The Messy Studio with Rebecca Crowell - Episodes Tagged with “Travel”

Episode 270: Rebecca's Interview on Art Ladders Podcast

Rebecca Crowell — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 12:00:00 -0500

Today’s episode is thanks to Valerie Allen and Armin Mersmann, producers of the podcast, Art Ladders: the Creative Climb. In May, they interviewed Rebecca about her background as an artist, her process, development, teaching, and ideas. Their conversation also delves into the unique characteristics of cold wax medium, and why Rebecca was drawn to develop techniques for its use. Both Val and Armin are artists themselves, and their thoughtful questions led to the wide-ranging and insightful conversation that we are pleased to share with you on this episode. Rebecca’s exhibit that is mentioned in the interview, at Slate Gray Gallery in Telluride, CO. is currently on view through the end of this month. Art Ladders podcast is available on Apple podcasts, Spotify and Podbay, and via their facebook page and Instagram. So let’s listen now to the Art Ladders interview with Rebecca, recorded in May, 2024.

Thanks to everyone who has been sharing the show and donating! If you would like to donate to the Messy Studio Podcast donate here.
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When you buy art supplies at Blick remember to use our affiliate link to support the podcast! Bookmark this link and then you don't even have to think about it again. This is one of the best ways to support the show. It takes a few seconds and costs you nothing! The Blick website works exactly the same way, but we earn 10% every time you buy art supplies.

www.messystudiopodcast.com/blick

What's new at Cold Wax Academy?
What's new at Cold Wax Academy? You can now join the membership program on a month-to-month basis with full streaming access to all the great features offered, including Rebecca and Jerry's full-length video workshop and Jerry's Mentoring Messages and 12 Essential Lessons. Monthly memberships mean lots more flexibility for you--you can try the program out for a short time, or take a break when you need it. Live sessions will continue twice a month--and along with favorites like painting clinics, critiques, and guests, and as always, everything is recorded and available in the Member Library.

And there's more exciting news! Rebecca and Jerry have just announced the first ever online international exhibit of work created with cold wax medium. All styles and formats are welcome. The juror for the show is Dan Addington, of Addington Gallery in Chicago. To learn more, go to www.coldwaxacademy.com-- and click on the Call for Art button. While you are on the website, check out all the information abut cold wax medium and how you can join the monthly membership.

Please visit http://www.coldwaxacademy.com for more information as well as basic information about using cold wax medium.

Here is what a member named Sandy has to say about her own experience with Cold Wax Academy:
"Rebecca and Jerry have presented the most professional, authentic and structured approach to a creative activity I have ever come across. Their selfless sharing of all their knowledge and encouragement is a gift in my life unsurpassed."

Also-- please visit https://www.espacioart.org to learn about Rebecca and Jerry's newest project, Espacio, dedicated to providing beautiful living and working spaces for artists and writers. Espacio's first offering is Casa Clavel, a modern, fully equipped house opening this September in the beautiful cultural city of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. A few booking openings are still available in 2023, so please incquire if you are interested.

Have an art related product, service, or event you would like to advertise on the Messy Studio Podcast?
Email Ross at rticknor.core@gmail.com for current mid-roll advertising rates.
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For more from The Messy Studio:
www.messystudiopodcast.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast
•
For more from Rebecca Crowell:
www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.coldwaxacademy.com
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The Messy Studio Podcast is a Tick Digital Media Production.

Episode 256: When Art Travel Ends

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 24 Jun 2023 20:00:00 -0500

We’ve talked several times in the past about the experience of attending an artist residency program when you are away from your home studio, focused exclusively on your work in a stimulating environment. We’ve also talked about the importance of travel in general for feeding your creative ideas. But what about when that residency or the travel is over? Will the bubble you have been in for weeks, focused on your work or satisfying your travel curiosity, simply burst? Today we talk about that transitional time back to ordinary life and how that plays out in your work.

When you spend time at a residency or doing art-related travel, coming back to your studio can present challenges. Your vision has been altered, and your experiences while away will affect your thoughts and feelings. You may have done work that is quite different in terms of media, scale, or source ideas that what you normally do. You have also probably been free of marketing or business concerns, and perhaps not considering where the work would end up in terms of display or sales.

It's good to take some time once home to contemplate the similarities and differences with your previous or ongoing work. Will the work you did while away simply exist as your response to your time away, a separate project, perhaps a sort of travel journal? Or will it contribute to or integrate with the main body of your work? Will you continue to pursue the ideas you explored while away, or is that work specific to the place where you were? It will probably take some time to process the various ideas that your travel has evoked. Part of that may be inviting others to see the work from your time away. Thier comments can provide more insight and they may see connections to your ongoing work that you have overlooked.

While as artists we are always taking in new ideas when we travel, doing so with an art focus or as an artist in residence is very different from travel as a tourist. When you are able to create during your trip, you can process your impressions in an immediate way. This can enforce your experiences in ways that will have a permanent effect on your work overall, whether obvious or subtle.

Thanks to everyone who has been sharing the show and donating! If you would like to donate to the Messy Studio Podcast donate here.

When you buy art supplies at Blick remember to use our affiliate link to support the podcast! Bookmark this link and then you don't even have to think about it again. This is one of the best ways to support the show. It takes a few seconds and costs you nothing! The Blick website works exactly the same way, but we earn 10% every time you buy art supplies.

www.messystudiopodcast.com/blick

What's new At Cold Wax Academy?
Rebecca and Jerry launched their spring quarter on April 12th. Sessions this quarter so far included identifying compositional issues in your work, and technical information from Gamblin representative Mary Tevlin. Upcoming sessions include a painting clinic for works in progress, and much more. As always, members can join in on live sessions with questions and comments, and can benefit anytime by interacting with other members on our Members-only facebook page. With 100 recorded sessions in the member library there is always something to learn or review, with topics ranging from technical advice to visual language to guests speakers and critiques of member work.

To learn more about membership, and to purchase cold wax tools and Rebecca and Jerry's book, Cold Wax Medium: Techniques, Concepts & Conversations, please visit http://www.coldwaxacademy.com

Please visit http://www.coldwaxacademy.com for more information as well as basic information about using cold wax medium.

Here is what a member named Sandy has to say about her own experience with Cold Wax Academy:
"Rebecca and Jerry have presented the most professional, authentic and structured approach to a creative activity I have ever come across. Their selfless sharing of all their knowledge and encouragement is a gift in my life unsurpassed."

Also-- please visit https://www.espacioart.org to learn about Rebecca and Jerry's newest project, Espacio, dedicated to providing beautiful living and working spaces for artists and writers. Espacio's first offering is Casa Clavel, a modern, fully equipped house opening this September in the beautiful cultural city of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. A few booking openings are still available in 2023, so please incquire if you are interested.

Have an art related product, service, or event you would like to advertise on the Messy Studio Podcast?
Email Ross at rticknor.core@gmail.com for current mid-roll advertising rates.

For more from The Messy Studio:
www.messystudiopodcast.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast

For more from Rebecca Crowell:
www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.coldwaxacademy.com

The Messy Studio Podcast is a Tick Digital Media Production.

Episode 251: Travel Tips for Artists

Rebecca Crowell — Mon, 08 May 2023 12:00:00 -0500

The ideas and energy gained from travel are important to many artists, and when you travel, you seldom leave your art self behind. The stimulation of travel and new experiences tends to create strong impressions and bring on the urge to create while you’re away from home, no matter the overall reason for your trip. This means bringing along at least some art supplies, and lots more if the focus of your trip is a residency or workshop.

It's hard to know ahead of time what environments or situations you will encounter, and what you will want to respond to. So, this makes planning your materials a challenge. But you can make some general decisions about the type of materials you want to bring, and how much time and space you will have for your work. Are you traveling as a tourist, or is your travel more focused on your work? If it's a shorter, busier, tourist type of trip, it may be that simply collecting ideas, photos, and quick work to reference later will satisfy your creative needs.

But there are many other situations when you may have a studio of sorts,--at a residency workshop, or self-catered set up, and you are planning a longer stay in which you focus on your work. If you will be delving deeply into your work while away, and you are using public transport to get there, do the best you can to anticipate your needs as you pack,and consider the option for buying supplies at your destination. But an attitude of accepting your choices of matrials once they are made and doing what you can with what you bring can be a creative portal. Responding in the moment to what moves you is the most important consideration.

Packing, shipping, weight restrictions, toxicity, and other factors are all factors, but often the simplest solutions are sufficient and may present exciting challenges. If you typically work with oil, why not bring only a small selection of inks, watercolors, and other water-based media, along with some drawing media? Our listeners contributed many experiences and tips for this episode about materials and packing, so please have a listen to hear what they had to say.

This is the website mentioned in the podcast for travel materials related to watercolor and drawing media:
https://arttoolkit.com

www.messystudiopodcast.com/blick

To learn more about membership, and to purchase cold wax tools and Rebecca and Jerry's book, Cold Wax Medium: Techniques, Concepts & Conversations, please visit http://www.coldwaxacademy.com

Please visit http://www.coldwaxacademy.com for more information as well as basic information about using cold wax medium.

Episode 228: Creative Flow

Rebecca Crowell — Sun, 06 Nov 2022 20:00:00 -0600

The state of flow has been described as the mental state of being completely present and fully immersed in a task, and psychological studies have delved into what enhances this state and what types of personalities seem to be able to access it most easily, although how and why we enter this state remains rather mysterious. The experience of flow in the studio is one many artists crave as the source of ultimate joy and satisfaction in making art. But creative flow is elusive—it may appear without any conscious effort or disappear when you most want to rely on it. Today we talk about this state of mind, how to cultivate it, and the role it can play in your work.

Being focused and fully with your work is crucial to the state of creative flow. Without distractions or extraneous thoughts, you are responding with sensitivity to how your work is developing. Flow also tends to lead us to work in ways that are sensual and tactile rather than intellectual, although you may take breaks for more analytic thinking. It has to do with sensitivity to the materials you are using and your own coordination and skill in using them.

Although it's possible to enter a state of flow at any stage of your development, when your skill and your intentions are well matched, it is easier to find your creative flow. On the other hand, studies have shown that a certain level of challnge tends to enhance the flow experience. Having some intention for what you're working on can help channel your focus.

Although this creative state is unlikely to happen because you strive for it, there are ways to encourage it. One idea is to let yourself be fully involved with whatever media you are using, enjoying the process in front of you. Another tip is to create plenty of work so that you can feel less precious about whatever you're working on. A playful attitude, enjoyment of what you are doing is a hallmark of the flow state. You may benefit from background music and setting up your studio situation to avoid distractions, When the flow state starts to break up, accept that you are leaving it for a while. Take satisfaction in having experienced it but don’t stress about losing it.

www.messystudiopodcast.com/blick

What's new at Cold Wax Academy?
Rebecca and Jerry have just launched their Fall quarter of live, online sessions with a special focus this time on member participation, plus informative sessions on a variety of other topics such as photographing your art work and using Procreate. This month also marks the beginning of Cold Wax Academy's 3rd year of teaching sessions, meaning that the member library now has over 80 recordings and other instructional documents available for members. To access this wealth of information and to take part in upcoming live sessions, please visit the membership page at ColdWaxAcademy.com and sign up for one of the two levels of membership available.

Please visit http://www.coldwaxacademy.com for more information.

Also-- stay tuned for information coming soon about Rebecca and Jerry's newest project, Espacio, dedicated to providing beautiful living and working spaces for artists and writers. Espacio's first offering is Casa Clavel, a modern, fully equipped house opening this September in the beautiful cultural city of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. You can learn more and make a reservation by emailing info@coldwaxacademy.com. A dedicated Espacio website is coming soon!

Episode 227: The Gift of Days: An Artist Residency

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 16:00:00 -0500

We’d like to begin today with some words from John O’Donohue, the Irish poet, author, priest, and philosopher--who wrote in his poem, For the Traveler:

May you travel in an awakened way,
Gathered wisely into your inner ground;
That you may not waste the invitations
Which wait along the way to transform you.

May you travel safely, arrive refreshed,
And live your time away to its fullest;
Return home more enriched, and free
To balance the gift of days which call you

O’Donohue’s poem-- from which this excerpt is taken-- reflects on the impact of travel that is done in an aware and thoughtful manner. Taking part in an artist residency program is one way to experience a new place on this deep level and to experience its influence on your work. In today’s episode, Rebecca reflects on her recent 3 weeks of residency at the Obras Foundation in Portugal, and the challenges and rewards of this experience.

We talked last week about the duality of familiarity and novelty that you can experience when working with the idea of place and in your response to unique aspects of an environment. There can be novelty in what is familiar, when you tune into your daily environment, and there can also be familiarity in what is new, as you seek out what you know and are comfortable with even in a completely foreign environment. When working in a truly new and unfamiliar place, it can be a challenge to find focus and continuity with your ongoing work. Allowing your responses to being on a residency to evolve organically in your ongoing work may be the best way to integrate your new experience.

website for Obras Foundation: http://www.obras-art.org

Please visit http://www.coldwaxacademy.com for more information.

Episode 226: The Importance of Place

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 20:00:00 -0500

The influence of specific locations on creative work is important among many kinds of artists, from plein aire painters to site-specific sculptors. On today’s podcast, Rebecca talks about the ways responding to certain places has impacted her own abstract work over the years, and specifically how this has evolved in recent years since her move to New Mexico. We hope that her thoughts invite contemplation of your own influences from both your home environment and your travels.

Two aspects of place that influence abstract imagery are familiarity and novelty, an intriguing duality. Familiarity leads to visual language based on repeated observations, repeated experiences, and getting to know a place beyond initial impressions. Knowing a place deeply leads to an integrated approach of emotions and visual observations and can be a very satisfying way to experience your everyday life. Treating your home environment as a rich source of ideas enhances your everyday life and sense of gratitude.

Although you can experience the aspect of novelty anywhere if you pay attention, including in your home territory, it plays into your work in a different way that can be very stimulating and can lead to ideas outside of your everyday realm. The sense of what you see and experience being unfamiliar and strange keeps you curious, reflective, and attentive. This happens especially during travel in other countries. You need special awareness to navigate this unfamiliar territory.

Interpreting a sense of place in your work in a meaningful way can evolve over time, especially when you work from your home environment, as you engage in the process of noticing and understanding the subtleties of your home location. What you know and love about a place has a natural way of becoming embedded and central to your work. But even when responding to an unfamiliar place, connecting your experiences to what is already present in your work is a good way to approach it in an integrated manner. And if your current location is not supporting your work in ways that you want, if you are able seek out a different lcoation for travel, a residency, or even a new home, it is something to consider.

(website mentioned in this podcast: resartis.org)

Please visit http://www.coldwaxacademy.com for more information.

Episode 199: Staying Adventurous

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 04 Dec 2021 13:00:00 -0600

As children, we all explored constantly—the world was new and we needed to try things out, push boundaries, and make discoveries in order to grow. Most of the time we were totally absorbed in these activities and found them enjoyable. Artists in their beginning phases often show a similar attitude—they are willing and eager to explore, play, and experiment in an open-ended way with few expectations. But once artistic maturity sets in we tend to settle into more predictable practices and may lose the urge to explore. There are important benefits to finding your groove and sticking with it, but how can we keep an inventive and adventurous spirit alive at the same time?

Achieving artistic maturity is a goal for many of us, reaching a point when we have something to say and the ability to say it well. It means having an authentic voice and consistent work. Yet staying open to change and engaging in experimentation and adventures into new media and subject matter are important to keeping our work fresh and exciting, and avoiding rigidity. These explorations are entirely legitimate ways to spend time and resources.

Trying new things takes acceptance that you may not always produce anything worth saving. It also takes self-confidence that others will appreciate and follow your adventures, and that your voice will continue to come through even with change. There can be a wide range of expression that comes from your core self. Countering the tendency to stick to the tried and true may take the form of attending an artist residency or workshop, travel, or simply setting time or place aside in your own studio for this practice.

So, let’s avoid being stodgy and unadventurous in reaching artistic maturity. Attitudes of play, experimentation, and non-attachment remain important to your work even as you mature. While focus and intentions are essential to doing deep work, adventure and childlike enjoyment are also aspects of mature work.

www.messystudiopodcast.com/blick

Rebecca and her partner Jerry McLaughlin are excited to be launching year two of Cold Wax Academy's membership program, which began in October of 2020. In the coming year, live online learning sessions will feature an entirely new set of topics---beginning with a deep dive into technique and the steps involved in developing a painting. Other topics for year 2 include professional development, abstraction and realism, principles of design, and expanded uses for cold wax medium.

As always, members have access to recordings of all previous sessions including everything from the first year, so it's easy to join anytime. Fall Quarter begins October 6th. Please visit http://www.coldwaxacademy.com for details about membership levels and to sign up for a year of exciting learning experiences.

Here is what a member named Sandy has to say about her own experience:
"Rebecca and Jerry have presented the most professional, authentic and structured approach to a creative activity I have ever come across. Their selfless sharing of all their knowledge and encouragement is a gift in my life unsurpassed."

Episode 118: The Life and Work of Agnes Martin - Interview With Henry Martin

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 28 Mar 2020 14:00:00 -0500

Rebecca interviews Irish writer Henry Martin about his book, Agnes Martin: Pioneer, Painter, Icon, discussing her life, character, and work. About this biography, museum curator Jina Brenneman wrote “No other book on Agnes Martin has been researched as thoroughly and honestly as Agnes Martin: Pioneer, Painter, Icon. Its sensitive and poetic nature makes it a must read for those truly interested in understanding the artist.”

Buy Henry Martin's book:
https://www.amazon.com/Agnes-Martin-Pioneer-Painter-Icon/dp/1943156301

"Paint With MJ", a free Facebook painting class for kids of all ages, started by a listener of the Messy Studio Podcast:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2882448618445044/

For more from The Messy Studio:
www.messystudiopodcast.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast

For more from Rebecca Crowell:
www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.squeegeepress.com

The Messy Studio Podcast is a CORE Publication MGMT production.

Special Guest: Henry Martin.

Episode 117: COVID-19 Outbreak: Coping With Isolation

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 15:00:00 -0500

When the news media first mentioned the coronavirus spreading through China, few of us in the rest of the world realized the huge impact it would have. A few months later we face quarantines and severe economic consequences and many of us are facing isolation, boredom, and anxiety, as well as financial stress. In this episode we address how the current measures implemented to contain COVID-19 have affected our lives as artists, as well as ideas for coping in this time of uncertainty and change.

Currently Rebecca is in quarantine in New Mexico, fortunately without symptoms. She did have to cut her time in Ireland short and return to the United States before the suspension of international travel. This meant canceling a workshop, an important source of income, and spending the next two weeks confined to her home. Like many other artists, she has also canceled other upcoming workshops and travel.

The pandemic now affects every aspect of our lives as artists, from the postponed or canceled events and galleries on the economic brink, to the need to shelter in place, possibly apart from our studios, and the loss of personal contact with other artists. It can be hard to focus on our work when we are feeling anxious and distracted by the constant flow of bad news, and worries about ourselves and our loved ones.

There is much about the current situation that is unknown and beyond our control. But concentrating on what we can control, including our attitudes is the key to staying mentally healthy. Even though many things now seem hopeless and frightening, there are also positive aspects to the situation on which to focus. Acting in generous ways, thinking of how to help others, and realizing we're all in this together can all help with remaining on track. For many of us, a spiritual component is critical to maintaining the right attitude to survive and thrive in the midst of a catastrophe. Technology is a help in many aspects of what we're now dealing with, and spirituality is no exception. Whatever your spiritual philosophy, there is an app that will send you daily devotionals, meditations, or affirmations. Spend some time every morning reading these rather than the latest COVID-19 news. This will set the tone for the rest of the day. The news is important, but it can wait a few minutes.

As artists we are very fortunate to have the commitment to our work to help us in this time of isolation. Some of us are lucky enough to have ongoing access to our studios, but if not it may help to remember times when you created in less than ideal circumstances, as most of us did starting out. We can value the chance to catch up on projects, do some online learning, or delve into some idea that has been on the back burner. For many of us, our time in the studio is now our own, without the need to prepare for upcoming exhibits or meet other outside demands., and there is a certain freedom to that. We may also be able to catch up on projects that have fallen by the wayside. because we don’t find them very fulfilling, like bookkeeping or cleaning; clearing out a backlog of such chores is a good feeling.

Besides more time in the studio, many of us also have more time with our families. Try to establish a routine to help you make the most of this time, including as much time as possible to your art. Adjusting to working in your studio while caring for school aged children who are now at home will be difficult, but there are many educational resources online to help. Your kids may also enjoy making some art with you, and learning about what you do.

Financial difficulty will hit many of us and create a great deal of anxiety. One suggestion is to develop a new income stream related to your art practice now, such as an online course, a mentoring program, or instructional video series. An art course aimed at children might be especially appropriate at this time. Think about what your specialized niche might be and have confidence that most artists have an insatiable thirst for learning and improving. While it will take weeks or longer to develop something worth charging for, starting now is a smart move. Even the isolation imposed by COVID-19 ends soon, we'll be feeling the economic strain for some time.

We are all currently faced with enormous changes and challenges, and it's all happening fast. Some people will sit at home, hypnotized by the television, waiting for this all to be over. But others will use this time to improve their work, improvise with what they do have, and address neglected aspects of their lives.

To quote the late Toni Morrison:
"This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self pity, no need for silence, and no room for fear. We do language. (or in this case, art…) That is how civilizations heal."

Here are some great learning resources for you...

Access to your library online:
https://www.overdrive.com/

MIT's open courseware platform:
https://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm

Skillshare has a banner ad at the top of the screen for two months of premium for free:
www.skillshare.com

Here is a list of free resources put together by Forbes:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/martingiles/2020/03/19/free-software-for-businesses-and-schools-covid19/#467e08ee752d

For more Messy Studio:
www.messystudiopodcast.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast

For more from Rebecca Crowell:
www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.squeegeepress.com

The Messy Studio Podcast is a CORE Publication MGMT production.

Episode 114: Art Conservation

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 29 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0600

Rebecca interviews Jill Whitten and Robert Proctor of Whitten & Proctor Fine Art Conservation. They discuss the process of art conservation and restoration, as well as their paths into the field and some of their projects with museums around the world.

(From http://www.whittenandproctor.com/02Experience.htm)

JILL WHITTEN has been a painting conservator in private practice in Houston,Texas since 1999. She received a BFA in Painting from the University of Texas at Austin, and an MA and Certificate of Conservation from Buffalo State College, New York, in 1992. She spent her graduate internship and a three-year Mellon Fellowship at the Art Institute of Chicago. In the winter of 1995, she received a Kress Grant to work as a guest conservator at the J. Paul Getty Museum on the first phase of a collaborative project to produce new retouching paints for conservators. She and Robert Proctor were sabbatical replacement lecturers at the Buffalo State College Art Conservation Department in the spring of 1996. From 1996 to 98 she worked at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., testing and developing retouching materials in the Scientific Department and as a conservator of 20th Century paintings. Jill worked as a contract conservator at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston treating the paintings of Frederic Remington in 1997 and 1998. Jill has lectured and led workshops for conservators in the U.S. and Europe on the use of new materials for varnishing and retouching since 1993.

ROBERT PROCTOR has had a private practice serving individuals, institutions, museums, libraries, and corporations since 1994. He studied Art History at Tulane University in New Orleans and graduated with a BA in 1980. He earned an MA and Certificate of Conservation at Buffalo State College in Buffalo, New York in 1992. He traveled to Munich for his graduate internship at the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum where he mastered the technique of reweaving tears. From 1992-93 Robert was a graduate intern and an assistant painting conservator at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. He treated a large group of paintings by Max Beckmann at the Saint Louis Art Museum in preparation for an exhibition in Stuttgart. He worked with Jill Whitten on the Frederic Remington Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in 1997 and 1998. Robert is a specialist in the reweaving of tears and has taught workshops on reweaving and has lectured internationally on varnishes since 1994.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
American Institute for Conservation-AIC
International Institute for Conservation-IIC
Texas Association of Museums-TAM
Western Area Art Conservation-WAAC

Special Guest: Jill Whitten & Robert Proctor.

Episode 109: Interview with Paula Roland: An Uncharted Journey

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 14:00:00 -0600

Rebecca Crowell interviews Paula Roland about her life as an artist and entrepreneur.

(From https://paularoland.com/roland-bio/)

Paula Roland is a life-long artist and teacher with an MFA in painting and sculpture from the University of New Orleans. After many years teaching painting and drawing at the college level, Paula found a niche specializing in encaustic monotype printing and related encaustic topics. Since 1996, these processes and materials have informed her own works, and in turn inspired her teaching.

Born on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Paula spent much of her adult life living and working in nearby New Orleans. Her works address the extremes in nature and the natural world’s nexus with ecology, science, art, and spirit. Since the early 1980s her works have examined natural phenomena and human interaction. Drawn to areas with a strong sense of place that are culturally rich, diverse, and visually inspiring, Roland moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1989.

“Living near Los Alamos National Labs and Chaos Theory think tanks has led to a heightened interest in science, including systems, fractals, and strange attractors. In recent works, I examine ecology through intuitive mapping, finding my way in rapidly changing environments in the natural world through my art. I choose materials for their ability to be somewhat unpredictable or have the ability to change and therefore partner with me in making the work. This process circumvents preconceived ideas and opens me to new possibilities. I engage with the image and medium in a direct and intimate way. With encaustic printing, thought and action are one, much like improvisational music or dance.”

Roland’s awards include commissions from the National Endowment for the Arts and for the US Department of State’s American Embassies in South Africa and Uganda. She was awarded residencies at VCCA in Virginia and in France, and two at the Santa Fe Art Institute, working with Lynda Benglis and with Elizabeth Murray. Articles on Paula Roland have appeared in New American Painting, Surface Design Journal, Artist’s Magazine, New Mexico Magazine, the Santa Fean Magazine and Vasari21 online art magazine. Her works are included in books and media on art, encaustic and installation.

Check out Paula's websites:
https://paularoland.com/
https://www.rolandworkshops.com/

More Messy Studio available at:
www.messystudiopodcast.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopocast

Rebecca Crowell:
www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.squeegeepress.com

Special Guest: Paula Roland.

Episode 106: Interview With Betsy Williams - The Microseasons Project

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 11 Jan 2020 16:00:00 -0600

In today's episode, Rebecca interviews New Mexico artist Betsy Williams about her work and recently published book.

https://www.instagram.com/enbistudio/
https://www.enbistudio.com/
https://www.bluebearvending.com/

www.messystudiopodcast.com
www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.squeegeepress.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast

Special Guest: Betsy Williams.

Episode 105: Why Walk?

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 04 Jan 2020 13:00:00 -0600

While this may seem to be an odd topic for the Messy Studio, it is something that is important to Rebecca's creative life and that of many other artists. Walking has numerous and well-known benefits for physical and mental health, but what can it contribute to our lives as artists? In this episode, we explore walking as one of the ways that daily life and art are integrated.

There are many parallels between walking and the creative process. Walking is a slow, potentially meditative activity that helps us to be present and to pay attention to the visual world. And as with the creative process, we feel free to explore, ramble, and focus on the journey itself rather than a particular destination. In addition, we gradually gain stamina and confidence in our ability to keep going. Overcoming resistance to going out for a walk helps strengthen other good hablits, like going to the studio even when you don't feel like it.

it's true that many of us have limitations on walking--physical, seasonal, or geographic. But it is not about how far, fast, or often you go. If walking is a possibility, it is one of the best ways to bring mind, body, and spirit into alignment. For artists and creatives, there is another dimension to walking in its ability to bolster your creativity and skills useful in your art practice.

www.messystudiopodcast.com
www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.squeegeepress.com
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Episode 102: Studio Struggles

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 14 Dec 2019 15:00:00 -0600

As artists, we accept many day to day challenges as part of the creative process. Even though we all feel frustrated at times, we know that problem solving is how we grow and achieve our goals. Solving creative problems can bring great satisfaction, but some studio struggles are also very difficult and soul-wrenching. Artists at every level experience these times of defeat or despair that go beyond daily frustration.

These serious struggles are often triggered by a lack of ideas, but they can also come from too much input, leading to confusion and lack of focus. In this episode Rebecca shares a recent personal experience of creative block of this kind, and the ways she has been working to resolve it. In her situation, impactful travel experiences along with the demands of an exhibit with an entirely different focus led to a frustrating tangle of ideas. It has taken her weeks to find a way forward-- involving introspection, confronting some unhelpful beliefs and fears, and considering the advice of a friend.

Although most of us recognize these struggles are essential to the creative process, we may have to relearn to accept them over and over. It is a challenge to truly understand that they are times of incubation and are part of the cycle that also includes creative flow. We hope that this episode of the Messy Studio podcast will provide some ideas for coping and moving forward during these difficult but important stages of our process as artists.

www.messystudiopodcast.com
www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.squeegeepress.com
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Episode 97: Cindy Stapper: Between Realism and Abstraction

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 09 Nov 2019 13:00:00 -0600

New Mexico painter Cindy Stapper discusses her work in which she explores the dichotomy of presence and absence through both realistic and more abstracted approaches to the landscape. Other topics that she and rebecca talk about include the challenges of change, the pull of the wild Irish landscape, her appreciation of cold wax medium and oil, and the influence of poetry and writing on her work.

https://cindystapper.com/
www.messystudiopodcast.com
www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.squeegeepress.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast

Special Guest: Cindy Stapper.

Episode 87: Making Our Video

Rebecca Crowell — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 14:00:00 -0500

Rebecca and Jerry discuss the process of making their video (Cold Wax Medium: A Video Workshop)--including behind the scenes stories, the challenges of being on camera, and their motivations and intentions for this huge project. This episode includes a discount coupon code if you wish to purchase the video.

www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.squeegeepress.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast

Special Guest: Jerry McLaughlin.

Episode 86: Meaning in Abstraction

Rebecca Crowell — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 13:00:00 -0500

Intro: Many of our listeners know about the book that Jerry McLaughlin and I co-wrote--Cold Wax Medium: Techniques, Concepts & Conversation—and also that, from the beginning we did not want to only talk about techniques (hence the title.) Today we want to talk about why we find the concepts and ideas of abstraction important and offer some ideas about understanding and developing meaning in your own work.

In a recent podcast Ross and I talked about the commonalities abstraction has with other approaches to art as well as its unique aspects. We mentioned then that there are challenges for artists working in abstraction and today we’ll talk more about that. How to bring meaning and individuality to the work?

An idea that some find hard to grasp—thinking abstraction is simply design or random occurrences. Yet all you have to do is recognize that people have personal voices and recognizable styles to know that there is more going on than that.

Odd that imagery = meaning for many people. Tied to a strictly literal way of thinking and interpreting. Using only a small part of our means of appreciating the world.

Labeling of imagery can lead to a shallow interpretation of any kind of art including realism—ask more questions, why has the artist chosen the subject matter, how is it handled. True appreciation never stops with identifying subject matter even when it is the most obvious component.

Abstraction—usually imagery is removed from the equation, or if it is there it is handled in a non-illusionistic way. We can jump in more readily to the interesting things—what’s behind the work. Labeling does not need to intrude. Abstraction includes the artist's experiences, emotions, thoughts.

We do accept non-literal associations through our other senses--hearing, smelling, tasting.

Our human brains seek structure and meaning-- but literal image is only one type of structure. Look for how the artist has structured the work as a way in. Notice contrasts, how the visual elements are used and which ones.

As the artist, abstract painting requires abstract thinking. Letting go of labels, letting yourself be carried by ideas, feelings, memories. No need to explain, stay logical. We've all founnd ourselves caught in reveries without visual reference.

At the same time give yourself some structure—identify intentions, preferred elements, use of form and content.

Getting away from linear thinking does NOT mean lack of content. Many things bring meaning to our lives that are not clearly defined.

Sources of abstraction include any aspect of experience you care to bring to your work—in any combination. We can be pulled off track into the familiar when "things" appear as part of the process. this can be very random.

Intuition does not mean finding something identifiable things in the painting but rather playing off important visual elements.

Intentions: important to set them to develop and understand yourself and meaning of your work. Your essential character and core values and feelings. They make your work you. They can evolve over time.

Challenges for Artists /personal voice
Idea that abstract artists as need to be more individualized or unique because they are creating their own realties rather than depicting a shared one as with realism.

BUT like other approaches, there are similar appearances. Ex: geometric abstraction, abstract expressionism.

Learn about artists working in these ways and how your work might be seen in that context, the history and cultural connections among people.

You can feel quite lost without these references. Be open to various influences that mix and enrich your work. Influence doesn't mean it has to have obvious visual siilarities. Can be an intrigue with process, background, thoughts.

What other aspects of your life bring meaning to your work? what are you interested in?

Expressing your complete self is an advantage of abstraction. The multiplicity of influences and sources both external and internal can be very rich. Keep an ongoing awareness of these. This can also include spontaneous, intuitive work.

Involves a lot of personal, inner work--a very examined life. An understanding of yourself.
Intentions involve both personal content and formal aspects (such as exploration of color.)

Be willing to examine your own inner impulses, and for ways to communicate those . be able to think in an abstract way, don't over-explain. Difficult but can look easy to outsiders. Analytic phase interspersed with flow. That takes a lot of experience.

trying to sort all this out may require simplifying, finding a structure, talking about it out loud.
Intuition does play a huge role.

www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.squeegeepress.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast

Special Guest: Jerry McLaughlin.

Episode 74: Art on a Greek Island: Skopelos Foundation for the Arts

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 11:00:00 -0500

Rebecca discusses the founding and growth of the beautiful Skopelos Foundation of the Arts on Skopelos island, Greece with Gloria Carr and Jill Somer. They are the forces behind its creation and diverse programming, from artist residencies and workshops to a thriving youth film festival.

https://www.skopartfoundation.org/
https://skopelossiffy.com
www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.squeegeepress.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast

Episode 73: Abstraction In Words And Paint

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 25 May 2019 02:00:00 -0500

Rebecca and Jerry McLaughlin discuss commonalities in poetry and abstract painting as well as how to approach poetry as inspiration in your own work.

www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.squeegeepress.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast
www.jerrymclaughlinart.com

Special Guest: Jerry McLaughlin.

Episode 72: Excellence Vs. Perfection

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 18 May 2019 13:00:00 -0500

Rebecca and her partner at Squeegee Press Jerry McLaughlin, discuss both the pursuit of excellence in the studio and the pitfalls of perfectionsim in this episode (recorded on the Greek island of Skopelos).

www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.squeegeepress.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast

Special Guest: Jerry McLaughlin.

Episode 69: Interview with Keith Wilson: Seeing What's Around You

Rebecca Crowell — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 10:00:00 -0500

Rebecca talks to Keith Wilson, an artist from Northern Ireland, about his working process and his way of finding importance in his immediate surroundings.

http://www.keithwilson.co.uk/

www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.squeegeepress.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast

Special Guest: Keith Wilson.

Episode 68: Intuition

Rebecca Crowell — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 14:00:00 -0500

Rebecca discusses the role of intuition in abstract work with Nuala Clarke and Joanna Kidney at Ballinglen Arts Foundation in Ireland.

https://www.nualaclarke.com/
http://www.joannakidney.com/
http://www.ballinglenartsfoundation.org/

www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.squeegeepress.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast

Special Guests: Joanna Kidney and Nuala Clarke.

Episode 66: Contrast and Personal Voice

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 06 Apr 2019 11:00:00 -0500

PODCAST—Contrast and Personal Voice
This week Rebecca is speaking with you from Ballinglen Arts Foundation in County Mayo,
Ireland, a place she returns to every year for teaching for her own time to paint. She shares some of the ideas that were the focus of her advanced cold wax workshop there, and we discuss how they relate to personal voice in your own work.

www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.squeegeepress.com

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My 7 th time here and the 2 nd or 3 rd time I have taught only more advanced students, those that have used cold wax for a time on their own or in other previous workshops

A little about the workshop—a full week, includes some day trips, lots of independent work time, review demos, PP presentations, discussions, individual meetings, very busy week. More advanced students benefit from some structured exercises rather than just trying to work with the techniques at intro level.

Class structure based on several related ideas: importance of contrast both in visual elements and in the duality of concept. And the relationship of form and content in getting all of this to work together.

Complex so let’s break it down in the way that I presented the material to the class.

Starting with visual elements—asked to focus on 3 (imp. of limited elements in abstraction)

Explored these as studies, in a number of small paintings on paper. Emphasis on CONTRAST.nContrasts of color, value, kinds of mark-making, types of textures.

Then introduced idea of dualities—working with CONTRAST in terms of ideas. Dualities=opposites yet dependent on one another such as growth and decay, light and shadow, organic and human made, anxiety and release.

Dualities provide more interesting ideas in an abstract work than single ideas alone.

Students did some more studies using the contrasting aspects of visual elements but now
bringing in ideas and meaning from a chosen duality.

Accompanied by discussion of the alignment of form and content—the form = objective
aspects of the work, what can be factually described--how do the way you use the visual
elements, the medium, the principles of design
Content= meaning, idea, mood

How does the form you are using support the content/they should be interdependent and
aligned. For example in a painting meant to express anxiety and release, there could be
contrasting aspects of color and line that would relate to each emotion.

many of us operate with awareness of dualities in the back of our minds. This can be very intuitive work. But bringing the process to light also seemed helpful in providing ideas and a clearer sense of direction.

How does this relate to personal voice?
We covered the basic idea of personal voice in episode 20

We’ve also touched on the idea in various other episodes that most forms of artistic expression such as music and writing have a rise and fall, times when the action is high energy and other times calm, some kind of conflict and resolution –provides both structure and energy

Consider how to approach your current ideas and work with the idea of dualities and contrast.

Can be very energizing and open up new ideas.

Also in describing/presenting your work it brings in more interest and focus. More conceptual.

Example you may do beautiful ethereal abstractions—hard to describe and may be so subtle
that they fail to attract much notice when presented in a juried situation or to a gallery.

You can find yourself backed into a corner of "this is what I do"

Could you bring in a contrasting aspect to the work? Perhaps consider the concrete world in relation to the ephemeral--this does not deny your interest in the ephemeral but gives it
additional depth and meaning. Part of the painting more solid, or maybe diptychs of contrasting panels? Or simply exploring the duality in completely separate works.

Idea of chaos/order—many artists fall into one aspect or the other but what about finding a
way to include both sides of the duality in your work? Ordered chaos, or broken order?

Episode 49: Transitions/ Identity: Changes in Your Life as an Artist--with Jerry McLaughlin

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 01 Dec 2018 13:00:00 -0600

Rebecca and Jerry McLaughlin talk about how the personal identities of artists can shift with changes in their lives and work.

www.squeegeepress.com
www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.jerrymclaughlinart.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast

Special Guest: Jerry McLaughlin.

Episode 43: Abstracting From Place Part 2

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 09:00:00 -0500

Rebecca and Ross dive into the nuts and bolts and explore the process of bringing experiences from unique settings into the studio.

www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.squeegeepress.com
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Episode 42: Abstracting From Place Part 1

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 13 Oct 2018 13:00:00 -0500

Rebecca returns from Spain and sits down with Ross to discuss the process of absorbing new places and experiences which can later be incorporated into artwork.

www.rebeccacrowell
www.coldwaxbook.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast

Episode 41: Workshops Abroad

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 29 Sep 2018 12:15:00 -0500

Janice Mason Steeves joins Rebecca Crowell once again to discuss their workshop in Spain and the advantages of teaching, learning, and creating abroad. Janice also shares plans for her upcoming Workshops in Wild Places.

Guest Website:
http://janicemasonsteeves.com

Flores del Camino:
www.floresdelcamino.com

www.rebeccacrowell.com

www.squeegeepress.com

www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast

Special Guest: Janice Mason Steeves.

Episode 40: Creating on the Camino

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 22 Sep 2018 12:00:00 -0500

Rebecca Crowell and Janice Mason Steeves discuss their adventures in Spain, the local art scene and spiritual culture, and the workshop they will be teaching.

Guest Website:
http://janicemasonsteeves.com

Visit Castrillo de los Polvazares:
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/18642410?location=Flores%20del%20Camino%2C%20Retreats%20%7C%20Pilgrimage%20to%20Santiago%2C%20Calle%20Real%2C%20Castrillo%20de%20los%20Polvazares%2C%20Spain&s=lQUCL84x

www.rebeccacrowell.com

www.coldwaxbook.com

www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast

Special Guest: Janice Mason Steeves.

Episode 31: The Artist Residency Experience

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 21 Jul 2018 13:00:00 -0500

Rebecca and Ross discuss her experiences at various artist residencies, their importance to her work, and tips for people thinking about attending a residency.

Website mentioned:
http://www.resartis.org/en/

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www.squeegeepress.com
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Episode 18: Surviving Travel Hell

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 16:00:00 -0500

Rebecca's return trip from Ireland did not go quite as planned. She discusses her travel troubles with Ross and shares what she learned as a result.

www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.coldwaxbook.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast

Episode 6: Balancing Work, Travel, and Family Time

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 12:00:00 -0600

This is an episode that Rebecca and Ross recorded while Rebecca was in Wisconsin for the holidays. They discuss balancing a family and personal life with an art career, and new developments in Rebecca's work. Rebecca has two upcoming shows, as well as a return trip to Ireland in the Spring. She also discusses working thematically adapting to various working conditions.

Episode 3: Leaving for Ireland

Rebecca Crowell — Sat, 06 Jan 2018 19:30:00 -0600

Ross interrupts Rebecca's preparations for her trip to Ireland to discuss creating art while traveling! Topics discussed include the TSA and how best to pack the art essentials. Rebecca also discusses networking in the art world, getting into a gallery, and selling work outside of the gallery system.