10 variations

10 variations is an assignment from my Cross Media class at the Corcoran. We select one object to produce “10 artworks” and from there select 3 to revise. The experience has allowed me to see an everyday object in a new way, expanded my list of materials for art and created an opportunity of understanding meaning and why that is important in art making. I realized that tea reminds me of my mother and her favorite shape the oval. Polyurethane reminds me of my father in law using polyurethane on the boat railings and all our great days we had on the water. Also, how themes surface in our work during the process that we might rarely think about. This happened with the ballet figure. When I pulled the string around the damp tea bag, it reminded me of a feminine shape and suddenly my mind went right to Degas. But in the past, when I see his paintings of dancers, in their beauty, the subject matter did not hold my attention. So it brings me to thinking about how images circulate in our memory and how powerful that is no matter what our interest might be or have been. They still do produce a response and have potential to resurface. Therefore, my conclusion is art images bring value to us in all of our interpretation and opinion.