The Collaborative Effect
[If you are getting this email mid-week, my apologies. Emails sending was turned of the last few days for the blog due to late night human error. But now you have a mid-week pick-me-up!]
Have you ever used accountability to help you get something done? You know, when you tell someone else that you are going to do something and then you feel obligated to do it because somebody knows and you don’t want to tell them that you couldn’t or simply didn’t do what you said you were going to do? Most of us are pretty easily pressured by what other people think of us which can be used to our advantage when we’re trying to complete something that is difficult, scary, or just no fun. Like finding motivational goals for the new year!
Having someone else know of your plans can help you prioritize goals and just daily life. It’s why people do challenges in a group and post on social media. Your online circle of fellow challengers and followers will be expecting to see something from you and so you’re less likely to set that challenge project aside for something else.
Sometimes, though, even telling others isn’t enough to keep you on task. But what if you are working with someone else? Collaborations put a lot more pressure on us than just having someone else know you have a particular goal. We aren’t likely to step away from a project when we know someone else is expecting something from us. So, if you need something to kickstart your new year or want to take on a big project but are feeling a little overwhelmed, maybe the answer is collaboration.
The Who, Why, and What of Collaboration
As an artist, you can collaborate with anyone else who is creating. That means you could collaborate with another polymer artist, someone in another craft medium, someone who works in a traditional two-dimensional art medium, or even someone who works outside the visual arts like a writer, dancer, actor or musician. You do your thing and they do their thing under the umbrella of a particular concept or with a particular final project or event in mind. Not only are you more likely to complete your part of the project when working with another artist, the excitement and interaction with that person can give you so much energy as you’ll both generate excitement through the communication and exchange of ideas.
Have you ever collaborated with someone before? If you have are not, this is something to consider for this new year. Why is that? Let’s look at a few reasons:
- Collaboration helps you grow. Having to work within the constraints and compromises of another person’s artistic vision pushes you to go in directions that you would never have gone on your own. There’s a lot of self-discovery in collaboration.
- Collaboration can help you reach a new audience, especially if you collaborate with someone who is not working in the same medium or selling to the same market as you.
- Collaboration cuts the workload in half on big or time intensive projects which makes them more manageable, probably more enjoyable, and more likely to be completed.
- Collaboration adds a social aspect to your creative process for the duration of the collaboration. It can be hard working alone in the studio for hours or days on end, especially if you’re a full-time artist. The occasional collaboration becomes especially appreciated when you work alone a lot.
- And, as mentioned, working with someone else is extremely motivating and inspiring.
Let’s look at a few examples of polymer artist collaborating with others.
The Whole Is Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts
Although there are many ways to put together a collaborative project, quite commonly one person does one portion and then hands their portion off to the other person to do their share. Helen Breil and Annie Pennington did just that to create this gorgeous brooch. It started with the blue polymer framework from Helen and was finished off by Annie with her metal and felt work.
If you work in canes, trading canes with someone or sending canes to someone to work with is an easy type of collaboration. That’s what happens with the extra canes and scraps that are sent to Ron Lehocky who makes them into his wonderful hearts. The canes for these hearts were created by Jane Dwyer.
Finding someone with a similar aesthetic or style as you can really help bring a collaboration together, not to mention a friendship. Polymer’s master caner John Stuart Anderson worked with painter and sometimes sculptor Luke Brown on this Tryptamine Palace. Although it sounds like they have been friends for some time, you can only imagine what working on an intense project like this did for their friendship.
Get an even better look at this amazing piece through this video.
Here’s an interesting roundabout collaboration. Stephanie Kilgast took on the challenge of painting and adding to a sculpture produced by Moon Crane Press from a graphite drawing by Miles Johnston, a two dimensional artist working heavily in pencil as well as ink and paint. In this case, the drawing was done independently of a collaboration idea but then Moon Crane Press, who Miles already worked with, decided to create a three-dimensional image of the drawing from which sculptures could be cast. Stephanie was invited to paint and further embellish the work. I’m not sure that one could purposely re-create such a situation but it is a great example of a collaborative option to take something that has already been completed by one artist and have it further developed by another.
Stephanie’s example brings up the point that collaboration doesn’t have to be just between two people. The Into the Forest project, the Russian Quilt project, and the Fimo 50th year Globe had dozens, if not hundreds, of people working on the same project. Most of us aren’t up for organizing things that big but if it’s manageable for a local group like your guild, you could have the whole guild work on a single project. Or three or four of you best artist friends could get together and make something any one or two of you would never have conceived of. Pretty exciting stuff, right?
Just Gotta Ask
if you are going to embark on a collaboration, be ready to ask a few tough questions and be ready to answer a few of your own. These are the kind of questions you and your collaborator(s) should both ask and answer.
- What are you hoping to get out of collaboration project? You want to keep focused on each participants purpose in taking part in the collaboration as the work progresses.
- How much time do we each have to dedicate to this project? Be realistic about how much you can do and scale back the project if necessary.
- Will the final project be sold or, if not, who will it live with or how will you share it? Not everything you make has to be sold, but if you do want to sell it, collaborative projects as charity donations will get you publicity and networking opportunities.
- What concept, theme, or vision is important to both of us? This question tends to get the ball rolling on what you want to make and allows you to get to know your artistic partner.
- Will one or both of you oversee the organizational aspect of the project? Commonly, especially if there’s more than just two people, one person will organize the timeline and process, and keep track of progress. Overseeing the project doesn’t mean that person makes all the decisions, it just means that they will keep the project on track. It’s nice to have this figured out from the start so collaborators don’t step on each other’s toes.
Keep in mind collaboration doesn’t mean the work is 50-50. If one of you wants to do a lot more than the other or the primary concept is one person’s (such as Miles Johnston’s sculpture) but is embellished or finished by another (which is what Stephanie Kilgast did with Mile’s work) it’s still a collaborative piece but you’re just working to each other’s strengths.
Also remember that collaboration is supposed to be an enjoyable and inspirational learning experience. Be patient with your partner(s) if they’re not doing what you’d expect, talk if you have concerns, and be ready to compromise. It’s kind of like a marriage – you know something great’s going to come of it but it’s a give-and-take to get there.
The State of Things
I had hoped to have sign-ups for new subscribers to the Virtual Art Box this week but unfortunately, I was not doing so well this week and had to take it easy early on. I’m back to full steam ahead now but I have some catching up to do. It will be very soon though.
Nudge Sale is Still On… For 3 more days!
Our year end Nudge Sale is almost over. All the reduced prices go back to full price after the 15th. Right now, almost everything is on sale so if you need more inspiration at your fingertips as you set yourself up for a great creative year, hop over to the website and snatch up a great deal on beautiful print and digital publications!
Okay, I have to stop working now as I’ve got a birthday to celebrate. The tradition in my house is that the birthday person doesn’t have to do any work which, of course, makes it a struggle for this workaholic. But I’ll be good and let my dear man make me breakfast and take me to dinner and I don’t know what else. Maybe just curl up in a corner with a book. I don’t think I’ve done that for ages and ages.
If you want to help me celebrate my birthday, my preference is actually to have friends and family do something charitable. You can donate to my charity listed on Facebook – the International Rescue Committee fund which assist refugees and other displaced persons. Any bit of help that can be given to our poor Australian friends would also be wonderful. Being a big picture person, I give to the Global Recovery Fund who set up assistance for the long haul. If funds are in short supply, as they often are after the holiday season, just be kind to the world that we live in by maybe giving up one less disposable item (get a filtering water bottle and never buy bottled water again for instance) or just doing something thoughtful and kind and make someone’s day.
You all just stopping to read my yammering makes my day! Thank you and have a wonderful week!
