Outside of the Comfort Zone (Mine)

Posted on August 19, 2011 | 5 comments

Not only have I been encouraging you to get your art out into the world, but I’ve also been sending out mine. I’m proud to share with you that my artists’ books will be in three current and upcoming gallery shows in case you’d like to see them in person.

4th Annual Juried Show – Sylvia White Gallery – Ventura, California – now through September 3rd

The first show, going on now through September 3, is at the Sylvia White Gallery in Ventura, California. This annual juried show is why I titled the blog post “Outside of the Comfort Zone.” I was not going to enter this show because: 1. It is the Sylvia White Gallery, 2. It is not a book arts gallery, 3. I was pretty darned sure my work wouldn’t be chosen in this kind of setting. But, at the last-minute, I decided to enter. What’s that saying, you could have knocked me over with a feather? Well, in this case it was true. I’ll admit to some impromptu dancing with my husband in our closet (long story) when we found out that two of my artists’ books, The Heaven Project and Loves Me/Not had been chosen from 1800 entries for the show. If you can’t make it to the gallery in person, you can see the show online, here.

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From Our Perspectives: A National Women’s Art Exhibition – Oakland Community College, Farmington Hills, Michigan – September 15 – October 14

I’m pleased to have been asked to participate in this annual show for a second time, this time with my artists’ book I’m Telling You Now.  The description for the show: “Within their chosen medium, today’s women artists continue to share their unique viewpoints on the material, personal, global, political and cultural landscapes that surround us.”

I’d love to see the show in person but don’t think I can get to Michigan during that timeframe. Are you local? I’d love to see some photos. You can also see slide shows of previous year’s shows: 2010, 2009, 2008, and 2007.

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BookOpolis 2011- Asheville Bookworks – Asheville, North Carolina – September 23 and 24 (Some work extended until November 28th)

This year I’ll have One Second of Time and Empty at BookOpolis in North Carolina. It’s not too late to send your own work, learn more here. I’m hoping like last year, to have one book, or both, chosen for the extended Capital Works Show.

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Is there a show you’ve been thinking of entering but are not sure it’s worth the entry fee, potential rejection (At the same time that I was notified of the Sylvia White selection, I was notified that my work was not chosen for the Marin MOCA show, Shattered), or hassle? Remember your art needs a viewer to fulfill its potential and give it a try.

~Ginger

www.gingerburrell.com

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Lessons from the Drive Home

Posted on August 17, 2011 | 1 comment

When I was a kid we drove down to Los Angeles from the Bay Area – a lot. I thought I-5 was the most incredibly boring drive anywhere. My parents often did the drive at night, I suspect as much to get us to sleep through the drive instead of having to listen to us complain about it, as much as to fit their schedules.

A funny thing has happened the last few times I’ve driven I-5, especially on the drive home from Camp Gramma and Gramps. I-5 has gotten interesting, even beautiful. Or perhaps I have just become open to the final lesson from camp.

Lesson # 4 – You do not have to go somewhere “special” to be inspired.

Two weeks ago I was in Yosemite. Beautiful, awe-inspiring and very photographable. You can hardly take a step without finding another vista, waterfall or critter to photograph.

This week I spent in Hanford. Yup, Hanford. If you are like 99% of the people I’ve mentioned Hanford to, you have no idea where Hanford is, you’ve never even heard of it. It’s near Fresno. Ah… It’s between the San Francisco and Los Angeles. Aha!

But something about the lighting on my drive home from Hanford to San Jose was just perfect. The hills were a beautiful buttery yellow, the sky a blue that varied from pale and watery to brilliant azure depending on where I looked, and everywhere there was a scene that I wanted to photograph.

If you’ve ever driven on Hwy 198 or I-5 you might be surprised. I mean it’s all just fields and bare, dry landscape, right?

I kept thinking of a book by one of my professors (and one of my favorite photographers),  Robert Dawson, called The Great Central Valley. In this project Bob photographed areas, that might otherwise be dismissed, in such a way as to show their beauty and dignity. You can see some of his magnificent photographs, here. (And while you’re at it, check out Farewell Promised Land. The photograph, Private property, Lake Tahoe, remains one of my all time favorite photographs.)

Where I could, I stopped on the roadside on my way home. The two images in this blog post are from those stops. The first (above) is of a farmer tilling his soil. I like the juxtaposition of the farmer and field with all of the man-made timing and light devices (including the reflection in the rear-view mirror).

 The second is of a hillside recently burned. I think the black hills make the golden-yellow and sky blue pop – and I like the way the black pickets and road carry the black through the image.

The drive has reminded me of an exercise that I used to do – Daily Photographs. Every day I would take photographs and then cull them down to the 5 best. This served two purposes – it made me look at my everyday environments with an artist’s eye – and made me self-edit (something I’m not very good at). Hmm. I think I’ll have to start the Daily Photographs again. Perhaps there is an artists’ book in there somewhere…

I challenge you to find artistic inspiration in an environment you previously thought boring.

~Ginger

www.gingerburrell.com

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More Lessons from “Camp”

Posted on August 16, 2011 | Leave a comment

Back to reality today.

I am running loads of clothes through the washer and dryer and sifting through Outlook to find the important emails among the marketing messages. (When did anything at Pottery Barn become a “must have”? Don’t get me wrong, I love  Pottery Barn, but I don’t think they sell anything that I can’t get by without. Squirrel?)

I’m working on production of some books to meet upcoming deadlines, enjoying the peace and quiet, and yet missing the giggling and noise of the kids. I’m also thinking about other lessons from “camp.”

Lesson # 2 – Everything is better with a buddy (even if you disagree).

I tend to work quietly by myself. I’m sure working from home in my own studio reinforces this – but after spending the week with my niece, Amelia, and my nephew, Colin, I am reminded how much a buddy can add to the process. They bounced ideas, humor, even disagreements off of each other and came out better for it. And most importantly they had someone to pal around with.

I’m trying to build more community into my art making, through teaching,  meeting regularly with other book artists and having “play dates” with my friend, Wendy Sprague, who is a watercolor painter.  I don’t work in watercolors,  but setting aside time to work together adds to the richness of both of our work. I never know when a technique from her media will be useful in mine and vice versa.

I am also making more time to have lunch with my friend, Gloria Huet, a painter and printmaker. Our media is not the same but we have many of the same professional challenges – getting our work out into the world, interfacing with galleries and collectors, and marketing our work.

I’ve heard from many other book artists that there isn’t a community of book artists in their area. Consider that artists in all media have some commonalities and having artist-friends to share the trials and tribulations of art making with – even if you disagree – will enrich your process and support your development as an artist.

Lesson # 3 – Remember to sing (just like when you were a kid).

On the last day of “camp” when we were cleaning up and getting ready to leave, Amelia started singing Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah. (One of Amelia’s many charms is that she often sings while she is working on art, cooking or taking a shower.) My mom joined in and so did I and by the end of the song we were loud and smiling and had lighter hearts. If you work quietly in your studio – whether you have a “good” singing voice or not – try a bit of singing out loud. It may make that deadline, or your frustration with the glue that just won’t do what you want, seem a bit less overwhelming.

Out of curiosity I did some quick internet research on the health and emotional benefits of singing, and found an interesting article in a UC Berkeley Wellness Alert that says, among other things, that when people sing their antibodies go up because singing makes them feel good. Works for me!

Do you have a song that you sing while you work?

Zip-a-dee-dooh-dah, zip-a-dee-ay

My, oh my what a wonderful day!

Plenty of sunshine heading my way

Zip-a-dee-dooh-dah, zip-a-dee-ay….

~Ginger

www.gingerburrell.com

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