Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Hidden Dreams


See the article about our September/October show at the Livingston Parish Arts Council here

Photos of exhibit pieces are available here



Friday, September 1, 2017

THEMES AND CHALLENGES FOR 2018

FROM YVONNE BAYHAM:
 
Next theme:  For our second quarter of 2018
 
Journeys:  Remember This
 
Use Souvenirs  (including FABRIC) in your piece, or
 
Use Memorabilia  --Cardboard Coasters,  Coffee Cup sleeves, Name tags (think of the museum tags in piece at State Capitol)
 
Use Sample packs, freebies
 
Use Maps/ pamphlets, etc
.
Use Found Objects—shells, rocks, beach glass, driftwood, pinecones, shiny objects, Mardi Gras throws
 
Use Ideas!!  Visits to galleries, exhibits, shows, etc. and the work they inspire
 
Class projects and skills learned
 
Photos
 
Be inspired by a historical, mythical, or legendary journey.  Thing of classic literature, fairy tales, fables, and so on

Make a fabric postcard piece, or a map
 
Portray a memorable event or experience from a journey, or a lesson learned.





Upcoming theme and challenges:
First some words about the themes and challenges in general:    IN NO WAY ARE THE THEMES INTENDED TO PROMOTE CONFORMITY OR TO LIMIT AN ARTIST!!  Rather, they are meant to promote innovation and creativity, to push us to do something different or to do things in a different way.
View the themes with a wide open mind. 
Interpret them loosely.  Or interpret them literally.
Be serious.  Or be humorous.
Share the theme with friends or family.  Ask them what they think of in respect to the theme.  Ask a young child.  They come up with some really creative answers.   
Work backwards….this is yet another way to promote creativity.  If you have a piece you want to do, think of a way to tie it into the theme.  Maybe add a new element, an embellishment, try a new technique.  The brainstorming to “make it fit” becomes a creative exercise in and of itself. 
The themes also add a level of enjoyment and reflection to viewers.  As an example, I visited the CFAL exhibit at the Old State Capital multiple times, with different groups.  It was interesting to hear the comments as viewers searched for the tie-in to text.  Almost like a scavenger hunt.  The theme is also thought-provoking to the viewer as they think of how they might interpret the art work not only on its own, but also in relation to the theme.  And the theme helps them to connect the art piece to their own experiences. 
Our Theme for 2018 will be “Journeys”.  My thoughts include
 actual journeys, both big and small.  Exciting trips, short day trips, road trips with friends and family, cruises, visits to Quilt shows!!! 
Journeys I have yet to make, a sort of bucket list of trips and experiences
Metaphorical Journeys… our journey as an artist, as a partner or parent, a career journey, a spiritual journey, a journey of perseverance and recovery from a personal challenge (like an illness or natural disaster….like a flood), and so on
Journeys we have witnessed--  the growth of a loved one, the journey of women or other minorities within our society and culture, space journeys, ocean exploration journeys, and so on. 
Imaginary journeys  I think of Dr. Seuss here as well as other wonderful children’s authors
Feel free to add others, and to share with the group if you are so inclined.
The challenge for our first quarter of 2018 will be “Enter here”.  I think of doors, gates, archways, passages, windows (sneaking in and out maybe), walkways, “You are now entering……” signs, stairs, and so on.  I also think of things like the line of oaks in front of some plantation homes, the statues that guard entrances of some homes or even living sentries. 
I think of entrance ceremonies, like the bride walking down the aisle to enter into her journey as a wife, the football team running through the goal posts and onto the field to enter the next game, parents and children on the first day of school as they both begin the  new journey of school, baptism and other religious ceremonies that signal the start of a new journey of faith.
I think also of starting points.  What started your journey as an artist? Your spiritual journey? Your career? The onset of a challenge like a flood or diagnosis of an illness.  A class that taught a new skill or the meeting of a new friend or partner that opened up a new journey for you. 
Again, I want to emphasize that these are just ideas.  Please feel free to add your own ideas.  Just deciding what to do is a creative exercise!
And a heads up:  The theme for the second quarter will be “Remember This”.  Think photos, memorabilia, souvenirs, special memories, etc.  More ideas will be sent out later.  Feel free to send along your own ideas. 
The last two quarters have not yet been decided.  Some of my ideas are “The Road Not Taken”, “Rising to the Challenges”, “Forks in the Road”, “Getting There”, and “Coming Home”.  Please feel free to share your thoughts about these ideas. Also, please share any ideas of your own!!!

Friday, May 19, 2017

Next exhibit

Hidden Dreams                           Theme for next CFAL show      September/October 2017


The theme is meant to INSPIRE creativity, not limit creativity.  Below are some suggestions.  Please realize these are just suggestions and by no means represent all of the ways to interpret and represent the theme.

1.  Abstract dream scape--fantasy-like, whimsical, representative of a more serious or even disturbing dream;

2.  The dreams we hold hidden for those we love.....parents, partners, children, friends;

3.  The dreams we hold hidden for ourselves--small, like a day of peace and quiet, a dream vacation, or large and serious;

4.  Unfinished Objects.....until it is finished, the dream or vision that inspired the piece remains at least partially hidden.

5.   Animal dreams.....for example, think of a dog moving his legs while he is dreaming.

6.  Recurring theme or symbol from our own dreams;

7.  Rituals, special items etc. related to dreams--the dream pouches that Donna shared with us at our last meeting, dream catchers, etc.

8.  Obstacles to realizing our dreams--within ourselves, social justice issues that oppress or repress entire groups of people, forcing them to keep dreams hidden;

9.  Role models who have paved the way for others to pursue their own hidden dreams, bring them into reality instead of keeping them hidden.

10.  A peek into the dreams of others (I think of the wonderful photo of the fly at our last meeting, and the saying....."If I could be a fly on the wall".....spy into the hidden worlds of others.....)

Have fun.  Let your imagination soar......This is by no means an all-inclusive list!!!

The entry form/and hanging guidelines are posted under Calls for Entry and Exhibition Guidelines.