Half the Sky and why work in a series?

Happy Monday morning! It's hard to believe July is nearly gone. I certainly don't feel I have completed all my summer projects and plans. The time just whizzes by; I will never have enough time to bring all my ideas to life!

Half the Sky, my newest small series is not ready for viewing yet, but soon. I would be interested to hear others' interpretations of what "Half the Sky" means to them. I find the term really evocative, and discovered it because of a  book I read by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl  WuDunn: Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. (http://www.halftheskymovement.org/). The book is fascinating and has made me think about how much women worldwide do to support the world. We really do hold up half the sky!

Choosing a theme and working in series is a great way to explore a topic while also stretching my creativity muscles (and ligaments and tendons and brain cells and those little carpal tunnels...). It's always good to set some parameters on the work one makes; it actually forces an artist to be more creative. One's art can get pretty messy when you can choose from virtually everything!

Keeping that in mind, today I will work in my studio on my tapestry series. More on that later!

http://www.pippengerart.com/
http://www.pinterest.com/marshapip/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pippengerart/

Why do I make art? What is Half the Sky?

Why does a person become an artist? It's a logical question since most artists don't earn enough from art sales to support themselves. Many of us work other jobs to pay our basic bills. Some of us teach, some of us work retail, some of us are nurses, or computer techs, or tree trimmers. We all struggle with time management and sometimes it feels as if the making of the art is always at the bottom of the to-do list.

So why bother? I can't speak for anyone other than myself, but I have to make art. It's almost like breathing. If I am not working on an art series I carry around this nagging feeling of anxiety, as if something is undone, incomplete, unfinished. When I don't have very much time - as in several hours to be in the studio - I work on small pieces, usually in colored pencil - so I can accomplish something. I turn these small pieces into thematic series so they have a unified identity. I matt and frame them so that I can also do very small shows of very small work.

I am starting a new small series now, titled, "Half the Sky". The title is from a Chinese proverb which notes that "women hold up half the sky". I have been working on this idea for several months, trying to get the imagery just right. I will post some images when they are ready for an audience. 

My first post falls on Bastille Day!

How appropriate that my first post on my new PipART blog should be on Bastille Day, given how many of my most admired artists come from France - Delacroix, Gericault, Monet, David and others - so many talented artists, way too many to name them all. When I look at the work of the artists who came before me I am humbled by their skill, encouraged by their example, and honored to be a small part of that history of artists contributing good to the world.

Most of you who read this already know me. You know I work mainly in collage, that I also love colored pencil, that I am passionate about creating art and knowing its history. You know that I feel strongly about the importance of art education. You may also know that I do my best to support and strengthen the cultural wealth of this amazing city, Dayton, Ohio. However, you may discover some new things about Marsha, the artist. I sure hope so!

I promise to keep my posts short and readable, and, hopefully, interesting. I plan to pop in every Monday to plant my thoughts on things art. In the meantime, you can check my website: www.pippengerart.com or go to Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marsha.pippenger. 

I have my personal FB and two pages you may want to check: Pippengerart: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pippengerart 

or Pip's Awesome Cards: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pips-Awesome-Cards.

I will also have work on Pinterest soon. 

Well, that's it. Happy Bastille Day! And, if you are inspired, feed the artist with your comments..

Wow, I have a blog!

Here it is...my blog as PipART! Stay tuned for posts!