It's all in a name..

Quite often when people discover I'm an artist, the first thing the quite rightly ask is 'what kind of work do you do?' A branding of the practice it seems is quite an important tool in the quest for understanding it would seem...

You'd think that this would be easy, but quite often I find it quite a tricky question. I find myself being generally descriptive 'Big bright abstracts' or 'Really textural abstracts, with spray paint, glitter and enamel' but feel these are quite an inadequate way to try to encapsulate my work, particularly if I'm trying to describe it to an audience with a bit of art knowledge.

I usually then simply show a picture as an example which resolves the problem.
However, it has bothered me that whilst being able to talk at length about other artists work, I find myself baffled by my own practice, one which I should know best of all!

Having spent years writing about my work, cogently and with joy, I have realised how easy it has been to get out of the habit of talking about my work, and how self consciousness can lead to a 'dumbing down' attitude.
I recently re-read my MA thesis which was basically a mapping excersise, based on contemporary painters in line with my own practice. It has inspired me to reengage with the academic side of my practice a little.

So over the next weeks and months, I will try to put together a way to describe my work, a short but sweet 'abstract' of you will.

How do you talk about your practice? Do you have any self conscious trouble?

The Joy of Pinterest

One of the most powerful tools I use, and perhaps one of the most simple, is Pinterest.
I have been known to be a little behind the times with technology, mostly because I enjoy the old fashioned things like books and pencils, however, Pinterest is something I was immediately drawn to as it caters perfectly for the visually minded. It also links up beautifully with twitter  (see, I'm down with the kids)

Essentially a great big internet sized pin board for ideas, it does what a mood board used to do for me when I was studying my A Levels. I have filled board after board of things that make me tick, over the past year or so, predominantly artwork that inspires me, but also, nods to my childhood and hobbies like baking and sewing....

This isn't an advert for Pinterest before you say, and they're not paying me or anything! I just think it's a great tool for the creative brain.  A way to put down ideas, to find colours, concepts and to meld them all together in one place. A place I can check freely in the studio whenever I find myself flagging.

Just seeing the artwork that has excited me makes me refocus on my own work, and so I'll leave you with an insight into my brain, mapped out in all it's slightly quirky glory for you via the channels of Pinterest...

http://www.pinterest.com/vlawsonart/

Bye for Now