Thursday, April 16, 2009

Process

Process
Oil on Panel
24 x 48"


I'm teaching a class at Lake Tahoe Community College called 'Portfolio Development', which is great for me to do because it's forced me to take stock of my portfolio, resume, artists statement, etc. I've deliberately taken a step back from the more 'commercial' aspects of making art for a while to focus on painting for the sake of painting - which is a luxury. However, I felt that in order to teach the students, I had to undertake all the exercises and assigments I'll be giving them myself.

It's been good, it's helped me to verbally crystallise what I've been working through visually. I still felt like a rabbit in the headlights when I had to give them a Powerpoint presentation of my work, as a model for their final. Eww, I hated it, I have to say.

I've given presentations before in all kinds of different environments - usually a tipsy crowd of rock climbers, or other artists. I 'opened' for climber/author Paul Pritchard at the Ape Index lectures many years ago. Niall Grimes had organised this cool series of lectures at a pub in Sheffield, and it was a big honour for me. I was nervous as hell and drank several strong G&Ts before I went up there. It probably showed, which was bad, but it took the edge off. This time I had no such veil, and the experience was startlingly real.


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