Once There Was a Way
Lyrics as wordplay and studio days
My last post on deeper touched on the theme of wordplay and how words spark ideas for my art and for new series. This work is a good example. I piece together the work without any intent or theme in mind, just allowing the materials I’ve brought to the table, and my own intuition, to guide the process of putting it together and deciding how I’d like to finish it.
As I worked on that surface design layer yesterday the first few lines from the Beattles hit song, Golden Slumbers, was playing on a loop in my head and I found myself singing along as I worked:
… Once there was a way
To get back homeward… Once there was a way
To get back home… Sleep, pretty darling
Do not cry
And I will sing a lullaby
Often times this is how I find the meaning and titles for my work. It feels like that divine part of the inutitive voice guiding me to look more closely at what I’ve created. The deeper meaning in the song has to do with the longing and loss of our childhood days. A bit of loss of our innocence perhaps.
The tar pigment covering the surface, hits me as just that. I was pleased with the composition before I added it, but the flower was just too prissy for my taste. I auditioned a few other pieces before settling on the tar. The lyrics “I will sing a lullaby” just seemed to click.
Life in general has been that sort of juxtaposition of late. There is always a slow down in class sales over the summer months, but this forces me to begin to review the rest of what I do. I reopened my art shop this week with a sale to start moving some of the inventory piled up, as I’m working on a body of work for a show I’ve booked in October at a local gallery. It has lit a fire in my belly for the art making.
Collage always seems to do that for me. Once I start gluing, it is really hard to stop. The idea wheels begin to roll and suddenly I feel like I’ve returned to something I lost long long long ago. That thing we put aside believing the season has passed, a childhood of innocence. I’m excited to be in this place, but reminded daily of my own limitations physically and financially.
Health wise I’ve had a series of set backs and yet, strangely, while I’m in the midst of dealing with it all, my stamina seems to be on the upswing. Last weekend I made it to the city for an opening again, where I reconnected with an art friend that was part of a small group show with me and several other Chicago artists this very weekend 8 years ago.
Tonight I’m heading to another opening that I’m excited to see. A fellow collage artist who I’ve known online for many years has a solo with her textile work. Before I head out to see her and view her magnificent creations, I’m running over to Home Depot to pick up supplies and snap some pics for my upcoming class on using concrete, then stopping by Blick to pick up some glue and paper.
All in all it feels like a good day. And I’m hopeful for more good days to come,