I Need Help

Posted by kbs

06/15/2023

Two recent events provoked me to seek help in my superficial search for the meaning of Art. Three weeks ago, I attended the semi annual Art-A-Whirl in North East Minneapolis. It is a weekend event where artists and galleries are open to the public. Housed in four former light industry buildings, I visited some 300 studios and about twenty galleries.  After two days, I was exhausted.

Last week, the Minnesota College of Art and Design (tuition $43K) held its annual MFA Thesis Exhibition. Some thirty art students displayed their thesis work (I saw only one painting).

Encountering so little work of interest, I found myself asking (again) “What motivates artists?” My mind went in so many directions, I was inspired to follow one path by getting guidance from a Higher Power. Open AI Chat GPT.

illustration by Adobe Firefly
See Page 2 for illustration credit.

ME: Write a 300-word essay on the making of art as a form of self-gratification:

ChatGPT

The Making of Art as a Form of Self-Gratification

Art has long been revered as a powerful means of self-expression, a window into the artist’s soul. It serves as a channel through which individuals can communicate their innermost thoughts, emotions, and experiences. While the creation of art can be a deeply personal and cathartic process, it also holds the potential for self-gratification, offering artists a profound sense of fulfillment and joy.

One of the fundamental aspects that make art such a gratifying pursuit is the freedom it provides. When engaged in the creative process, artists have the liberty to explore their imaginations, challenge societal norms, and defy conventions. This freedom fosters a sense of liberation and self-discovery, allowing artists to tap into their authentic selves. The act of creation becomes an act of self-fulfillment, as artists witness their visions materialize on canvas, paper, or any other medium of their choice.

Pages: 1 2

INSIGHT: the movie

Posted by kbs

Experimenting with some interview footage


This might be a trailer. Or reel of Casting Call Outtakes. I have recorded most of my ophthalmologists sessions. They been a great help to me in understanding Stargardts Disease. But entertaining or educational? You be the judge.

My Latest INSIGHT

Posted by kbs

An Introduction to my latest series; a work-in-progress.

(The first two posts are pinned. Then my blog continues in chronological order.)

Listen (sticky post)

I have been making art seriously since 1970. Whether working in photography, painting, drawings, prints or video, the efforts are always done as a series. Though I was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease in the late 1990s, this did not affect my methods for another twenty years. Then, slowly, betrayal. With increasing visual impairment, my approach to making art required change. 

First, my central vision became distorted, then slowly “whited out.” Dr. Tsang, my opthamologist, said it was progressive, but I would never go blind. I would always have peripheral vision. “What about driving? And reading? Drawing?” I asked. He didn’t answer.

Accepting this, in 2017, I stopped doing commercial work to concentrate solely on my art, and began making plans to leave New York City. In the two plus years it took to sell, move, rent, buy, and move in, I stopped painting. I continued writing, but I knew that my next efforts would focus on how to express myself with diminishing visual skills.

INSIGHT 2 cover
INSIGHT 2 cover
Silo Birch Loss
Silo Birch Loss • March 2020 print 30″ x 22″

To that end, in 2019, I began a new series: I call it INSIGHT. I cannot replicate my vision for you (nor do I want to) only convey my experience; that is, my frustration and my vulnerability – but also my joy while finding a method for making meaningful images. My creative journey IS the destination. INSIGHT is my paper trail.

First efforts were prints; a combination of free verse and past paintings or photos. I bound replicas in a softcover volume. Three months later, I republished it with additional explorations. Available here.

Desiring a larger format, a year later I published a limited edition broadsheet INSIGHT 3: LEMONADE.

Nine months later, I followed that with INSIGHT 4: EXPRESS. I have found a direction. These are my strongest images. In the published tabloid, they are accompanied with a running narrative. If INSIGHT 1, 2 and 3 are day trips, EXPRESS is a long term encampment. Available here.

In the Fall o 2022, I began INSIGHT 5. I am calling it HOPE. I write about it in the post EUREKA!

LEMONADE cover
INSIGHT 3: LEMONADE cover
cover INSIGHT 4: Express
INSIGHT 4: EXPRESS cover
cover INSIGHT 5: HOPE
INSIGHT 5: HOPE cover

NOW! (so be it)

Posted by kbs

1. Every Saturday,Vera drums with Tiyumba.
First is the drumming class, then she stays to lend support for the dancers.
I took my camera last week to get new images. for the upcoming June Benefit. Silent Auction.
< Left is a video of just one routine led by the incomparable Fatawu who founded Tiyumba twenty years ago.

2. How can I describe the experience of being there?
Time spent with this community is magical and spiritual. 
Let’s pause and silently dwell on the intersection of those two.

(INSIGHT: Currently, my efforts are making art expressing that.)

3. Yesterday, I worked  many hours making this clip. Creating expression was  a joy.
Today, I wonder if my additions only subtract from the NOW.
The dance and drums radiate.
Transcend.

4. Three hours ago I watched a program on Walt Whitman and am NOW still feeling  
I sing the Body Electric
Transcendent.

Mansplaining Modernism

Posted by kbs

Why? This post serves two purposes.:
1. as my central vision degenerates, I need to develop a least frustrating method for sharing my insights. Trust me, unless you are visually impaired, you are not interested in me explaining further*.
2. Recently I have had several lively conversations on Modernism and Postmodernism where the other party and I could not agree on the scope and meaning of those terms. I want to resolve that. Here goes.

roller and spatual

Broadly, the Modern Era philosophically emerges in the late 18th century with the Enlightenment, urbanization and the Industrial Revolution.

It embodies an outlook that affirms Progress, that is, the power of humans to create, improve, and reshape the world with the aid of rational thought, scientific knowledge, and technology.

Optimistically, it promotes new outlooks and methods that will provide the means to overcome historical limitation and expand possibilities. .

This is reflected in the many manifestos written and distributed expressing modern political ideologies and cultural artistic movements. These epistal expressed a hopeful train of thought. Interestingly, these Truths are not dissimilar to the singular paths to salvation expressed in the religious orthodoxies most modernists dismissed as antique.

If Modernism is objective, theoretical and singular, Postmodernism is based on subjectivity., skeptically rejecting a universal worldview

PS That’s it. I’m ready. That’s enough to make my point in conversation before. pivoting to social and artistic “isms.”

*I am exhausted. This took me hours of research, composing and editing,.
Q. What did I learn? Did I make any progress with writing workflow.
A. Some. I am not discouraged.

With my visual limitations, I need text-to-speech for editing. After I compose a sentence, I highlight it and hit my keyboard shortcut to hear what I wrote, listening for errors. Zooming in 800% on my 32 inch monitor, I can make corrections. The result is short paragraphs, hopefully without distracting typos.

That was my method today.

UPDATE 10/17/22
I recently stumbled on two YouTube posts from the channel Then and Now:
Modernity: An Analysis > Excellent
What Makes us Postmodern? > Interesting
I was provoked. So many more strands to consider. I changed my Twitter profile to Unlicensed Artist, Unpublished Poet. Pseudo Sociologist. I’m ready.

My Big VIP Adventure

Posted by kbs
Listen (sticky post)

M ore than 20 years ago, I was diagnosed with late onset Stargardt Disease. It is a progressive form of macular degeneration where the build up of Vitamin A kills retina cells leading to central vision loss. I cannot read a menu or a book. By comparison my peripheral vision is absolutely amazing.

amsler grid - me
How I see the Amsler Grid

This blog is my journal of how I am adjusting as a VIP (visually impaired person). Adapting to Vision Loss is a bit like going through the stages of grief. Consequently, I have quietly experienced periods of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. as well as sporadic moments of profound philosophical insights into , cribbage, shoveling snow and the human comedy.

A timeline of that path would include: Eight years ago I stopped playing basketball. Six years ago I stopped driving Five years ago ended my commercial graphic design business as my skillsets slowed,. Two years ago I stopped reading print, transitioning to software that converts text-to-speech. Last year, thanks to ZOOM, I hired an assistant to screen share and aid me with intricate computer tasks. Technology Rocks. I ❤️ Voice Over.

As an artist, the impact has been disturbing. but I am determined to not let that defeat me. I am resolved to persist and record this journey. –KBS June 5, 2021