The post where Ben and Laurel talk about making art... Laurel's version: Last Christmas, I asked Ben to help me create homemade Christmas cards! Using a limited palette of colors, Ben created a background and I painted a festive image on top. We had such fun that we decided to try this collaborative art-making technique to create a series of greeting cards as a fundraiser for our move to Belfast. Here's what the process looks like:
What have we learned from the process? Sometimes collaboration is smooth, like the palette knife strokes. Sometimes collaboration is tough, like the old paint we tried to use. Ultimately, this project was about risk-taking. We talked about our insecurity with art. Ben has less experience and becomes frustrated when he hasn't yet mastered the skills needed to create the next Cassatt. I struggle with perfectionism and worry about showing my work to others. We learned how to let go of our expectations for the project's outcome and focused on supporting each other instead. I wonder if this lesson could be applied outside of card making... Ben's version: Laurel has a tradition of making her own Christmas cards every year. Last year, she invited me to participate in that process...a very intimidating prospect. She made it easy on me by preparing a Christmas palette of paint (red, green, etc.) and told me to use paper to dab the colors on cards. Laurel would then turn each background into a winter scene. The success of that collaboration inspired us to create a new series this spring. This time, with a slightly broadened color palette and armed with a palette knife, I was set loose on a new set of cards. Though I was just as terrified as the first time, and it took a while to get used to the knife, I prepared a new set of backgrounds for Laurel to paint. Laurel, to my unceasing amazement, made sense of each smudge and selected subject matter appropriate for that particular background. Often the element of the background that I thought was its fatal flaw became integral to the character of the finished piece. From this process, I learned not to agonize over preparing these cards but simply to trust my instincts for color combinations. I could also trust Laurel to be inspired by each background, no matter what I thought of it. We each bring different skills to our relationship and life together yet when we work together, a new and beautiful creation is made. And that's how art is made!
If you would like to support us financially next year, consider purchasing this exciting card series! Cards are blank inside and perfect for any occasion. See all six designs by scrolling down (image gallery is featured at the end of our first blog post). Suggested donation: $4 single card, $20 set of six Visit our Etsy shop or email [email protected] to order
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