How much does your art reflect your underlying thoughts, views, loves, etc?

[suzedablooze]

So...

I had put a picture up of new piece of jewellery I'd done. A few people I know kept saying it remnded them of various things (like sputniks, etc) but then DragonClaw saw it and said it looked like planets circling in an orbit. Well the thing is, I didn't have a particualrr theme in mind for this necklace, I just sort of liked the idea of the shape - however, I used to be an amatuer astronomer, so I reckon Dragonclaw saw into my pshyche.

The question is - how much do subliminal views, thoughts, beliefs, etc affect your art?

Susiex

[InvyStudios]

Aww Matt is the deep one, isn't he?

Anyway, I know my feelings show up, anger and fear especially. I get a lot of inspiration while sitting in my car driving so I guess my surroundings have some influence, but I do not really notice what those are, it could just be the alone/quiet time.

[Heathr03]

very much,
Not so much subliminal but definitely thoughts and beliefs...I tend to be inspired by music and myth, things I read in books and on the web and people I meet in passing. My dolls reflect that, not really my jewelry. It Tends to be optimistic, because I am. I use a lot of symbolism too. That has a possibility of affecting others subliminally.....

It's still early, sorry, if my thoughts aren't clear....

[suzedablooze]

I've been thinking about this all day now (I'm in th UK so it's afternoon now). It has intrigued me a lot. I'm sure there must be a branch of phychology that looks at using art to diagnose stuff ( there's art therapy so I suppose there msut be the counter to that).

Its quite fascinating that, as indiviudals, we are bringing out deep seated influences and expressing them in various artistic manners.

yes, Matt has started something here alrighty...

By the way, Heather  -your dolls make me think you must be an anthropologist, they are amazing  -  are you?

And Inverness studios (I dont know your name :-( ) there seems to be a theme of religion in your work - am I just imagining that?

Crikey, like I said, I have become intrigued with this subject today - I have to stop - sorry!!

[InvyStudios]

Religion, really? I find that very interesting since it is the last thing I am usually thinking about while creating, but I do find the worlds religions very intriguing and I am always reading about some belief system so I guess it has seeped in to my work. BTW, my name is Dusty.

I found this article about Salvador Dalis work
http://www.clas.ufl.edu/ipsa/journal/2009_kovary01.shtml#kovary01
I only scanned it, but it seems to have some interesting tid-bits.

Let me know what you discover , if anything, about the way art is used in science.

[suzedablooze]

Hello Dusty (great name by the way),

The whole idea of religosity and faith, etc. fascinates me too (I hasten to add I'm a pantheist and not really actually religious myself) so maybe I was doing that thing whereby you push your own thoughts onto others, but I am sure that there were religious touches in your work.

Anyhoo, I used to be a scientist (many years ago - I trained as a chemist) and a lot of scientists become, or are, artists so there's bound to be overlap - I mean the world of science is full of art - take molecular structures and micro-organisms, for example, they are beautiful and mathematical symbols and so on, really when you break it down, the forms that science uses to express its interests such as moluecular diagramsa nd the like are very artistic and in that way, scientists are inadvertently being artists.

Talking of molecules, I think I've worked out a way of doing a DNA molecule as a pendant for a necklace, but I haven't got time to do it at the minute - not sure if it'll looked too cliched either (know what I mean?)

Susiex

[Heathr03]

Susiex, that thing where you push your thoughts onto others...is called projection 
Anthropologists? no,  I'm formally educated in behavioral sciences - psychology, counseling, human services, etc.

informally, I study comparative religions, ancient cultures, and the like, so that's probably what your interpreting as anthropology.

Art Science and Religion have been tied together for centuries so it' not surprising we have this connection and that it shows in our art.

I have a feeling my art jewelry will be taking on an east India/Hindu feel as I've begun a new doll depicting the Goddess Lakshmi.

A DNA molecule, like a double helix? That sounds great. Can't wait to see. There's alwasy a way of making it look artistic without being cliche. You just have to play with it!

[suzedablooze]

Yes - projection, I remember now 

I am interested in behavioural sciences myself too - my masters, which I'm doing part-time but have had to put on sabatical for a while, is in evolutionary anthropology. Those dolls are amazing you know, really unique and powerful. Do you feel like you put power into them when you make them (or is that a weird question?).

I like dolls, it's such an ancient art form and I think, very special, creating images of ourselves - you can't get more poignant than that.

Hmmm, the DNA molecule is on my (very) long list of todo's.

I have this problem: the jewellery I like to make is not very commercial (like my homage to the sun god necklace and the evil eye one I am about to start on - you can see more about them in my blog) but you have to make more commercial stuff to make sales - I think the DNA one might end up not very commercial either, so will get religated to the to do list, while I make other stuff that goes down well at jewellery parties and the like.

Do other people find this too?

[InvyStudios]

Suze, I would like to see your blog, what is the link? I do not see one to your shop either.

You guys are getting very deep on me. All this talk about evolutionary anthropology, science, math sounds fascinating, but I am afraid I will make a better listener than discussioner (is that a word :-)? Well, it is now.). I always thought if I ever went back to school anthropology would be something I would want to look in to, but I am just not that dedicated. Maybe I can learn something from you guys.
As for your DNA pendent, you might be surprised at who may like it. There is a large 'alternative' market on Etsy (by this I do not mean just Goth or dark, but also things that are not the norm or cutesy). Heather, I just LOVE your doll Disturbia - Beaded Art Doll, it made me think of this area of Etsy.
Suziex, I think you should make what you like. Now I am not claiming to be an expert, far from it given my # of sales, but I would not want to keep doing designing if I only made what I thought others wanted. I am trying to work in some lower priced (less time intensive) items, but I am not going to ignore what my intincts tell me either. I could be totally wrong, but it is my theory.
Can't wait to see your work. Put the link in your signature.

[suzedablooze]

Sorry - I'm a bit rubbish at remembering to do things like put in links, etc.

Here it is  -look for the posts on the Evil Eye necklace and Homage to the Sun God and the ones on the cave woman in all of us.

http://lynwoodjewelry.wordpress.com/

(by the way, I'm more than happy to advertise your blogs/sites on my blog - i get a few viewings everday so it all helps?)

I know you're right about doing what you love the most - Lywnood jewellery thoguh is two of us, bev as well as me (she's my sister in law) and she can get through twice as much stuff as me becasue I'm so slow so i kind of feel bad taking weeks to do one piece (not that she would mind as she's lvoely, but you know what I mean).

However, I will do my own stuff too as it's why I started making jewellery in the first place.

Anthropology is the best subject to learn in the world - I became obsessed at one point but things have taken me away from it for a while. Funny you should mention that - what do you think of this idea?

I have a load of skulls (not real ones, they are casts of ancient homnids, like neanderthal, etc.) and I thought be nice to use as backgroudnd for the jewellery photo's but Bev said no way it was too weird and woudl scare people off - what do you reckon?

Anyway, I'm off to bed as i have a bug

susiex

[InvyStudios]

NM, about your link. I found it. Now I remember seeing your work the other day when I was going through hearts. I love your stuff, it is very marketable/competetive for the level of work. Ok, back to the serious discussion now. 

[suzedablooze]

That's good to hear Dusty!

I've realised really quickly that you need other artists as your barometer to point out problems and also to guide you down the right road - the jewellery marketplace is just massive in terms of types of jewellery, but then i suppose the types of jewelley that people like is correspondingly massive too (just as well!).

By the way, I keep meaning to ask - why is your shop inverness studios - are you originally from Inverness in Scotland? (bloody long way from Texas! Actually its a bloody long way from anywhere!)

[InvyStudios]

I love you man ...You are the first person that ever made the connection (or at least asked). Most people can't even say it right. No, I am not from Scotland at least not this time around. I have always been fascinated with everything about that country from its history to dear old Nessie so maybe in a past life I was. Sadly I was born in Texas raised in Lousiana so I am a southern girl through and through (we won't talk about the smidge of d*mn Yankee in me). I just heard the name one day and it stuck in the back of my head till it popped forward while I was trying to think of what to call my business. I will get there one day!

I think you should give the skulls a try. The worst that happens you have to retake the pics. I would love to see how you work them into the setting. As for scaring anyone, it would depend on your target market. If you want the little old lady or the uptight librarian (no offense if any of you reading this are librarians it is just the only image I could come up with) then yes, it would probably disgust her, but if you want the under 90 somethings who are into the ultra  then no it would not. I wouldn't like put the earrings in the side of her head or anything, but you can find away to use it in the back ground. Look around you skulls are EVERYWHERE right now. You could put a little pink bow on its head if she wants it 'dressed up'. 

[suzedablooze]

Well Inverness Studios to my ears sounds like you are based in the far north of scotland in a  remote village and you live in a crofters cottage and eat a lot of fish (have you ever seen the film, Accidental Hero - it is about a Texan who goes to a remote Scottish village to try and buy the village up and turn it into an oil refinary - brill film)

Oh I did laugh at the thought of the earrings on the skulls! It actually might look quite good them wearing earrings but they haven't had their ears pierced (actually while I think of it, they don't have ears...).

I will take some pictures and post them up here for you to see what you think. And you're right, probably little old ladies wouldn't like my stuff anyway, although i am hoping that when I'm an old lady that I'm a  crazy b**tch queen who woops it up and wears mad stuff.

Funnily enough I live about 60 miles from Scotland - in Northumberland which is the border county between England and Scotland. I live a couple of villages along from a  village called Corbridge where William Wallace had some battle or other. Secretly people from Northumberland want to be scots but they won't take us. I live near Hadrians wall which was built (as you will no doubt know) to keep the maurading scots out. I'm pretty sure that texas will be lovely too - I've never been but I always think of the Southern states of the US as being sort of like the Northern counties of England (except hotter) - in the UK the north is treated like poor cousins of the South and we hate them for it - isn't it a bit like that in the US but the other way around? Or is that the wrong impression? When I'm in the US they always think I'm either Scottish or Irish as I've got a funny accent (its called a Geordie accent)

Susie xx

[InvyStudios]

There is just so much history around you, it must be amazing. Maybe we can house swap for a few weeks one of these years  . I will have to see if I can find that film.
And yes, your impression is correct. The north thinks the south is full of hicks and the south thinks the north is full of snooty (best word I can think of) people. Of course, that does not apply to everyone I know lots of nice people from the north and I am sure not everyone thinks the south is a bunch of red necks. It just makes for great jokes.
I am right there with ya on getting old, I come from a long line of 'different' types so I am sure I have nothing to worry about. My grandmother has been a clown (literally) since my mother was about 12YO and my mother is just different we always experimented with hair color and designing clothes that most parents would not let there kids wear. (One day I will scan some in and post to my FB page.) And my father was an artist and graphic designer in his youth. So I will be right there with ya in the rocking chair on this side of the pond.
The accent sounds facinating, I love accents. I have been missing my Dr. Who and Torchwood fix, if they do not start the next season soon I am going to go insane. Right now I have to make due with re-runs and brit novels on my Audible. Ok, enough about my crush on accents.
Back to the art and influence question, I would like your take on some pieces I have been working on. I am going to upload the pics tonight or tomorrow. They are very simple, but I cut a lot of words out of old books and made phrases out of them. I am curious to see what you 'see' in them since I had no idea of what I was going to say when I cut them out. I just cut out words I thought sounded good or funny and then shuffled them until something struck me. They will probably be posted in the Jewelry section since they are technically necklaces, but keep a look out please. You can post your reply back here to keep it more organized.