Freedom Of Expression...

...Posted to: Created By Hand

...A Little Late For Flag Day, A Little Early For The 4th Of July...

Like Bruce Springsteen, I was born in the USA. And like many of us who were, it never crossed my mind that my citizenship is a choice.  True, there are places in the world where a US citizen is not free to travel.  But as long as America remains free, it's citizens have among other rights, the freedom to leave.  We have the right to visit other places, to compare and contrast, to make our own decisions, to formulate original opinions, and above all, we have the right to express ourselves.   

  

...Are We Artist? Or Are We Humanoid?...

Whatever our politics, wherever we live, wherever we're from, as artists, our policy should be to protect and harness freedom of expression as our most basic need.  In art other things are helpful, but only one thing is necessary:  Absent the freedom to express ourselves, every other tool is useless.  Even when told what to create, we remain artists if we have the right to dissent and retain creative control. But if we're told what to create and how it must be created, our innermost drives are accessed and controlled by others.  We are no longer artist, we are humanoid.  

True art is an expression of what lies within the artist.  Every one of us gleans ideas from the world outside, and there is nothing better than a good set of prompts or a theme to get the creative juices flowing. Artists can accept instruction, but cannot be babysat and remain artists.  Whether a concept is entirely original or copied, as long as it's the artist who says "yes" or "no", the resulting piece is an emulation from within.  Works that result entirely from dictation lack the heart and soul of the creator.  They may have merit as manufactured items of technical proficiency, but as art they are more akin to a zapped frozen dinner than to the cuisine of a chef.  

...Hybrids... 

I happen to appreciate a lot of frozen dinners, and a lot of manufactured crafts as well, but what I create, I create by choice.  Knowing the difference is key, and exercising choice is paramount.  "God Bless America" is a hybrid.  It is a collage using multiple media, techniques and textures.  The theme was chosen by a member of an art group; The interpretation is mine.  I drew from many material sources, including resized text from an old encyclopedia, inked prints, colored pencil, chalked edges, a transparency print that Epson told me wasn't possible (si se puede!), and part of a Halloween image printed with dye pens.  

...I Am Artist, I am Human...

And as I mentioned, the interpretation is mine.  Much more so than meets the eye.  I am after all, a symbolist.  What you see is what I choose, but there is much more beneath the surface than lies on top. For one thing, the decision to go vintage with this has more to do with my concept of freedom than my choice of artistic genre.  And for humor, that quality unique to humans, using the magic dust portion of a Halloween image as fireworks was just too hard to resist.  

Before you go, play the youtube of the Killers "Human".  If you hum the tune without the words and close your eyes, it will remind you of a Scottish ballad.  And when it's presented as the music behind the slideshow of a ballet academy's commencement exercises, it can bring tears to your eyes (especially the "cut the cord" part)....but that's another story.

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Right now I'm...

 

Off to lunch (brown bag in the next room)

Finishing an artistic obligation (slowly but surely, ticking them off the list)

Increasing my proficiency in AI and PS, a little more each day...

Listening to (no surprise) the Killers, "Day and Age" CD

Reading, "Whatcha Mean, What's A Zine?" by Todd & Watson

Have a great day, Everyone!

Comments

[yogi]

nice

[Faye]

Barbara, Your God Bless America piece is gorgeous. And I did so enjoy reading your post about what an artist really is. Great writing.

[Gabrielle Fabian]

Hi Barbara, Boy have I missed you :) So sorry to read of your techie travails......... YUCK.
This piece ~ and this post ~ is so riveting and reaffirming of why I love visiting here! The piece is wonderful, I clicked to enlarge and soaked it all up. Your statement regarding control of expression is spot on. I am a secondary Science teacher and the current thought from educrats is to dictate WHAT to teach (fine) and WHEN and HOW to teach it (not fine). If all students were the same this would work, but thank goodness they aren't.....
Thank goodness for the ART we are FREE to CREATE.
Cheers,
Gaye

[Lisa]

What to say first......
Lovely piece, as always. Lovely heartfelt post. I especially can appreciate these statements:
"Whether a concept is entirely original or copied, as long as it's the artist who says "yes" or "no", the resulting piece is an emulation from within. Works that result entirely from dictation lack the heart and soul of the creator."
Altogether thought provoking.
And finally: I think we could all use one of those jackets with feathered shoulders, yes?

[Rosie]

Hey, I'm with Lisa... I want a feathered jacket too (and a pink wig!), but that's beside the point. Love what you write - you always get right to the heart of the point and I have sorely missed that.
Love your piece, all the nuances are excellent, though I can only guess at the depths behind them. Your quilted MacBook Cover is absolutely amazing and should be the cover of the next Quilting Arts magazine - just don't let them have it!
Thanks for sharing the video - it's now part of my Facebook - haha!! Isn't that a superb way to keep in touch? I like it even better than Twitter (which is seriously over-crowded with Internet Marketeers and wannabes...) (IMHO)!!
xoxoxo

[sallu]

Great work, love the composition and colours.

[Cora Harkins]

Barbara,
The piece is beautiful! I'm thankful as well to be born in the USA. With all our faults I love the freedom we have as US citizens. When I travel to other countries I realize just how much freedom we have. Little things like freedom of speech, right to bear arms and voting we take for granted. There are many more. Though I do not exercise all those freedoms. It is nice to know I can. Happy 4th!!