I was really mixing it up this week, wearing a lot of hats as a self-employed artist. With the deadline approaching for the Rasmuson Artist Project Grant and the All Alaska Juried Art Exhibit, I needed to complete the paperwork necessary for both of these projects. Professional photographer Chris Arend shot 3 of my wall sculptures so I could include some of my latest work in both of those applications. I picked up the digital images today and thought they turned out great. I’m working with a copy writer friend to help me proof and edit my proposal and my artist statement. She also helped me update my 
Resume so it is more contemporary and applicable to the artist/grant process rather than reading like I’m applying for a job. The Rasmuson Foundation does an excellent job of outlining exactly what needs to be included and even provides a detailed checklist before submitting your proposal. Though I admit, I’m not very good at tooting my own horn and felt uncomfortable listing my professional artistic achievements as well as writing my artist statement. I wanted to sound more worldly, innovative and ground breaking as an artist. I wanted my artist statement to be eloquent, or even expressing how each of my creative endeavors allows me to explore the deeper meanings of existence or how my creative expressions ask those bigger life questions. The reality is much more simple, the majority of my art making helps me pay my bills and I’m
happiest when my art makes others happy.
It was also necessary this week for me to meet with the engineer, project coordinator and my contact at SteelFab to get the fabrication process rolling for my 1% for Art sculpture “Bicycle Bloom.” While down at SteelFab I had the opportunity to see the Anchorage Museum’s new, large, stainless steel outdoor sculpture “Habitat” getting finish welded (in the photo it was lying on it’s back). The mock-up of the sculpture was carved in blue foam also shown in one of the pictures. This has been a bit of a controversial work as expected with any large public sculpture, created by internation
ally known, British sculptor, Antony Gormley. The sculpture will be over 20’ tall and weather permitting, will be installed using large cranes on the Museum front Commons this April.
Along with all of the errands, paper work, copy writing and meetings, I managed to make some new pods and “Sedna” masks. I’m going to fire
them all at ^6 and add some sculptural steel to the clay pieces. One of the pods is over 18” long and another half dozen are a bit larger than palm size. Everything is quietly on the drying rack until at least next week. Being able to make a bit of art and wear my clay apron helped make the week feel more complete because of all the other hats I had to wear this week.
5 comments:
wow crazy week all that putting things on paper can be daunting we we were talking about grant apps at the pub last night..i've never done one for myself the girls suggested i apply for partial or full grant for the bloggers show later this year, i'm up for it..!
It's amazing all we have to go through to be able to make our art! And you always seem to have so many things going on at once -- I don't know how you keep it all straight. But you do it well! Good luck on the grant!
That large steel piece reminds me of a show I did in Charlotte. The play was Art, great play, and the set was all steel panels that moved to create different spaces. It was quite an undertaking and very expensive, but so worth it. I'll try to dig those pics up some time and post them. I'm liking these pod forms you are doing. Do you know Alice Ballard's work? I was in a Debra Fritts workshop with her and she just amazed me. I found myself sometimes wishing it was her workshop.
Best of luck with the Rasmuson grant and the juried exhibition!
omigosh, so much going on, but nice masks eh?
Post a Comment