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artdjgblog · 5 years ago

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Innerview: M.L. / University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA

April 2008

Image: MO Fine Arts Academy Name Badge / Logo: Roman Duszek

Note: Interview for a design student’s art history lecture.

Introduction:

I wanted to know if you would be willing to answer a few questions for me. I really like your work, because I really appreciate the super hand-done and collage quality of it. I think it’s a way of working that’s often forgotten and overlooked, but personally I really like it, and your work really appeals to me. I’m especially interested in your work with show posters, so if you would be amenable to a short interview I would really appreciate it. You can just shoot me back an e-mail, or if you prefer a phone interview that would be fine too. Thanks! 01) Did you go to school for art, or are you self taught? I was fortunate to attend one of the best kept secrets in design schools at Southwest Missouri State University (SMSU) in Springfield, MO. Shortly after I left, the name was simplified to Missouri State University. (Rewind A Bit to 1996) The year before my Freshman fall semester, I was selected for the first annual Missouri Fine Arts Academy, which was held on the campus of SMSU. Before my senior year of high school (back in 1996) I thought about pursuing a career in architecture design, in particular, the area of sports stadium design. Though, after several years of lying to myself that I would eventually kick my math deficiency, I got a kick in the gut that this might not be my best choice. I loved to shut myself in my room for hours at a time drawing everything from comics to sports logos to buildings and such. I loved the creative aspect of this and felt that not only might I lose some of that personal one-on-one with architecture (though, nothing short of creative, but it’s a relatively computer and technical group effort), I would be held responsible to make the designs actually “work”. Being that I was terrible at math I didn’t want to be held accountable for future building flops. So, at the Fine Arts Academy I did a little bit of re-discovering of my own wheels, as I realized that I had more to offer from my fingertips. Raised from the dirt of a farm in the middle of the mid-west, I was pretty naive to most all things having to do with graphic design, I just knew that I should head in that direction, yet not limit myself only there. And I had shown signs of graphic design earlier on by way of winning a small town logo competition for a skating rink / bowling alley in the fifth grade. I just had a hunch while in creation of the identity (they kept the original, but i still have the newspaper clipping copy depicting my original entry) that I would be chosen out of the dozen other area schools and get my creation up on that big sign. Well, come time for the grand opening of The Fun Factory, my school principal forgot to notify me or my parents that I was the celebrated one to christen the new establishment. The next week she apologized, but i didn’t really give a care as I don’t like such sanctions of attention, and I still don’t. Most kids would have been struck with disappointment by the loss of a free chance to be the first to scuff the freshly waxed lanes with boulders and the new floor with skates, but the deep gut spoilage came to me by way of finally getting to see my logo up on that sign. I was devastated. My design had been butchered. This was my earliest memory of design sabotage. How could somebody take my vision and just ruin it? I look at all things in my life to have lead me up to this point in the writing, and so I feel that early little burnt spark in my gut that day told me something important…pour yourself into your work and protect that. (Fast Forward To 1996) To shorten the story, I came back from those three weeks of Fine Arts Academy in a born-again sense within my own talents, though still unsure of how to officially tap into it like I once had before body hair and outside influences and distractions pushed “play”. Being inspired by a couple of graffiti artists that I observed at the Fine Arts Academy, I began studying the art of typography (though, I had no idea what that word meant then) by way of this whole new world of urban language. And being that I tried to keep my nose clean and lived on a farm in the middle of nowhere, I just practiced my own graffitied typography twists and turns by way of perfecting one-of-a-kind personalized locker names and special birthday certificates for my classmates and friends on cheap Wal-Mart sketchbook paper. I was never so thankful to be attached to my small school in such a way as I only had two dozen classmate name plates to hand draw and color and diecut. If I did that now, my hands would surely buckle. I didn’t need to do it then, but I saw it as an investment towards the future growth of my work, or some way to start my last year of schooling fresh. My senior year was mostly spent in my bedroom making things. All of my friends had girlfriends and I had my work to sit next to on weekend nights. I also was inspired by a new art teacher at the school named Allen Heck. He was a real artist and not just some fluke or painter who couldn’t sell work so in-turn dropped on the totem pole to teach a crummy low-budget art program. Allen had a business head and an artistic head and he meant business in a classroom that spilled creativity. Even though there were a couple of art teachers before Allen that I admired, most art classes before his were mostly afterthoughts or throwaways. Places where the jerk-off kids could goof and ruin the atmosphere for the ones who wanted to be there to learn and develop, just like at most any school, i suppose. Anyway, I found an excuse to be in Allen’s classroom as much as I could and he sorta guided me on some design paths. I also helped him teach several of the elementary classes (we had K-12 grades all under one roof) that year. At this same time I was getting really involved in devouring music and an early mining idea of combining art and music started to strike, though it wouldn’t cement until several years later. Outside of Allen’s classes I landed a logo for the local Future Farmers of America chapter, along with other little so-called “best artist in the class” projects. A title that I didn’t really think I deserved as a friend of mine was ten times the draftsman that I was. Anyway, for my not-so troubles with the Future Farmers (I wasn’t a member and I didn’t want to follow my blood line), I got a giant canvas carrying case for artwork big enough that a beefy baby calf corpse could take a nap in it (I use it now to stuff my dirty clothes in for the laundromat trips). In early 1997, my guidance counselor set-up a special solo trip for me to visit an area company that specialized in yearbook designs. I went and wasn’t completely enthused about this place that seemed to put a lock on creativity in a darkened room with eyes staring at computer screens, shuffling around items given to them, though, I lied to myself that as I would grow older, this is what I might want. It just didn’t really say “Happiness” to me though, more-so (to quote The Beatles), “Happiness is a warm gun”. Still, I decided to go on ahead with going to a college that had graphic design courses. As graduation loomed on the purple and white horizon, I began to think a bit more seriously about applying for schools to further my education. Being that I had some solid fortune at the Fine Arts Academy at Southwest Missouri State University, and being that Springfield, MO was four hours south down the black top road (far enough from everything, but not too far for a weekend visit), I registered with no time to spare. Thoughts of the Kansas City Art Institute loomed, but they were more expensive, and i felt some sort of strange magnetism to SMSU. I ended up getting in by a scrape to the only college I applied for. I had the lowest common denominator for test scores and was in the top half of my graduating class as I was 12 out of 24. That was all the requirements I needed, the deal was set. The transition from high school to college art class (like most I assume) was a little challenging for me as I soon realized that the mold I was in previously had to be broken as I wasn’t comparable to skill with my new classmates. Though, the drawing classes frustrated, yet intrigued me, I did do fairly decent in my fundamentals design classroom. And this is where I learned more about making like-minded, potential life-long friends, a skill I hadn’t perfected much since my first day of Meadville first grade. All of my friends in foundations course were annoyed with working in cutting blades and paper and such…whereas, I flourished a good reputation in those departments and at times neglected all other areas of my studies to perfect my art skills. On break one early spring morning my friends spoke of much better things to come in the coming semester. Their minds were on the computer. They couldn’t wait as they had backgrounds in computer-related image creating in their high school yearbook classes. My school had one computer until I was a senior, and then we got a baker’s dozen or so. Other than that few hour visit to the local yearbook factory, I was naive to the idea of a computer as the essential tool for the modern day graphic designer. Exhausted by their comments, anxieties swelled in me and out finally popped my ignorance to the subject, “I plan to take the direction in graphic design that is done without the computer. I’m going to take the courses that are all hands-on.” And instant mockery, was I. My friends ripped me a new one and basically said I better learn pretty quick because graphic design wasn’t conquered without the computer. This is all really quite humorous to me know (possibly to them too) as I’ve somehow managed some mild success with my hands-on design approach and most of them are staring at computers all day in jobs they dislike or not even doing graphic design at all. Later that year I found out where the design kids were stuffed as I climbed aboard a twenty minute bus ride to the small downtown area of Springfield and up an elevator zooming past vacant floors housing archives of university products and collections to the top of a five story building where the world of graphic design officially opened up to me. Did it open wide at first? That answer is a giant NO as I was still so naive to what the heck I was getting into that when my friends early-on claimed, “I can’t wait until next semester for typography class”. I said, “Cool! We get to design maps?” 02) Were your areas of interest in school (artistically) the same as they are now? My artistic whatevers were put on hold the first few semester of design school. Not only that, but they were run thru the emotional and physical gambits over and over. Being thrown on a computer was very troubling for me and there was a time that I almost quit design all together because I didn’t feel a connection to the work anymore thru the screen barrier. So, I struggled to find myself again for about a year and a half. Though, at the same time the design instructors at SMSU were (and still are) old-fashioned in a sense with their training and we still did many hands-on projects. I shined more in these areas, though my work still seemed more like decorating than me trying to say something. True, design is pretty much decorating and saying something, but, I couldn’t really find myself and it felt more like doing my chores than anything else. I think it can be dangerous when the designer is hogging the avenue and only speaking for their ego or style and not client intentions. Sometimes a healthy dose of both works, sometimes not. Anyway, I just didn’t “get” what I was doing and basically was doing an incredibly OK job at fulfilling my instructor’s projects. Which is fine, but it took me a while to really enjoy design. All of the instructor’s at SMSU were (mostly still are) from Eastern Europe and Russia. This was a great experience for me as it opened me up to not only a unique education in design, but also one in culture. I felt a strange connection to this as I was somewhat foreign being an artistically-challenged kid from a farm in The Sticks, Missouri. There is an exciting mix of design and passion going on down there on the fifth floor of that building. New wheels in me started to get greased around this same time and my eyes started to open a pinch. And they really thumped when I went on a limb to attach illustration classes to my already full plate during my junior year. I was starting to get hungry and / or full…full in a sense to where I needed to get the work out of my system. It was time for me to find my voice. 03) How did you get started working as an illustrator? Growing up and drawing a lot, I thought I was pretty decent at it, but nothing more special or ordinary than creating strange, graphic WWII battles and mimicking comic book characters. I even had an epic, life-sized drawing of Batman I worked on at my grandma’s almost every week after school. Sadly, I think it was thrown away recently when she moved. However, on the back burner to the drawing, there was a side of me that always did a lot of cut-outs and saving and archiving of things. I think most every kid at some point cuts things of interest from magazines and tacks them to their wall or jumbles words cut to make “cool” sayings glued on paper. My older brother and I did this a lot. Mostly, we were just never bored and always doing something and always being inspired by anything and everything. We even created our own little magazine (I still have a few issues) at my grandma’s. My grandmother was a good influence on my creative side too as we were always making homemade things there. My siblings and I recreated any event we went to or anything we watched on television / movies in our sandbox, tree house(s), forts and bedroom. I was fortunate to have a large intake of popular culture and mix that with the experience of farm life and a lot of room to play. All of this fueled my creative side to where at a younger age I had a lot of options to choose from and I enjoyed and loved them all. Though, it took me a while to re-discover this within myself in design school. I was getting deeper into school and the ever present “What do I wish to do with my life” question(s) (among other personal mind trappings and inner wrangling). This especially was asked after I signed up with other design students on several professional studio visits. Every time I would come home with an empty heart from these “creative” places that felt more like controlled meat markets than anything remotely creative. Some people thrive in certain areas and not everybody wants the same thing, but the typical trappings of community computer screen shuffling didn’t offer me much hope at all. I have always enjoyed being alone making things. I’ve also been very protective of my creations and I didn’t want to be thrown into a factory-like design setting unless it was my own to where I could do what I wanted, when I wanted and have parental rights and control. Coming back to school from these studio visits was very discouraging to me. I felt confused and as if my career path was in a box already. Around this time I toyed with the idea of taking illustration classes to help push myself a little more as I wanted to keep what little fire I had in me from burning out. However, I wasn’t confident in my illustration skills as I thought I wasn’t solid enough at regular drawing. This is a terrible mistake that I feel many students make. I sorta had to shovel deep and realize the way I created when I was younger and that really helped cultivate a new side of me as I learned how to pour myself into and out of my work again and it was fun and special. Looking back, I think mustering up the courage to find confidence in illustration helped me in the long run. Though, at times I still struggle with thinking that I’m still not good enough at particular things. The only competition I have is with myself. 04) Did it take you a long time to find a working style that you are satisfied with? For the most part I advise for makers of things to stay away from the trap of a “working style”. And it’s mighty easy to stumble or choose something and milk it, which is the feeling I get from the majority of artists and designer’s portfolios. It’s easy to stick with turning over the same old tires on the same old asphalt. I realize I have a certain feel to my body of work, but each day my head’s approach to life is so different (heck each minute sometimes) that I try to trust my gut instincts. I just try to speak from my heart, which ends up in my gut sometimes. A lot of times I trust good ol’ intuition. Of course, some projects require a bit more fine tuning than others as something like a logo has more life than say, a concert poster. Even though the logo might have more of a lasting impression, I’d rather put my butter to the blank paper bread of the poster. I love to try new things and just reach and grab at whatever I have around me and in my head, marriaging that with the band and the music in some strange brew. At times it can be quite intoxicating and when you do it enough and for a long while, you end up not even thinking, rather just doing and it’s fluid and non-calculating. This is when it becomes pure, this is when design becomes true language. I’ve had some projects where I’ll be told about it from a client and I’ll immediately have a vision in my head of how it should look, and then go home and start teaching it how to walk. Items like CD packages are very similar to logos because you’ve got to really give out something that you don’t mind sticking around a while in the lock-down of identity for a product or persona. There have been a few CDs that have happened out in a matter of a couple hours. The majority though, I like to have enough time to tackle and build in three separate sessions. But, I really don’t like sitting on projects for a long time. And usually the client has more of a personal care for a CD than a poster, so it might take a three act play or teeter tottering until all sides are fixed to fancy. I’ve had a few CDs that have stretched to almost a year. Being that my work is recognizable to a hands-on aesthetic, I’m sure most think that I don’t touch a computer. This is true and not true. I try to build as much as I can by hand as I love that connection I get. The screen barrier between me getting dirty with my work has bothered me and created anxieties with my work since day one in formal design class when I was thrown on a computer to mash buttons. I do what I can by hand and then use the computer as a layout and printing tool and I use it to correct or help put the finish on some items. Most designers forget that the computer is only a tool. If I could have it my complete way, I wouldn’t use a computer at all. I have made several projects in this way, but it’s hard to do it all in this fashion anymore and I have a wide format ink jet printer to print a lot of my more complex poster works with. The computer has ruined and helped designers. But, overall I feel that if it’s treated with respect and not used as substitute brains, then a designer will truly show his or her meat and potatoes. For the most part, I get a little disappointed in the output from a vast majority of designers as it all feels far away like an afterthought that doesn’t count, or simply as a decorating kit or pre-fabricated template you buy at a craft store. But, I try to keep my disgruntled burly bears close to my own heels. As long as I am creating what needs to be created from my own little corner of the basement, then I am a pretty happy camper. Though, the computer has broken many a bulb, not only with designers, but also with attitudes toward treating the designer with respect. Maybe it’s always been this way, but it’s easy for me to think that I can throw an iPhone and hit somebody who thinks they know graphic design because they can change the colors on their myspace or blog (and I’d have to borrow their iPhone to do so). It’s great that creativity is being fused with daily interaction, in a sense, but it can get a little confusing for people. I don’t think it should be reserved for a certain few, but I feel that everybody thinks they are a graphic designer now. It’s like trying to keep the raccoons out of the patch of sweet corn. You’ve just got to find the right gauge of wire to shock the perimeter with so they will find other food to steal and nibble. And there are still those who are hungry enough to go find and get the good stuff on their own. I suppose I’ve found myself to be more in tune to old folk artists and with the mindset of the old school designers and illustrators. Folk art is as pure in art and language as cave painting and daily ancient living. I like the idea of somebody just up and making something out of the blue because they’ve got to get their story out for themselves. Last summer I went from The Museum of Modern Art to the American Folk Art Museum in New York City in an afternoon and found a more pure-incentive to making things from the folk artists than the artists and designers across the street. It was refreshing. I had been enjoying my personal study of folk art history the past four or five years, but seeing it out of the pages of a book or web site really gave it a new light. And to see that most folk art has pushed into some avenues of the mainstream is really interesting, though chokes the purity from it original conceptual intention. I find that a lot of artists and designers are just as much about making themselves as important as the work they are producing. I just have never understood this idea. So, what individuals are my art and design in kin with? There are many, and it goes beyond just one field, but here is the short list: Grandma Gibson / Jim Henson / Stanley Donwood / Lester Beall / Saul Bass / Seymour Chwast & Pushpin Studio / Paul Klee / Ivan Chermayeff / Henryk Tomaszewski / Art Chantry / Vaughn Oliver / Edward Gorey / Saul Steinberg / Bill Traylor / Ray Johnson / Eric Carle / Cy Twombly / Robert Rauschenberg / Henry Darger / Hans Schleger…to name a few. There are a few items I’ve created that I can tell don’t speak right in retrospect (and they are probably obvious to others as well). These were the ones that caught me in a bad mood, exhaustion or in a lack of time. It’s so hard not to let the daily life and emotions influence the work. And in my case I’ve never been able to just chase my dreams, as I’ve had to work full-time day jobs and at times part-time jobs on top of those, and then slide my work into late nights and weekends (and I always had a girlfriend on top of that…now, a wife). It can be a hard struggle for a healthy balance. I just try to approach it with the idea that I am a man and a man who happens to make things. I am doing what I need to be doing and working hard towards the goal of some day having all of the clocks wound on my time. I have been fortunate in my choices of day jobs. I admire those who wish to live in near-poverty designing for bands and independent projects, but there is no money in it at all and it’s easy for people to take advantage of you. I tried it for a few short stints, but got tired quickly of scraping by and relying on musician’s responsibility of paying me and I ran out of belongings to sell to pay the rent. Throwing out the few bad apple clients, I must say I can’t complain too much as I’ve been blessed with some great people to not only work with, but also to have relationships with beyond the art. Janitorial and groundskeeping had me for 5 years and I loved it. The pay isn’t great, but I was alone and within my thoughts and had time to write and actually make a few things while on the clock. Also, I was able to bring home whatever stuff I could dig out of the dumpster. I’m still chipping at a 15,000 page stack of bricked paper that I found in a dumpster 6 years ago. Currently, I am in the second year of being trapped in a cubicle as a data entryman. It’s a great job, it’s not too difficult, I work with people I know, I walk to work, I’m able to get my teeth fixed and am setting aside some money now for my future, but I don’t plan to marry it as it’s not what I need to be doing with my talents. Many days I can’t sit still because all I can think about is going home and making things. Design is a way of life for me. It’s easy for it to start to take over at times, but I’ve been working on a better balance of it by getting up at 5:00 in the morning, before the “junk” pollution of the day. I love getting up before the crickets and getting to work. Even if I’m filling up on books and movies, it’s still work for me. But, it’s not really work, it’s just what I enjoy and I kinda need it to aid survival. If a designer only puts their design mind onto paper / screen into a 9 to 5 crack, then they might want to think about looking into other lines of life work to chew on. 05) Do you do a lot of self promotion, and how? I’ve been in an interesting position to where my work has been trickling word of mouth for the most part. I’ve been surrounded in positions where I’ve been around musicians a lot and in general, people have been attracted to my creations to where they too want me to make them something. With age, I don’t get out as much to shows, nor do I live with musicians anymore (thankfully). Those days were great, but that kind of lifestyle can’t be taken seriously forever. But, it helped shape me in some way. And I’ve established myself, somewhat. It still amazes me that my work is speaking in the volume that it has. It’s certainly nothing of major impact, but it means a lot to me. For many years I’ve also been at a constant with submitting large quantities of my work to yearly design magazine annuals. This breaks my bank for sure, but it’s the best way of promotion as the work gets spread around the world quickly. I have contacts in many countries who found me this way and thus, offer me entry into their books, magazines, contests or give me a shot to make something for them. The internet is a great source too, of course. Recently I’ve somehow caught a breathe of fresh air from the web currents and realize the easy importance of putting myself out there on it. It’s a strange world though, and I’m still a bit ignorant of it, but I’m becoming more comfortable. I used to not be into self-promotion much. Not only that, I just didn’t have much time with it, being weighed down by day jobs and life stuff. And I’m a believer of the work speaking for itself and letting it take time to mature and incubate. Right now I’m looking at how much weight my portfolio has gained and am seeing what alternate routes I can walk with it. I’ve always planned to be doing my best work, for me, but I’ve never really pushed it as hard until now, as the big No. 30 looms. True, I am making what I want to make, but I don’t wish to be working a full-time job much longer. I have alot more to say and in different varieties of value packs and I just need more second hands to say it in. 06) Lastly, because I’m interested in doing show posters, do you have any advice on positioning oneself into that market?

I tell a lot of people a similar thing that I’ve heard Quentin Tarantino say to aspiring filmmakers, (to paraphrase here) “Just go and make what you need to make and do it at whatever cost.” Just get out there and make things and get those things out, even if you go broke or worn out doing it. Catch fire and start a paper trail. I was fortunate to not only love devouring music since the day my ears could, but ended up in positions to where I was surround by musicians and / or individuals with like-minded inner ear infestations. Most importantly, I found that I could merge the things I loved into a cohesive music and art stomping ground. My last couple of college years I befriended several bands and musicians and had my own little business on the side from class, making show posters and CD packages. After four and a half years of college and exhausting all my design class options…AND ability to fail Algebra four times and even an art history course…I had a higher calling to quit spinning my own wheels and dropped college from the daily schedule, among many other things weighing me down at the time. It was gutsy, but one of the most crucially sound decisions I’ve ever made. I moved from the Bible Belt Buckle comforts of Springfield and into a big, orange, dilapidated house in the middle of a shady section of Kansas City, Missouri with a band that had become my best friends. I almost didn’t do it as my pants pockets were turned inside-out and thoughts of sticking around the family farm to save up money kept me down. I think a lot of people were very disappointed in me too for quitting school. But, my decision was made and I believe in following the heart instead of stopping up the artery. I would have been miserable to stay at home and I had bigger fields to plow and sew. And I didn’t need a piece of paper saying what I was supposed to be doing. Most importantly, only I can tell myself what I should do with me. -djg

#innerviews

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femmesfollesnebraska · 5 years ago

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Artist Feature: Jane Barthès

Jane Barthès shares with LFF about her journey with art, her recent work and projects, feminism and much more...all images (c) Jane Barthès.

Magical Forms and Spaces #2, 2018, 48x48″, charcoal and acrylic on canvas

Where are you from?

Born in Nigeria, to a Catalan French father and an English mother. Raised in London. As an adult in my 30s, I went to live near my southern French roots for 10 years before moving to New Mexico in the USA in 2004 where I lived for 5 years. When the big recession set in and the galleries closed, I headed for Chicago in 2009 (10 years ago) where I continue to live and work as an artist.

Molecular Model C6H807 (citric acid), 2018, 48x48″, charcoal and acrylic on canvas

Jane Barthès - About me and the work: Some perspective

My journey with art has been intensely personal. It began with a comic strip in the 80s. I was forbidden to go to art school so attended much later in the 90s. Nothing could ultimately stop the eternal need to draw! To this day, I consider myself primarily a draughtswoman, forever looking to exploit the illusion of space in new ways. Drawing is at the root of everything I do and making art has been the vehicle through which I have created a personal language to describe, digest and make sense of everything I encounter in my life. Grounded in an intuitive approach I have developed over many years. I seek to share a distilled space that invites people to briefly see and feel how I experience life. Underlying everything is my obsession with the intangible energy that mysteriously propels me through my existence. I’m guided by the goose-bumps factor as I sense the esoteric connection between all things.

Molecular Patters #7, 2016, 48x48″, charcoal, graphite and acrylic on canvas

A little more information: Balancing the inherited duality of a fiery Catalan French father and a reserved English mother is fundamental to the work and probably sheds light on my love of Eastern philosophies, particularly Zen. I am intrigued by the idea that beauty can result from chaos; opposing concepts such as poetry, math and physics are utterly interconnected. Energy can be contained. My use of color is both bold and yet restrained. The use of negative space is also required to do much of the work. Contrary to what we might imagine, emptiness is full and everything seems to spring from nothing. The resulting visual distillation flirts with Minimalism at times, but not in the way that a rigid movement favors the cool over the dramatic; it is a passion and a product of my search for what is essential.

Molecular Star, 2019, 60x132″, acrylic and charcoal on canvas

Just as my obsessions with energy and duality are constant, there is a sustained dialogue with art history which includes my formative love of European Expressionism and a fascination with Arabic patterns in architecture. My curiosity has led me to travel and live around the world and each port of call has been an opportunity to explore and integrate the unique arts and culture. Since being in the USA, I have become increasingly drawn to Abstract Expressionism, particularly the work of Robert Motherwell and the energy inherent in his unique composition of shapes. I also gravitate to the stringent rigors of American Hard-Edged Abstraction with artists such as Frederick Hammersley, Lorser Feitelson and Helen Lundeberg. All contemporary contributors to the discipline interest me and I hope I can bring my own, perhaps more expressive journey to the discussion.

Molecular Patterns #2, 48x36″, 2016, acrylic, charcoal and graphite on canvas

Presently, I am intrigued to see how my work has come to reflect both the urban architecture that surrounds me in Chicago and my preoccupation with societal problems. I am convinced, as Gaston Bachlelard’s writings on “The Poetics of Space” point out, that all architectural spaces are created with both the physical and moral energy of humanity. I am particularly sensitive to the stunning, lyrical beauty of the urban origami that surrounds me in Chicago. The geometric patterns and shapes in the work have become a language and a metaphor through which I explore this growing dissonance. The cracks, leaks and spaces that appear between the solid pristine forms in my work speak of an underlying fragility and warn of possible future chaos and the ultimate risk of implosion. I’m also beginning a series of large paper wall sculptures that question the same fragility. The fragility and tatty qualities of paper offer a perfect medium through which to explore the subject too.

Molecular Patterns #12, 2016, 48x48″, charcoal, graphite and acrylic on canvas

It’s perhaps important to note that I had launched into this new body of work before the current pandemic! It feels eerily prescient, as if life has caught up with my work faster than I would have ever imagined. Then again, I have always considered my work to be far cleverer than I am!

Molecules of Urban Design Revisited #3, 2019, 30” x 22”, charcoal, acrylic and wool yarn on paper

Owing to our unprecedented current situation, all shows and projects in the pipeline are sadly cancelled or on hold! However, this might predispose people to consider the work with more urgency. For the future: I wish to fill large public spaces with my sometimes enormous narrative paintings and sculptures to create an environment and therefore an experience into which people enter to contemplate all at once the powerful building blocks of energy that we as people and society are created and built upon juxtaposed with our inherent fragility. I want to prompt thought about how we might build a better, more equal and inclusive society for everyone.

Molecules of Urban Design Revisited #4, 2019, 30” x 22”, charcoal, acrylic and wool yarn on fabric

Does feminism play a role in your work?: Not overtly discussed in my work, although I think completely relevant to all women artists. I admit I have been reluctant to engage this question because it can be difficult to separate the problems my more unusual path outside the more conventional art institutions might have engendered…but my experiences lead me to believe that sexism is very alive and well! I am likely to be criticized for being angry, aggressive or bitter. I know I can feel very frustrated sometimes but I learned to observe and not speak up because whatever one says in self-defense simply gets twisted to prove the point. I work hard never to be bitter. That would be a complete waste of time and energy. I hope my work speaks truth to power rather than my words. Although, I admit, as I mature, I grow less ‘ladylike’ and more inclined to say what I really think. Perhaps that’s liberating? I know I have been ignored and passed over many times and presently probably for being a ‘middle-aged’ woman, not young enough, or perhaps old enough to be taken seriously.

Fragile City #1, 2020, 66x216″, acrylic, charcoal and graphite on canvas

Advice to aspiring artists?: Go to work every day. Never give up. Success is measured by the fact that you’re lucky enough to still be making work, not your bank account.

https://www.jbarthes.com/

Les Femmes Folles is a volunteer organization founded in 2011 with the mission to support and promote women in all forms, styles and levels of art from around the world with the online journal, print annuals, exhibitions and events; originally inspired by artist Wanda Ewing and her curated exhibit by the name Les Femmes Folles (Wild Women). LFF was created and is curated by Sally Deskins. LFF Booksis a micro-feminist press that publishes 1-2 books per year by the creators of Les Femmes Folles including the award-winning Intimates & Fools (Laura Madeline Wiseman, 2014) , The Hunger of the Cheeky Sisters: Ten Tales (Laura Madeline Wiseman/Lauren Rinaldi, 2015 and Mes Predices (catalog of art/writing by Marie Peter Toltz, 2017).Other titles include Les Femmes Folles: The Women 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 available on blurb.com, including art, poetry and interview excerpts from women artists. A portion of the proceeds from LFF books and products benefit the University of Nebraska-Omaha’s Wanda Ewing Scholarship Fund.

Current prompt: Home Studios: Show us where you create!

https://femmesfollesnebraska.tumblr.com/post/614036096689504256/new-series-call-home-studio

#womenartists #janebarthes

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sonmain · 8 years ago

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1: when you have cereal, do you have more milk than cereal or more cereal than milk?More milk2: do you like the feeling of cold air on your cheeks on a wintery day?No, it's hell3: what random objects do you use to bookmark your books?Tissues, wrappers, receipts 4: how do you take your coffee/tea?Idk5: are you self-conscious of your smile?Yes, very6: do you keep plants?Yes!!! I had a fairy garden but one of the pots broke 😪7: do you name your plants?Yeah, I named the tree in our backyard Venosaur8: what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings?Oh, painting on canvas, or drawing with a pencil9: do you like singing/humming to yourself?Yes!! V v good stim!10: do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach?Side11: what's an inner joke you have with your friends?Fuckin...Furries12: what's your favorite planet?Earth, I love the animals and plants. She's so cute13: what's something that made you smile today?My friend said my story was good14: if you were to live with your best friend in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like?Probably kind of bright but also with some posters and nice decor and nice beds and a little window we can sit on.15: go google a weird space fact and tell us what it is!Space lightning is a thing16: what's your favorite pasta dish?Alfredo17: what color do you really want to dye your hair?Magenta, or turquoise 18: tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up.Oh I fell on my ass in the hallway and threw my MacBook. Only two people saw it19: do you keep a journal? what do you write/draw/ in it?Well not a conventional one but I've had journals before.20: what's your favorite eye color?Blue21: talk about your favorite bag, the one that's been to hell and back with you and that you love to pieces.It's this golden and red bag and it's soft22: are you a morning person?Hahahahaha funny. Next question23: what's your favorite thing to do on lazy days where you have 0 obligations?Make art or browse tumblr24: is there someone out there you would trust with every single one of your secrets?Yes25: what's the weirdest place you've ever broken into? I haven't broken in anywhere26: what are the shoes you've had for forever and wear with every single outfit?I don't have any shoes like that27: what's your favorite bubblegum flavor?Blue raspberry28: sunrise or sunset?Sunrise (ironic)29: what's something really cute that one of your friends does and is totally endearing?Giggles30: think of it: have you ever been truly scared?Fucking yes31: what is your opinion of socks? do you like wearing weird socks? do you sleep with socks? do you confine yourself to white sock hell? really, just talk about socks.I guess, sometimes, no32: tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends.I fucking tripped over my friend at a sleepover after she said "person here!"33: what's your fave pastry?Any really34: tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. what is it called? what does it look like? do you still keep it?MOG, he was a green stuffed monkey thing with no hands or toes so I called him mog the monkey frog, I think I do still have him35: do you like stationary and pretty pens and so on? do you use them often?Idk36: which band's sound would fit your mood right now?Imagine dragons37: do you like keeping your room messy or clean?Clean but it usually ends up messy38: tell us about your pet peeves!LOUD NOISES AND PEOPLE MAKING FUN OF ME ASKING THEM TO STOP39: what color do you wear the most? black40: think of a piece of jewelry you own: what's it's story? does it have any meaning to you?Um...my bracelet I got from my friend for Christmas 41: what's the last book you remember really, really loving?Artemis Fowl42: do you have a favorite coffee shop? describe it!Starbucks, and the wonderful smells and hot chocolate43: who was the last person you gazed at the stars with?My friend Tori44: when was the last time you remember feeling completely serene and at peace with everything?Never45: do you trust your instincts a lot? Sorta46: tell us the worst pun you can think of.A man went to court for wearing only underwear. It was a brief case.47: what food do you think should be banned from the universe?48: what was your biggest fear as a kid? is it the same today? Losing friends, yes49: do you like buying CDs and records? what was the last one you bought? No50: what's an odd thing you collect? Idk?51: think of a person. what song do you associate with them? Tori-blu 52: what are your favorite memes of the year so far? Pure memes53: have you ever watched the rocky horror picture show? heathers? beetlejuice? pulp fiction? what do you think of them?No54: who's the last person you saw with a true look of sadness on their face? Tori55: what's the most dramatic thing you've ever done to prove a point?Idk56: what are some things you find endearing in people?Laughs 57: go listen to bohemian rhapsody. how did it make you feel? did you dramatically reenact the lyrics?It made me feel crazy and yes58: who's the wine mom and who's the vodka aunt in your group of friends? why?CHARLIE IS WINE MOM, TORI YOU KNOW YOURE VODKA AUNT FOR A REASON59: what's your favorite myth? Idk60: do you like poetry? what are some of your faves? Not really 61: what's the stupidest gift you've ever given? the stupidest one you've ever received?Leaves, leaves62: do you drink juice in the morning? which kind?Orange, apple63: are you fussy about your books and music? do you keep them meticulously organized or kinda leave them be?Kinda leave them be64: what color is the sky where you are right now?Light blue 65: is there anyone you haven't seen in a long time who you'd love to hang out with? OOhh um, Cheyanne and Kennadie66: what would your ideal flower crown look like?White and pink alternating with Blue and yellow over it67: how do gloomy days where the sky is dark and the world is misty make you feel?Oh they make me feel...amazing. I like the different feel! And like the soft glow. And the new feelings of being on a dark bus during rain.68: what's winter like where you live? Well it used to be frozen hell...but now it's not 😥69: what are your favorite board games? Monopoly70: have you ever used a ouija board?No and I plan to never71: what's your favorite kind of tea?Peach72: are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you'll forget it? Not really, it's more procrastination that destroys me73: what are some of your worst habits?Procrastination, forgetting to eat, disregarding self care, self hate, 74: describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns.They are the sweetest most amazing halminerd that loves my stories 75: tell us about your pets! Kiwi is my two year old boxer. We call her Moose, Meat brick, lazy doggo, and basically everything else lol76: is there anything you should be doing right now but aren't?Probably a project 77: pink or yellow lemonade?Eh I like both78: are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub?Hate79: what's one of the cutest things someone has ever done for you?Made art for me. Omg I die 80: what color are your bedroom walls? did you choose that color? if so, why?Grey81: describe one of your friend's eyes using the most abstract imagery you can think of.Like swimming in the clearest and most murky waters, and feeling relaxed at free82: are/were you good in school? Sorta83: what's some of your favorite album art?I actually don't know84: are you planning on getting tattoos? which ones?No85: do you read comics? what are your faves?Well like..,Rock and Riot86: do you like concept albums? which ones?No87: what are some movies you think everyone should watch at least once in their lives? Zootopia, hocus pocus, 88: are there any artistic movements you particularly enjoy? Idk89: are you close to your parents? Yeah, sorta90: talk about your one of you favorite cities. The sky lines reach amazingly high, the city gets washed in the glow of the riding a setting sun. (It never said I couldn't be vague)91: where do you plan on traveling this year? Europe!92: are you a person who drowns their pasta in cheese or a person who barely sprinkles a pinch? Drowns it93: what's the hairstyle you wear the most? Up in a pony94: who was the last person you know to have a birthday? My sister's 95: what are your plans for this weekend? Going to the mall with a few friends 96: do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot? Procrastinate 97: myer briggs type, zodiac sign, and hogwarts house? Uhhhh aquarius and ravenclaw 98: when's the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it? Yes! 99: list some songs that resonate to your soul whenever you hear them. Arrietty's song, Sail, rocks, fireflies100: if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why? Past, so I can do over and cause myself not to become an anxious fucky fuck that messes every thing upPhew!

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