Sue Hamilton Art Talk

Mindfulness

2011-07-02T07:49:00.000-07:00

The images of the Buddha, done almost in a meditative state, calm me almost as if I'm meditating. I will continue today.

Mammogram 2011

2011-07-01T10:23:00.000-07:00

Mammogram 2011 was done the day before. A friend has breast cancer and they found it early enough because she got regular mammograms. Is it about finding the cure or finding the cause?

On becoming Buddha

2011-06-18T06:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I painted while listening to Tara Brach Podcast. Very therapeutic. Wanna see more go to www.therapeuticexpressionism.com

2011-06-07T04:17:00.000-07:00

Feeling comfortable with be ordinary and living a simple life in the middle. Not having too much not have too little.

Therapeutic Expressionism Defined

2011-06-07T04:10:00.000-07:00

Therapeutic Expressionism is when the creative process is used to heal an emotion or to express an issue. Generally seen on paper using tempera paint that enables the artist to add on to the work to fully express the feeling. For example, if an image is going off the page you can add more paper and continue. The work is generally large.

Once Again

2011-05-28T04:11:00.000-07:00

Do you have someone you paint with or do you express alone? I've always worked alone, but recently discovered how wonderful it is to work along side another artist. We are using the same process and it's great. The rules: no saying anything about each others work until given permission. Only say how the work affects YOU. How do you feel when you look at it. What does it say to you.

We are therapeutic expressionists. It's our time to be us and share our feelings with... the paper.

Inspire them

2009-04-13T14:54:00.000-07:00

The highest purpose of art is to inspire. What else can we do? What else can you do for anyone but inspire them. - Bob Dylan

What is Art?

2009-04-11T06:59:00.000-07:00

An image that captures your thoughts

and holds them in time.

The Art Dealer

2009-04-04T11:36:00.000-07:00

Is "Art" more than the physical image?

Here is an excerpt from Seven Days in the Art World by Sarah Thorton:

When I ask Poe what makes a good dealer, he leans back and thinks for a moment. "You have to have an eye - a savantish ability to recognize work that is symptomatic of an artist with real intelligence, originality, and drive." While artists tend to be critical of the notion, dealers and collectors usually revere a "good eye." The resolutely singular expression evokes a connoisseur with a monocle or a Cyclops with infallible instincts. While its opposite, a "good ear," is disparaged for being dependent on the opinions of others, an eye enjoys the thrill of recognizing something ineffable, picking the best artists and, from within those artists' oeuvres, the best work.

Hmmm- "picking the best artists" based on intelligence, originality, and drive? It's a business and the one who has the finance, the marketing and production working as a well oiled machine wins?

Seven Days in the Art World by Sarah Thornton

2009-03-29T09:21:00.000-07:00

Published in 2008 and probably written in 2007.

"The art market is booming. Museum attendance is surging. More people than ever call themselves artists. Seven Days in the Art World is a time capsule of a remarkable period in which contemporary art became a mass entertainment, a luxury good, a job description, and, for some, a kind of alternative religion."

Very interesting read for me. I'm about half way through. I want to share Sarah Thornton's thoughts that captured me while asking myself...What is Art?

"One theme that runs through the narratives of Seven Days in the Art World is that contemporary art has become a kind of alternative religion for atheists. The artist Francis Bacon once said that when "Man" realizes that he is just an accident in the greater scheme of things, he can only "beguile himself for a time." He then added: "Painting, or all art, has now become completely a game by which man distracts himself...and the artist must really deepen the game to be any good at all." For many art world insiders and art aficionados of other kinds, concept-driven art is a kind of existential channel through which they bring meaning to their lives. It demands leaps of faith, but it rewards the believer with a sense of consequence. Moreover, just as churches and other ritualistic meeting places serve a social function, so art events generate a sense of community around shared interests."

For me, visual is more of an alternative religion and the experience, most of the time, is private. My understanding is most visual artists are quite private, but the dealers, promoters and spectators make the community.

The Symbol Maker

2009-03-25T16:12:00.000-07:00

The Symbol Maker

Why do we create? Some would say it’s helpful to get something out of our thoughts. Some might say it’s the way we transmit the energies of the universe. Similarly some say their images come from God. For others it just feels good to stand back and cuddle in the imagery of what they made.

I created a "symbol maker" character.

The “symbol maker” is a type of feeling I get when I’m around certain people.

When I stand near a “symbol maker” I feel sneaky, magical, clever, fun and a very old energy. That feeling is there while the story unfolds during the creative process. When it goes down on paper or canvas one shape talks to another. One color asks for another. The story is not always painted literally, but the “symbol maker” feeling is what I work with while the colors and shapes appear.

The desire to create comes from day dreaming. It's a whole life in one place. It's born, it lives and it dies. It feels good to finally conquer the struggle that happens between the beginning and end. Will this help or will this hurt. This needs something. It doesn't feel right. And then it all comes together and I stop. Many people have told me to appreciate the process and it’s not about getting to the end. In this case I like the end.

You can view: Symbol Makers

2009-03-22T16:08:00.000-07:00

Artist Statement

2009-03-22T15:36:00.000-07:00

Artist Statement

Sue Hamilton

In art school many years ago we talked about a popular topic: What is Art? I still ponder this topic and ask why expression is such an important act for me. Is it linked in some strange fashion for my need to be financially secure thus the fact that I kept my day job in a moderate way being told what do to all day long? Is Art my religion as I profess to none as well as all? Is Art my playground and friends that love me and are available no matter what?

I am three parts:

Part 1

Art that expresses my thoughts and feelings based on what is going on in my life at the time. I suppose my pastel work is really a form of self medication known as art therapy. The pastel pieces express frustration of trying to “fix” an addictive personality I was living with at the time. They also deal with death. Some are images when thinking about a person who recently died and then given as a gift for the family. Images created while thinking about the question: What is my religion?

Part 2

Art that is created using my inner child. Fun bright cheerful images that contain patterns and characters. I can’t be in a bad frame of mind when working this part of myself.

Part 3

Opulence – jewels – glitter! It’s challenging to create images uses glitter and jewels that have rich expression more than just kind of goofy. I’m not sure what it is, but I just love combining glitter, jewels and acrylic paint into a richly textured landscape.

Bring images into your life that talk to you. Images that you can sit with and help you answer questions or just relax and get away.

Images bring life and personality to your environment.

Enjoy the mystery of Art.

I sell my work directly out of my studio in Minneapolis Minnesota or online through Yessy.com/suehamilton. Or email: shamilton6@comcast.net