EVANGELINAS

[OliveOyl]

Hi. How are you?
Okay, enough about YOU…

Actually, I need your opinions.

So, I was thinking about Bart’s thread about “callous comments,” AND about one of my own “controversial” painting experiences, AND about two exhibitions I’m going to apply for this week. The show I need an opinion about will held inside a 156 year-old adobe church called Old San Ysidro and I decided to apply with these 3 images:

Some background: I did 12 paintings in this series. All were females of different ages, on thick 24x24 wooden panels, and with transfer print backgrounds. They came about from an idea mishmash of New England folk art paintings and Civil War daguerreotypes. I’ve always loved the naivety of the “folks” in the paintings, and felt a connection to the dour and sour portraits in the old timey photos. They looked just like the way I felt, so I thought I’d try to use them to make some type of comment about the never-ending firehose of terrible news. (Note that choosing whatever I choose to paint is usually a way to soothe my worries and woes.) And yes, I made their heads double the size of their bodies…on purpose. As one does.

Anyway, these school-age girls are called EVANGELINAS - all with the same name. I had been annoyed about school board meetings and book bans and so with these three in the series, I was trying to express something about sermons and religion, hypocrisy and indoctrination. I think they’ll be “perfect” subjects to hang on the olde brown walls of a church built around 1868. But….when I imagine all the nice, traditional landscape paintings and the lovingly crafted objects that would ALSO be on display, my work, as usual, seems like an out-of-place weirdo in comparison.

At first glance, I think they can simply pass as innocuous paintings of big-headed girls. Right? And I don’t suppose it’s a good idea for me to explain to anybody all the sneering and snide little political opinions that were banging around inside my brain as I made these. Right? Those remain a secret to you, the viewer. Right?

I suppose I’m just struggling on how to explain them so here’s what I REALLY want to know if anybody cares to answer:
Do you find these offensive and if so…how and why?

 

[Terri]

Do you find these offensive and if so…how and why?

Nope - not at all. I think individually each one has an arresting character all its own, and collectively they kind of blow me away. I love the oversized heads (been stuffed full of dogma?) and you totally captured that "dour and sour" look we see so often in those old timey photos.

I would just submit them and not say a word. I agree with you that it would just be a fabulous thing to see them hanging up in that lovely old church.

Your talent blows me away! Oh, look at me being repetitive.

 

[OliveOyl]

Well, Terri…I’m blown away by you being blown away!

Since I haven’t submitted anything yet, I don’t know if I’ll have to describe them on the application, but I’m sure I can work up some generic, bland language about them. And then feign innocence. Or lie. And keep all my grumpy snotty opinions to myself. Self-censorship can be our friend these days, so practice makes perfect!

Anyway, thanks for playing. You’re a sweetie…

 

[PaintBoss]

Hi Olive, nice to see you. It’s been a while.
First off, I like your work. I am going to show a friend/ fellow artist.
I like them visually and your theme. I find the works are intriguing. People will connect the visuals with all old photographs, sombre expressions and harder way of life. These will be begging for more of an explanation. I quite enjoyed what you had to say. And just what you divulged in your post I think most will accept and understand, even appreciate. I think your girls lose their power if you submit them without any explanation. Gosh I almost sense their anger! Lol And if you give them too weak of an explanation, I think you’ll miss an opportunity to make others think. You need to say something. A lot of galleries like something with a little edge. A slight bite, some like even more than a slight bite. But anyways, this is why you’re more than just a landscape painter. And a lot of of us can appreciate a nice landscape but are really intrigued when an artist has something to say. So I would definitely put something in your explanation. You don’t have to say something like, down with the church or down with religion. I think the interplay of not saying that but also bringing up some of the difficulties or conflicts of life and the institutions at the time is very cool. ( and foreshadows today’s concerns). Again, you don’t have to get into deep complexities, but the fact the church could be a great help to people, but also there could be difficulties and problems too. Also being a female at that time you could have strong females who did a lot in their society, but also they were limited by society. Some women broke out of that anyways. Amazing for their time. I’m just going off the top of my head. I think what you told us is about as deep as you have to go unless you really want to go further. But I would leave that until they are up on the wall. If you don’t say something, they’re just intriguing pieces on the wall like those landscapes. And that doesn’t make sense. These characters are really trying to say something. Otherwise, you can put them on the wall with duct tape across their mouths because I think so much would be lost and not said. I don’t know if I made any sense or not, but I hope you know what I mean. Good luck with the show-that’s awesome.

 

[Enyaw]

This is my impression after looking over the three pieces. All well done, I might add.
The first says, ok, I’m listening. The second says bug off and is as snotty and contemptuous as one can get. The third ask if that’s all I got.

 

[snoball]

I think all three are exceptional, O.O and I think they will love them for the exhibition. If they don't, they're crazy.

 

[OliveOyl]

Ha! Wayne…this made me laugh. I went back and looked at them and yep, you got their expressions down. Didn’t even see them that way before, so thanks.

And wow…PaintBoss. Thank you too for all that good advice and your encouraging thoughts. You sort of crystallized why I’m struggling to talk about them because there are a few different ways I could explain them. But it’s still all jumbled up inside my head, so I’m waiting for coherence to come. If it does.

Thanks to you too, Sno. All my fluttery worry might be moot if I’m not accepted. But because the jury chair said to me, “If I remember your acceptance was unanimous even though our older members struggle with contemporary work at times,” it made me wonder what they had already squawked about….

 

[Enyaw]

The question.. are they using the church behind them to justify their looks or is the distain for the church behind them the reason for their looks?

 

[PaintBoss]

The question.. are they using the church behind them to justify their looks or is the distain for the church behind them the reason for their looks?

Imperative question indeed. Excellent discernment there.

 

[PaintBoss]

Ha! Wayne…this made me laugh. I went back and looked at them and yep, you got their expressions down. Didn’t even see them that way before, so thanks.

And wow…PaintBoss. Thank you too for all that good advice and your encouraging thoughts. You sort of crystallized why I’m struggling to talk about them because there are a few different ways I could explain them. But it’s still all jumbled up inside my head, so I’m waiting for coherence to come. If it does.

Thanks to you too, Sno. All my fluttery worry might be moot if I’m not accepted. But because the jury chair said to me, “If I remember your acceptance was unanimous even though our older members struggle with contemporary work at times,” it made me wonder what they had already squawked about….

Well, even if they struggle with contemporary work, I think that’s a great compliment to you that they find your work compelling and relatable enough that it’s worth showing others. I would view that as a positive. And just see his view on his peers as them growing with different styles of art as time and exposure goes on.

 

[john]

Wonderful as usual Kim. Top notch. Thanks for showing. Makes me smile.

Sacrilege in a Methodist church but cool for a Lutheran one. Universalist? Who knows. Roman Catholic nuns will be shocked. How dare you!? Atheists and agnostics will think it's propaganda. So the only safe bet is the Lutheran Church.

Or just do it and then go to confession to clear your conscience.

 

[Artyczar]

Hi Olive. Sorry that I've been mostly absent from the forums lately. I've been battling some illness lately. I've decided to just take things slow and get to the posts when I can.

I think you owe NO ONE any explanations. I think deep down you know this. If you were to give me advice on the same situation, you'd be telling me the same exact thing. They are not "offensive," and if they are to someone, which, who knows? They could be, that's not your problem. Then, it's just not the right venue or judge, or whatever. These are contemporary. It's that simple, and if they are going to be up against a bunch of traditional works and they don't fit, it's not your decision, right? Once they are displayed publicly, and people happen to ask you about them, say whatever you want to reveal in the moment. If you don't want to tell, that's your choice as the artist. Just stand firm in your truth. Your truth is worth everything and it's of the highest value.

 

[PaintBoss]

Wonderful as usual Kim. Top notch. Thanks for showing. Makes me smile.

Sacrilege in a Methodist church but cool for a Lutheran one. Universalist? Who knows. Roman Catholic nuns will be shocked. How dare you!? Atheists and agnostics will think it's propaganda. So the only safe bet is the Lutheran Church.

Or just do it and then go to confession to clear your conscience.

John gives good advice! Lol
Arty I hope you feel better soon. Your advice isn’t bad either. But I’m thinking about years ago at University. I put a great big piece together with all the girls on all the Cosmopolitan magazine covers. I didn’t go far enough to try and convey whatever I was trying to convey. At the time, I think it was about the pressure of living up to the beauty we were pressured to achieve. I had a very good professor, but she did not mark me well because she said OK. I see it but I have no idea what you’re doing with it or what you’re trying to say or where you’re trying to go. You have got to give the audience something more. Either put more into the piece or into a statement. Otherwise it is intriguing and cool to look at, but it’s just sort of sitting there with potential but never really getting out of the gate.
I agree the artist can decide how they want to convey a message. But they may not always be there to talk to people . So I think something has to be said or stated even if it’s in the title. Sometimes it’s already in the piece and that power of art hits you very strongly, but sometimes you have to give the idea to the audience. Otherwise they’re just cute and slightly ironic large heads on little bodied looking intense/ grumpy. And the irony is that they’re not smiling at everybody like usual for a reason. And I think the viewers will want to know why. So words can give it the art that more propulsion forward.
Sometimes it takes guts to be an artist and put your thoughts and work out there. This is what my professors would encourage us to do. Make artwork that counts not chess pretty paintings.
I mean, I like pretty paintings! I didn’t have the confidence to go beyond that then and I needed a lifetime to figure out what I wanted to say anyways. But I definitely see their point. And you were quite right it may not be the right venue if they’re doing the pretty paintings.

 

[OliveOyl]

PaintBoss…I agree that if you’re going to go with something a little political, although I don’t usually do overt/obvious paintings…that you should be able to say or defend your thoughts. I think I’m just so discombobulated these days and I feel like we’re existing inside a ticking time bomb, that it’s hard to think straight. For me, anyway. (Like…I just took a swig of cannabis oil to calm myself and that was AFTER yoga class for God Sakes!)

And thanks to you too, John. Just the mention of”confession” made me think of my own Catholic upbringing. Nothing horrible happened, but all the memories that remain are the ones about its oddness. I think in the end, I turned out to be immune to “faith.” Too questioning.

And Ayin…it seems you’ve been sick for awhile now so I hope that whatever it is, it leaves you soon. (Would you like me to perform an excorcism?) Anyway, I love what you said and it gives me…ummm, faith?…to follow my original instincts. Thank you! I also got worried last night that this thread might be veering toward “religious talk” so I thought I’d better get in here today and shut it down ASAP.

 

[OliveOyl]

But just a few more things to close out my never-ending babbly “sermon:”

Originally…I wanted to incorporate Victorian books as the background because I liked the elaborate art nouveau designs on their covers. I saw one called “Evangeline.” Apparently, it’s an epic poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1847, about a young girl who’s torn away from her lover on their wedding day, when the British came in and started deporting Acadians from their homeland. Also, the name conjured up “evangelical” and Evangelina means “gospel” or “good news” and is used in Christianity to mean spreading faith, hope and optimism. Okay. Sure.

And...Old San Ysidro is a Catholic Church and I think I read that one of the jurors will actually be from the church. If there are any sales, 25% of the proceeds go to its maintenance and I’m all for that because I think it’s a beautiful church. It’s attached by a little plaza to the “Casa,” an old historical museum house and so the whole kit and caboodle is a special landmark in this charming rural town.

And…I was reading a book last night about “how a culture of conspiracy keeps America complacent” (the subtitle) and there was a phrase that jumped out at me. It was “miracles and lies” and I thought yes, this country’s past AND present have been built on a series of miracles and lies. It’s succinct and true, good and bad, and isn’t specific but says everything. And so like a good art thief….I’ll “borrow” these words. Or at least I’ll try to keep them somehere in the forefront of all my incoherence.

Thank you all for not being offended. And for your awesome opinions.

Now I will genuflect, make the sign of the cross, bow my head with a silent “amen,” and solemnly exit the thread.



TOODLES!!

 

[PaintBoss]

Oh, pls don’t worry Olive. I didn’t think it was going to necessarily turn into a church or religious thing. I mean it’s held in a church. And I was using examples off the top of my head. Even if I have ideas, I have to think about whether I want to get into discussions and inevitably defence of them in public if I ever put artwork in a show. It’s just so volatile out there and people are very polarized, and some people are raring for a fight.. So I understand the hesitation about anything devisive. I don’t think you have to go that deep into it with your pieces. I just think people are going to see that these Victorian females have intense expressions and obviously know their own mind! Ha ha. It’ll be great to hear what’s behind that. And you know you can always use humour too. Regardless of what you do or don’t do, I think these great pieces will inspire thought and conversation.
I really enjoyed hearing the meaning of Evangeline, the Longfellow poem, and that wonderful phrase miracles and lies. You could do a lot with that.
Well, you probably have heard the very, very old song “He Moved Through the Fair”. An about-to-be engaged couple that would never be togther. The Longfellow poem’s theme reminded me of lost love. I’m sort of a sucker for that because I couldn’t imagine if that happened to me. My husband and I are quite a love match. So anyways, my very favourite version of it is by Nana Mouskouri. And it just moves me to tears. If interested, please give it a listen

 

[Terri]

I think we can discuss almost anything here as long as the context is still about ART. Which this thread is, and has been. So - no harm, no foul.

But thank you for being respectful.

 

[joe1It]

wonderful series and there is nothing offensive, the expression of the second one is fantastic

 

[PaintBoss]

So Olive, please let us know how it goes. I hope you get accepted into the show because I think your work is fantastic. And probably a lot more creative than the usual fare. I love these little Madams!