Synthesis and reflection By Renee Brown

12/10/22

 

The idea of researching my personal art making methodology did not resonate with me until after entering the MFA program at Transart. Being that I have never thought of the need to research my own methods. I was inspired by university instructors of the 80’s that leaned into an abstract expressionist oeuvre’s which has influenced me, and I embody into my my current creative process. After revisiting, slowly thinking reflecting and analyzing, why and how I do, what I do has proved to be one of my richest accomplishments thus far. Initially as I  mapped out my art making process and diagrammed how I actually enter into the flow of the creative process. I realized how imperative or necessary every step I move through is to the whole of my process and outcome. Currently in my practice for the mfa I am gathering my personal dream journals and sketches of rocks dating back the last 10 years. In 2012 I received and recorded a dream of two rocks that inspired me to continue sketching varying views of rocks which prepares  me to loosen my hand and connect to another dimension in my artmaking. I am archiving these rock sketches which are biproducts of a loosening up practice, in chronological order 2012-2022 in digital photos to possible more thoroughly examine my mark making progression over time and correlate it to recreation of future phenomena. I might add my approach to artmaking is not intentional.Rock sketching grounds my creative process and serves as a portal to enter into other dimensions .  I have changed my first research proposal question “How might metaphoric dream interpretation guide my artmaking” to “How I follow my dream” After the October J Byrnes session I found my initial research question of, “how metaphoric dream interpretation analysis guides my practice” too broad. As I looked at what, how and why I do what I do my response was common for an abstract artist. It did not encompass the uniqueness of my particular methodology of following directions released in my dreams. I believe I will contribute new insight in the field of dream analysis by giving voice to my methodology. I was awaiting securing my advisor team who is now in place,  and look forward to their direction and okay to shift my framework. In the mean time I have continued archiving rock sketches and searching for artist and theories that might complement my perspective. And those who don’t.

On oct 30th for my crit group presentation I displayed the rocks I had then archived 2012-2014 I included a question and answer space guiding it with questions from advisor M Bowdidge . As I prepared the powerpoint  Bowdidge questions regarding the rocks caused me to pause and begin to actually think, reflect and review more indepth meaning of my rock sketching. It bought deeper meaning and reflection of the rock biproduct that I once viewed as scribble. In the power point I gave an overview of my research to that date. After which I began to see my research area as too broad because I was investigating artist who worked spiritually not necessarily receiving the dream world and practicing responding to to dreams with art as I do.. However, JW Dunne’s theory and work in precognitive dreams somewhat centers in on my perspective of precognitive dream analysis.

The following is power point bibliography used in crit group bibliography:

Artist-

Tacita Dean;http://enclavereview.org/drawing-time-tacita-deans-narratives-of-inscription/http://loisguarino.com/books.html

Agnes Martin :view film 'back to the world"

Images of Hilma Klimt https://imagejournal.org/2019/06/19/visions-of-hilma-af-klint/

JW Dunn An experiment with time;https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.524576

Element(rock)

Culture of stone-https://www.dukeupress.edu/a-culture-of-stone

Concrete processing of action metaphors: Evidence from ERPhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006899319301283

(http://www.ifrao.com/rock-art-research-journal/

 AURANET auranet@optusnet.com.au)

https://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/3965005/jewish/Twelve-Precious-Jewels.htm

Metaphoric methodology (personal methodology)

Concrete processing of action metaphor:rhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006899319301283

Article sleep meeting;https://www.sleepmeeting.org/study-finds-novel-evidence-that-dreams-reflect-multiple-memories-and-anticipate-future-events/

ONEIRONAUTS SPECIAL EDITION-podcast-ttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-social-change/id1502031582?i=1000543628360

Currently, I am at a place of divergence as I reflect on the double diamond model. I am  gathering research that would address my current  framework and  how other cultures might address the question of “how I follow my dreams” . I intend  to define and defend “how I follow my dream” directives   which can be considered precognitive artmaking. I will investigate and search other artist, theorist and cultures that consider the study of dreams and dream analysis as relevant. limiting my scope of research to various cultures inclusive of ancient Hebrew and Aboriginal.. I intend to point out similarities and differences in their dream analysis and outcomes and link their and my symbology of dream elements  to creation. I am leaning toward depicting in my art practice component on canvas the symbology of rocks in these cultures and there possible connection to creation today.

I will investigate  JW Dunne Experiment with time, precognition in dreams and  his theory of serialism and compare it to my personal methodology. Dunnes theory seems to gives me a platform to launch my personal methodology which also embodies the concept of “following my dream” which will clearly depicted  in various aesthetic forms in  my practice installation. I intend to also investigate western dream analysis theorist C Jung and S Freud thoughts on precognitive dreams and compare it to my position and perhaps open up conversation.  ( advisors I need help in developing a method to research and put together my outcomes.)

In my practice I intend to reproduce my personal art making methodology in an installation which depict’s my new project question, ‘literally following my dream” which has been integral in my art making practice over last 10 years. When I am in the artmaking process, I receive and record dreams that direct the art practice that I might be currently working on. I have record of all of these directives from my dream journals that I practice recording daily. As I approach the time of creativity in my daily routine, I loosen my hand by drawing rock sketches repeatedly until there is a spontaneous fluidity before moving into creative expression non objectively. This is my personal passage to a another dimension . After developing the imagery spontaneously with layers of materials I am sometimes able to see imagery from dreams. This is only one facet of my process.

, I don’t think I don’t think I can give a fair assessment at this point of my writing effecting my practice. I have just begun in this synthesis to actually write and not copying research information(HOLE). I believe when I begin to actually write and annotate my findings I will be able to contextualize and give opinion to my position to the larger body of research on precognition in dreams and art making. I will then narrow my research down or converge on points that substantiate  the point of view that addresses how  others and myself  follow their dream life. The very concept of following a dream is not common in western civilization and has and will meet much rebuttal.  I intend to shape, contextualize and form my research and art practice building upon my research  in a way that is clear and insightful.

 

It is my intention for my research and practice support each other once my question and aims are defined  with my advisor team. ( This is a question I intend to raise with my advisors)

 

My research questions have shifted. (My methodology needs to be discussed with advisors.)

Future research?

I would consider researching time in relation to dreams.

Added question;( underlined are questions)

Where are the points of tension? What feels unresolved? What elements or directions do I want to focus in on? What do I want to put aside?Tension in my research comes from a lens of skepticism and rejection from the western worlds trend of thought of dream analysis. It is my intention to present my practice in a way that is easy to entreat. I would hope the observer or reader to be open ended in their angle or perception of my material. I Intend to dispel the generalized western cliché of “following my dream” to the reality of actually following what is given in the elements and language of the night season. Currently not sure what to put aside.

What movements or shifts in focus and framing can I identify in this first phase of the project? Have they impacted on the research question/knot at the core of my project? If so, how? I would like my advisors to bring out this question there has been a definite shift in my proposal question that now propels my research.Has my research process revealed what it can't do? Yes ,everything that is researched can’t be put into my art practice. The art practice should be s

haped and formed after aims and proposal question are established.

If so, how can I use that information to sharpen my focus?  Since research and opinion gives greater insight into an area of thought the researcher can better nail their prospective point of view and while possible filling a knowledge gap.

What has the practice revealed about the scope of my project? I haven’t figured how to include varying views in my practice component(advisor needed)Am I going to far or off the path of my question

Does it need to narrow? Open up? I think that my research can narrow down. (advisor needed)

I think that it is compelling that I am dreaming nightly of what to do in my art practice, as I go through this MFA process. I am drawn to being directed by and following my dreams.