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Archive: Workshop your Artist Statement!
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This is my current artist statement for two particular series that I have done.
Metal Head
I packed my bags and boarded a plane to Haiti to live and work as the pharmacist in a small hospital of a village called Limbé. I was a teenager with no pharmacy background. Upon arrival, the new president was sworn into power and life dissolved into a series of military coups, evacuations of foreigners, machete attacks and the complete disintegration of law and order. I stayed put through it all and survived. Then came the blow: a car accident in the Haitian countryside that would kill the person next to me, shatter my skull and half of my face, leaving me with three permanent, stainless-steel plates in my head. These are my markers.
Years after Haiti, I passed by a mirror and caught sight of my reflection. The fractures and misalignments were evident, and suddenly aware of how stripped-down life is, it seemed vital to reflect and re-look. The Metal Head series comes through continuous hours in front of a mirror, face-mapping for signs and markers that follow a journey.
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Michal, I re-read your statement over and over, completely intrigued. I would suggest you move the second sentence to be the first, for impact.
But your second paragraph leaves me wanting more. What did you discover through the remapping of your Metal Head? It’s a fascinating exercise and very brave.
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How exciting…feedback! I certainly wrote the first paragraph much easier than the second. In fact, I struggled so much with the second that I passed it to another artist originally who helped rewrite my convoluted ending for me. But yes, now that you say it…I only mention the work briefly at the end and I don’t say much about it. I like your suggestion of having a pen and paper handy when making the work too. I almost need to have a Metal Head Part III that helps me search for what I have discovered through the process.
What an interesting impact it would be if I switched the two first sentences. It is really nice to get an outside opinion.
Thanks for the feedback.
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Michal – wow, what a story! now i have to go back and find your site. i am especially attracted to your statement about how stripped-down life is. Perhaps we have different meanings of that, but to me, its why my own statement is kind of minimal.
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wow now that is a fabulous statement, Michal, really makes me want to know more about you and your work. It’s really dynamic. Crista’s suggestion of swapping the sentences over is great.
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Hi all, Terrill Welch here. I use variations of my artist statement depending on the context. Here is the full version from my website…
As a full-time artist living on Mayne Island off the southwest coast of Canada, I paint my experience of our natural environment.
Stripping away the human illusion of our separation from nature is at the core of my work. This illusion extends to a presumption of a separation between land, water and sky. I explore the interdependency of these natural elements. During the creative process, I am repeatedly reminded of humanity’s dependency on nature. Trees speak to me as if we shared a breath. I long for the rhythm of the sea or the flow of a river. The sky is like music to me. In my art I am compelled to express these connections.
Moments of engagement with my everyday world are portrayed in these paintings. These works primarily reflect the surrounding landscapes though occasionally a still life becomes the subject of my work. The brushstrokes render the light, shadow, movement, smells, sounds and emotions I am experiencing as I paint. The resulting paintings are my complete sensory experience, expressed.
In the paintings, there is an ongoing conversation between myself and the viewer. The work is an invitation to join me in exploring the relationship between the innate elements of our environment and ourselves. My intention is for the viewers to find themselves within the landscapes as I have – filled with curiosity, wonder and discovery.
For private viewing of Terrill Welch’s work in eco-friendly strawbale timberframe home studio contact Terrill via email at [email protected] or telephone 250.744.4560.
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