Inspiration: The Story Behind "The Story".

The question I get asked most often about my work is: “Where do you get your ideas?”

Personally, I don't believe in “inspiration” in the sublime magical sense.  

Want good ideas? Get to work. 

Sooner or later you'll either come up with something or die from boredom or starvation.

All that aside, I made a deal with the Universe a few years ago that I would handle the “quantity” end of making work, and that I would leave the “quality” part up to the heavens. (insert mystical new-age wind-chime music here.) What I mean to say is that part of my art-making process is trusting myself to move in the right directions.
 

I created The Story, the body of work I'll be showing during 6x6, while I was an artist in residence at the Vermont Studio Center. The series started with images taken from a group of old negatives given to me by my late grandfather, Willard Thomas. So in that sense, his work was my "inspiration".

About half of the images were taken while he was a soldier in the Korean war. The other half are pictures of unidentified people who I can only assume are friends and of course other relatives.

By trade my grandfather was an electrician, but he was also a mighty fine photographer. The photos are simple, imperfect, and beautiful.

I've now created 2 bodies of work based on my grandfather's negatives. His photographs have become a major part of my art career and the mostly anonymous people in his photographs have become major characters in my daily studio practice.

One of my favorite photos is of these girls here. Out of all the photos I have I just keep coming back to it. I just find it absolutely glorious. So much so that I made this painting:

GLORY TO HIS NAME, 2007. Mixed-Media Painting on Canvas.
100 x 120 cm (39 x 47 inches)

Since I was never able to find out who these lovely ladies were, or perhaps, are, I was able to construct my own narrative about who they are and their relationship.

 
Even though the many faces in these photographs are of anonymous individuals who I’ve never known, I feel an obligation to treat their images with honor and respect. In many ways I think of them as kind spirits guiding me through the completion of each work.

How's that for inspiration?

BIG Love,

-Kesha★


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