Sunday, my cohort group from the (DW)2 Development Workshops met with our mentor, artist Dixie Friend Gay at her home and studios in the Heights. She gave us an intimate tour of her gardens and multiple studio and work spaces, and also a very detailed view into her art process, ongoing projects, and previous work. I admire Gay's hustle, and the savvy ways she maintains control over her finances and her work.
I remember reading about Dixie Friend Gay for the first time in the Houston Business Journal back in 2005/6, when I was still working at my first corporate job out of college. I had been working as an investment assistant and analyst for a couple of years at that point, and my art work was something done in private during off hours, when I allowed myself to daydream about a life that seemed impossible. I will blog more about this at some point. My employer subscribed to HBJ and I came across the article about Gay's process, business sense, and lifestyle. It was a turning point for me in thinking about my own journey, and how my experiences may actually lead to me returning to my art one day and enriching my work.
When I learned that I was assigned to Dixie Friend Gay as my mentor, it was a powerful feeling. Five years later, I was learning from the woman I had read about as a young adult who helped inspired me to think differently about my possibilities as a creative person. Full circle.
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Monday, I heard Kara Walker lecture at the Menil Collection. I was, of course, familiar with her silhouette, paper cut-outs and (controversial) subject matter. I was not prepared for the sheer scale of her output and the variety of media that she worked with. She walked us through 80+ slides and detailed descriptions of her work. She was candid, a bit unscripted, and refreshingly honest about her contradictions and growth. I was intrigued by her reference to Glenn Ligon as an artist that she would like to pay homage to through some of her work. One of the reasons why I make a point to attend lectures is to learn more about these types of references and cross-pollination between artists. I consider it a vital part of my self-education.
I remember reading about Dixie Friend Gay for the first time in the Houston Business Journal back in 2005/6, when I was still working at my first corporate job out of college. I had been working as an investment assistant and analyst for a couple of years at that point, and my art work was something done in private during off hours, when I allowed myself to daydream about a life that seemed impossible. I will blog more about this at some point. My employer subscribed to HBJ and I came across the article about Gay's process, business sense, and lifestyle. It was a turning point for me in thinking about my own journey, and how my experiences may actually lead to me returning to my art one day and enriching my work.
When I learned that I was assigned to Dixie Friend Gay as my mentor, it was a powerful feeling. Five years later, I was learning from the woman I had read about as a young adult who helped inspired me to think differently about my possibilities as a creative person. Full circle.
--
Monday, I heard Kara Walker lecture at the Menil Collection. I was, of course, familiar with her silhouette, paper cut-outs and (controversial) subject matter. I was not prepared for the sheer scale of her output and the variety of media that she worked with. She walked us through 80+ slides and detailed descriptions of her work. She was candid, a bit unscripted, and refreshingly honest about her contradictions and growth. I was intrigued by her reference to Glenn Ligon as an artist that she would like to pay homage to through some of her work. One of the reasons why I make a point to attend lectures is to learn more about these types of references and cross-pollination between artists. I consider it a vital part of my self-education.
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