5x5: Chapter 2

I may be the author of The Pulse of Mixed Media but the true, creative force behind my book is the group of artists who generously shared their secrets and passions and, of course, their art. It was important to me that this book be representative of our entire artistic community, but the total number of contributors I could include was limited by the number of pages in the book. Not wanting to be contained by page numbers, I decided that the Internet was the perfect vehicle to extend the book and be able to include more of the community. With this in mind, the 5x5 Pulse Project was born.

The Pulse of Mixed Media presented the results of a survey in which contributing artists were asked questions that they had to answer with words or provided with prompts that they had to respond to by creating art. These ideas were combined in the 5x5 Pulse Project. I put out an open call for artists to submit artwork created in response to one or more of the following questions that were part of the original book:

1. If your artwork could talk, what would it say?

2. Who has had the most impact on your creative life?

3. What is one thing you have never shared with the creative community?

Submitting artists could chose 1, 2, or all 3 of the questions and respond to each by creating artwork in any medium in the form of a 5" x 5" square. They were asked to include words as a part of their artwork as well. There was a tremendous response to this call and I will be posting each submission every Sunday throughout the months of November and December. 

The 5x5 project is also being featured in a ten-page spread in the November/December 2012 issue of Somerset Studio, now available in stores and online here.

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If your artwork could talk, what would it say?

William J. Charlebois

"Art survives all space and time to speak of joy divine."

Audrey Fish Pfeifer

"It would convey to the viewer the joy I feel when I am making art - my soul soars! Being a caregiver leaves me little time to myself. Art is my passion and I cherish those moments when I can escape into my studio and create."

Linda Sagastume

"It's a love affair."

Barbara Bytwerk

"Whatever I do in word or deed, I do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God by Him."

Lin Collette

"My life has been one big invention."

David Hayes

"Life...a grand adventure."

Chris Fondi

"Love."

Paula Bogdan

"I have a story to tell you and the words are as important to me as the art is. My art would whisper this woman is on overload. Beware it would point out that I'm a lover of color and texture and that smearing paint cures all of life's woes."
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What is one thing you have never shared with the creative community?
Carol Henley

"I Need You."

Jo Murray

"I am an open book. I wear my heart on my sleeve. All those cliches apply to me. No secrets here. Despite my professing to be an open book, it seems my work belies that statement. Slightly unsettling angles, an allusion to eyes and windows, a cage-like texture, a gloomy palette...all appear to evoke hidden messages. Perhaps my work speaks more truthfully than I?"

Erika Husselmann

"doubt"

Teri Mahl

"Sometimes I feel as if I'm drowning in an ocean of pitch. And that people who you thought you could trust, end up turning on you when you least expect it. But truth always wins out and I am always going to land on my feet."

Jane Royal

"There are techniques I am longing to try, yet my paying working usually takes up my whole day so I save the longing for retirement when I hope to have time for more of my own projects."

Erin Perry

"I was in an abusive marriage for twenty-eight years, which ended six years ago. Not surprisingly, it was also six years ago that I discovered my love of mixed-media art and began creating. As each year goes by and I feel safer and happier, my artistic life grows and becomes more prolific."
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The next edition of 5x5 will be posted on Sunday, November 18th.