Artwork

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

David Lusk Review

This past week in my professional practices class we had Robert Hollingsworth come visit us from the David Lusk gallery. His visit was very important in informing us how to apply to a gallery. About a month ago, we submitted application packets to the David Lusk gallery for review. In this past week, Robert Hollingsworth returned them to us with notes as well as talked to our class and answered questions.
Overall, my packet was well received. I could have had an image list to go with my CD, but he thought my images were good and that was important to me. I did learn many things from his visit like how to talk with a gallery and the proper procedures to follow when applying to different galleries. Over and over again, he made a point that whomever you talk to, you should be nice. He also noted that in my cover letter I said “Thank you,” and that was important to him.
The questions he answered were very informative about how the gallery runs and what kind of works are accepted. He also made sure to tell us to research the galleries before applying to make sure that our works fit in well with the collection. The best part about his visit was when he looked over our artwork. It was nice to hear what he had to say about everyone’s pieces. I thought he would be a lot more intimidating, but it was a lot more casual.
All in all, Robert Hollingsworth’s visit was crucial to our education about learning how to submit to different galleries. He was very fun and interactive, and I look forward to speaking with him more in the future.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Grad School Cover Letter

Lena Kirk
LenaKirk.Blogspot.com

Dean of Admissions
Cranbrook Academy of Art
39221 Woodward Avenue
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48304
(248)-645-3300

To whom it may concern,

My name is Lena Kirk and I am applying to the Master of Fine Arts program because I believe that being well acquainted with many media will sky rocket me into art stardom at your school. I have recently graduated with my Bachelors of Fine Art in Sculpture from Memphis College of Art. Yes, my degree is in sculpture, but there is so much more to me, and my art. I am well versed in ceramics, which would be my field of study in your graduate program, but I am also a painter, printmaker, sculptor, and a metal smith all bundled in to one! What a deal!
My current works are about my self and my body. After going through an illness and having an organ removed I have been confronted with a new lifestyle, and the ups and downs that go with it. My work is about the struggle that I have been through with my body, and the strength to work through this issues by representing them through my work. You facilities will give me to ground to build more on my conceptual ideas, and have the inspiration of an establishment that housed Charles and Ray Eames.
I have been displayed in many exhibitions at the Memphis College of Art as well as the Guggenheim, MOCA, and The Getty. All of these exhibitions awarded me large grants to make giant sculptures that I donated to children in Africa.
Thank you so much for your time, and If you find my work of interest, I would be pleased to send additional visual materials and background information. You can also visit my web site at www.LenaKirk.Blogspot.com for my most current and up to date works, and writings. Thank you for your consideration, and I hope to hear from you soon.

Thanks,
Lena Kirk

Residency Cover Letter

Lena Kirk
LenaKirk.Blogspot.com

Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture
200 Park Avenue South, Suite 1116
New York, NY 10003-1503
tel 212.529.0505
fax 212.473.1342

To whom it may concern,

My name is Lena Kirk and I am applying to the Skowhegan Residency because I believe that being well acquainted with many media will broaden my horizons at your facility. I have recently graduated with my Bachelors of Fine Art in Sculpture from Memphis College of Art. I am well versed in ceramics, but I am also a painter, printmaker, sculptor, and a metal smith.
My current works are about my self and my body. After going through an illness and having an organ removed I have been confronted with a new lifestyle, and the ups and downs that go with it. My work is about the struggle that I have been through with my body, and the strength to work through this issues by representing them through my work.
You facilities will give me ground to build more on my conceptual ideas, and have the inspiration of an establishment that has housed so many brilliant artists in the past, and hopes to meet new emerging and existing artists to help my work grow for the future.
I have been displayed in many exhibitions at the Memphis College of Art as well as numerous small galleries throughout the southern United States.
Thank you so much for your time, and If you find my work of interest, I would be pleased to send additional visual materials and background information. You can also visit my web site at www.LenaKirk.Blogspot.com for my most current and up to date works, and writings. Thank you for your consideration, and I hope to hear from you soon.

Thanks,
Lena Kirk

Gallery Cover Letter (revision of original David Lusk cover letter)

Lena Kirk
LenaKirk.Blogspot.com

Robert Hollingsworth
4540 Poplar Avenue
Memphis, TN 38117
(901)-767-3800

Mr. Robert Hollingsworth,
I would first like to extend my appreciation at your willingness to review my art portfolio. My name is Lena Kirk and I am interested in submitting the following resume for representation in your gallery, which Dwayne Butcher encouraged me to apply. I am currently a senior at the Memphis College of Art, graduating in the spring of 2012. I have had a variety of my mediums displayed in exhibitions at the Memphis College of Art. I am truly a well rounded artist when it come to experimentation with a variety of media.My primary focus is sculpture, and while solid form is my preferred medium, I have chosen to include selections representative of my experience in painting and printmaking, as I feel these would be stronger suited for your gallery space.
I feel I would contribute well to the David Lusk Gallery given the intent behind my pieces and the approach I used to manifest them. I think that the collection I have provided will represent a set of emotions and conflicts that most people never experience, and will bring to them an understanding of my perception.
I hope you have a moment to peruse my collection of works and tell me your thoughts and opinions about it. Again, I very much appreciate your time. I hope to hear from you soon.

Regards,
Lena Kirk

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Cara Tomlinson



This week I was unable to attend the Carrie Mae Weems lecture, so instead I opted to go to the Opening at the Clough-Hanson Gallery for Cara Tomlinson. I had never been to the Rhodes gallery before, so it was kind of confusing on how to get there, not to mention they were having a quidditch practice, and I was too nervous to interrupt to ask them where it was. Needless to say there was a bunch of wandering around before I found a non-qudditcher to lead me in the right direction. When I got into the building it really wasn't anything like I expected it to be. It was very modern and well “vintage-ish” on the inside compared to the exterior of the building which looked like it was built in 1850.
Once I stepped into the gallery and stood really close to the first painting I was intrigued. Yes, these paintings are very similar to what it going on in some abstract painting right now, but hers were unique. They reminded me of Don Estes’s paintings with the meandering line work all through them. Cara’s were very pleasing to the eye, and I enjoyed the layers of paint that were visible through the pieces.
She also had these very curious mounds of paint swatches on little tiny dollies. They were odd and unusual and I cant decide if I liked them, or if I think they are a waste of paint. They could be more interesting if they were more sculptural, or if it was more about the paint globs than the display. The small cart like dollies that the paint mounds were adhered too distracted from the paint forms.
All in all I really enjoyed visiting a new venue. I need to go to more openings at the Clough-Hanson Gallery because the food was dynamite. Also, I tried to speak with Hamlett Dobbins, but there was one woman who just wouldn't budge.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Internship/ Job Cover Letter

Lena Kirk


M Sandino
Dixon Gallery and Gardens
4339 Park Ave.
Memphis, TN 38117

Dear M Sandino,

My name is Lena Kirk and I am writing to express my interest in an internship for the spring of 2012. We have been in communication in the past and I am happy that it has come time to actually apply! I am excited about this opportunity to work with the education department at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens. Having experience with children from my previous position in the programming department at the Children’s Museum of Memphis has given me the expertise necessary to be very productive in this position.

As a soon to be graduate of the Memphis College of Art I have developed a mixed media interest in printmaking, painting, and sculpture. I have always had an interest in sharing my creative process in teaching. Being unique and creative in the way I prepare materials to use for arts and crafts projects gives me a library of unlimited possibilities of fun activities to do with children. I have also had experience developing art projects using different mediums such as recycled materials, food products, and art materials to create fun and interesting projects to go along with many different focuses such as children’s books, master artists, seasonal activities, and geography.

In addition to the above qualifications I have experience in the following:

Working with and developing programs for children ages 2-13;
Communicating with children as well as adults;
Interacting with children in a museum environment, and helping children learn while playing; and
Working with large groups of children.

As I am approaching graduation and am highly interested in working with children in a museum environment as a career, I feel this intership would be very helpful to me and my future endeavors. I would be very excited at the prospect of being able to intern in the education department of the Dixon Gallery and Gardens. I have incuded my resume for your consideration. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Thank you,
Lena Kirk

Helen Phillips Interview

Helen Phillips is currently represented by the L.Ross Gallery



Helen Phillips,
Thank you so much for letting me have this opportunity to interview you. Here are a couple of questions that I have for you. Please respond to the best of your abilities. They can be short or long answers anything will be extremely helpful. Once again thank you so much for helping me.

Sincerely,
Lena Kirk

1. When were you born and where were you raised? Does this have any influence on the art that you make today?
2. What was your first career ambition? Were you always interested in the arts?
3. Where were you educated? BFA, MFA, etc.
4. What did you do right after you graduated college?
5. When did you decide that art was the right career field for you?
As a fellow ceramicist what inspires your work, and how does that play into your building methods?
Do you keep a sketchbook?
How often are you making art? Is it your full time job?
Do you use your art to make a living?
Have you participated in any residencies? If so which ones, and why did they appeal to you.
Do you have any advice for a soon to be BFA graduate?


Dear Lena:

I would like to answer your question in a conversational manner. I hope this works for you. If you need and further information; or if I missed something please contact me again.

I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1938. When I was eight months old we moved to Evansville, Indiana and when I was three we moved to Union City, Tennessee. A year or so later we moved out to a farm (my father had a livestock business) for a few years. I loved being outside. I loved having two dogs, numerous cats, a pet goat, pet pig and pet chickens ( the only reason she would be my pet is that she was blind). When I was in the third grade we moved back in town but I continued to spend much time outside and lots of time riding my bike out into the countryside. Nature has a great impact on me and my work. Much of my inspiration comes from the beauty I see around me here in the countryside. Whenever I visualize myself as a child its always in the outdoors. The aspect of clay work I most love is just the physical act of working with "dirt." The colors and textures of rocks, leaves, bark are something I strive to incorporate in my clay surfaces. Whenever I can, I work outside and my studio opens up to the outside so I can easily fire my raku pieces.

I was always interested in arts. My father's sister was an artist. My older sister spent time with me, painting and making things. I was encouraged to draw and received a lot of attention because of my work. I used to laugh and say that I had a hard time forgiving my parents for not living in Memphis so I could attend Saturday School at the Art Academy. Years later cleaning out a closet at my parents I found a Weekly Reader questionnaire I had answered saying I wanted to be an art teacher when I grew up. I was in the second grade when I wrote that! When I was in the 9th. grade I gathered together some little girls in the neighborhood and taught them "art".

I majored in art at Memphis State, enrolling in 1956. I had expected to be a painter but when I had an art education course and was exposed to ceramics I immediately decided that was my choice. There was only one ceramics class at Memphis State and it was in the Industrial Education Department. I loved it. There was a really awkward old treadle potter's wheel there. I spent hours at it trying to center and pull up the clay. The teachers encouraged me but didn't know how to help me very much.

I married in my junior year, became pregnant and returned to college to do my practice teaching right after our daughter was born. By chance I got a job teaching art at Trezevant High School before I finished my degree. I took a few courses at the Art Academy after I finished my teaching credentials and graduated from Memphis State in 1961. I especially loved the ceramics course I took with Thorne Edwards right before he left the Academy. We were also leaving Memphis because my husband had a job teaching in the overseas Dept. of Defense Schools in Okinawa. Thorne advised me to find an Okinawan potter to work with. I took his advice and had a wonderful experience there, meeting and working with Shoji Hamada twice when he came to spend the winters with the potter I was working with, Eisabro Arakaki. The second year we were there I taught art at Kubasaki High School the Dept. of Defense school on the island.

We were transfered to Germany. I found it difficult to do much with my clay work there but I was exposed to European ceramics both historical and contemporary. After a year there my husband and I were both ready to go back to the Orient and enrolled in graduate school at the University of Hawaii. After a year there we left to go to Santa Barbara where I had experience in a co-operative pottery producing pottery and selling it (or trying to).

Teaching jobs took us to Birmingham, Alabama. Again I was able to produce and sell my work but my main livelihood was from teaching. After four years there we went to the University of Florida graduate school where I had a teaching assistantship and received my MFA in ceramics in 1975. I took a job teaching ceramics at the University of Central Arkansas the next year and taught there until I retired in 2001. In the summer of 1992 I went off to work in clay in West Africa or the Ivory Coast whose wild dark art fascinated me. I now live in North Arkansas in a wonderful old school complex which we converter into living, studio, office and shop space.

I do keep a sketch book and always have. You can imagine how much I enjoy looking back at the Okinawa books. By the way, in the summer of 1980, I returned to Okinawa, financed by a grant from UCA to work with my potter there and it was wonderful experience. As you can tell from my narrative I have not participated in any residences but know many people who have and who feel they have been valuable for them. The chance to see "how others do it" is very important . I've been able to do that in my own way. If I had not had those unique opportunities I would have been very interested in residences or internships that were available.

Back to sketch books: sketches capture the day and night images I experience. When I have the time, space and energy to do my work, I can look in my sketch book and find just what I want to do. Sometimes I can look at sketches from years past and respond with just as much excitement as if I had that image pop into my head the day before yesterday or just a minute ago.

Daydream images like those of the night flit in and out of consciousness and have to be captured so they can become reality. If I can look at a sketch I can help a student with the problems connected with making that form. This way I, as the teacher, avoid imposing my own personal aesthetic on the work. I insisted on students having sketch books and have been thanked by former students for getting them started on the habit of keeping a sketch book.

I am a compulsive "maker." In all my moving around I always had a place for my art making. Most of them far from ideal - a table in the kitchen, on the back porch, garage or basement and in sunny southern California, outside, except in February. Today, I have the dream studio and feel very lucky.

Today, at 73, I try to find time every day for some kind of work, even if it's day dreams about what I want to do next. Since my teaching was always art I feel that art has been my full time job. I have had to slow down a little in the last year due to surgery but today I was able to raku three pieces. I was happy to find my strength back and my ambition to "make" as strong as ever.

Advice -- be open to adventure. People who work in clay often enjoy working together. If you find that idea attractive try co-operative studios, kilns, or galleries. Collective energy can accomplish a lot. I am fairly introverted but have been involved in all of the co-operative ventures and feel I have profited from them.

Don't be discouraged if you don't just immediately "find your artist self" after graduation. There is usually a certain amount of "treading water" while your body and imagination finds your direction. Follow your intuition as well as your bliss. Try not to get discouraged. Remember - life is long, creativity will keep you young, at least for a long while. Good luck..