Idiosyncratic Routine: Three Process Videos

Idiosyncratic Routine. This is the title of that feminist comic in Chasing Amy, and I’ve always loved the phrase.

I want to apply it to artists. You may know that I’m a little obsessed with process and process videos. I’m hooked on videos that show how artists do what they do, and especially love it if they comment on their work.

Here are three I’ve been loving and thinking about lately.

1.“Meghan Willis: Stitched Fervour,” Tsurubride as seen by Aaron Tsuru

This one showcases the work of embroidery artist Meghan Willis (ask Tsurbride) as she prepares for a show in Columbus. The video is made by her husband, Aaron, who is a talented photographer/filmmaker himself. We get to see her as she selects one of Aaron’s photos, chooses colors and fabric, and paints and embroiders a specific piece. I love Meghan and Aaron (both as artists, and people); it’s so great to see an artist from the perspective of someone so close to her. 

    

meghan willis: stitched fervour - tsurubride as seen by aaron tsuru from tsurufoto. on Vimeo.

2. Process—the painting of “Plastic,” by Robin Eley

The most straightforward video of the bunch, this is nonetheless mesmerizing in Robin Eley’s detail and care. The painting moves from something unrecognizable to something breathtakingly gorgeous. OH, that final product!!!

Process- the painting of "Plastic" from Robin Eley on Vimeo.

3.  “Mark Wagner: Money is Material” by The Avant/Garde Diaries

“For a collage artist, destruction is the first necessary step.” We first hear Mark Wagner’s voice about a minute into the piece, and he drops that enticing phrase into our laps. The directors have made an exquisite short video on this artist—we see a lovely balance of material, process, commentary, and finished product. (Sidenote: I wrote this poem inspired by Wagner’s work back in January).

 

Mark Wagner - Money is Material from The Avant/Garde Diaries on Vimeo.

Process Video: There Is Nothing Out Here

Today, I'm excited to share with you a new process video! Here's how I wrote the poem "There's Nothing Out Here."
 

           


I'm in Seattle for AWP right now (and did a presentation last night at The Project Room about how I wrote this poem!)...I shall be reporting back.

Process Video: Flourless

Happy Multimedia Friday! Time for another process video. This video takes you behind the scenes (OOH! SCANDALOUS!) of my poem "Flourless."

As a new experiment, I've added some "asides" for you--I narrated my thinking process in additional text file for your "pleasure" (more like your added neuroses--my apologies for my scattered brain!).

Process Video (with Asides)--Flourless from Hannah Stephenson on Vimeo.

I've noticed a few changes in how I work, certainly....more certainty and trust that I can write SOMETHING, but less of a plan or strategy going into my writing sessions (for instance, I thought for sure I'd write something rhymed when I wrote this poem, and then I didn't--or recently, I've though, ok, today I want to write a LONG poem, and then I write a little 8-line ditty).

What's new in your process these days? Any changes you're noticing?

New Process Video: A Brain, a Heart, a Home, the Nerve

I have a new process video for you today! I received some very good feedback on my first process video (for the poem "Dissonance"), and thought I'd try again.

Just like the first time, I already knew I wanted to work with images by Tim Gough (I took a long time perusing his portfolio---there was one with a lion that I almost used, but went back to the first picture that had grabbed me). The image reminded me of a cave painting....a yeti and an aquaman warming their hands around a fire, perhaps.

I started thinking about fires, and that was my way into this poem. I changed the opening of this poem several times, as you'll see....I didn't know how far to go with the Oz stuff. An idea I keep circling back to is the concept of our needs being what we seek/bring to the world (not unlike in The Wizard of Oz...those characters are obsessed with attaining certain attributes from an external source, but because of their fixation, they are already armed with those strengths). And that warning that the Wizard shouts out: "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!" I am always interested in how things work, so I would pay TONS of attention to the man behind the curtain.

Process Video 2: A Brain, a Heart, a Home, the Nerve (poem) from Hannah Stephenson on Vimeo.

Are there ideas you notice yourself circling around recently/always? Heard any inspiring music lately? This week I have been blissing out to Gayngs and Sigur Ros (an article about this to follow!). Hope you like this Being John Malkovich (well, Being Hannah Stephenson)-esque video. As always, thank you so much for reading, and for all the thought-provoking comments this week.

Video: Sign-Off

The debut of the Flipcam!

I have to say---I am very happy that I purchased it last week. It is exceedingly simple to use and I'm quite satisfied with the quality.

Last weekend, I attended "Domestic Matters," a dance performance set against an art installation at the OSU Urban Arts Space. It was such a gorgeous experience--sensitively and articulately danced within and around extremely evocative art (Converse was inspired by one set of dances that took place on a floral-wallpapered climbing wall).

Mair Culbreth is responsible for the choreography, and Nicole Bauguss created the art pieces (both have kindly given me permission to post the video). Before the performance started, I wandered around the space, and shot some video of the different vignettes that stand around the gallery. All clips shown here come from that exhibit.

This week's video poem is "Sign-Off," a fairly recent one. I've also added some music that I played this time, as an experiment. What are your thoughts about video poems and sound? Do you prefer to hear the poem and watch it in video poems, or to have silence, or to have sound and/or music? Really curious to hear your opinions.

I do love playing with technology to make new things from my poems...it has been so much fun to create this video, layer by layer (image, then text, then transitions, then creating the music and recording all of its layers).

Hope you enjoy the video, and that all is well in your world.

Process Video: Dissonance

I'm especially excited to share this Process Video with you! For a while now, I've been admiring artists' process videos (like this one from Chris Piascik or this one from Robert Josiah Bingaman).

I wanted to create one just like theirs, and show how I write poems (because I always want to know how other writers create). So while writing "Dissonance," I recorded my desktop (using Quicktime--surprisingly easy). It was easy to forget that it was recording--this video represents an extremely typical way that I write. When I sat down to write, the only thing I knew was that I wanted to use artist Toc Fetch's work, which I had bookmarked earlier, as I usually do.

It took 50 minutes and 4 seconds to write this poem, and this video shows the process condensed to about 5 minutes. It was a struggle to upload this video successfully (it turned out very blurry in YouTube, every way that I tried), but in Vimeo it turned out a bit more clearly. The words are still not extremely clear (next time I do this, I'll use a larger font). It was strange to watch this video---maybe the pacing surprised me a little. You may wish to view it full screen to get that whole "I'm Hannah typing frenetically away at her computer" experience (for best results, have coffee nearby, and a cat on your lap).

I'd love to hear your thoughts on process--is this how you work, too? Do you type or write longhand? Do you listen to music (you saw me on Grooveshark and iTunes--at the end of the video, I list the artists I was listening to). It feels a bit like I'm inviting you into my brain...welcome! Come on in.

Process Video: Dissonance (poem) from Hannah Stephenson on Vimeo.