11/04

Journal Entry

“Successful art captures our immediate attention, and repeatedly draws us back to reveal itself over time”

I remember some years ago taking several bus trips along the same route in an unfamiliar foreign city.  The first trip was vague.  I was overloaded with size, shape and color, blurred with details.  The second trip found awareness of detail unforeseen in the first.  Each subsequent trip found streets descending further, local faces becoming familiar and a deeper sense of understanding that would serve as a template for the next trip.  Each passing revealed a richness of detail unforeseen in the last.    

            I’ve experienced the same, I believe, with art.  My reactions and perceptions of a given piece often change drastically over time; with increased exposure comes increased understanding.  What should this tell the artist?

I presume that many view and judge art on a single occasion.  The trip to The Louvre, National Gallery, the local gallery opening, these are often single exposures.  Impressions of size, shape, and color illicit immediate reactions.  These immediate reactions are crucial to building an audience for one’s work because they delineate the one-time viewer from the frequent viewer or supporter. 

For now, given our knowledge of novel experiences, how can the viewer come to understand a piece of art as the frequent traveler comes to understand the foreign city?  How can he process the vast amount of information coming at him if he only views the piece in a single sitting?  The truth is he probably can’t.  An exception would be the hyperaware art enthusiast who sees a piece of art much differently than the novice, not unlike how the frequent traveler surely navigates the city with knowing efficiency. 

            This raises a couple important questions.  Why do our perceptions of art change over time, and what are the implications of this understanding for the artist? 

            First the why.  Why does our intimacy with a given piece of art grow with exposure?  Although I do not propose this hypothesis as grand theory, meaning our reasons for interest in art may be far beyond what I propose (spiritual, innate, etc.), for purposes of this missive I posit much of the reasoning has to do with the way in which our brains process information.  Mounds of research in Cognitive Psychology suggest the human brain processes information in quite a systematic fashion.  We experience a given stimuli, we hold that information in our short-term memory, we attach the useful information to existing networks of information in our long-term memory, and what is not attached is quickly forgotten. 

Given this premise one can begin to understand why a first encounter with a piece of art can leave us with limited understanding, particularly for the novice.  The novice eyes the canvas and is overloaded with information.  Their mind automatically starts searching the networks of their memories attempting to make sense of what is before them.  However, they can only process a given amount at one time, and so they use shortcuts (cognitive heuristics, activated schemas) to draw conclusions, or to make sense, of what they are seeing.  A first look at the Mona Lisa reveals a smirking woman.  The novice viewer sees Mona’s feminine features and upturned lips, and past experience (stored information) tells them this is a smiling woman.  But of course, subsequent trips reveal incongruities, deep symbolism, and irony.    

            A recent visit to a painting critique class found me pondering these ideas in more depth after I made a comment that my perceptions of the piece in question were based on a single viewing and thus my critique was one composed from limited understanding.  I found in searching my own impressions, and listening to others, that what we offered was not so much an insightful critique, but an impression or attempted communication of our immediate feelings. 

            This brings me to the next point.  Insofar as art is utilized as a form of communication, the artist needs to be aware of the difference between their and their audience’s awareness and perception.  Ultimately, if the artist is attempting to communicate something beyond their own experience to some viewer she should be aware of what immediate communication is leveled upon the often “one-time” viewer because the immediate communication will likely dictate the likelihood of future exposure.  With the exception of the impulse buy artists who want to make a living must find ways to increase exposure to their work. 

            Now perhaps this is becoming a statement on what makes successful art.  At this point a huge argument arises.  Art is in the eye of the beholder, yes?  However, in the present context it seems the concept of success as it relates to art has to do with how the artist is understanding the audience.  In most cases the audience is likely composed of individuals who briefly peruse the majority of art they cross, only stopping to further investigate those pieces that capture their attention; the pieces that stand out from the others. 

With this said perhaps success can best be exemplified by the piece that at once captures the awe of the viewer, and continues to evince a more in-depth portrayal of subject matter to the frequent visitor.  Successful art captures our immediate attention, and repeatedly draws us back to reveal itself over time.     

                                                                                                Mark S. Jesinoski

                                                                                                11/04

The Art of Process- notes

Speaking From Experience

Mark Jesinoski

My thoughts on process were largely derived from my experiences as an artist, in the context of my process of growth as a psychologist (in training).  My artistry predated my education, and thus my development as an artist began before my development as a clinician/theoretician/scientist, etc.  I have, through my learning experiences picked up a language for something I did and learned experientially.  In some ways this ass-backwards approach has defined much of my learning.  I remember a particular moment in graduate school where a professor and mentor exhaustedly said to me, “mark, you just have to experience something before you learn it don’t you?”  True true.  Even with a PhD. in Psychology my learning typically goes, ‘experience, process, insight, then investigation.’  The writing of this missive took that form and so I offer this brief introduction as a prelude to clarify what you are about to delve into. 

  As I developed as a painter and a psychologist so did my conceptual understanding of not only my approaches and processes as a painter, but my process as a human being, and as another preface, to the content therein.  Where my paintings at age 20 were largely guided by unconscious drives, needs for communication and love, and simply as a means of learning about myself and my environment, my paintings in the present are largely guided by a more deliberate proportion of the interplay between process and content.  As I have grown experientially so have I slowly sought out the literature to see what language exists, beyond my own, to lend context to these experiences, insights, and images floating through my head.  I should say I do this somewhat begrudgingly as, by the very act of seeking a language for a process, I bias that process and constrain it to human language.  Keep this in mind, as this transforms something organic and existing regardless of humans labeling it, into something symbolized and therefore restricted.  With this ringing in your ears I would like to note that there are many thinkers who came before me who put what I learned experientially into the written form and communicated these ideas in the writings of philosophy, spirituality, and in more modern times, psychology.  In writing this missive I began with my experience, art, and insights and dove into the literature to both learn more and simply to give credit where credit is due.

My hope in this text is guided by a desire to translate the language, theory, and my insights on the ideas relating to process to the art community, couched in a simple desire to share, connect, and perhaps validate my own understanding; I want to turn the pictures in my head into something communicable in a form other than art.  In addition, in my understanding of the art community, based on my experiences, observations, and research, I see a gross overuse of old psychological ideas and a gross underuse of modern revolutions in psychology and philosophy, which are ironically tied to the oldest of spiritual and philosophical traditions and practices.  I observe many a peer and/or art critic often so distracted by content they are missing the proverbial mass beneath the tip of the iceberg. Content is fixed and limited, process transcends.  Where content’s relevance is derived from the need to communicate, give meaning, context, etc., process is the underlying stuff that supplies the fabric for content to attach and become relevant.  I firmly believe that in a world where content in the arts has been reduced to literal shit on canvas or oversized sardines in glass cases, modern revolutions in the arts will come by revolutions in process, with content the by-product. 

Another aside, I do not in any way mean to minimize the importance of metaphor via content as clearly metaphor has its relevant place in the arts.  In fact as this text develops you will see content is every bit as important to process.  The two are happily married and give birth to the stuff of our existence…It is not shit on canvas I am concerned with per se, simply that it is often of little consideration how that shit got there in the first place. 

And so we begin.  Bear with me as I write in run-ons, thoughts upon thoughts, and ideas within, or upon, ideas, as this is the world as I see it, live it, read about it, and paint it.  If you’re expecting a clean theory replete with structural models and properly formatted subheadings this is probably not for you.  These are ideas and the stuff of science and dreams communicated by written words and images, through the expressions of human thought and desire.  I do believe knowledge comes by many means, only one of which is symbolic language.  Thanks for joining me on this journey. 

Mark Jesinoski

Art Speaks Now at UCSD

                                                            Mural on UCSD Campus- by Mario Torero

On mornings when I need it most I find myself seeking out the nearest coffee stand on the UCSD campus, the location of my most recent post-doc rotation. I feel increasingly fortunate for this place. Beneath the establishment, the bureaucracy, the cynicism, which often sprinkles the impression of an organization this large, I find a place that has found a happy marriage, albeit a polygamous one, between science, technology, philosophy and, yes...art. Art on the walls, in random corners, even scattered throughout the trees. Art Speaks Now on UCSD campus.

To see some of the great art (open to the public), at UCSD follow the link below.  
http://stuartcollection.ucsd.edu/

Thanks, Art Speaks Now

Urban Solace Mural Project-An Interview with Mark Jesinoski

“The manner in which I have chosen to approach the mural painting allows me to constantly interact with the people around me working and dining in the restaurant’s outdoor patio. This interaction colors and shapes my own thoughts and feelings which become a part of the mural painting.”

Working on skin tones so the painting represents diversity-Jesinoski Arts

You’ve spoken a lot in the prior posting about the time involved in creating the mural for Urban Solace, when do you expect to have the painting completed?…The mural should be completed by the end of August with the goal of an opening late September at Urban Solace.  I will share more details as I draw closer towards the completion of the mural.

How did the piece come to be?…I was referred by a close fried of mine, Jordan Blechertas, who wanted to give me the opportunity to do this type of project.

Why is the mural important for Urban Solace?…Urban Solace wanted to bring art into a space that was empty and what I really appreciate about them is that they completely gave me artistic license to do whatever I wanted.  They trusted my artistic vision without imposing their own fears and bias.  When you think about it this is an incredibly trusting thing to do…invite someone into your business with your customers and give that person complete freedom of expression.  So that really allowed me the freedom and challenge to think about what I really want to say through this fifty-feet piece.

Layering color over the black and white images to add depth-Jesinoski Arts

What are some of the things you wanted to say with this mural painting?…I found I wanted to say what has now become the common thread of my work which is to simply observe what I see occuring in our urban cultures in this day and age for better or worst.  So I literally meditated on this idea of “urban solace” (which is the name of the restaurant) and if you look at the overall feel of the painting, you can see where I begin with very feminine, soothing, and nurturing colors in the background and then overlaid this background with an overall masculine theme.

In the beginning...interplay of feminine and masculine elements with the use of color-Jesinoski Arts

  

So getting into the content, there are characters that capture these ideas in the form of characters that exemplify power, achievement, freedom, and relationships. Taking that a step further, you will see one part of the painting has a male figure literally standing on top of another male figure pointing forward. These figures are overpowering this narcissistic hero figure (a cowboy dressed in white). As you move over the painting, you also have this opposite or opposing idea of these three nude dancing figures.  The three nudes represent the part of culture that is either ignorantly blissful or enlightened beyond the point of attachment to the base ideals of society in which we are all, at some point in time, caught up in; either way, they are free.  

The two other major themes that emerge in the mural involve a focus on relationships in the form of the broken role of the traditional family (nuclear) in our culture and our neverending struggle with the idea of monogamy.  So regarding the monogamy piece, there is a female character that is clearly married running toward a male character, at the same time she is offering her hand to another male character for him to kiss while simulataneously that male character reaches back to another female character who could care less about his attentions because she is already partnered with a female love interest.

The red bow-tied dandy seducer-Jesinoski Arts

In the final component of the piece, I have painted a strong single mother who is at once trying to balance the demands of her adolescent daughter (who is trying to assert herself and therefore, blossoming beyond her control), her adolescent son who still needs her nurturing attention, and who is also someone that wants to have a life of her own.  She represents this idea of the mother in transition.  This idea of the mother represents both our need for security and nurturing in our lives and at the same time, the need to rebel and escape the confines and control that can be imposed by the  predictability of our lives.  Hence the dichotomy that plays out in the entire piece.

  

The mother struggles to maintain identity and balance-Jesinoski Arts

  

Posted 16 minutes ago

Urban Solace Mural Project

The act of making a piece of art has many stages. Typically when I am doing a painting, there are many different steps taking place simultaneously.  Some of these steps relate to the content of the painting, i.e., what the painting will look like and the other steps deal with the making of the painting and how I, as the artist, will get it to look like I envision…so you constantly have an interplay between content and process.

For me, traditionally, as an artist I am doing this on canvas…studio or live, either way it is still on a manageable canvas that is right in front of me.  This means I can literally experience the entire canvas at once as I engage in making the artwork.

Urban Solace Mural Project-Early Stages-Jesinoski Arts

Mural painting, for me, is different from creating a traditional piece of art in two distinct ways:

1.  A mural is typically in a public forum and thus, I am forced to contemplate, in a more cognitive manner, and answer the questions of what I want to say about the art and where I want the creative process to go…this is the content side. Typically I do pieces that can be completed in the course of four to five hours as opposed to several weeks or months.  With the mural I am extending this process and therefore I am forced to slow down, be more deliberate, and more thoughtful.  In some ways, I am learning an entire new platform for creating art.
2. At every stage of the mural painting as the days pass into weeks and then into months, there is a shift between the emotional relationship of the artist and the artwork.  As a process that would usually take place in the span of two to three hours now has stretched out to two to three months, so now there's an entirely different means of coping with the artist’s emotions, feelings, habits, etc. that are inherent within every work of art.  

I could have followed more traditional or more efficient means of creating the mural such as drawing the idea up in the studio, breaking it down in layers, and painting the mural on the wall in a week, but to me, the depth and quality of the art comes out through that process of creation.  

The manner in which I have chosen to approach the mural painting allows me to constantly interact with the people around me working and dining in the restaurant’s outdoor patio.  This interaction colors and shapes my own thoughts and feelings which become a part of the mural painting.

Urban Solace Mural Project-Day 21-Jesinoski Arts