Final Thoughts:
The work over the past two weeks was a continuation of explorations I have been involved with for some time. But it was also uniquely influenced by the storefront and the neighborhood and city in which it resides. The constant passing presence of people brought an awareness of how the work might be perceived. The conversations with the new gallery owner next door provoked questions about what constitutes art and a vivid reminder that each person decides that for themselves.
When working in my studio in the past, I would often vascillate between up close making of the work and a more distant stance contemplating it at various stages. The storefront offered these two vantage points within its architecture. The objects and drawings that I made were mostly produced within the middle to back of the shop. Once I was ready to step back and observe them, I shared that experience with the public.
I am interested in this shift between private making and public interaction. The presence of the glass gave me an opportunity to see the work from within the space but also put myself in the place of the viewer, looking in from outside, wondering what was going on. The storefront also afforded me an opportunity to view the viewers, so to speak, as they observed my work.
An important aspect of this project has been the writing and images shown on the website. Some who have viewed the work from this window have responded in such a way that leads me think their experience of the work was quite complete. While the physical aspect of the work is very important to me as a maker, I am curious about how such physical work can be experienced through this flat, ephemeral media.
