We discuss the genesis of this body of work (It’s a great story!), how Sara Lee focuses on the long game, how she keeps her ideas, and how she balances motherhood with her studio practice.
The post The Art Biz ep. 131: Injecting Personal Narrative into Your Art with Sara Lee Hughes appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>I’m a huge fan of the photographer Sally Mann who, in the documentary about her work titled What Remains, said that it never occurred to her to look outside of her home, family, and immediate vicinity to find inspiration.
So many artists feel they need to travel. To find exotic locations. Never exploring what is right in front of them or what they encounter in their daily lives.
This results in missed opportunities to make art that is uniquely your own.
In this episode of The Art Biz I talk with Sara Lee Hughes who is deep into a body of narrative paintings with recognizable imagery that is steeped in her personal story—going so far as to include her self-portraits in many of them. (As in the many faces of Sara Lee in the painting above.)
I wanted to ask Sara Lee about making work with her life experience at its core, and, honestly, the market for art that is so personal. The bottom line: Will art sell when it’s focused on the artist’s personal narrative?
Sara Lee says her ultimate intention is that she gets under your skin. That, when viewing her paintings, you start to question your actions and might even find yourself reflecting on the encounter weeks later.
We discuss the genesis of this body of work (It’s a great story!), how she is looking at her art in terms of the long game rather than seeking quick gratification, how she keeps her ideas, and how she has created a discipline that balances motherhood with her studio practice.
Listen to the Podcast
Highlights
- Waiting, Father Daughter Dance, and other paintings inspired by Sara Lee’s life. (1:55)
- The family letters that have helped Sara Lee navigate her true self. (6:57)
- Sara Lee’s 12-ft superhero cape and what it represents. (9:05)
- Painting from experiences results in sincerity. (11:15)
- Asking yourself questions can lead to your next inspiration. (14:55)
- Sara Lee’s decision to use her own face in her paintings. (18:19)
- The value of painting the part of your history that isn’t talked about. (21:32)
- There are parts of your story that anyone can relate to. (25:17)
- Using a list—rather than a sketchbook—to keep your ideas. (27:04)
- Does personal work sell? (30:20)
- Sara Lee’s approach to her art business, her schedule, and balancing motherhood. (32:39)
Sara Lee Hughes Quotes
- “These tossed-off sketches are seeds for the work that I’ve done in the last five years.”
- “When I paint from my own experience, there’s a sincerity in my paintings.”
- “All of my work is my personal experience, so who better to use than myself?”
- “My intention is to resonate with you through the works that have inspired me to be an artist.”
About My Guest
Sara Lee Hughes is a narrative painter living and working in Lockhart, Texas. Her representational narratives are influenced by growing up in the south during the 1970s and 80s with divorced parents and operate as metaphors for discovery, other-ness, identity, connection, balance and truth. As a body of work, they highlight moments, memories, and ideas that mark a journey of navigation through the differences between her gay father, straight mother and the socio-cultural norms of the era and those proceeding.
In her work she is most interested in exploring and sharing the connection she had with her father before his death of AIDS, the profound guidance it had on her life, and how this personal experience fits into our country’s broader social and cultural heritage.
Sara Lee studied classical drawing and painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, where she earned a certificate in painting and printmaking. She earned her MFA in painting from Pratt Institute.
Follow her on Instagram @sara.lee.hughes
The post The Art Biz ep. 131: Injecting Personal Narrative into Your Art with Sara Lee Hughes appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>Adri is especially interested in shining a spotlight on women of color who have been overlooked in our history books.
In this latest episode of the podcast, I asked her about her work, her teaching, and her activism.
Less than one month ago, Adri was asked to design and direct the Black Lives Matter street mural in front of the Colorado State Capitol building. She selected the words Black Lives Matter Remember This Time for the mural. We discuss those words, as well as the symbolic colors she chose and how she involved community members in its making.
I also asked Adri what steps white artists can take to be helpful right now. Spoiler: This one's on us. African Americans have been fighting this fight for centuries. It's our turn to educate ourselves. Still, Adri had some helpful insights to share.
The post The Art Biz ep. 57: Elevating Women and People of Color with Adri Norris appeared first on Art Biz Success.
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Adri is especially interested in shining a spotlight on women of color who have been overlooked in our history books.
In this latest episode of the podcast, I asked her about her work, her teaching, and her activism.
Less than one month ago, Adri was asked to design and direct the Black Lives Matter street mural in front of the Colorado State Capitol building. She selected the words Black Lives Matter Remember This Time for the mural. We discuss those words, as well as the symbolic colors she chose and how she involved community members in its making.
I also asked Adri what steps white artists can take to be helpful right now. Spoiler: This one’s on us. African Americans have been fighting this fight for centuries. It’s our turn to educate ourselves. Still, Adri had some helpful insights to share.
Listen Now
Music by Wildermiss.
Highlights
- Many ethnic groups in the U.S. in the 19th century didn’t even have citizenship. 4:10
- The four distinct series of works based on the quote “Well-behaved women seldom make history” from Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. 5:28
- Working with supports of varying shapes. 8:28
- Adri wants her work in places where everyone has access to them. 10:04
- Working with groups, organizations, and schools. 12:34
- Getting paid for her work in the community. 15:33
- Choosing Afro Triangle Designs as her business name and the part The Da Vinci Code played. 17:28
- I wonder if I’ve been too Eurocentric in encouraging artists to use their real names for their art businesses. 18:48
- Adri practices capoeira, the Brazilian martial arts form. 19:35
- Adri is asked to create the painting of the Black Lives Matter street mural in front of the Colorado capitol. 20:35
- The words of the Denver BLM mural are “Black Lives Matter Remember This Time” and the paint colors symbolize the different shades of skin tones that Black people tend to have. 21:39
- Why Adri chose those words for the mural. 23:06
- “This is not the first time in which people have come together to fight over these issues.” 25:33
- “I feel like once we know the true story, we have to tell that story.” 27:34
- How Adri used white in her mural to symbolize how people of color and black people exist in white spaces in this country—and how she involved other people in that process. 28:48
- The news coverage didn’t tell the whole story. 32:28
- Exhaustion sets in and Adri had to take a week off. 34:08
- In order to feel safe, Adri remains vigilant and has had some odd interactions with police. 34:55
- How white artists can help Black Lives Matter. 37:36
- How a landscape painter, for example, could take a stance and not sound performative. 40:00
- What playing into “the script” means to Adri. 42:10
- “Discomfort is where we learn.” 44:30
- Adri’s book recommendations. 45:52
- Adri’s plan for a graphic novel that is based on the history of legislation that hindered the right to vote for people of color. 47:42
Mentioned and Recommended
- Coffee at the Point
- Think360 Arts
- Women of Colorado Trading Cards
- Warrior Poet: A Biography of Audre Lorde by Alexis De Veaux
- The Color Purple by Alice Walker
- Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in Twentieth-Century America by Lillian Faderman
- Babe Walls
About My Guest
In her art, Adri Norris shares stories to educate people about women of the past—hoping to inspire young girls with role models they’ve never seen before. Listening to the voices of the unheard makes adults think more about what they have and what they have yet to gain.
Adri was born in Barbados and raised in New York and New Mexico. A former U.S. Marine, she says she was raised to be a leader—to help people and improve lives.
Support her work: Patreon or send a donation to Afro Triangle on Venmo.
Follow her on Instagram.
In Context
You know(ish) about women’s suffrage efforts in the mid-19th century by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. But do you know the rest of the story? Do you know about how intertwined suffrage was with racial justice? with the temperance movement? This 2-part series, The Vote, aired this week on PBS (and is currently available to stream) is a must-see.
The 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment is this year. On August 26, 1920, women in the U.S. finally got the right to vote. But that doesn’t mean that all women could freely and safely exercise this right. Watch. This. Documentary. !
Music by Wildermiss.
The post The Art Biz ep. 57: Elevating Women and People of Color with Adri Norris appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>Cathy wrote pages and pages about a new body of work. Then she got an idea from another lesson to leverage all of that writing she had done. She put it to work and turned her written stories into audio for an exhibition.
The post Turning journaling into audio for your art show with Cathy Read (43) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>In the spring of 2018, Cathy Read took my Magnetic You course. This class isn’t for the faint of heart because it involves a lot of writing. And, if you’re like most of my clients, you really would prefer to get by without more writing.
We work on your artist statement, bio, about page, stories about your art, and your branding. All of your hard work leads to a cohesive presentation that makes you more attractive to buyers, curators, and collectors.
One of the most important lessons in Magnetic You involves meditating on your art. You read that right. Meditating on your art. I insist that art speaks when you give it the time and space to tell you its story. Then you have to capture that story in a journaling process.
Cathy wrote pages and pages about a new body of work. Then she got an idea from another lesson to leverage all of that writing she had done.
The writing didn’t just stay in a notebook or in a file somewhere in the dark depths of her computer. Nooooo. She put it to work and turned her written stories into audio for an exhibition.
The leap Cathy took from written word to audio involves a different way of thinking. It’s much like how museums consider programming their shows. They don’t simply put up the art along with nearby labels. They have docents who lead tours, scholars who give presentations, activities to expand on a theme, and audio for telling stories.
Why shouldn’t artists do the same when they have their own solo shows?
I asked Cathy all about the process and experience in this episode of the podcast.
Music by Wildermiss.
Highlights
- Cathy’s career path starting with caricatures and developing into architectural painting with abstract elements. (2:40)
- How Cathy developed the interest in architecture which informs her work. (4:22)
- Her experience with the meditation exercises she learned in the Magnetic You class. (7:10)
- The decision Cathy made to dictate her meditations. (9:20)
- The detailed process she underwent of writing then speaking the words that helped her clarify her message about the work and why she feels it makes her descriptions more interesting. (11:55)
- How Cathy got the idea to include the audio in her solo exhibition using lessons from Magnetic You on how to engage your audience. (14:35)
- The process of recording the audio and how she perfected it. (15:40)
Label explaining how to use the QR codes within Cathy’s exhibition. - How she made the audio available at her exhibition using a QR code, and other ways she leveraged the recordings on her blog. (19:00)
- Visitor experience with the audio recordings and hiccups they encountered. (23:20)
- Why Cathy thinks its valuable for viewers to hear her voice. (24:50)
- What she learned and what she will do differently next time. (26:25)
- My suggestion for Cathy to encourage more engagement with the audio from visitors. (28:30)
- How Cathy plans to continue her meditation process for upcoming shows. (30:40)
- The full list of what she’s working on now. (32:00)
Mentioned
How to make a QR Code
The Stables in The Courtyard at Claydon Estate, exhibition venue
Google Keep
About Cathy Read
Cathy Read re-imagines iconic architecture using explosive, colorful drops and trails of paint, held together with a structure of white lines. Inspired by looming and dramatic architecture, she draws on influences from various nearby cities.
She lives near Buckingham, England, and is a member of the Society of Women Artists, receiving their Barbara Tate Memorial Award in 2015. Cathy has also shown with the Royal Watercolour Society and the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour in London.
Cathy appeared as a contestant on Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year in 2016, returning as a wildcard in 2017. The same year, she was shortlisted for Artist and Illustrators Artist of the Year and received the Wild and Tame award.
Her work can be found in collections in the Canada, Africa, New Zealand, and the U.K., including the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
Follow Cathy on Instagram @CathyReadArt.
Music by Wildermiss.
Related posts and podcast episodes
The post Turning journaling into audio for your art show with Cathy Read (43) appeared first on Art Biz Success.
]]>Then, in 2017, Marilyn attended one of my workshops. At the end of two days of masterminding with like-minded ambitious artists, Marilyn had the outline of her multi-state, multi-artist, multi-road-trip project: Her Flag.
Her Flag includes collaborations with artists and public performances in each of the 36 states that passed the amendment. Her first road trip was in June and included the first four states: Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and Kansas. Her next trip begins on July 13.
Marilyn has scheduled 17 trips over a period of 14 months. At the end, Her Flag will be complete and measure 18-by-26 feet.
It’s an enormous project that involves an incredible amount of logistics and organizing. But Marilyn is up to the task. As she says, she’s psycho-passionate about this project and topic.
I’ve been dying to share this project for awhile and had the thrill of interviewing Marilyn before she left on her first trip. I hope it inspires you to think bigger about what is possible for your art.
The post The Art Biz ep. 30: Multi-State Multi-Year Multi-Artist Art Project with Marilyn Artus appeared first on Art Biz Success.
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Then, in 2017, Marilyn attended one of my workshops. At the end of two days of masterminding with like-minded ambitious artists, Marilyn had the outline of her multi-state, multi-artist, multi-road-trip project: Her Flag.
Her Flag includes collaborations with artists and public performances in each of the 36 states that passed the amendment. Her first road trip was in June and included the first four states: Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and Kansas. Her next trip begins on July 13.
Marilyn has scheduled 17 trips over a period of 14 months. At the end of the journey, Her Flag will be complete and measure 18-by-26 feet.
It’s an enormous project that involves an incredible amount of logistics and organizing. But Marilyn is up to the task. As she says, she’s psycho-passionate about this project and topic.
I’ve been dying to share this project for awhile and had the thrill of interviewing Marilyn before she left on her first trip. I hope it inspires you to think bigger about what is possible for your art.
Music by Wildermiss.
Show Notes
In this interview, you will hear about:
- The research and passion that drove Marilyn into this ambitious project.
- Why it was important to Marilyn that the project be open to anyone who wants to celebrate, regardless of race or political affiliation.
- Why Marilyn knew if she wanted this project done, she needed to do it herself and not wait for anyone else.
- How Marilyn selected the 36 women artists in each state to work with.
- Why it was important to Marilyn that she pay the artists.
- The decision to make the flag at Rainbow Pennant, a business in Oklahoma that already employs women to make American Flags.
- A glimpse into the states Marilyn will travel to throughout her epic journey. She will start in Wisconsin in June to travel the path of ratification, and end her trip in Tennessee on August 18, 2020, the anniversary of the date on which the 19th Amendment was ratified.
- The physical details of the 18 x 26 ft flag, and how Marilyn plans to sew everything while she is on the road.
- The team Marilyn has hired to help her work on Her Flag, including one very important full-time project manager.
- The systems Marilyn used to keep their internal and external communication flow organized.
- The need for artists to not be so attached to their original idea that they miss out on something better.
- The decision to feature women of color and focus on women like Ida B. Wells, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Sojourner Truth.
- The part of the journey that is most uncomfortable for Marilyn, but why it’s important that she do it.
- Marilyn’s big dreams for the finished Her Flag.
Resources
Quotes
- “All of us need to step in and do what we can for our country right now.”
- “I’m kind of psycho passionate about this.”
- “As a feminist, I refuse to ask a woman artist to work for free.”
- “I’ve always been an artist that’s been flexible.”
- “I want to try and find some ground we can all agree on.”
- “As an artist, I try to be a joy bringer.”
About My Guest
Marilyn Artus explores the female experience within her artmaking practice. She has created shows that explore the suffragist era in the U.S., pay tribute to an assortment of women in American history and most recently uses the American flag as a vehicle for feminist exploration.
She has also been a curator, commercial artist, burlesque promoter, event planner and female artist mentor.
Read about Her Flag and follow the project on Instagram.
Music by Wildermiss.
Update With Marilyn Artus from July 22, 2020
This was filmed on Instagram Live just before Marilyn finished the final stripe and performance.
View this post on Instagram
The post The Art Biz ep. 30: Multi-State Multi-Year Multi-Artist Art Project with Marilyn Artus appeared first on Art Biz Success.
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