 painstaking unusually demanding, fragile, and labor-intensive practices by three artists: Patrick Donley, Wendi Smith, and Aleksandra Stone Nov. 3–Dec. 16 reception with the artists Sunday Nov. 26, 2-4 pm ***artist discussion at 3 pm*** I have a personal moment of satisfaction and happiness when I am able to make my ideas a reality to my own standards. If others have moments of engagement and enjoyment in my work, that is an affirmation. This practice of making art is the closest thing I have to a spiritual practice. More than joy, it centers me, quiets my soul. –Wendi Smith garner narrative contemporary fine art gallery hours: Wed-Sun 1-6, First Fridays 1-8 text/message (502) 303-7259 for appointment Painstaking: Curator’s Statement & Interviews The question that launched this exhibit is, why are we [artists] like this? I picked three artists whose work had specific things in common: Patrick Donley, Wendi Smith, and Aleksandra Stone. Fragility and Risk All three produced obviously fragile objects. Patrick does not understand his reassembled ceramics as “art.” His current art practice could be understood as performance art, yet the objects themselves are incredibly important. They are held together with painters’ tape, and some may collapse over the course of the exhibit. Wendi’s tiny natural found objects are easily unhoused and scattered. Meticulous paintings of endangered and vulnerable species are presented but not protected in plain pine boxes. Aleksandra’s collages on paper are fully exposed and curling in response to ordinary shifts in humidity. Currency and cicada wings are a definition of ephemeral materials. Patrick ”There are several materials that I find that are mostly by their nature extremely fragile: porcelain, semi-porcelain, pottery, slipware and stoneware. The more delicate, the more difficult to reassemble. The very fact that these objects entered the Midden already broken and were then subjected to being shifted and tossed about even scattered, makes it all the more stunning that I recover as much of each object as I do. For many pieces, sadly, this is not the case.” Wendi “The boxes and the found objects are tactile, a different sensory component than the paintings, and that makes them vulnerable, but the combination of two and three dimensional elements add to the complexity of the idea and that is worth the risk.” Aleksandra “We deliberately expose painstakingly crafted, labor-intensive objects to the world… In the face of this fragility, the appreciation of these delicate works becomes paramount. This deliberate exposure stands as a testament to our coping capacities as artists and society, nurturing understanding through the lens of fragile beauty.”  Fragile artworks? Fragile bodies! These three artists have physically painful art processes. By choice and necessity they lean into this embodied reality and work with it rather than retreat. Patrick “Because the works come from 6’ below the surface, they first must be recovered through physically intensive excavation for which I am suited up and sporting a respirator. Once retrieved, the cleaning begins which can involve soaking, scraping, and scrubbing… After the reassembly of the pieces that I have, I then have to begin the search for what may be missing. This can involve suiting up and heading back down to dig some more, or simply walking through my storage space to see if any previously discovered shards match up. And they often do! I work 7 days a week currently, often 4-5 hours a day that are mixed between the various tasks. I have a massage therapist who corrects the damage that I do to myself weekly. I’m a very lucky person.” Wendi “This work is physically challenging partly because I am 72 years old, and my hands are not what they used to be, and my eyesight is changing as well. I work at a steady pace, usually seated at my work table on a stool. Because of the scale, the brushes I work with are small. If I am on a roll I will work quickly, but if I am struggling with something, I go slow. I am in physical therapy for my neck, and do exercises daily… The physical challenges are a given in pursuit of the idea. The painting is always a challenge for me, both physically and artistically.” Aleksandra “When I’m engrossed in the act of creation, time slips away unnoticed, and so does the pain. I only step away when mental fatigue sets in. The intensity of the adrenaline rush I experience while working often masks the physical strain, only revealing its toll days later when the accumulated aches make their presence felt. Historically, I’ve emerged from projects with severe back pain, a consequence of spending days hunched over intricate work. I’ve faced excruciating back spasms when attempting to stretch, especially during projects involving broken glass and shredded currency. Lately, my hands have been swelling, hindering their full range of motion.”  So do these kinds of things sell well? Um… These three artists have the skill sets, resumes, and art world experience to produce objects that could be easily shown, valued and collected in the fine art market. At the moment anyway, this is not what they choose to do. Patrick ”I have made paintings and sculptures that incorporate found objects and collage for many years. During this process of excavation, I do not have time or emotional space to devote to those practices. This is fulfilling that void, but I do miss working with color. I also miss ‘feeling’ like an artist.” Wendi “I have never been drawn to production work. I work on one body of work based on a concept, and that usually takes two years, although it might take longer. The concept would be watered down by producing too many similar works.” Aleksandra “The path… of production artwork highly valued in the fine art market, is not one I’ve intentionally chosen to bypass. In truth, I don’t even know where this road is located. It hasn't been a conscious decision to avoid it; but I also haven’t actively sought it out. For better or for worse, my artistic journey has taken its own course, guided by intuition and the call of my creative instincts. I find a profound connection to the essence of the human experience—our constant struggle to overcome limitations and reach for the extraordinary, even in the face of the mundane challenges of daily life.”  So, why? Knowing these artists, their motivations never struck me as rebellious per se. They don’t work out of spite, to reject what other people do or want from art, though they doubtless have opinions. When I put my own word to it, I thought they work from love. My mother Joyce Garner’s word for this was joy. Patrick “The recreation of these objects is a joyous event. I am the first human to touch them in over 120 years, and I love that their reemergence into the light inspires others. Every aspect of this process is physically challenging yet I find myself driven to do it. There is an end in sight, but I can’t say when and then what?” Wendi “I have a personal moment of satisfaction and happiness when I am able to make my ideas a reality to my own standards. If others have moments of engagement and enjoyment in my work, that is an affirmation. This practice of making art is the closest thing I have to a spiritual practice. More than joy, it centers me, quiets my soul.” Aleksandra “...there’s an inherent and highly personal sense of joy, a deep satisfaction that emanates from the intentional pursuit of my artistic standards. It’s a pleasure derived from the intricate, personal process that I’ve crafted, one that bears my distinct signature.” To situate myself in bringing these three artists together: I am a mid-career artist, now programming two art gallery spaces in Louisville KY. My personal art practice is on a trajectory away from the fine art market. I have excellent company in making objects that are increasingly demanding of me, and less and less what anyone ever asked for and planned to buy. Meanwhile I feel somehow that these objects are the only things compelling and therefore possible for me to make. I have enormously enjoyed this conversation and this show, and hope you do as well. –Angie Reed Garner |
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