Treffinger Daily: Cindy Bilotti- Art and Meaning

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Cindy Bilotti- Art and Meaning

Poplars 8x10 oil on panel

What meaning does doing art have for you?

My time spent doing art is meaningful to me because I enjoy doing it.

I enjoy the materials

I enjoy the process.

I enjoy the visual.

I enjoy the challenge.

I enjoy the unknown.

I enjoy the discoveries.

I just can't help myself. I do it because it is fun.

Cindy's website is : www.cindybilotti.com
Her flickr is: http//www.flickr.com/photos/26076381@N02
Our collaborative work: Cindy and Katherine

6 comments:

Jeane Myers said...: beautiful beautiful trees and your collaboration piece is just amazing! wow!; June 18, 2009 at 8:10 PM
martha miller said...: Your paintings are so very rich and I love the jewel colors! I enjoy the Art and Meaning posts!!! Thankyou for posting these!; June 19, 2009 at 7:24 AM
Katherine said...: Jeane thank you for going to visit our work. We had so much fun! Cindy is a spectacular artist. I have painted next to her for several years with live models. Her painting spirit is fabulous, always playing, pushing, and experimenting.; June 19, 2009 at 8:23 AM
Katherine said...: Thank you Martha. I hope you went to Cindy's other links and checked out her work. Thanks for the enjoyment of the Art and Meaning posts!; June 19, 2009 at 8:24 AM
Anonymous said...: I enjoyed reading and relating to Cindy's thoughts on her art making. It was a real treat to visit her site too; I'm in love with her figurative work. I also enjoyed the collaborative piece which I remember seeing on flickr. It's a wonderful combination of yours and her creative energy. Thanks for sharing all of this with us, Katherine. m.a.; June 20, 2009 at 5:51 PM
Katherine said...: Thank you Mary Ann. I know what you mean about her figurative work. I return to her site to visit that work periodically, I also have the great fortune to own one of her figurative pieces!

My most recent style of working came out of the collaborative work. I learned so much about freeing up my voice working collaboratively. I am hoping to work with Cindy again someday.; June 21, 2009 at 8:40 AM

The Art And Meaning Project

The Art and meaning Project is a series of responses from various artists to the question: "What meaning does doing art have for you? In other words why do you show up in your studio, or wherever, and pick up your tools day after day?"

This is something I have thought of doing for a while as
a book, but now I have the blog and, who knows, maybe
it could become a book. I am very excited about this. I love hearing the answers. Showing up for their creations is
often an irresistible pull for artists. Many of us at any given
time ask ourselves why we are doing it. All the answers have a different response. Most of us can relate to at least some part of every response.

I want to hear the artists' answers. If you are an artist
and would like to contribute please email me. I will not guarantee that I will post everyone's answer, I need to
see what you have to say first and if it contributes more to the project.

THE ART OF KATHERINE TREFFINGER

ABOUT THE ARTIST
www.katherinetreffinger.com

I spent my childhood in Sausalito, California in the 50’s. It was a magical place, teeming with artists and creative expression. Across the street from our house was one of the coffeehouses where the “bohemians” came to listen to music, and writers such as Allen Ginsberg, Gary Snyder and Jack Kerouac read from their work.

It was a time when San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley and Sausalito were home to the abstract expressionist and Bay Area Figurative movements. My missing toys were found in the neighbor’s sculptures. I was often on tiptoes, peering into the windows of nearby studios and coffeehouses. I thrived in the wondrous mystery of this world.

Later, as an adult I had the good fortune to befriend Joseph Raffael and spend time in his studio. This was before I realized I wanted to be an artist myself. I was greatly influenced by his enthusiasm, dedication, and his ability to create beauty.

In hindsight, there was nothing else I really wanted to be than an artist. I paint and draw because I love to … and because I have to. I am primarily self taught.

When I stand before an empty canvas or piece of paper, I am lost, unaware of what to do. In fact, my most satisfying work comes from staying ‘lost’. Navigational confidence is seldom productive for me. Each piece becomes the recording of a unique introspective exploration.