Art quotes

"For the last 20 year period I've been working with ideas conceived as a child." -Red Grooms

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Guide to the Future

Silent Spring 24x30
now at Riverwalk Theatre
       A few years ago, well ok, one decade ago we were planning a major life change. This was no simple change. It was a job requiring a move from the house we built ourselves where we raised our children. That is a big time change.

       We, Helene and I, made detailed plans with timelines. We were in full moving mode but we had to first face the most challenging task moving families face: the stuff we collected over the years. We sorted through box after box of “important papers”,
Sunrise Mist 16x20
now at Shiawassee Art Center
mementos, photos, photos, clothes, making a thousand decisions -  but the volume of our stuff seemed to increase. One day I came back to the sorting area after taking a load to the truck and found a large hand painted sign hanging over the boxes. It proclaimed our guide to the future. ---HOW SHALL THE PAST BE REMEMBERED---?

Birch Sunset 20x16
at Riverwalk Theatre
       That questioning phrase has been haunting us after our big move and is still more haunting as we sort through and move the stuff from our elders through their final years. Just what are the criteria we use to keep or discard? We have so many variables for each situation.

       Now the same scenario appears with the Art. We have been asking artist colleagues how they build a strong body of work, as in how does the artist judge their own work to present to the viewing audience? If we get into a deep philosophical discussion, the usual response is strained because their emotional involvement is from the heart and soul, a very deep place. 
    
  Some responses are confidently vague: ---   You just know ---If the piece still speaks to you--- if the piece is show worthy. Show worthy, wow. I think show worthy means if the work is still strong after the moment when we first knew it was good and the artist is happy to have had a hand in its creation.
Spring Marsh Song 36x36 at Shiawassee Arts Center
 
We the creators of our artistic vision, in building a cohesive and enduring body of work, should be in touch with our future audiences and muse over the phrase, ---how shall the past be remembered---?
  
News on Joel Ellis Art: As of this writing, nearly 50 diverse Joel Ellis paintings are on display in the Michigan area. To enjoy paintings live, please check out these venues during April and May:

The beautiful Shiawassee Art Center, Owosso, Michigan, 206 Curwood Castle Dr. now celebrating 45 years! Joel Ellis Art, March 14 to April 23 in the Hebert and Docent Galleries, open new hours Monday-Friday 12-5, Saturday and Sunday 12-4, Free admission.
Flower Glow 16x20 at Riverwalk Theatre


Riverwalk Theatre, 228 Museum Drive, Lansing Michigan, the lobby is designed especially as an art gallery, now exhibiting 24 Joel Ellis favorites.


A grand thank you to primary artist-helpers during the set-up of both of these venues, Tom Tomasek  at Shiawassee and Jackie Borszich at Riverwalk Theatre. Thank you for all your help with these exhibits.
Jackie Borszich helping to set up
Joel Ellis show at Riverwalk Theatre
standing with Lascaux Nights


And Thank you to friends and colleagues who read the blogs or visit the art at public sites, we are greatly appreciative of your patronage. 
Joel