Last Tuesday I met with my mentor. I surfaced from the session with a new determination. She recommended I visit the new exhibit at the Henri; Like a Valentine: The Art of Jeffrey Mitchell and think about it in relation to my work. When I first arrived I did not quite understand why she wanted me to see his work. It took some walking around to glean what ideas his work was inspiring and steering me towards.
Jeffrey Mitchell is a ceramist. His work is based on sex, love, death and spirituality. He creates these crazy sculptures, pickle jars and whimsical animals that at first seem innocent, but upon further inspection are comments based on his personal experiences.
The longer I spent with the pieces the more I picked up on the social cues being projected. This is what my work is missing in some areas. Specifically my candy dish idea and my photo project. I have decided to go two different ways with my candy dish due to Mitchell's work. My work with enamel, wax and ceramic insignia can be used in a different expressive piece. They are objects given out in abundance. My photo project has developed into an installation piece that represents the patriotism imbued in each ribbon a military member collects.
Right now my concentration is short, but my determination is great. Just working on being prepared for January at this point.
