I Let My Emotions Form My Titles
- Dec 1, 2016
- 1 min read
I love titles. When looking at another artist's work, sometimes a particular piece isn't of much interest to me until I see the title. If an artist chooses the right words, it reveals so much of what emotional experience went into making the work. For a while I viewed titles in my own work as an afterthought. I felt strained to come up with the right words and impatient when they didn’t come. I don't sit down to plan what I want to convey when I begin a print, I just let what I'm feeling come out on the page. However recently I've gotten into naming my prints more consciously. I don't know what a particular print will be called while I'm drawing, carving or even printing. But on the morning I photograph the print and list it on my website I sit quietly and calmly in front of the work and try to give words to what I was feeling when I formed the image. That is to say, the feeling is there from the beginning, but the words arrive a bit later. This has become a kind of meditation for me that I thoroughly enjoy. I no longer strain to come up with the correct title, but by getting quiet my emotions form words.
The way you describe the process of letting your emotions guide your titles really resonates. It's fascinating how a title can encapsulate the essence of a piece. I often find myself drawn to artwork based on its title, too. It’s like a key that unlocks deeper meaning. This process of quiet reflection you mentioned reminds me of how I approach writing about my own experiences on my site, Apostate Verity. It’s all about connecting feelings to words, isn’t it?