I am continuing my art practice development with a new art residency at home. This residency will focus on adding dimension to my work with sculptural forms and collaged elements. I will also be exploring how I use materials and how I can incorporate a wider variety of materials within my work. Many of the pieces I create for this home residency project will be used to create an art series.

What should I focus on for my Art Series?

Creating a series or a body of work has been on my mind for some time. Curators often want to see a cohesive story or series of stories in an artist’s body of work. I have several series underway (such as the Weird Voices Series). However, my present work process isn’t always linear. When I work, I tend to jump from piece to piece without always thinking about how the work will fit into the series I have started. Each finished piece fits like a puzzle into the present body of work and sometimes new themes evolve which invites a series spinoff. While there is not necessarily anything wrong with this method, I do feel that it will take longer to tell the stories with my work that I want to focus on I would like some more cohesion in the storytelling. Focusing on a specific theme and creating a set amount of work revolving around that theme will help me build that more cohesive story far more quickly than my current method.

Recently, artist Anne Livingston invited other YouTube-based artists to join her in creating a series of 10 paintings. The challenge has evolved to include other art forms and may be evolving into an online exhibition. I felt that this challenge would be a fun way for me to find accountability and so I joined in. For my first series, I wanted to focus on an easy topic, something that would allow me to focus on technique-based development and yet was still something that I felt strongly tied to. I came up with the idea of “Ready to Nest.”  The theme will focus on home and my desire for a permanent home with a small garden filled with flowers, small animals, and birds. The theme will allow me to explore some different techniques while unifying them within one concept.

The Framework

I am using several of Surface Design Assocation’s Meetups as a framework for my study in technique. Dimensionality and Fiber Sculpture with Jacqueline Mallegni focus on the transformation of materials into three-dimensional forms and how those forms can inertact within light and space to express meaningful stories. Working with Fabric and Paper with Ana Tièche will explore how we can use combinations of fiber such as fabric, thread, and paper to create works of fiber art such as collages, vessels, and sculptural pieces. Both of these meetups are similar and offer me the opportinity to explore the addition of new matierals and techniques to my art practice.

Part of my exploration of 3 dimensional textile art will involve looking at the work of various textile artists. The book Mixed Media Textile Art by Anne Goddard will provide inspiration and ideas for additional artists and materials to research. I will add these to my list of resources below as I make new discoveries.

Goals and Timeline

My goal is to complete 10 pieces of art in a cohesive series. The artwork will be a combination of 2D and 3D works. The 3D work will laregley be composed of collage or spun cotton figures. I plan to be finished by April 3rd to meet the dealine proposed by Anne for her online exhibition goal.

Budget

I will be primarily using matierals around the studio and upcyled matierlas. I am budgeting $50 USD for fiber roving.

Resources

*Note: I will update and add resources here throughout the residency period

Books

Mixed Media Textile Art by Ann Goddard

Artist Studies

Jacqueline Mallegni   https://mallegni.com/

Priscilla Robinson https://www.priscillarobinson.com/

Working in a Series

Tips

• Work on multiple projects simultaneously to help create a cohesive series. Choose a set of the same size “canvas” and add bits and pieces of the same materials, patterns or colors to each one. Then address/work on each of these pieces as an individual work.
• Time management is the most difficult and most crucial part of working as an artist

Resources

General Tips

Why Work in a Series?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFOYXQ6bIiw

What does it mean to work in a series?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LXN557nLcQ

Working in a Series – Unlocking Creative Potential for Artistic Growth https://www.howtopastel.com/2023/09/working-in-a-series/

How to Plan a 10 Painting Series  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqPxAugsyHU&t=2s

Anne Livinston’s 10 painting series challenge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz_kSc6wY5s&list=PLUsCd-ImS-CXYAxhx6HzDBJtfSDE36GFZ

How to Create a Collection of Paintings (working in series) – Emerging Artists – Episode 10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HlXH67Kx54

How to Start- Perspectives from various Artists

Here’s how I start a new body of work…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewd2MYNqgoU

How I began painting a body of work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJr5lbKZcak