February 17, 2008

I haven't been posting much about my artwork lately. Instead, I've been writing of friends and travels, more journal-entries than sketchbook pages. The thing is, I have been creating in my little art room and I have been going outside, photographing images. I've been keeping the artmaking part of my life separate from the blogging part of my life while I figure out my ideas.

I bought a new sketchbook, actually it's a scrapbook - the kind where I can slip a page under a plastic sleeve. I usually use a traditional sketchbook but my old beloved sketchbooks have been opened up so many times, scanned so many times, re-arranged so many times, that they are now being held together with frayed ribbons. Even better! (grin) Anyway, I spent days going though boxes of old photographs and ragged pictures I tore out of magazines over the years and rearranged them onto pages. I fell into a zone of pure contentment and even excitement. I began to see a threads connecting photographs and a shadow of a story appearing with the placement of an image next to another. It was such a great headspace to be in.

Above is a collage I recently made from some of my old photographs and a portrait clipped from a magazine. It's one of my favourite pages in my new sketchbook. When I look at it, I can see the makings of a good story although not the completed story. When I was seven years old, my grade 2 teacher used to have her students pick out a magazine clipping from a box. Once we had chosen our image, we'd write a story about it. Oh, how I loved doing that!

I read somewhere of another creative exercise for photographers (and other creative folk). It involved laying out one's photographs in chronilogical order. The premise behind this exercise was that every photographer has a certain style or is drawn to certain ideas. By laying out the photographs in chronilogical order, a common thread would appear that would connect all the images within the entire collection. I've been doing this exercise on the table in my art room.

So that's where I am at art-wise these days. Rearranging my images, finding that common thread, looking for a new idea that will lead to a new final photograph. I'll post up a few more sketchbook pages within the next couple of weeks.

 

Comments

[Lisa Hoffman]

Susanna,

Pulling the image out of the box and creating a story was one of my favorite school assignments as well!
When I come to NJ, we need to make a date at the coffee shop. Bring the box, I'll bring some images to add....hadn't thought about that in Forever.
I love the image of Marguerite.

Lisa H.

[stephanie]

I love this exercise and can imagine the stories spilling from the box!

[caroline]

Oh, this post was so inspiring! I've been longing to have the time to absorb myself in something similar, filling notebooks, hanging pages and photos on my walls or picking out what I feel attracted to... I like the sound of a notebook hanging together with ribbons... :) x

[rochambeau]

I like the sounds of your new sketchbook with sleeves!! Your school teacher was great to do the magazine exercise with you. I find in writing a blog that many times the words will wrap themselves around the photos. Using the photos as an anchor is such a great format for how my brain works. It gives inspiration.

See you soon.
Constance

[mary cooper]

I love hearing about your creative process,it's like fresh air when i'm alone trying to put something together. It's funny no matter where life takes me it seems the things that please me the most are the same things that brought me joy as a 7 year old. I look forward to seeing more sketch book pages. Mary Cooper

[Mo'a]

It is so very interesting to hear how artists work and what inspires them. I love this post you are such a good writer. I look forward to hearing the stories that come from your sketchbook pages.

[Ulla]

I love this new direction Susanna! Your collage is wonderful - that face...! When my daughter was young, (2 to 5) we'd sit down and draw or collage, and then she would dictate a story to me about the art-work. I had completely forgotten how wonderful and satisfying that was... Need to pull them out now that you have reminded me... Have you found any 'common threads' yet? I've tried that exercise too, but seem to have too many things to chose from... Perhaps that's my thread - or should I say threads...