I’ve just recently been introduced to the work of Bibbi Forsman and wanted to share it. Check out her website and blog for more great photos and interesting blog entries. I’m always intrigued by artists who work in different ways within their practice, as it’s something that has come to define the way I work. In fact I was just having a conversation about just that the other day with an artist who paints as well as works in ceramics. I remember being told at one point that you should be the master of one trade rather than ace of none and I’ve often been asked why I don’t focus on one of my bodies of work rather than separate my time between both. But I find time and time again that artists who I admire have a range to their work and it works for them.
For me it’s been a question at times of sanity. Working on the figurative work I do is really rewarding, but also emotionally draining as it deals with subject matter that I find hard to address on a daily basis. Same as anyone I hate to deal with the horrors of humanity everyday and my work brings it into focus right in my face, so the functional work allows me a bit of peace but also challenges me to think about the beauty in life and humanity as well. Both bodies of work aim to find positives, one just visually presents negatives to address the possibilities of proactive change, while the other presents beauty to remind us of the subtlety of the power of the everyday.
So I’m in the studio now working on a new series of figurative work for an exhibition this coming May and I can barely wait to show you some of the new pieces, but it will be a bit of a wait through drying time, glazing and firing. As soon as possible I’ll make sure to post a sneak peek as soon as pieces emerge from the kiln…
In the meantime check out this work by Biliana Popova who also works both figuratively and functionally, both beautiful!
So I’m curious how others handle the split in their practice, whether it be between different disciplines, different methods of working, functional/sculptural, production work and exhibition work. Do both pay off, or is one the passion work and the other the financially sustainable work? Thoughts?
I feel honored to be an example of split vision! Your reflections are interesting food for thoughts.
I think it is both a matter of tradition and personality. For example, the artists from former East Europe had a very wide, classic education and managed so many skills and tools besides their personal expression. I’m really impressed by their deep artistic knowledge.
Personally I think one part of my work has inspired the other over time, and sometimes also challenges the ideas I get stuck with. New materials, another scale, another user.
Working with the repetition of throwing cups was also a way of keeping up studio work at times when I was absorbed with teaching. It made me not loose grip of my own work, when some days I couldn’t spend more than a couple of hours for myself. Big visions need more time to be expressed but that way I could feel content with my effort, and like you say, focus on beauty.
Maybe the two are like conjoined twins,both a little difficult and idiosyncratic but ultimately reliant on one another.For over thirty years each side of my practise has informed the other ,technically and conceptually.
I have an inherited Protestant work ethic which means producing a lot of work,which equates to more ‘play’.Without this the work would become stale and self-important.