Albert Laessle’s Defiance (1939)
I’m up early this morning — the luxury of being on my own in DC. As the coffee brewed, I listened to NPR, a five-minute broadcast that Siri served up. The politics are getting intense, and when I listen to the news, my fever rises. But I wanted the jolt of news this morning. We’re living in consequential times, and I’ve been mulling. What is the artist’s role in all of this — what‘s mine?
Today (Friday) is International Artist Day, celebrating artists' contributions to our lives. The illustrators, painters, sculptors, photographers, writers, poets, dancers, musicians, actors — I’ve got my faves. They jolt me emotionally. They unfold concepts that makes me linger. At the theater, dance performance or in the presence of a giant mural, I vibrate along with an entire community. I want to talk with others about the experience. I want to explore new possibilities.
These are just a few things that these artists do for me.
Then there was last weekend along Lake Champlain in Vermont. Celebrating my niece’s wedding, a fuller set of artists and their contributions came into focus: calligraphers and graphic designers, landscape artists, architects and builders, lighting and installation artists, chefs and bakers, floral artists, DJs, fashion designers, makeup artists, hair stylists, jewelry designers, and tattoo artists.
With their skills and creative visions, they transformed the food we ate, the gardens and trails we walked, and the clothes we wore — into works of art that engaged all the senses. These artists connected us. I felt kinship with the groom’s aunt, who gave a heartfelt reading; with the three women who showed up, all rockin’ the same gorgeous dress; and, with every last person sliding to the left, right and kicking it on the dance floor. We were part of something bigger than ourselves. The role of these artists? Nothing short of making visible a couple’s love, commitment, and community.
And, the really cool part? Together, we created a consequential moment.
So, yes, let’s celebrate artists.
Afterword: This week in DC — my own personal tribute to artists.
A visit to the National Gallery of Art (specifically, The ’70s Lens: Reimagining Documentary Photography). New experimental forms of documentary photography entered the scene during this time. This included the shifting away from overt political and social messages to showing “the complexity of the human condition from a more personal perspective.” Making visible the lives of ordinary people — in portraits and street photography — and snatching consequential moments from the ordinary.
Drawing. I prepared some paper at home. Charcoal. Brayer and paint. Pan pastels.
Then, a sketch outing to the National Portrait Gallery (the permanent collection) — revisiting the animal scultures on the third floor. Albert Laessle’s piece — I got to feel it’s defiance and think about the year it was made. This artist connected me to history.
My choice of sketching tools this time produced a bit of a mess on the page and, I’m sheepish to admit, in the museum. The pastels will be way too messy for tonight’s adventure — Sketching Smithsonian: After-Hours at the National Museum of Natural History! The jewel in my artist-celebrating crown.
My recent iPhone home pages are of drawings I’ve done while traveling. Color pencils and charcoal leave minimal mess and fit neatly in my backpack.
I love your gathering of artistic endeavours made in such a variety of genres. Yes to clothing, food and yes~hair! What a lovely post you offered us.