Saturday, August 27, 2016

Art Challenge: Room With a View


Lovely Nadine of tinyWOOLF is hosting an art challenge this week; the theme is Room (with a view). An excellent theme, I think, because there are so many possibilities for interpretation.

I found this picture of a door in a magazine, and at first thought I would portray the view I see when looking out my back door. But honestly, it's not a very interesting view since all the trees had to be cut down, and thinking about it makes me sad.  Looking out my back door seemed a bit obvious, and I really wanted to do something more imaginative - give my brain a good workout. Also, I'm trying to develop the habit of never settling on my first idea, trying to push myself further on into new artistic territory.


Inside Out
collage with mixed media, 9 x 6.5 inches


At the time I was thinking about all this, I was listening to this podcast of NPR's Invisibilia, called Frame of Reference.  This is the teaser: "What shapes the way we perceive the world around us? A lot of it has to do with invisible frames of reference that filter our experiences and determine how we feel. Alix Spiegel and Hanna Rosin interview a woman who gets a glimpse of what she's been missing all her life – and then loses it. And they talk to Daily Show correspondent Hasan Minhaj about which frame of reference is better – his or his dad's." It was very interesting, to me, at least, and being an artist, looking at how we frame things seems pretty relevant.

Anyway, getting back to the topic at hand, I was still thinking about the door, and about rooms and views, which led me to thinking about how a room is defined, which led me to the concept of inside/outside. I hope you're not too bored with my rambling little trip through my thought process. (You're probably thinking, Blah, blah, blah, get to the point!) ha!

So I decided to focus on the frame of reference idea, but to flip the inside and the outside; in other words, the inside would be out, and the outside, in. To confuse things even further, there are objects that are inside that belong outside, and vice versa; but then again, which is inside, and which is out? I had a lot of fun playing around with the idea, and I hope you enjoy what I came up with.

For more interpretations of the theme, please visit tinyWOOLF for the links! And thanks for inviting me to share in the fun, Nadine!





22 comments:

  1. i think it's liberating to play around with ideas and i'm always intrigued by frames of others, because true, we all use them and we all differ so. that's why art exhibitions work so well for me, even those i kind of hate..
    i think your collage is a challenge all on itself! it is different, therefore multiple dense, all while being so playful!
    n♥
    thank you for playing. to reply to your query about the last image in my post... it is a reflections game indeed. this was a painted shop window... :-)))

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    1. Thanks so much, Nadine! I like what you said about art exbitions; they help us see things from a different point of view; even if we don't really like the work, there is something to be learned - it opens your mind.

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  2. I do love it! Brilliant collage. Since I started making collage postcards to send one or two to Chloe in Japan every week, I've fallen in love with the process more and more. Well done you. <3

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    1. Thanks, Veronica, I'm glad you like it! Yes, once you get hooked on collage, it is hard to stop. Such a fun process, but still so challenging! xo

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  3. Ha great fun reading this post! Playing with ideas and views and then creating a visual through collage. Well done!

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    1. Thanks, Carole; I'm really glad you liked the post. Sometimes I'm afraid that my ramblings will just bore people, so I'm happy if you got something out of it!

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  4. Nice to read how you've played with the theme and got to the point (door) It could be a theme as well. Love the result! - eric

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    1. Thanks, Eric! I'm so glad you enjoyed the post. And you're right, "door" would make a great theme!

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  5. I love it! You've turned the world inside out. Well done!

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  6. What a clever concept, not to settle for the first idea. I love that collage. And thank you for the podcast reference!

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    1. Thank you, Annton! I can't really take credit for the idea; it's something we talked about when I was in school. But I am finding it really helpful now that I'm putting it into practice. Glad you enjoyed the podcast, too.

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  7. wow, so very different, you are pushing and the view is great! xo

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    1. Thanks, Cat. Not my usual style, but it was fun to do. That's why I like the art challenges - I don't usually start a piece with a theme in mind, so this is a different approach for me.

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  8. I like how this subject inspired you to think differently and now you are inspiring me.

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    1. Oh, thank you, Tammie; I consider that a great compliment!

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  9. Not sure what it is about doors (and windows) but when I look back at my black & white photos they certainly are represented. Love the way you did yours!!

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    1. Doors and windows are one of those universal symbols; so much meaning has been attached to them throughout history. Thanks, Patti!

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  10. an inside out room, i love the idea and how you've captured it!

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