Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Not an Artist, but...by Suz deMello

Creativity can take many forms.

I majored in art while in college. I had desire, but, alas, not much talent. What abilities I had I didn't know how to cultivate or, to put it more crudely with a 21st century term, monetize. I created experimental works which were considered "conceptual art" at the time, but then, filming events I created was expensive and so, with my budget, all but impossible, So some of my most interesting works have disappeared--they were sculptures with a finite existence in time, just as most sculptures have a finite existence in space.

But a few drawings are still around:







The middle one is actually my fave.

I also refinish furniture, but I tend to give that sort of thing away and haven't kept pix :(. I gave my niece an old black trunk I painted with zebra stripes. I gave my boyfriend an small chest of drawers I'd painted white and also had replaced the old drawer pulls with old-fashioned glass ones. I painted a desk red with zebra striped top and drawers with a matching chair, and gave that to a friend who was hosting a young relative--the kid needed a place for schoolwork.

So, yes, I do have other skills but don't exercise them enough. But now that winter is giving way to warmer weather, perhaps I'll refinish a chair or two.

6 comments:

  1. Did you see the documentary on Andy Goldsworthy? Your take on art that's temporary reminded me about it. Bet it's available somewhere, if interested.

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  2. I like all three of these paintings. I'm glad I don't have to choose just one as part of an online personality "quiz."

    I've come across the term "ephemeral art" to describe art intended to be impermanent, like building towers with river stones that will be demolished by high water and winter ice. I used that concept in a story once.

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  3. I don't think I could bear to put effort into an artwork that wasn't intended to last! Your three paintings are all appealing. (I can't help seeing the top one as potential advertising for a hockey game here in Canada.)Your whimsically redesigned furniture sounds attractive too.

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  4. Your paintings are cool! Thank you for posting them! I am partial to the top one (hockey stick imagery aside). There is something about the soft warmth of the colors that really works for me. The middle one is quite arresting, too, though.

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  5. And my favorite is the bottom one, Suz. So you see that your work speaks differently to each of us.

    I had a roommate who used to repaint furniture in strange, bright colors. I've never, ever had that urge!

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  6. Thanks for your comments! Your reactions to the drawings is very kind.

    BTW the top one reminds me of a spaceship but none of the drawings was supposed to be representative of anything.

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