Re-imagined

This past week I had an excellent meeting with the gallery director for my upcoming show. Several hours later, as things began to process and fall into place more clearly, I came to the realization that there is a lot more potential for my current work then I initially recognized – I just didn’t see some of it until I was able to connect with the director and see my pieces through her eyes.

I generally begin thinking about presentation about halfway through the creation of a piece; however, with the new work I’ve found it more important to just be in the moment from start to finish. Given the nature of the pieces I’m creating, this seems logical. Now that I’ve got quite a few pieces finished I’ve discovered that not having that early preparation has left me at a loss when it comes to formulating a working exhibition.

The director was able to listen to my sketchy visions and ideas and then further synthesize them with suggestions, alternatives, and collective brainstorming. More than anything, I began to solidify what I didn’t want and that enabled me to start grasping what it is I do want from this experience. By the end of the meeting my head was so filled with possibilities it was spinning.

I’ve begun to think about my early tentative notions of installation work in practical terms. Not knowing what is technically and physically possible limits. Knowing what can be attained and how it might work creates lots of open-ended directions to take. For a lack of a better description, the gallery director helped activate the gallery space for me. It’s more alive in my mind now and as a result my work seems to have a bit of new life in it as well.

This holiday weekend I’m going to tackle the biggest physical work of the show. I feel a bit more confident going into this having worked out some of the presentation questions that have been troubling me. This has freed me to throw myself into things again like I was before.

And, my card should be submitted for printing soon!

Only 34 days to go…