The Art of Making Stuff…

Have we forgotten how to make stuff?  As an artist in the answer should be no, but as a society, the answer is YES.

We only have to look back into our history a couple of generations, not even a century ago, to find people making stuff all of the time.  We used to raise sheep, to spin the yarn, to make the fabric, so we could make our own clothes.  We used to sow our fields, so we could plant the seeds, so we could grow our food, so we could eat it.  We used to do all sorts of things.  And we used to sell or barter the things we made for other goods and services.  Now these things are left to “the others” of our society, so we might work for the all mighty dollar high in our ivory tower.  Because somehow, we got in our minds as a society that the more you have the better person you are.  

Ours is a society of consumers fueled by capitalist motives.  Everything is a racket and everybody is out to get a piece of your hard earned money.  The common good is a distant memory, with only dollar signs in our eyes.  This is because we, as a society, have forgotten how to make stuff.  Sure we make cars and refridgerators, but that is more of the Henry Ford method of making stuff.  And quite frankly, until the uprising of you, dear reader, most of that stuff will be made out side the borders of our own country.

Make something…ANYTHING.  It will most likely be cheaper and way more emotionally fulfilling that buying it at a big box store.  If you want a scarf, for example, why not get your grandmother’s knitting needles out and knit one.  Don’t know how to knit…LEARN!!!  This method could be used in countless senaros.  Plus, buy making it, you flip the bird to corporate America, and their use of sweat shop 12 year olds in third world countries to make that $20 scarf.

You see, when you buy that $20 item that you could have made, you are supporting everything about that company and their bottom line.  So by buying cheap stuff not made in this country, you support the inhumane labor practices that occur all over this globe.  

I’m most certainly not advocating selling all of your possessions and walking the earth like Caine in Kung Fu.  But I will say the only power we really have in our society is where and on what we spend our money.  Money talks, and there is no turning back.  The key to fighting capitalism is with capitalism.  Now normally, I say fighting fire with fire just makes a bigger fire, but in this case it works.  
 

This Week's Leo Staff Picks

Leo Staff Picks

Feb. 4-April 30

‘LoCAL.streets’

Muhammad Ali Center

144 N. Sixth St. • 584-9254

www.alicenter.org

$9 adults, $5 students

“‘LoCAL.streets’ is a collection of work centered on the urban environment,” explains curator Dan Pfalzgraf. “The rise in popularity of street (graffiti) art has sparked the interest in millions, reaching new heights in recent years. For every gallery artist taking it to the streets, there are infinitely more whose work is influenced by the streets they live and work around. Many of these artists within the gallery circuit are increasingly utilizing the same tools, materials and styles of their more legitimate street art counterparts … often further blurring the lines between what was once two separate worlds.”

Some of the artists in the exhibition are Julius Friedman, Chris Chappell and Stephanie Potter. There’s a free reception open to the public during the Feb. 4 First Friday Trolley Hop from 6-9 p.m. —Jo Anne Triplett



An Older Article...

Check out this article from Business First about the gig I did at The Speed Museum last summer.

Art After Dark at The Speed Art Museum!

Art and Politics...

Here we are, two weeks away from another election and it's hard to stay focused on art when the state of our nation is in balance.  Artists are like other small businesses with many of the same concerns; taxes, health care and all of those other hot topic issues.  The problem is, the nation has gone bat shit crazy!!!  Everybody's arguing, bullying and yelling.  What happened to the days of intelligent conversation, cordial discourse and compromise. 

A recent Gallop poll stated the approval rate of Congress is 21%.  My question is, "Who are these 21% and why do they think the people elected are actually doing a good job solving the real problems this country faces?"  The more I think about it, that 21% just isn't paying any attention.  Because if you pay attention, then you're mad, or at least concerned.  Not to make generalizations, but does that 21% even look or think about art and it's place in society?  Maybe they do, but most likely their influences are the posters at some big chain box store.  It has either been a systematic destruction or an apathetic demise, but America is under educated and over medicated.  Our schools' funds are contentiously cut, with arts and music topping the list;  all the while, pharmaceutical companies make BILLIONS in profits.  This relates to you, dear artist, because we live in this society together. 

Being an artist you get a choice.  As art is a reflection of socitey;  you get to choose where you point your mirror.        

Back in 2003, an artist friend of mine said, "You love politics and you love art, why don't you combine the two."  That was an "AH HAH" moment for me, and I never looked back.  Polictics are so much larger than who is running for what office.  Politics are the day to day effects of decisions that are made on our behalf, or detriment, however you choose to look at it.  I choose to point my mirror at these decisions and their effects on the individual.  The monumental task of the Note Cards on Society series explores the individual trying to make their way through our society. (Check out some of these prints on the Portfolio page of this website.)

The first print in this series is "First In Line."  Well, that line is the Unemployment Line.  Not really the line you want to be in at all, but so many of us find ourselves there.  This print is three by five feet, and very detailed, but my hope is the viewer will identify with the people in the line.  I tried to represent the melting pot that is America, and the commonality we all face.  Hopefully delivering to the viewer a sense of community and put a face to the almost nearly 10% of Americans drawing Unemployment. 
There is a print in the works that addresses the additional 15% of Americans who are under-employed and are having a very hard time making it.  But more to come on that later...

While the American experience is great with the infinite choices we have on everything, it takes an knowledgeable American to realize most of those choices are brought to you by Corporate America, even most of the people we elect to make decisions that effect our everyday life.      
      

Being a grown-up

As an artist, being a grown-up creates extra challenges.  At least for me.  The number one reason is the JOB.  No one in art school ever taught me how to make a living at what I love to to.  Sure, selling a piece is great and it does happen from time to time, but the shear inconsistency makes it impossible to pay the mortgage and all those other things that require payment on a monthly timeline.  

And here we have a Depression on, so what's a girl to do, but get a job.  Really, I've had a job, the same job, for the last five years, and worked in the same place for the last 10.  I'm an oddity in the job market these days, and acutely aware of the unemployment issues people face.  The one great thing that I've learned these ten long years, is administration.  And lots about it.  Maybe I should apply for Arts Admin jobs?!?  Oh wait, I have...and didn't even get an interview.  'Cause I'm competing against scores of folks who have a degree in that.

I traded a career of low pay in the arts for security in the job market.  Really, I took the job because I was young, just a year out of college and scared.  Money scared me, because I didn't have any.  And all I wanted to do was make art.  Everyday.  And so I did.  I went to work at 8 and came home at 4:30, worked out, ate dinner and then worked in the studio until 11 or 12 o'clock.  At least a solid three to four hours every night.  I would also use my vacation days and weekends to stay home and make more art.  For six years while I lived in the Kentucky capital, that was my routine.  It worked well, I made so much stuff.  It's true what they say about living in isolation makes an artist prolific.

But I couldn't take it anymore; Frankfort.  Or at least I thought it was the town, but now I wonder if it wasn't the job, and all of the crazy crap I had to deal with.  So I moved to Louisville, plus my gallery was here and it was easier to deal with.  Most of my friends lived here too.  However, I'm dealing with way more crazy crap at this job. 

I'm sorry to ramble, I just wanted to set the stage for my current mind set.  It's frustrating feeling like the job has me in a rut.  However, the studio has saved me.  Making stuff has helped me keep my sanity, but not pay my bills.  But what keeps me feeling guilty, is I don't make as much stuff as I did in Frankfort.  But, in reality, my life is completely different.  And I love it, because I have such an amazing an understanding husband.  Making less stuff, but better in quality is how I've chosen to deal with the time parameters that have been established in my life.