series?
Mattison T. FitzGerald
how artists approach it technical, emotional, spiritual etc.
Where does the staying power arise for larger works?
Why do collectors look for series work as evidence of an aritsts maturity?
Whats the difference if I do 11 - 8' canvass all different - youstill
work through the same hours.
Any insights this or others greatly appreciated!
Mattison
jAxAs
>From: mat...@netcom.com (Mattison T. FitzGerald)
>Subject: series?
>Can you all post your approaches to producing series? I am
>interested in how artists approach it technical, emotional, spiritual etc.
I personally have no patience for serial work, if by serial you mean to
work obsessively and repetitiously. Although when you stop to think
about it, all work is serial in the sense of one following another.
I think the issue of repetitious work is more pertinent to abstract than to
representational work. There are some artists whose temperament
seems to suit them more naturally to working repetitiously and
obsessively. Butterfield, Close, Gotlieb, Rothko, Reinhardt, Dine, as
examples. It seems to me that the real issue is one of stylistic identity
for the artist, whether that comes from working repititiously or from
having a unique signature style.
In representational work for instance, look at any artist who has a body
of work that varies in subject matter from still life, to landscape, to
figure study. You will know what I mean by a "signature style" if you
have ever been able to walk into a gallery or museum and instantly
recognize an artist's work regardless of subject. Premier example.
Would you know a Van Gogh whether the subject was a vase full of
flowers, a barroom interior, or a field of haystacks?
A different problem arises when you think about abstraction. Take any
well known abstract artist, change their "theme" and see how often you
can still identify their work. For example. If you saw a painting that was
largely square shapes in blue on a pink field, would you recognize it as
a work by Gotlieb? Or you see a canvas of variegated narrow vertical
stripes--would you identify it as a Kline? Or a finely drawn,
geometrically precise arrangement in shades of gray--would you guess
a Hoffman?
>Why do collectors look for series work as evidence of an artist's
>maturity?
I think the issue is more important to gallery owners and critics than it
is to a collector. A gallery doesn't want surprises. They want an artist
they represent to be salable for the reasons they chose the artist in the
first place. Because s/he does those HUGE black canvases, or s/he
sticks broken crockery on painted canvas, or s/he does erotic figurative
studies, or s/he paints those moody-stormy landscapes, whatever.
>What's the difference if I do 11 - 8' canvass all different you still work
>through the same hours. Any insights this or others greatly
>appreciated!
> Mattison
And they are all eleven of them "original Mattisons!" The question
becomes: are they all READILY IDENTIFIABLE as uniquely and
distinctly "Mattisons?" Probably only time will answer that one.
jAxAs -- timed out.
Mattison T. FitzGerald
: In article <mattartD...@netcom.com>, mat...@netcom.com says...
: >From: mat...@netcom.com (Mattison T. FitzGerald)
: >Subject: series?
: >Can you all post your approaches to producing series? I am
: >interested in how artists approach it technical, emotional, spiritual etc.
: I personally have no patience for serial work, if by serial you mean to
: work obsessively and repetitiously. Although when you stop to think
Yes, but the art establishment in NYC looks for this from what I have
observed and been told after my first opening there a few weeks ago.
: about it, all work is serial in the sense of one following another.
: I think the issue of repetitious work is more pertinent to abstract than to
: representational work. There are some artists whose temperament
: seems to suit them more naturally to working repetitiously and
: obsessively. Butterfield, Close, Gotlieb, Rothko, Reinhardt, Dine, as
: examples. It seems to me that the real issue is one of stylistic identity
: for the artist, whether that comes from working repititiously or from
: having a unique signature style.
Nice point.
: In representational work for instance, look at any artist who has a body
: of work that varies in subject matter from still life, to landscape, to
: figure study. You will know what I mean by a "signature style" if you
: have ever been able to walk into a gallery or museum and instantly
: recognize an artist's work regardless of subject. Premier example.
: Would you know a Van Gogh whether the subject was a vase full of
: flowers, a barroom interior, or a field of haystacks?
Yes - my later work after the soul travel reeks of this.
(radical spiritual happening after 2 sever accidents and body work
energy alignments - shows right in the work like before and after shots)
Since then I spend all my energy and passion trying to push this
signature in any direction except where it is. This is a constant challenge
how to keep growing in fresh new vision.
Do you subscribe to the theory that all great artists have a streak then
burn out. Or is it now - if you can live and produce
long enough a body of work the styles and changes good or bad would be
acknowledged in the value of simple artistic develpoment?
: A different problem arises when you think about abstraction. Take any
: well known abstract artist, change their "theme" and see how often you
: can still identify their work. For example. If you saw a painting that was
: largely square shapes in blue on a pink field, would you recognize it as
: a work by Gotlieb? Or you see a canvas of variegated narrow vertical
: stripes--would you identify it as a Kline? Or a finely drawn,
: geometrically precise arrangement in shades of gray--would you guess
: a Hoffman?
My answer is yes - but Im not often in the crowd.
: >Why do collectors look for series work as evidence of an artist's
: >maturity?
: I think the issue is more important to gallery owners and critics than it
: is to a collector. A gallery doesn't want surprises. They want an artist
: they represent to be salable for the reasons they chose the artist in the
: first place. Because s/he does those HUGE black canvases, or s/he
: sticks broken crockery on painted canvas, or s/he does erotic figurative
: studies, or s/he paints those moody-stormy landscapes, whatever.
: >What's the difference if I do 11 - 8' canvass all different you still work
: >through the same hours. Any insights this or others greatly
: >appreciated!
: And they are all eleven of them "original Mattisons!" The question
: becomes: are they all READILY IDENTIFIABLE as uniquely and
: distinctly "Mattisons?" Probably only time will answer that one.
Yes -
but now I think I'm still running from the signature under the pressure
of professional demands. I find my inner ear saying Matt draw draw
draw. So I did 120 sketches comming back to CA from NYC on the
plane. I got a few - 6 good out of 120 - they appear as sculpture
though not paintings.
I think I will blow up the sketches that have value to a large
drawings then work into the paintings - just as a test of what the living
big hitters do eg. Peter Brandes, Margaret Byrd. I'm sure something of value
will be gained.
16 Canvass that size staring at you is to say the least emotionally
challenging, stimulating, and down right amazing. Anyone of
you who says anyone even my kid can do that - I say HA HA AHAHAHAHAH go try.
Mattison
url:http://www.cc.swarthmore.edu~sjohnson/mattison
Wray Kephart
X Can you all post your approaches to producing series? I am interested in
X how artists approach it technical, emotional, spiritual etc.
Il prepare a number of panels between 10-20 and work them all at the same
time alternating, sometimes theyl all come up at the same time some fail
etc. Im focused on a group of images that relate to one another-some would
call that a "series"; but basically its just a single idea described and
expanded upon 20 different ways. Usually one or two will take you another
direction and they become the catalyst for another series.
X Why do collectors look for series work as evidence of an aritsts maturity?
Because the style of the work is consistant. The artist has peaked on an
idea therefore is at his most mature. Collectors probably had a hard time
with Picasso because he kept growing from infant idea to mature with regards
to his style. His subject matter stayed the same but his styles changed
radically compared to others of that era.
X Whats the difference if I do 11 - 8' canvass all different - youstill
X work through the same hours.
How much experience do you have? Maturity is based in it, what do you
mean by all different, style or subject or both? Your probably not
mature if your at this stage in your painting.
Kephart
ellie clemens
>
>Can you all post your approaches to producing series? I am interested in
>
>
>
>
I tend to do lots of series. Not because I think I should, but because I
find that with some subjects I'm still very interested after one, or three
or many more paintings. Usually it's the composition of a certain scene
that really draws me (I'm mostly a landscape artist). I find myself
trying the same thing with different styles, different colors, different
levels of abstraction. I feel like I become obsessed with these
paintings. Sometimes I have to really make myself stop and paint some-
thing else for a while.
I'm surprised to hear that collectors see this as a sign of maturity. I
think it's just good old self indulgence. (My favorite passtime...)
One series I did started out with about 20 small watercolors. THen I
did a large (for me) 36x48 oil of the same scene. I was sick of it for a
while after that. But just today I came across an old sketch I did as a
study for that painting, and I saw a whole new way to emphasize the
shapes. So I'll probably do another series. I feel excited about that!
I often, also, work on several paintings of the same subject at the same
time. WHen I get "stuck" on one, I go to another, and by the time I get
back to the one I was having trouble with, I can at least see it with
fresher eyes.
-ellie
Wray Kephart
X Wray Kephart (kep...@crash.cts.com) wrote:
X I am asking the questions to get others insights
<Oh, I thought I was asking the questions-someone hand me a glass of insight
so that I can reflect>.
X It seems your experiences parallells what I already do and knew - Im
X looking for insights that I may not have experienced.
Did not know that personal insight is based upon others personal
experience but; if you can actually become that person and all others you
wont have to spend unnecessary time working/experiencing it yourself.
What you want is a direct communication to God
Kephart
Jason A. Hutto
changing my special blades.
>I am interested in
>how artists approach it
Here is how I think of it:
>technical(ly) -
The only technical aspects I consider are the major ones...
Media, size, and style.
In a series I will generally stick to media that are similar or the same...
At least in the formal works...
Acrylic, watercolor, and a mixture of the two...all the pieces will begin
by being related that way....then the pieces will be either the same size
or in proportion to one another...the last series i did was 2x4, 4x4. and
4x8 feet works...the style will remain similar, but it will evolve simply
because that is the way it always is...the work grows, the style
changes...but certain elements remain similar.
>emotional(ly)-
I am usually on a huge kick when I begin a series.
Something has struck me, either an Idea or an object or something...and
the mood it has created will dominate the body of work...most of the time
my moods are in tune with the exploratory nature of the body of work, so
the shifting moods can be seen in the feel of the individual pieces...
For example...if I were to do a series of work based on 'love' you would
most likely see the beautiful aspects of love as well at that love/hate
border...some aspects of jealousy...etc etc...all the emotions
involved...sex, coompanionship, trust, fear, doubt, anger...all of it in one.
Personally, I am usually on an emotional rollercoaster when I am deeply
involved in a body of work...One day I will be up the next
down...depending on how much time I have been able to work, and how the
mood of the series lies at any given point.
>spiritual(ly)-
Art and its creation is a religion of its own, so I am usually in a
spiritual up when i am working...especially if I am working hard...and
when i am unable to work I am almost spiritually void.
>Where does the staying power arise for larger works?
Staying power?
I do not think I understand what you mean here.
As they say, size does not matter.
If you are making coherent, good work, size will not matter. Granted it
would be harder to make a series of murals than it would be to make sall
watercolors. In relation to series, the work should all be related,
regardless of size. Related in some way, not in every way, of course.
>Why do collectors look for series work as evidence of an aritsts maturity?
I think series work is one aspect of artistic maturity. It is not at all
the determining factor. To produce a series proves that you can not only
express an idea, but that you can develop, explore, and twist an idea
within that same context. A coherent series is one way to see whether or
not a so called artist can speak the language, and not just grab broken
sentences from a book of foreign phrases.
>Whats the difference if I do 11 - 8' canvass all different - youstill
>work through the same hours.
What does time have to do with it?
I can paint a huge canvas in an hour and a half, or less...but it will
probably stink. I could paint five of them and call it a series. Again it
will probably stink. The point is not to spend long hours or short hours
or to make huge pieces. The point is to explore a theme or an idea or an
object, and to show the exploration via image. The series is a map of the
journey. Whether it took two months or two years is not relevant. Not
that it is WRONG to create singular images and not worry about series at
all. It is important that you work, not that you work in series.
Collectors and galleries want the series for financial reasons.
It is more marketable to have a body of similar or related work than to
have a collection of random images. If patrons like this one, but it is
sold, they will be more likely to buy one that is from the same series,
or one taht looks similar to the one they like.
Collectors buy bodies of work like trading cards. 'Collect the whole set'.
To own an entire series is to own an entire chunk of an artist's life.
When you die and get famous, your ___________ period will be significant.
As well as your _______________ period and your ____________ period.
Thats what i think anyway.
Jason
--
This has been a message from : Jason A. Hutto (Brother Alphabet)
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