I am always confused when people want custom work. It never fails that they do. A person has a vision in his/her mind, and wants an artist to interpret that idea. It reminds me of my years in graphic design. You work for a client, coming up with a cohesive concept. Then, the client adds two cents. Then, the design gets revised. Again, the client waters down the concept, until finally, a compromise is reached. If you're lucky, the work still stands, and is successful.
The problem is, that I'm no longer in that line of work. I don't have clients. I make what I want. I make what I feel. I do research, and think through what I'm making. There is always a reason for what I do. If no one is comfortable with my vision, then no one is comfortable with my vision. That sounds kind of snobby, I know. And, it's probably the reason that I always have a lot of leftover work!
I have been feeling physically lousy lately. As I get older, it seems like there is less time to make what I want to make. There just isn't enough time to collaborate on the work of others. I feel a sense of old age related urgency. And, because being a ceramic artist is half of what I do for a living, there is even less time to create.
This photo is of a piece that I made for the outside of my home. I had made several wall hearts that kept cracking, so I got mad and flipped this piece over, working on the back, as kind of a joke. I had just painted my house with a purple color called "Kasbah". This sign has a branch in the shape of a "K" for my name, and I thought that referring to my house with that exotic word was hilarious, since my house is a 1948 suburban tract home. Because it turned out so intricate, I decided not to hang it outside. A few years ago, a visitor to my house wanted a custom sign, exactly the same but with elements that gave him meaning. He said, "This is about you, but I want a piece that is about me." I explained that I didn't really know him, so that would be a stretch for me to create. He seemed irritated and left the piece behind. The next day, a couple came in and purchased it. They liked the form and the floral elements. They knew nothing of the back story, but they liked it anyway. Maybe it matched their sofa?!
My mom told me that she didn't like my colorful containers. She said that she wanted a white vase. So, I made her a white vase. When I gave it to her, she said, "Hmmm. I think that I like your colors, this doesn't look right." And, there you have it. If you have a personal vision, then figure out how to make your vision. My college roomate's dad had a dream about how to customize his Ford Pinto, making it into an El Camino-like "wagon". When I visited her house, her dad had sawed the back off of the car, on his own. There was bondo, lots of rivets, and sanding. He was carrying out his idea. That's what art is: personal effort and expression.
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