Feminist Ink Completed

Guardians by Amy E. Fraser

     The Feminist Ink series is complete! I just finished and posted “Guardians” today! It was the last of the drawings from my Dartmouth Thesis project. Wow! Was that a task and a half! What a relief to finally have it finished. I feel like I need a reward for all of that incredibly hard work, or perhaps even a vacation? Ok maybe not, it’s not like I got paid to do this project. Whatever the case I am elated that I actually stuck with it and completed the entire series of 32 drawings (at an average of 10 hours each). Oh did I mention that there were 32 drawings? Yeah, excruciating to edit, but yay me! I did it. 
     So not only was this project a major time suck but I must admit it has been pretty difficult traveling back in time into my old head space. However, now that I’ve made it to the other side, I get to decide what project to tackle next! The only problem with that being, I have so many projects on the to-do list that I don’t know where to start. I was positive I was going to “pounce” on the Hauz Kat series I mentioned I’ve been playing with in between the Feminist Ink edits, but now I’m not so sure. I kind of want to experiment with something new, like try a new medium or do something completely crazy! But, I still have piles upon piles of art to photograph and edit and I can’t even count how many unfinished works I have lying about. I mean, should I really start a new painting series? What I should do is try to be more goal orientated, but I seem to have a limitless stream of new and exciting ideas I am compelled to try and I am learning that I am much more ambitious then realistic. 
     Speaking of realistic, I get the feeling that despite my warnings about doing as I say, not as I do, especially when it comes to my art advice, you might not be listening. I really am proving to be a truly terrible example. Don’t do as I do! Honestly, while I do know exactly what I should do to market my work, I am not bothering to follow my own advice. I have tons of helpful information to offer from my decades of research and experience, I know all about Artist Branding, the importance of creating and targeting a niche, blogging and social media… but… I’m just having a hard time giving a shit about any of that at the moment.  
     In my current frame of mind, if I were to flesh out any of the “How to become a Successful Artist” post ideas I have filed away to share with you, I would come off as very unauthentic. In part because I’m not currently following any of my own advice, but also because my definition of what a Successful Artist is, waivers. Frequently. And let’s face it, I would like to get someone else to do all the marketing for me so I can just have fun making pretty things. Not to mention I’ve practically become phobic at the very thought of Instagram and Facebook. I dare not dip my toe in the social media pool for fear that I will be sucked in and pop my precious bubble. Don’t make me elaborate on that or you will find out I am a horrible human being.
     Anyway, so I mainly just popped in to say Hi and to let you know that Feminist Ink is finally finished. I don’t actually have a good reason to explain why I felt the need to reintroduce this project to the public. I have no agenda for what I hope to accomplish by sharing these new “old” works, as I have no plans to continue to pursue this avenue of art in my future. In fact, I am well aware that presenting this “Feminist” work is probably detrimental to my future Artist Branding efforts as I plan to focus on The Legend of Hare Terra as my primary niche, eventually. But these drawings from 2000 are part of me and my development as an artist and I strongly believe that Real Artists (not Brands) are the sum of their creations. Being one thing is boring, one dimensional and not at all realistic. I personally do not believe in limiting myself, my art or my interests in any way, especially for the sake of fitting into an easily marketable package. I think the most remarkable art is created from artists who have lived, dreamed and experienced diversity. I have a whole snarky list of my very strong opinions on what makes someone a Real Artist versus who I see as pretenders and posers, but I will refrain from that tangent for now as I have plans for the evening.
     In the meantime, here is the collection description: The Feminist Ink collection is a series of dark, surrealistic, female focused, stylized figurative art, depicting Feminist, Womanist and Humanist subject matter from the perspective of the artist in 2000. This body of work explores Western Cultural ideals of gender, female fertility, feminine intellect, and societal constructs of strength and beauty. These black and white works are hand drawn in pen and ink. The original drawings were created in 2000 and digitally enhanced in 2020. This drawing is part of a series of 32 concept sketches created in 2000 for Amy E. Fraser’s Dartmouth College, Master of Arts and Liberal Studies Thesis: “Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue”.
     The final paintings that evolved from these works were published in Amy E. Fraser’s book “Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue” and featured at Amy E. Fraser’s solo exhibition entitled “Confronting Femininity” Recent Paintings, October 2001, at Gallery Alexie, 529 West 20th Street, New York, NY.
     “Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue” by Amy E. Fraser is conceived as a symbolic autopsy discussing both the societal as well as the personal meaning and intention of the artist’s figurative work from that time period. The entire book is available to read online at the Amy E. Fraser Art Blog. Original Hard Copy Publication by Dartmouth College, Copyright 2000. All versions of related art and text, Copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.
     Here is a link to the Feminist Ink Gallery where all 32 images are now available on display.
     For more Art and Information on Amy E. Fraser go to Aefraser.com