It's Been 10 Years, Part 3

working on Bruised, Once Broken in my Penland studio

photo by Dana Moore

An important and unexpected part of the last ten years is my fascination with artist process. When I began my Penland residency in 2009 I planned to figure out the details of how and why I make my work. I remember writing in my sketchbook a list of all the ways I might try to figure some stuff out. It included daily drawing, reading about jewelry, writing about my work, and various hands-on, exploratory exercises. I'm not sure where this all came from but I feel like I composed the list by thinking about what I dreamed of doing in the studio and never had time for. Then I started to tackle my plan in a very deliberate way.

One winter in particular, I structured my day with a variety of tasks and followed a routine. I made one-hour pieces and did other time-based exercises. I read books on the history of jewelry and studied the work of contemporary jewelers. I thought about my work and I wrote it all down. I did the same round of activities nearly every day and by the end of the winter and I had tons of information at my finger tips. Then I realized I could use this information to my advantage. I was beginning to discover where my ideas were coming from and why, I understood the basic steps I took each time I made a new piece, and I knew what to do when I felt stuck.

Then process became my "thing." I wrote a memoir-style essay for a magazine about how I began to discover my process and lead Penland's Core Fellows through eight weeks of process during their core seminar. I went on to teach workshops at a number of places from Seattle, WA to Certaldo, Italy. In turn, I realized how much I love seeing how other artists work and truly enjoy helping people discover their own methods. Process has come to have its own identity in my work, too. It is often part of my concept as a ritual or some integral component that I choose to leave exposed.

Every artist has their own unique process, but I believe there are some universal basics. I share my personal experience as a way to guide others and I encourage my students to be open and to try everything. I also tell them some parts will be easy and some will be a struggle. I usually discover more about my own process every time I lead my 3D-sketching exercise or have my students make a list of 50 things that inspire them. I love digging deep and questioning and doing so only serves to make me better at what I do. Thinking back now, I am so excited about all of this and I know that what I found in the last ten years is just the beginning.

paper model for the piece

the completed piece

There are tons of pictures of process on my Flickr page and here are links to process images from I Live Here Now and In Between, my most recent work.

Thanks for reading.

24 Devoted Hours

my amazing class and all their work

Over the weekend I taught an artist process class at Pratt Fine Arts Center and it was a truly wonderful, rewarding, inspiring experience. The master class was three 8-hour days of thinking, writing, and making exercises devoted to the how and why of art making. On the first day we focused on ideas, followed by how students make their work on day two, and lastly on day three, we looked closely at challenges and blocks. 

We began each day with an exercise to get everyone thinking deeply about their work followed by a 3D "sketching" project using common materials. After lunch we took a walk to observe our surroundings and take pictures of the things we find interesting. Then I asked students to observe what they observed by studying the photos and jotting down quick notes. The afternoon was spent with another focused thinking/writing exercise and then independent work time. Students could use these hours to dive into a project of their own or try any number of process exercises I had suggested. I took this time to meet with each student for 15 minutes to talk about their work. By the end of day three everyone had lots of writing done and made lots of wonderful, exploratory pieces. My students worked so hard in those 24 hours and were so open and fun. I felt just as inspired as they were!

I also gave a lecture the first day to a big crowd. Throughout the course of the talk, I detailed my career, process, individual bodies of work, and travel. I always try to be conversational and enjoy making eye contact with as many people as possible. Everyone seemed really engaged as I spoke and there were great questions and comments at the end. 

detail of some of the fantastic student work

during my lecture

 

Julie tearing copier paper

Checha fitting a bracelet made of egg cartons 

talking about the "how" on day two

a brooch by Barbara

Satpreet sewing on cardboard 

Thanks to Pratt, Rebbecca Tomas, Jewelry/Metals Manager and instructor at Pratt, and my students for such an incredible weekend! I would also like to thank the National Endowment for the Arts, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, and 4culture for helping to make the Master Series possible.

See more pictures on Flickr.

Thanks for reading.

Spring Events, Part 1

In addition to my class at Pratt in Seattle, I have other exciting events coming up this spring. First up, I would like to share the details about the lecture I will give at Pratt. The talk will happen on Friday, May 8 at 6:30-8pm at Pratt Fine Arts Center Painting and Drawing Studio (Yellow Building), located at 1902 S Main Street. The lecture will cover my beginnings, the progression of my major bodies of work, my residencies in Iceland, and my process. I will also touch on current work and future plans. I hope you can join me for this special event if you live in the greater Seattle area. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Thanks for reading.

Showing a Way

Last Tuesday I was a visiting artist at Syracuse University and taught a workshop about process. I began by explaining what process is and how I discovered my own, one of the most important things I did while a resident artist at Penland. I gave each student a series of handouts that describe my process, list questions students can consider for themselves, and define the basic steps of process. Then I lead a writing exercise to help students find their inspirations, followed by what I call "3D sketching" in which students make a piece of jewelry in one hour. I like the combination of a simple writing exercise and a hands-on exercise because it provides a balanced introduction to defining one's process. I really love seeing what everyone is thinking about presented in written form and then as an object. After the workshop I gave a public lecture and ended the day at a delicious Indian restaurant with my colleagues from the school.

Thanks for reading.

Discovering the How and Why

I have two workshops coming up, one here in New York at Syracuse University and the other way on the other side of the U.S. at Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle, WA. I will teach process at both places, leading students through different exercises to get ideas flowing and to understand where they come from and why. I truly believe process is a tool just like the hammer or paintbrush. There are lots of ways to discover and define your process and the more you understand, the better equipped you will be to make your best work.

My class at Syracuse University is for the jewelry and metalsmithing department and happens on March 31. The workshop will happen during the day and later I will give a public lecture. The lecture is free and open to everyone and is also on March 31 at 6:30pm.

Then in May I fly to Seattle to teach a master class at Pratt Fine Arts Center. The class will focus on process, too, and is open to all artists, not just metalsmiths. In addition to process exercises and hands-on learning, I will also talk about how I use social media to share my process. Here's the description from the catalog:

"Every artist has his or her own way of generating ideas and making work; discovering these methods is a helpful tool for creating better work and for dealing with common daily challenges like starting a new piece, making aesthetic decisions, and overcoming creative blocks. In this workshop students will be introduced to a variety of ways to find ideas and understand how they make their work. Through hands-on and contemplative exploration with common materials, collecting visual inspiration, and simple writing exercises, students will consider their own individual artistic process. All exercises are based on Amy's unique experience defining her own process over the years. In addition, using Amy's experience sharing her process on social media through her blog and Facebook, students will begin to learn how to present their process in a public manner as they discover their own language for describing the why and how of what they create. Prerequisite: some Jewelry/Metals experience (or some experience in any media)"

The weekend class runs May 8, 9, and 10 from 9:30-5:30 each day.

I will also give a public lecture at Pratt and will post those details soon.

If you have any questions about the class at Pratt or the public lecture I will give at Syracuse University, please feel free to email me at atavern@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading.

Positive Effect

Nearly two weeks ago I drove a rental car to the Hudson Valley to be a visiting artist and lecturer at SUNY New Paltz. I started the day with my lecture and took some great questions from the audience at the end. After a potluck lunch with the metals department, I did 13 back-to-back crits that lasted 20-30 minutes each. It was intense and awesome! I loved talking with every single one of those wonderful people. They are working so hard and it's obvious in their work and in the way they question it. I try to get to the heart of things right away and give each person something solid to think about, always challenging in such a short period of time. The lecture I gave that day is now available online, too. There are a few minutes of chatter at the beginning so you can hear me talking about all sorts of things with a few people in the audience. The talk begins around the 3 minute 25 second mark.

I also want to share this wonderful Facebook status, posted by Grand Valley State University student, Anna Petlick, last night:

"After Amy Tavern's lecture and workshop at GVSU two months ago I was inspired to create a piece using limited materials in my studio. Although I did not limit my time for the creation of the piece, I'm very happy with how my brooch turned out! The materials include a leg from a teddy bear, fabric from a child's night gown, and pearls. This piece was featured in the Free Radical gallery show in downtown GR. A big belated thank you again to the wonderful Amy Tavern for coming to our school and helping me see creating from a fresh and different view!" 

I was a visiting artist at GVSU at the end of September and had a wonderful time there, too. Comments like this are so reassuring and also challenge me to do even better next time. Thanks so much, Anna!

Thanks for reading.

Building Process

Thursday and Friday of last week I taught process workshops at Grand Valley State University. The classes began with a discussion about process as I described my own and how I came to define it. Then I had students do a writing and thinking exercise in which they listed 50 things that inspire them. This assignment, adapted from one by ceramic artist, Ayumi Horie, helps students see where their ideas come from in both a macro and micro view. Next I lead them through an hour-long thinking and making exercise in which they made a piece of jewelry using limited materials and tools. This activity is like sketching with pencil and paper only in 3D with different kinds of materials. It is an individual exercise and I always tell my students to just let go as they work.

After both classes I did back-to-back 30-minute studio visits with jewelry and visual arts students. Critiques like these are always challenging for me because I have to get to know the person and his or her work quickly so I can help. I usually begin by asking the student to describe her work and then try to question and encourage without derision.  Everyone in both my workshops and the individual sessions was open and eager and I had so much fun with them! I also loved being around Beverly Seley and Renee Zettle-Sterling, the metals faculty. They took such good care of me!

In addition, on Thursday night I gave a public lecture and I'm pleased with how it went, despite some technical difficulties. I had a few blank slides appear even though I had done a test run earlier. I kept going, though, channeling performance skills I had learned when I used to sing years ago: I did my thing and everything was fine.

Other highlights of the trip included a visit to ArtPrize where I got to see some incredible works like "Intersections" by Anila Quayyum Agha. Seeing this piece in person felt like a once-in-a-life time kind of moment. I also got to spend a few hours sitting next to Lake Michigan, which reminded me so much of being by the sea in Iceland.

"Intersections" by Anila Quayyum Agha

Thanks for reading. 

To the Great Lakes

On Wednesday I fly to Allendale, MI to teach for two days at Grand Valley State University. I've not been to Allendale before and I'm looking forward to visiting a new place and to being close to one of the magnificent Great Lakes. I will teach two process classes on Thursday and Friday, critique student work in one-on-one sessions and give a public lecture. My schedule is packed for those two days but I hope to fit in a walk or two. Then on Saturday I will attend ArtPrize, an annual international arts competition in nearby Grand Rapids. Fresh off my last Visiting Artist experience at RISD, I am super-excited to meet and work with students at GVSU and explore a new place.

If you live in the Allendale/Grand Rapids area, please come say hello at my lecture on Thursday, September 25 at 7pm at the GVSU Mary Idema Pew Library 030, Atrium Level. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Thanks for reading.

RISD Visit

I took a little drive to Providence, RI on Wednesday to spend the day with a senior jewelry BFA professional practices class. I gave a lecture about my career and my work and then answered questions about my process, business practices, residencies and more. We had several hours to talk and it was fantastic to connect with them. The class is lead by Jennaca Davies and she was a wonderful host as she toured me around RISD's impressive facilitates. She also made a point to take me to the Edna W. Lawrence Nature Lab, an all-in-one cabinet of curiosities and library. I could have spent hours there just pouring over every single specimen from moss to jaw bones. Finally, I made a stop in Lenox, MA to visit Sienna Gallery. This was my first time there and it did not disappoint. I loved seeing the work of Daniel Kruger, whose solo exhibition "Angle of Incidence" is currently on view.

the work of Daniel Kruger at Sienna Gallery

forming room at RISD

skeletons at the Nature Lab

moss and lichen at the Nature Lab

seed pods at the Nature Lab

Thanks for reading.

A Complete Thought

class selfie on the last day

My Penland class "A Complete Thought" was a fantastic experience. My students worked hard and made some very thoughtful work, considering their pieces from all sides and paying close attention to the details. It really felt like everyone challenged themselves technically and aesthetically and I so appreciate that. I enjoyed working with them and wish we had another week together. Session 7 is an intense one with jammed-packed days of demos, discussion and work time. Plus, there are evening events and other activities around campus. There is never enough time so it seems, but I'm pleased with the work of my group of 12 and we had a lot of fun. Here are a few of the finished pieces...

necklace by Baba Barnett

brooch by Roxy Lentz

ring by Sarah Tector

bracelet by Jay Teilhet

brooch by Claire Buck

Thanks for reading.

Friday Final

Today is the last day of class and students have all day and all night to work. My students have challenged themselves in a big way so I imagine many of them burning the midnight oil this evening. It's exciting to see so many of them working at the edge of their skill set, pushing themselves to get it done and done well. I realized yesterday that one of the the best feelings is seeing a student do something awesome. I might get more excited than they do.

We began our day with a last walk along the fire road and then I gave a scoring and folding demo, which is my favorite technique to teach. Now everyone is quietly working, trying to get their pieces done by tomorrow's all-school show and tell at 11am.

Thanks for reading.

Working Away

A few images of student work in progress… in sterling silver, stones, twine, rusted steel wire, fabric, mica, felt, seed pods and more.

Thanks for reading.