Wednesday, September 16, 2009

I've still got my first Derwent colour pencils...


But I dont think Jen Maestre does... I imagine they may well have ended up in an art work and be long gone. Then again...its curious what people save - I should talk! Here is a sample of what  Jen does with off-cuts from her work as a sculptor. I found her on the Data Is Nature blog feature on the post below. When she returned my email she reported having visited Australia 10 years ago and said she loved being reminded of the Indigenous woven forms she had seen then when reading about the 'Floating Life" exhibit I posted on 3 days ago currently at Brisbane's GoMA.

Sunshine oculus pencil pendant  shown at  jenmaestre.etsy.com

Sunshine oculus pencil pendant

Artists the world over are often to be found innovating something in their studios that is a sideline to their main Art Practice, making the most of left over material where possible, or utilising hard won skills into something streamlined to sell at affordable prices. Its a bonus when the by-product of the larger work bears fruit in this way...and does not diminish, but enhances the other work. There is a strong element of fine craftsmanship in producing work over a life-time and sometimes the application to producing smaller fine works can be the discipline that can add significantly to an Art Practice - of course depending on the nature of the work and artist's intention.
Perhaps in one's student years, when cash may be in extremely short supply - corners are cut - but it is gratifying to see the shift in awareness of materials that is part of the Artist's maturation process, despite the ongoing need for thrift that is often the case for a great many practitioners..

2 comments:

Chrissy Foreman C said...

LOVE this!!

Sophie Munns said...

I like that small transparent circular section... an intriguing piece.
thanks for commenting C!
S x