1. Collect Mentors!
This was something I was doing throughout the program but only really realized this on the last day when Francesca was speaking about the lecture she heard by Leslie Odom Jr. She talked about how he told the audience the importance of collecting a variety of different mentors within many fields. I have found that people are excited to help you when you are interested in there research or share an interest in a specific field. So get out there and collect your Mentors!
2. Fail As Hard As Possible!
During the last two weeks I struggled with getting back into the working mindset after traveling in Europe and being away from my work. There were a lot of ups and downs and projects that I took apart. I was extremely frustrated one day and took a walk and ended up laying in the grass and getting sucked into the dark vortex of Facebook videos. Luckily I found a video by Peter Dinklage speech, “Don’t Wait.” What I took away from it was getting in the mindset of failing better. I wasn’t liking anything I had been creating and I think I just needed to hear that it was good to fail. But to think about failing in a better way in that I needed to take more risks! Do something crazy and get out of my head!
Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister from HBO's Game of Thrones) delivers the 2012 commencement address in Bennington College. Here are the key highlights of his message. warning: some GOT spoilers ahead song used: Rains of Castamere (from Game of Thrones)
3. You Don’t Always Need A Reason
Putting this into a title form was hard. With this one I mean that its okay to make something and not really know its exact meaning in that moment in time. Come back to it in a while or keep it in your studio. Maybe it plays into your work a week, month or year later. There could be a reason for making it but with time and space you are able to reconnect with that piece. I learned this through going on studio visits and listening to artists lectures. This isn’t something they tell you in school, which I totally understand why but great to hear that I’m not the only one who does this.
4. Document Every Stage Of Your Work
It is very helpful to look back at all your work through images it also allows you to share and get feedback from others. I have found that I have been having a lot of conversations with a variety of people about my art work and no matter what it always helps to show them pictures.
5. Have FUN!
I seem to forget this every now and then. I get to focused or have an approaching deadline that I get so hard on myself that nothing ends up working. I usually take a step back and realize all over again that I need to have fun. Throw on a jamming playlist, not take myself to seriously, crack some jokes, and do some awful dance moves. Most of the time this gets my wacky creative juices flowing!
Chapman 2017 SURF Fellows after recieving certificates and awards at Commencement.