Comments on: What makes a series work?

By: alison schwabe

alison schwabe — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:48:19 +0000

Interesting that you envisaged a series of 100 Third Thoughts pieces, and felt the passion /rationale exhausted at 30. I have an open-ended expectation once I feel myself readuy to tackle another in some way that makes it a #2 of something. One series I last aded to in 1994, at #14, I feel is not yet completed …. others I have felt finished at a lower number…. I do work much largetrthan you tend, to, though.

By: Denise Aumick

Denise Aumick — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:26:56 +0000

I find there are certain images and emotive/essence representations that continually demand inclusion in the work I do. I consider these images/reps as my series. I find that when I feel ’stale’ (which is too often for my liking) I begin an internal and external search for another image or sensibility that calls to me. Is this understandable at all? It’s quite difficult to put into words.

By: Karen

Karen — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:41:10 +0000

Do you feel that these 30 pieces are a complete series? Or an unfinished series that won’t be completed? Or are they merely studies and you have learned from their creation?

By: admin

admin — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:35:56 +0000

Thanks for the comments and questions. Karen - I feel this is a completed series and that perhaps the paper collages were the studies for the series. I do have some pieces in the series that I am interested in and could develop, oddly enough, into their own series.

Denise - Isn’t writing great? It makes you articulate, in ways that others can understand, what you intuitively know.

Alison - I never set a number when I start a series, but I had 365 paper collages that were gold mines of unconscious thought. I was so surprised that I felt thirty-some artworks represented the best that 365 had to offer to me, in terms of inspiration. I also, as you do, recycle back to some older series and consider them to be open-ended. Others, obviously, when I’m done, I’m done.

By: Natalya

Natalya — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:55:40 +0000

thank you…

By: Claudia Jamison

Claudia Jamison — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 01:06:01 +0000

I enjoyed your comments about how passion develops. I used a similar analogy recently, talking about letting things “cook”. Often the sensory input from diverse sources combined sparks something unique and different altogether from the sources themselves, like when you put a bunch of unrelated items in a pot and come up with a creation that delights! Perhaps a series “runs out of gas” because it was only mean for that dinner party of 30. Any more and you’d be stretching it thin.

By: melanie

melanie — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:14:32 +0000

ya know… the photo of the edges of that stack o’collages is very evocative….

By: Stephanie Nordlin

Stephanie Nordlin — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:24:56 +0000

Interesting to read your thought process. I thought I was finished with my Joy series at five, but did a sixth and have plans for at least three more. One will be a garment. I have a tendency to come up with a name for the piece and then have to figure out how to make it work. Numbers 1 and 3 sold (#3 was a big winner and went to Sacred Threads last year), I’m considering a book and to re-invent #3 as I miss it. Do you ever make duplicates or near duplicates? If so, did you find it successful or fulfilling?

By: Lynn

Lynn — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:28:05 +0000

This was really interesting to read, Virginia. I found a lot of familiar sentiments in my own way of thinking. But I rarely start work thinking they will be a series. For some reason, it makes me feel pressured, like I will have to continue working and make more even if I don’t want to.

Do you ever feel that way or do you always work in a series?

Often I am making series now anyway but I can’t start out with that expectation. I’ve got a lot of new work that has not made it onto my website yet but I’m finding I’m moving more and more toward multiples because if I don’t have some kind of emotional pull in the work, I don’t want to do it. And that has caused me to move into more pieces.

By: admin

admin — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:01:21 +0000

Claudia - Lovely metaphor and one I can really appreciate!

Stephanie - I couldn’t imagine even trying to re-evoke the spark that caused an artwork to be created. But that is the joy (no pun intended) of a series, following a thread forward while still thinking about what has come before. Onward is my motto!

Lynn - Too much pressure is bad, but ditto too little. I do make artwork that is not part of a series, but, for me, dedicating a chunk of time and effort to digging deep, emotionally and intellectually, is usually worth it. You are saying the same thing: a series requires an emotional and artistic investment that “onsies” often do not. How we think at the start (Is this a series?) isn’t as important as starting!

By: Pat Dolan

Pat Dolan — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:51:57 +0000

Hi Virginia -

The posting and the comments have been helpful to me. I’ve never thought to verbalize my thoughts, to make them real outside myself - until after the series is well underway! Your observations on the requirement of passion/powerful emotion is valid for me - as well as some of your other points. However, I have never considered how far a series might go - usually it goes until I’m done with it. And a series tends to build in me whatever is next in me to be birthed in my work, even if there seems to be no relationship between them whatever.

I now have a series reverberating inside of me that has yet to make it’s way out. Oh, I’ve done a few smallish samples - one is one of the two collage pieces I donated to your ACS sale. It has to do with aging, rusting, layers, etc… but my own life has been in turmoil for over a year now with very little artwork being formulated and developed outside my head and heart. I look forward to setting up my new studio next month and beginning to work again. It will be a vast relief to bring out what has been stirring for so long!

By: admin

admin — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:17:33 +0000

Pat - I look forward to seeing your new artwork. After such a long enforced break, your output is going to be exciting. Thank you for your comments.

By: Vivien Zepf

Vivien Zepf — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 02:33:33 +0000

As someone who’s contemplating the start of a new series, this essay about passion is very though-provoking. It was also helpful to look through your beautiful Boundary Waters series as I read. They helped to illustrate your point. Thanks for the essay (and all you do!).