‘AVIN’ A BIT OF A LAUGH

Well, it’s good to thumb the nose at the mirror sometimes, isn’t it?

But before we all fall about overcome with guffaws…a few posts back Amanda presented me with a Happiness Award. Now, in general, I’m not a great fan of some of the blog awards that go around.

But Amanda is part of the Book-Art-Object group and she’s passed this honour to all of us, saying that being part of this project has given her much happiness.

Well, I can only echo that. My small book has gone out and, despite some trepidation, I was, on mailing day, happy. Happy that I’d finally finished my piece. Happy that I’d made new cyber friends through this. (And I’ve now pressed the flesh of three of them!) And the happiness continues as responses to my work come in.

Being an artist (of any stripe, I should think) is to inhabit a strange other-world, where “normal” people do not always understand what you do. Or why you do it.

And trying to explain the “why” can be fraught with difficulties. Personally, I feel that if the viewer/reader doesn’t get it, an explanation is unlikely to help.

I loathe having to write those Artist Statements. Arghh! I made the piece, just enjoy it or walk away. Please don’t ask me to dissect the wretched thing and explain the minutiae of my mind. And anyway, you don’t have the time to hear all that!

Along with passing this award to other bloggers, I am to list 10 things that make me happy. Hmm…I’m generally a merry old thing, but here is a list:

1  good friends

2  rain running into the water tank

3  cats

4  lilac

5  the smell of hot earth as the first raindrops hit it

6  trees

7 the oceans

8   music

9   good food (bad food does not make me happy!)

10 acceptance

Thankyou, Amanda. I know I should name my chosen recipients, but most of the bloggers I know have already been nominated so I’ll fall back on the good old self-service approach. If you’d like to take this further, be my guest.

And now…about this post’s title. You may be serious about your work, but how seriously do you take yourself? Can you see the absurd side?

try this, from http://10gallon.com/statement2000/ In another blogging connection, I lifted this from Angela, also one of the Book Art Object team.

Here’s mine.

dinahmow’s Artist Statement

Through my work I attempt to examine the phenomenon of Popeye as a methaphorical interpretation of both Hundertwasser and painting.

What began as a personal journey of buggerism has translated into images of curry and feet that resonate with Inuit people to question their own purpleness.

My mixed media tricycles embody an idiosyncratic view of Wesley, yet the familiar imagery allows for a connection between John Lennon, eyes and puddings.

My work is in the private collection of Zsa Zsa Gabor who said ‘Huzzah!!, that’s some real ridiculous Art.’

I am a recipient of a grant from Folsom Prison where I served time for stealing mugs and tie clips from the gift shop of The Smithsonian. I have exhibited in group shows at KFC and Tate Modern, though not at the same time. I currently spend my time between my bedroom and Berlin.

See what I mean about pretentious twaddle?