I am currently
working with Sarah Irvin, MFA Graduate Student on the website: Artist Parent
Index, which is powered by Omeka. It is a searchable database of artists making
work about their experience as parents. It also features exhibits exploring
topics of parenthood as well as organizations supporting artists who are
parents. I started working with her in
February and during the past two months, I have learned a lot about artists’
experiences, struggles and happiness in being a parent through the work that
they create.
On a weekly
basis, I work on Google docs (or Microsoft Excel) and add artists that create
work about their experiences in being an artist/parent. Sarah Irvin contacts
the artists beforehand in order for us to be able to add them on the website.
Once the artist gives us permission to include them on the Artist Parent Index,
I visit their website and research about the work they do as an artist. We also
include foundations and exhibitions that support artists. One thing I
discovered this week is how artist parents cherish their relationship with
their children so much. They express it by creating art through different
mediums such as drawing, photography, installation, etc. Moreover, the topic I
enjoy working on the most when I do research on artists is feminism. I believe
that it is a very important ideology that everyone should support and be a part
of.
Although I am an
Art student with a concentration in graphic design, I believe that this is
beneficial in my long-term goals as an artist. I am more than an artist who designs,
learn about aesthetics and topics that graphic designers mostly focus on. I
also aspire to be an all-around artist. In order to be one, I have to learn
about the experiences of other artists as well. By learning about what they do,
I can improve my research skills, be inspired, and become a great artist in the
future.
Feel free to
visit the website here: http://artistparentindex.com
