Kara Walker response

Sue created this wonderful response to the Walker/Ashe assignment.  Here is what she wrote about her piece for her colophon - it lends itself to becoming like an artist statement.  It is beautifully written and worth the read:

"The concept for this book started with the poem which I found in a children's book entitled There isn't Time by Eleanor Farjeon.  This poem is in the inside cover of my book and reads:
                       There isn't time, there isn't time
                       To do the things I want to do,
                       With all the mountain-tops to climb,
                       And all the woods to wander through,
                       And all the seas to sail upon,
                       And everywhere there is to go,
                       And all the people, every one
                       Who lives upon the earth, to know.
                       There's only time, there's only time
                       To know a few, and do a few,
                       And then sit down and make a rhyme
                       About the rest I want to do.

For the last few years I have been feeling the crowding of my spirit, time, and energy.  My creative thought has slowed down and the demands of my elementary art position (700 students), family, and extended family has left me feeling like there is no time... for me.  The scary thing is that I am just now really entering the deep "service years"  when I will be called upon by teen age children to do more, see more, and be more.  While the oldsters of the family (5 over the age of 77) are going to start requiring more and more of my attention and help.  I expect this to last for the next 10 years which is not a pleasant thought.

While thinking about the poem and reflecting on my own feelings the concept for this book came about.  In order to help myself understand what the external and internal pressures were I listed all of the things which take my time and what I would really like to be doing at this point in my life.  The interesting point was that for every thing that was holding me back it seemed like I wanted to be doing just the opposite.  No wonder I am feeling squeezed by life.  In refining my list it came down to the following:
       
               What holds me back                      What I want life to hold
                Household chores                       Time to be in the mountains or elsewhere for that matter.
               Laundry                                         Time to garden and grow flowering plants
               My job                                          Doing my own art work
               The Oldsters                                    Meeting new people and going to new places

The format of the book itself was another issue.  Did I want the silhouettes to be modern people or 1950's images since I a lot of the time feel I am cast into the 1950's roles.  Did I want the book to be black and white or colors? Did I want the beginning of the book to be all what is holding me back with the 2nd half consist of what I want... or... every other page of each?  All of these questions had to be answered.  Eventually, I decided that since the book was about me I would use actual images of myself and the people I am involved with.  I'm not much of a black and white person.  I like color. So I decided that although the silhouettes could be black I would use color in the backgrounds and behind the cut outs.  I also felt that by alternating the pages of what holds me back and what I want from life might make more of a statement in the end.

With all of this decided I had to revisit the color issue.  I have always liked the Dr. Seuss book My Many Colored Days.  It uses mainly monochromatic color on each page and explores how color can affect moods and emotions.  It is a good book to teach color and Imagery along with personal communication.  I have often wondered how I could use this book to create a project for younger students.  I think the way I have worked this process out would be a good starting place for 3rd grade students.

Once all of the thinking was done I did a good amount of sketches for the images.  I ended up putting  an extra layer of gesso on the pages to stiffen them more and make them whiter for higher contrast.  I will admit that I had to go in and number the images and pages for layout as it was confusing.  I think I spent 2 evenings 7:00pm- 11:00 pm or later doing the cut outs. Wow, what a job that was!  With those done I concentrated on the silhouette images and went through my picture files on the computer for compatible images.  Several had to be posed and taken just for this book.  Actually, the silhouettes were the easiest thing of the whole book.  I cut those out of black construction paper and numbered them for the pages.

Color, color, color.  I had to spend some time thinking about colors, how they made me feel, and how they related to the images I had chosen.  Then for each page I mixed the desired color in acrylic paint and used a coffee filter to sponge the colors onto the pages to create a textured area.  I also had to use the same color for the corresponding cut out on watercolor paper.  The tricky part was figuring out which sheet needed a color on both sides and what colors went where.  That done,  I glued in the silhouettes.  The cut out pages were glued the next day using Modge Podge with a separation sheet of wax paper to keep pages from sticking together.  I did have to weight the book to press the cut outs firmly and re-shape the pages.

All in all I am very proud of this book.  It has been a definite challenge and growing experience.  I did have to think, take notes, refer to notes, and create clear images. All of which I haven't applied to an artwork of my own for years.  Each step I took with this book brought me closer to the artist I used to be.... and a realization of what I can still do.  it was time well and fruitfully spent."