Documentation and Note Keeping
Journal Entry: Saturday, January 7, 2023
Art historians spend their time sifting through the flotsam and jetsam of history; its documents, recorded firsthand accounts, known facts and artifacts and rumors thereof in order to construct some seemingly cohesive and thus plausible narrative of how all the parts fit together. The narrative is in a continuous state of flux and the further away the past recedes the more mysterious and unreachable it becomes until we are left only with the artifacts to speak for themselves which is all they were ever intended to do.
The artworks themselves are in continuous conversation with the artworks of their past and are proposing conversations for artworks of the future. The actual artists making these paintings in any given generation, of course, are the ones engaged in the conversation but their artworks, which are the things that survive them, are the things left behind to speak for them.
This should cause us to consider the idea that we leave as complete a record of our work as we can through organized documentation and note keeping or we will be subject to other people’s narratives about our work that may not reflect our actual intentions or contributions.
My secret plan is to eventually make the posts in the Touchonian a book about the Creative Lifestyle for Artists. You, my favorite readers, are privy to the book in it’s formation. I would really appreciate your help by making comments, asking questions and suggesting topics I should explore and write about. It is hard for me to dream up what artists need and want to know to keep going and keep creating. I have fifty years of figuring out all of the details I needed to keep going and become self-sustaining as an artist and want to share enough insight to smooth the path for others facing this complicated, daunting task of being a self-sustaining artist. I know from experience it can feel overwhelming, unreachable and even depressing. So feel free to say or ask something! Thanks in advance.
