My statement, Steve Locke, and Titles

"Secret Meeting," artist Steve Locke. February 2008, Acrylic and oil on beveled birch panel. 36 inches square.

"'The more specific you are, the more general it’ll be,' said Diane Arbus, master photographer. This quote explains something vital about my art work: if I have strong and specific feelings about something and I make work about it, chances are my audience will have strong and specific feelings about it too. My feelings and ideas are expressed through a variety of different media. I have worked with photography, fibers, painting, drawing, and printmaking. Whatever material I try, I always bury myself deep in it and research the material just as I would research a concept. My main material is my idea; my work shows the overlap of my idea and myself."

This is an artist statement I wrote at the end of my time at MassArt. I first heard the Diane Arbus quote said by my favorite professor at school, Steve Locke. He is a fountain of knowledge of artists’ quotes and information about art in general. (Yes, I first heard of the work of Sol Lewitt, Yoko Ono, and Eva Hesse in his class.) Arbus, a master photographer, was saying that her artwork is relatable because it is authentic. I hope that if I make my work about something personal and individual to me, other people can associate their own experiences with mine. I believe I can connect with my audience through shared experience.

Another thing I really wanted to get across in my statement is that I do not specialize in a certain medium, and that my work is conceptual. I work with ideas and I use whatever material is most appropriate to conveying my ideas. Sometimes my work might take the form of a t-shirt or needlepoint. Other times my work comes across through digital photography or in print.

The final thing I want to mention is that I always use titles in my work. I never leave my work untitled, because I think that every decision an artist makes relating to his or her work is vital to the work as a whole. No decision pertaining to your work should be made lightly, and titling work is oftentimes taken for granted as so many artists just leave their work untitled.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with titling something “Untitled,” as long as that decision is made consciously. Titling a work can reveal or disguise meaning, and you need to carefully consider a title when you are trying to connect to your audience. Steve Locke, my professor from MassArt, is also a working artist based out of Boston, MA. One of his paintings, shown here, is titled “Secret Meeting.” This title is calculated and deliberate, and so is the painting. You can check out his website for more examples of his work and his thoughtful titles @ www.stevelocke.com.