Deep Thoughts

Well, maybe the thoughts I'll be expressing today aren't so deep.  But they are some things I have been thinking about lately. 

I have been reading some blogs where the jurors have talked about the process of jurying for a show (these examples are art quilt shows).  Elizabeth Barton talked about her experience here.  I went back and read Virginia Spiegel's thoughts on when she juried here.


Much of what they had to say I have read before or already knew.  But what was making me think about it a little more was how Elizabeth said, "A message and a particular point of view are very important." and "The best work stays in your head and you want to look at it again and again."  


Virginia says, "Convince me that you, as an artist, thought about the theme long and hard. Show me in your artwork that you felt there was something you REALLY, REALLY had to say about the specific part of the theme you chose."


These are two valid points.  But I think my own artwork is not always something deep, or has a specific message.  And many times my ideas just come in flashes of an image.  I don't have to think long and hard about it.   I might have to think about how to accomplish it, but the thought is already complete.  It's mostly something that I want to show you or to have you look at something in a different way.  My artwork right now is simple in concept (not always simple in execution) and abstract.


Should I be making things with deeper meanings or a message?  Doesn't all artwork have some kind of message just by it's creation? Also, do I need to be creating artwork with more depth in layers or surface design?  Is that what jurors are looking for?  Do I care what jurors are looking for?


These are just two jurors experiences.  Every juror has their own vision of how an exhibition will look.  I bet if you did an experiment where you gave the same images to two different sets of jurors, you would have some different works being accepted and rejected.  (The lesson here is to keep trying).


My main goals aren't only geared for these types of exhibitions.  But it is food for thought, because I wonder if other people that view my art think it's too simple or too abstract.


I was happy to read Kathy Loomis' blog talking about the "plain old quilts" in the current Fantastic Fibers Exhibition (the show is not just geared to fabric).  These artworks are simple in construction and techniques with great use of color.  She would categorize her artworks as "plain old quilts" and I would put my artwork in that category, by her definition, as well.  But I think they are really more than that.


What is your opinion?  Do you like beauty for beauty's sake?  Do you want to be challenged more intellectually finding the deeper meanings in art?  Or both?  Or do you like something completely different?