For the last two months, I've prepared ceramic pieces and *hopefully* some prints for the art fair Across from Deluxe, hosted by my friend Lysanne. She usually has one once a year and they are loads of fun! This year, she's hosting her second one at Xeroz Arcade Bar and I'm so looking forward to being part of this one!
Since it was my first time producing a lot of merchandise, I had to look into what I wanted to do as a series which I thought was a little confusing at first, but turned out really good in the end! I've been pushing against making merchandise for a while, feeling like it was a waste of time and wouldn't add to my artistic career. I felt that doing merch was usually made without thought or real purpose except to make money. Don't get me wrong, I understand the enormous amount of work and dedication that it takes to make merchandise, especially as an artist. I find it amazing that people can stick to a style, have interesting designs, and make special objects that people use daily. I was just feeling like making merchandise would take something away from my time or my thought process around my masks, and more "serious" pieces.
Boy was I wrong! Probably for the first time in a long time- or maybe since forever, I've produced pieces that all had a theme and a specific look and feel, which is something I've been desiring to make more present in my other artistic avenues. Apart from my adorable Christmas wall-hanging ornaments, I made chalices, bowls, plates, pendants and alter pieces, pomegranate containers and incense holders based around a central theme.
Main key points that I've learned:
🔑 Making a series is easier than you think. Here are some questions that may help you in organizing your thoughts or choosing a specific project.
What inspires you the most in life? (People, nature, stories, architecture, design, feelings, books, food, etc)
What colour palette is influencing your work at the moment and why? How is the viewer going to be influenced by the colours that you use? Is it fall, so you are inspired by warm tones? Or does gold make you feel rich? Maybe you want to make the viewer feel uncomfortable by using pastel tones and strange subject matter. The world is your oyster ;)
What materials do you want to primarily use?
Have a large concept and don't try to put everything into one piece:
For example, right now I am uncovering the boundaries between pain, entrapment and love, whether it be self directed, romantic or platonic. That is my theme.
I have been inspired by the swan in folklore and myth and use it in many of my pieces. The shape of the swan's neck is seen in my cup handles.
I have glazed my pieces with earth tones and red to represent the body. I've also used metallic colours to create contrast and a feeling of coldness against the warmth of the earth tones.
🔑 Repeating patterns, shapes, objects and colours are really helpful in making things cohesive
🔑 It gets really fun when you stick with it. All of a sudden there's a groove, a tempo, a mindfulness in creating the repeating pieces that becomes second nature and comfortable
Hope that helps! I'm looking forward to showing you the end results! Here are a some juicy behind the scenes for you.
Ps: there will almost always be cat hair in my images as I have two little furry ones and I always seem to notice AFTER I've taken a bunch of pictures. 😤😹
Kitty images included in post.
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