I don't really have a "process" so much as I either have an instant idea in my head or I struggle to come up with anything. Since I rather enjoy artwork and I happen to have a host of it, in various forms, in my home, I decided to think of the things I enjoy looking at. Which art books do I enjoy the most? Which captivate my attention the best? My husband and I both love the pin-up; everything from the subject, to the postures, to the wide array of artistic styles. I had first thought of my favorite artists (Frank Frazetta, Bernie Wrightson, Tim Vigil, Olivia Beradinis) and I realized they all worked extensively with the female form, which lead me to the genre of the pin-up. I already had names in mind (we've had 4 different Gil Elvgren pin-up calendars) so knew it would make finding the works I wanted relatively simple. I browsed through my own art books and prints for inspiration, picking a couple of my works right from there. I was lucky to find the site I did; good quality images, listed by artist, with mini biographies of each artist. It really helped me delve into the different artists throughout the decades and expose me to some I had never known before; which was great because I really wanted to use all different artists. When it came to organizing what I was going to display, I decided the best way would be to aim for a semi-chronological concept. I split my artists up into two categories; Vintage and Contemporary. I used six works for each category, and then ordered the works by year to give a sense of progression and evolution of the genre. I really wanted to use works that were a little unexpected in the contemporary half; really emphasizing the change to a less traditional woman and image of her.
When it came t designing the slideshow, I went very minimalist, hoping to emphasize the beauty and worthiness of the works themselves. I don't think these are the kind of works you'd see in a high art gallery. Maybe the Albright Knox, but that is because they embrace many different forms of art, in all its stages. I really wanted to pick something off the beaten path to show that not all art worthy of attention is found in big galleries. My slideshow design is a little reminiscent of a large warehouse gallery, maybe a converted building; the floor could be gray marble, it could also be concrete. I like juxtaposing the beauty of the women's forms against the bland industrial location, I hope it makes people rethink their standards of beauty; a woman working a power saw can be just as glamorous and attractive as a woman dressing or cleaning.
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