities Scheme, Arts Council Nelson is pleased to announce that entries are now open for ‘Changing Threads’ a locally based National Fibre Art Award event. The aim of this event is to showcase the use of fibre and textiles in a challenging and more conceptual way from their more general usage.

Background:
The impetus for ‘Changing Threads’ grew out of the communities’ embracement of the Wearable Art Awards concept and the high number of fibre art practitioners in our region. It is hoped that this event will provide our talented local practitioners the opportunity to showcase works in conjunction with the most innovative fibre artists from other parts of New Zealand.

...

The vision is for ’Changing Threads’ to become a highly respected annual event, by aspiring to excellence in the field and providing participatory opportunities and inspiration to practitioners and audiences alike. In so doing it is anticipated to become a vehicle to focus national, and potentially International attention on the region and add value to our creative reputation for residents and visitors alike.

Italics in dire red is mine, and there lie my problems... I don't like the mishmashy, indiscriminate layers-for-the-sake-of-layers thing. And I'm so not big on felting, unless there is a good reason. And I don't have a concept. All my thinking thus far has been at the just-using-textile-I-make-so-it's-not-a-shawl level. I know enough to spot the obvious difference, that I'm working backward, but I don't know enough to switch my direction...

What's the difference between conceptual and installation? Do I even want to do conceptual ("not good" in my book) just for the sake of challenging (generally good) myself?

And considering Nelson is known nationally as the birth place of WOW, artists would definitely be starting at the art end and work back to textile. I feel like a minnow in the Pacific. Nah, a cell trying to split from one to two in the Pacific.

* * * * *

And an email I got from Claudia the fashion designer while putting together this post:

"Good luck to you!!
I think I’d start by thinking of what I could do with the coloured cotton wool balls that one uses for make up removal…"

I can't tell if she was being flippant, but this is the kind of "different" I need in my thinking, I guess. Instead of thinking how to show my cloth beautifully. Good Gravy....

2 comments:

  1. oooooooh
    ahhhhhhhhh
    I so wish I lived in your 'hood!

    One of the ways I get the creativity flowing is take the fibers I like the least and make something, anything.

    It loosens the fingers and frees the minds from working with/on something precious.

    By the time I wrap that exercise up I am ready for the real thing.

    Have fun with it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Right back at you, Lynne. I've been trying to think what you would do in my situation, and I'm drawing this really beautiful blank state. I realized I don't even know what conceptual means in art making... Any hints?

    ReplyDelete

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