NERVOUS ABOUT PUBLIC SPEAKING? HERE'S A TIP

I was honoured recently to give an artist talk on the lichen fibre art piece I had made for the Creative Reactions show in May. The invitation was to speak at a staff lunch & learn session at the Collection Facility of the Museum of Nature in Gatineau and came from the botanist I had worked with as I created this artwork.

The invitation meant I'd be speaking to a group of 25-30 botanists, all experts in specialized fields and with so much more knowledge than me about lichens, even those who couldn't claim to be an authority on lichens. And that left me feeling somewhat intimidated at first.

Since I've had some experience with public speaking and with giving artist talks, I was confident I could deliver an interesting presentation to this group. It would take a bit of preparation however. 

We can look to structure and tips when writing a draft: ensure a strong start, give an outline of what you will talk about, provide evidence to support key ideas, pause after making important points, a wrap up to end, and so on. But none of these would establish my expertise as the artist.

The key - I realized and kept reminding myself - was that I am the expert about my process of creating this piece of fibre art. Me, not them. 

And that was what the group wanted to hear about - how I made each lichen and interpreted it through fibre, why I chose lichens for this piece of art, what I learned through this process, how the goals of art being a visual tool for science were met. I didn't have to be an expert on lichens - just had to have learned enough to reproduce them in a visual format. 

So if you're at all uncertain about giving a talk in public, remember that you are the expert. You, not them. And that the people in the room really are interested in what you have to say. 

That was certainly my experience with the group of botanists I spoke to. They asked lots of great questions, and later welcomed me with open arms to participate - with my art - at their annual Open House. And where I discovered I was able to actually answer quite a few general questions from the public about lichens. Who knew my expertise had grown so much!

TEXTILE ART FOR A 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

When I was asked earlier this year to create an art piece for the 20th anniversary of the Vars and Area Women's Business Network (VAWBN), the group's President, Julie, wanted to honour all the current and past members since the group's start in 1998 by displaying each person's name and business. 

As the art piece would likely be on display at several events, I also needed to consider ease of storage, transportation, and set-up. It could not be hung, but would have to work on or beside a 6' table. But for the 20th anniversary open house celebration in July 2018, it had to take centre stage and reflect the dynamics of the group.

And so my "canvas" of choice to fit these requirements was settled: Clothing.

Clothes, after all, are loved by women. What we choose to wear tells a story about us, our goals and our experiences, and plays a large role in our business lives, whether it's a suit for the executive boardroom or yoga pants for the gym owner. 

As 200+ business cards would be adorning the clothing, the selections needed to drape well and have a simple background that would complement and not take away from the assortment of cards. A visit to a local thrift store yielded a black dress and a red jacket. A black hat and a scarf as accessories would complete the look.

A simple valet stand and hangers were chosen to display the clothes, symbolizing the support and tools needed for our work tasks and daily planning.

The VAWBN is about much more than just networking. It's about social interaction, support, sharing, friendships, community. And much support is provided outside the group through donations to local causes. In addition to monetary support, the group collects items such as pop can tabs (used toward wheelchair purchases), milk & bread tags (for a school project), and milk bags (crocheted into ground sheets). These items have been added to the clothing in recognition of this support. 

I'm excited about how this art piece is coming together, and am looking forward to seeing it on display at the 20th anniversary. The VAWBN Open House is open to the public on Tuesday, July 10, 2018, from 3:00 to 8:00 pm at the Bearbrook Community Centre, 8720 Russell Road Navan/Vars. There will be door prizes, refreshments, vendor tables, and more. Admission is free. 


And I will be sure to have photos of the entire piece at its unveiling July 10th. 

Hope to see you there. 

5 CONSIDERATIONS WHEN TITLING YOUR ART

(reading time 4 minutes)

If you're like me, coming up with a title for a piece of art can be a challenge. Some titles simply state the obvious: Tulips, Beach,The Barn. Zooming in on location or an element can help: Tulip Festival, Beach Umbrella, Barn Door. And titles such as Untitled 1, Untitled 2, etc. just leave the viewer, well, wondering. 

So when I asked my friend and fibre artist, Rita, how she comes up with titles for her art, her 2 suggestions really caught my attention. The first 2 considerations below are based on her response, and the last 3 should help ensure the title chosen is the right fit. 

1 - What memories did the piece bring up?

Using a title that helps brings up a memory your audience can relate to really does work well. I've seen many people reminiscing as they were drawn into a piece of art and as the title reflects the intent of the artist.

This mixed media picture at right could have simply been Sewing Box but when I titled it Grandma's Sewing Box several discussions were sparked among visitors at the shows where it was displayed, all based on time spent with their own grandmothers. Everyone who looked at the picture mentioned a sewing box or basket that their own grandmother had, and often mentioned a time learning to sew buttons or to stitch.

2 - Consider what were you feeling when you were creating a piece.

We don't always pay attention to our feelings about a piece we are creating. And feeling emotions about a piece of art should not be left to the end or only for consideration by the viewer. Think of the country singer - he or she not only sings a song with much emotion, but also writes the lyrics and composes the music from a place deep inside. As visual artists we sometimes forget about creating from inside, yet it adds much depth to our work - and a title from this same place will fit perfectly. This is especially true for abstract pieces which can display energy or calmness, be soft or glowing, and so on. 

While creating the mixed media picture at left from a photo I quickly snapped while on a bus in India, I found this lady was constantly in my thoughts - what she was thinking and feeling, her family, what life was like for her living in a make-shift home, her courage, her future. I was struck by the contrast of her sari against the backdrop of found materials used for walls. I still wonder and feel concern for her, and the many homeless in her country, every time I look at this picture.  

I tried to honour her when making this picture by using recycled fabrics, paper and cardboard, only enhancing with acrylic paint and coloured pencil.  Once it was finished I struggled a bit with the title, then came up with what I felt fit my feelings and how I hoped she was living at least in that one moment of time: "A Place to Call Home".

3 - Use neutral terms

There is so much awareness these days about racially charged language and terms that should and should not be used about mental illness. It never hurts to put out more reminders. I seem to have been coming across several such examples recently:

• An article in the Times-Colonist about the renaming of Emily Carr's 1929 painting Indian Church to Church at Yuquot Village by the Art Gallery of Ontario. This is a trend being seen at many art galleries around the world, causing much discussion on whether historical context is being lost. Here's the link to the article. Of course Emily Carr would have had no idea in 1929 that this would ever become a consideration. 
• The 2007 novel Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill, the title of which actually refers to a real historical document. The book was re-named Someone Knows My Name in the U.S. and some other English-speaking markets before it could be sold.
• I just finished reading Open Heart, Open Mind by Clara Hughes, who is a spokesperson for Bell Canada's Let's Talk initiative. There is much good information on the Let's Talk website about acceptable and unacceptable terms. 

4 - Get feedback 

Share your idea for a title with a friend who you know will give you honest feedback. Plus your friend will be seeing the piece with fresh eyes and can let you know of any memories and emotions the piece triggers. And sometimes an idea for a title that you had not thought of will come up.

5 - Sit with the name for a few days

Often after coming up with a title for a piece of art, I would find myself referring to it by another name. So now I sit with a name for a few days before deciding. I am noticing now that if I do change the name, it's sometimes because I did not go with the idea of memories or feelings in the title, and other times I needed a bit more time for reflection before the right title would arrive. 

If you have other thoughts about coming up with titles, I'd love to hear from you. 


The mixed media pieces above are in the collection of and copyrighted to fibre artist Anne Warburton.