A photo of my heterosexual life partner L at a Valentine's event at her gallery. She'd probably want me to remind you to envy her vintage red shoes.
Here's the thing - I have done a lot of self-portraits (although I usually consider them to be photos of some sort of character rather than being literally of me) but I am not very comfortable with the idea of photographing others. Or, rather, of doing it with any success. This, of course, is ironically hilarious since people will ask me to photograph them thinking that, as a photographer, I should be able to do so. Or want to do so. I don't.
Which is not to say that I don't sometimes wish I was confident to do portraiture. L here wants me to take some naked photos of her for her to use on wine labels. I am scared to death that I will not be able to give her the beautiful photos that she wants. I've told her as much. I appreciate her faith in me.
The portraiture that I am most comfortable with doing right now is not very conventional and is pretty much how I photograph everything else. I prefer to abstract the subject or otherwise deconstruct it visually. I go back and forth between thinking this is my visual style or that it's just a weakness.
There are two elements that drive me to work in this style/weakness. First of all, looking at the "big picture" of something is often more than my brain can handle - both in something I am trying to photograph and in photos that others have taken. Big landscape photos with lots going on in them hurt my brain. It's really hard for me to look at them. So I simplify what I shoot for the sake of my sanity. Secondly, I believe with all my heart that art should change your perspective. This could be you literal perspective or your mental perspective. By shooting just a piece of some whole, I have already changed someone's perspective in the literal sense and it may lead to further changes in perspective as they continue looking.
And all this is to say that I could care less about portraiture today because I'm preoccupied by a grant that I'm trying to finish. Now that I'm almost done, I'm wondering how sad I'll be if I don't get it and how panicked I'll be if I do get it. Oh life, why must you be so hard.
Here's the thing - I have done a lot of self-portraits (although I usually consider them to be photos of some sort of character rather than being literally of me) but I am not very comfortable with the idea of photographing others. Or, rather, of doing it with any success. This, of course, is ironically hilarious since people will ask me to photograph them thinking that, as a photographer, I should be able to do so. Or want to do so. I don't.
Which is not to say that I don't sometimes wish I was confident to do portraiture. L here wants me to take some naked photos of her for her to use on wine labels. I am scared to death that I will not be able to give her the beautiful photos that she wants. I've told her as much. I appreciate her faith in me.
The portraiture that I am most comfortable with doing right now is not very conventional and is pretty much how I photograph everything else. I prefer to abstract the subject or otherwise deconstruct it visually. I go back and forth between thinking this is my visual style or that it's just a weakness.
There are two elements that drive me to work in this style/weakness. First of all, looking at the "big picture" of something is often more than my brain can handle - both in something I am trying to photograph and in photos that others have taken. Big landscape photos with lots going on in them hurt my brain. It's really hard for me to look at them. So I simplify what I shoot for the sake of my sanity. Secondly, I believe with all my heart that art should change your perspective. This could be you literal perspective or your mental perspective. By shooting just a piece of some whole, I have already changed someone's perspective in the literal sense and it may lead to further changes in perspective as they continue looking.
And all this is to say that I could care less about portraiture today because I'm preoccupied by a grant that I'm trying to finish. Now that I'm almost done, I'm wondering how sad I'll be if I don't get it and how panicked I'll be if I do get it. Oh life, why must you be so hard.
But I found the last photo in this posting about the closing reception at Stitch Spectacular quite delightful. Sure, it's probably another case of dumb luck, but let me enjoy it, okay?
If my calculations are correct (probably...), my gallery presence has increased 66% since the start of 2009. Sounds pretty darn good, doesn't it? I'd like to say that this means something, but I feel like it's all dumb luck. Luck and networking. That said, I do hope I keep it up with branching out this year. By which I mean entering a few more shows. It also wouldn't hurt to actually make some damn art.
Unfortunately, I was not part of this glorious chaos. I was holed up next door teaching. (Am I complaining? Maybe, maybe not.)
All is well, my ego is stroked, and I have proof enough that my art is indeed taking up space in the Stitch Spectacular show. (I totally stole this photo off of the Stitch Spectacular website; please don't get your panties in a wad Mr./Ms. Person Who Took The Photo.)
In my defense, let me just say that I have had some mishaps in the past including upside-down art and cropped-and-then-mistitled art, so I feel that I have reason to expect the worst. I like to think I'm pretty laid back about my art, but there are certain times that I just won't compromise. Like if, as I irritionally feared, my art never got hung.
So, just to be clear, kudos to Stitch Spectacular. Wish I could have seen it in person.
