I thought I would share some inspiration,
I found this book the other day about Frida Kahlo in Fullers book shop and I just had to have it!
I find Frida absolutely fascinating her art her subject matter her life and I have loved her work for a very long time and she is a huge influence on the way I view creativity and how honestly in your work is for me very important and inspiring.
The book is about a rare find of Frida Kahlo belongings in Mexico that had been in the possession of a sculptor friend of Kahlo's and then spend another 25 years in and eccentric lawyers house in 30 heavy duty safes until early 2000, the book showcases the cases and their extraordinary contents, it shows only a small section of the find in all there were 1200 items, what a find! while scanning this book I kept thinking about how it must have felt to be faced with such things and how I might have felt if it had of been me, surreal I expect!
The other books I wanted to share were these two books about raw /outsider art I was interested in this type of art when I was doing my Arts diploma and I personally believe that art has a role in healing.
A couple of years back I lived Perth WA , I worked at an art therapy studio where I was in charge of photographing , documenting and creating a computer data base of their collection of hundreds of art works by past and present psychiatric patients, the work there was mind blowing in their content and the skill of some of these artist, I wasn't surprise in the least really and I feel privileged to have been allowed access to these works of arts, I would have liked to keep a record of these works but because of confidentiality to the patients I wasn't able to. anyway working at the studio simply fuelled my interest in so called outsider art and the fact that on many occasions I would draw out scenarios from my life and my feelings as a was to work though some of my own issues and found that alot of this stuff I think was my best work.
I tend to refrain from exhibiting this work as it is intensely private not considered by me as finished work and most people wouldn't understand them anyway
Hi Nell, i'm a hug fan of Frida Kahlo also. Her artwork is amazing and she is an amazing women. Next time i run into you we must have a chat about art therapy too, this has always interested me but i haven't looked into it much yet.
ReplyDeletex isis
hi Isis
ReplyDeleteI have been meaning to get in contact with you about seeing if you might like to do a kind of collaboration ,I was looking at your books at The Ruby Pear the other day and they are lovely ,I was thinking I would like to create some little book with a little bit of letterpress added to them or some de bossing, I have done very little bookbinding and thought it might be nice to do a joint project with someone,let me know what you think!
Nice blog. Nice to know you're doing your work old school. I've worked in a traditional offset printer but not with letter press. Good luck from the US!
ReplyDeletethank you R.J. I visited your site and tried to get one of you key chain but it wouldn't let me purchase it, I will try again later
ReplyDeletethanks for the visit and the comment
Narelle