I love creative collaboration!
There is something so incredibly fun for me to connect with other artists through our creativity. I'm not really sure when exactly the love of creative collaboration started for me...but I can definitely remember 19 years ago, the first time I was invited to paint side by side together with another artist on the same canvas (thank you Jillian McEntarffer!) The experience introduced me to new mediums, color palettes, painting styles, and techniques and it opened up a whole new viewpoint on how to make art, how to grow as an artist, and how to build relationship with other artists. Yet it would take immersing myself into an art community a few years later where collaboration was not only encouraged, but very much a part of the DNA of who they are (thank you Jessie Nilo and the Art Family of VineArts Boise!) I've been a part of creative collaborations with other artists, creatives, performers, speakers, writers, etc.) in all various forms for the last 14 years...and it's now very much a part of my DNA in who I am.
Intentional Inclusion.
Invite. Invite. Invite.
Most visual artists prefer to create on their own...in the comfort and seclusion of their studios. It's rare to find a visual artist that will embrace creating in some other setting that has other people around (especially other artists). But that is exactly what I love to do!
Yes of course I value my alone time in my art studio as I work on commissioned paintings or projects for clients or as I work on paintings for upcoming art exhibits I'm showing in. But I also value time spent with other artists as we work together collaborating on visual art or performance art together (regardless of if it's for a specific project that we're involved in or if it's to have fun together creating and learning from each other). The intentional invitation to collaborate together is something I highly value.
I learned from one of my college professors-mentors in Seattle 30 years ago that the process of inclusion is empowering (thank you Dennis Leggett!). He intentionally invited 2 students (male and female) from each year (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior) within our department of study to join him as a small group that would meet once a month together until we all graduated (as Seniors graduated, new Freshman joined the group...so it just kept going). Together we met with him and oftentimes his wife on campus and in his home, we went to coffee, we ate together, we did book studies together, discussed topics and shared ideas, we went camping together and we hung out together. We were mentored by him and we mentored each other. It was the most memorable part of my college education.
The big lesson he tried to instill in us all in the 4 years he had with us was that when you intentionally invite people to come along side of you to learn about what you KNOW, to get in there and experience together with you and FEEL what you do, and then to be released to DO it themselves in their way...you are helping to equip, encourage, and empower them to be who they're supposed to be with their unique voice (to be an important part of the bigger picture that creates legacy). This is mentoring, discipling, coaching, teaching, parenting, pastoring, ministering, training...it's collaborating. Intentionally coming alongside one another is a beautiful way of building relationship and helping each other grow.
Yesterday I was able to hang out with my dear friend and fellow Artist and Art Minister, Jessie Nilo in her studio to collaborate on a canvas with her. We've painted together numerous times over the past 14 years (everything from murals to backdrops to live speed paintings) but last night was a first...we created an impressionist portrait painting intuitively together...no plan, no audience, no agenda...for the main purpose of having fun together...connecting in conversation and creativity.
Though we're both visual artists and have worked with each other for years, we have very different backgrounds as to how we learned to paint and we have different painting styles, medium preferences, and typically choose different subject matter to paint. But regardless, the process of collaboration calls for integrating our individual artistic voices into one shared voice that comes through what is created.
Collaboration really is like having a conversation with someone (regardless of if you know them or not). There's moments of sharing, moments of listening, moments of responding, moments of pausing. There's give and take, learning and teaching, giving and receiving. It's all a part of it.
We put some music on and began randomly applying archival tape to the black canvas (for some texture) and then as we talked and listened we applied acrylic paint through abstract expressionist techniques. The colors we chose for our palette were colors that neither of us would've normally chosen to paint with (I think this was a purposeful challenge to ourselves to go beyond what we know).
Upon gathering together, we didn't have a plan of what we were going to paint. She had recently purchased an art book of photography and we both looked at it while we ate our dinner and talked. It gave us some inspiration and direction. Keep in mind it was all very free form and organic in how we approached this creative process. We kept our brushstrokes loose so we didn't get caught up in perfection of trying to copy the photograph. This allowed us to be free to intuitively paint the portrait together with our unique styles.
Here Jessie is applying paint with her fingers (this is not her typical way of painting-though I often use my fingers!) Also...can you see the pink splatter in the upper left corner (that was my signature technique added).
Here I'm applying some gold under the eye to create a highlight (portraits in paint are not my typical subject matter-though Jessie often paints portraits!) I was impressed with how many colors we used in this portrait.
We both couldn't believe what we were able to create together in ONLY 45 MINUTES! It was such a fun experience collaborating in this way together.
Little known fact: our fastest time painting on the same canvas together and completing a painting was about 5 minutes! That was a couple of years ago when we painted live as an illustration during part of our Pastor's sermon (and we had rehearsed painting the image a few times before we did it live).
Imitator
c. 2018 Jessie Nilo and Lisa Marten
16x20 mixed media on canvas
(acrylic paint and archival tape)
Imitator: (noun) follower, model, example of the manner, style, character, resemble or simulate, to make or be like
After creating this piece we kind of thought the image looked a bit Christ-like...but not actually Christ. And we were reminded of the encouragement of Philippians 2 which speaks a lot about being imitators of Christ (loving people and being in unity together).
"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus."
