Hollis Frampton Letter – Christian Reflections – Myrrh Bears Poem – My Graduation – Redbubble Artist – Building Bridges

 

Art Journal September 2023 by Jenny Meehan 

Hollis Frampton Letter 

“It is All for Love and Honour”, is one letter written by Hollis Frampton, and it makes for a good read, I’d say, an essential read, for anyone working in the creative realm. I just love this letter, and read it regularly to myself whenever I come across situations or people who do not know how to value artworking.

Here’s a intro quoted from a website:

“In December of 1972, Donald Richie, then film curator at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, wrote to artist Hollis Frampton and suggested that they organise a retrospective of his work at this most prestigious of museums. To an artist of any standing, this would be a tempting offer; however, Frampton took issue with one particular line in the proposal, a single detail of Richie’s which rendered the suggestion entirely unattractive: “It is all for love and honor and no money is included at all…” Unwilling to work without financial reward, Frampton responded at length with a rousing letter, reprinted below in full, that has since become legendary in the art world for reasons which are plain to see. It’s fair to assume that a fee was later agreed: MoMA’s Hollis Frampton retrospective–The Films of Hollis Frampton–ran from March 8 -12, 1973.

This wonderful letter, and many more, features in the “More Letters of Note” book with permission of the Hollis Frampton Estate. “

Here is a link to the full text.

https://lettersofnote.com/2015/12/15/for-love-and-honor/

My favourite part is this:

” I’ll put it to you as a problem in fairness. I have made, let us say, so and so many films. That means that so and so many thousands of feet of rawstock have been expended, for which I paid the manufacturer. The processing lab was paid, by me, to develop the stuff, after it was exposed in a camera for which I paid. The lens grinders got paid. Then I edited the footage, on rewinds and a splicer for which I paid, incorporating leader and glue for which I also paid. The printing lab and the track lab were paid for their materials and services. You yourself, however meagerly, are being paid for trying to persuade me to show my work, to a paying public, for “love and honor”. If it comes off, the projectionist will get paid. The guard at the door will be paid. Somebody or other paid for the paper on which your letter to me was written, and for the postage to forward it.

That means that I, in my singular person, by making this work, have already generated wealth for scores of people. Multiply that by as many other working artists as you can think of. Ask yourself whether my lab, for instance, would print my work for “love and honor”: if I asked them and they took my question seriously, I should expect to have it explained to me, ever so gently, that human beings expect compensation for their work. The reason is simply that it enables them to continue doing what they do.

But it seems that, while all these others are to be paid for their part in a show that could not have taken place without me, nonetheless, I, the artist, am not to be paid.

And in fact it seems that there is no way to pay an artist for his work as an artist. I have taught, lectured, written, worked as a technician…and for all those collateral activities, I have been paid, I have been compensated for my work. But as an artist I have been paid only on the rarest of occasions.”

How many artists can relate to this? Rather a lot, because we all meet from time to time the expectation that we will be grateful to do something for free. This is quite different from choosing to donate or initiating something we do free ourselves. 

As a mother who chose (and was able to choose) to make unpaid home management and mothering my main occupation, alongside my role and work as an artist/art tutor, its also been very interesting for me to keep in mind the truth this letter speaks in relation to my other main direction of time and energy. All of my investments matter. Its always helpful to appreciate that the fact one doesn’t receive monetary payment does not equate with a lack of value, though it’s so easy to fall into thinking that unpaid activities are somehow “less” because money symbolises value to a large extent in our capitalist society.

I’ve seen both my artwork and my mothering/homemaking impact people in very positive, significant, and sometimes even profound, ways. It’s precious and beautiful. I’ve also seen it not valued… But this is just life. The key thing, I think, is that we know ourselves, and the many expressions of ourselves, to be significant and of value. I’m grateful I know this now. I haven’t always. It’s been a welcome change to know value from the inside out. 

Having said the above, it matters so much that work, in whichever kind of sphere, deserves pay. Holding an innate sense of value is great but doesn’t pay the bills. I love  the way the Hollis Frampton Letter says it how it is! 

When I first came across this Hollis Frampton Letter, I was stunned at the expectation that an artist would not require payment ever existed at such a “high” level in the twentieth century! The MoMA! Really! Its not a new letter and the 1970’s are a long way back, but it was both shocking to me and helpful. Helpful because there’s a tendency (when you are not “well known” and without a high profile reputation or cultural acknowledgement) to believe that the assumption you will work for free is only something encountered in the routine and out of the lime light areas of existence! It’s somehow helpful to realise how widespread a problem is, even if that’s not exactly encouraging, it helps. 

Art art Art art

Just called this section “art” , because it’s a few random examples of some of my work I’ve been reflecting on and creating recently. I do give myself a bit of a break over August as it helps to keep things fresh. It’s a mistake not to have Sabbath periods. 

Breakthrough (Barry) life drawing by Jenny Meehan aka jennyjimjams ©jenny meehan

Collaging. I love it. Life comes our way in fragments. How lovely to join pieces together! 

“Beautiful Loose Belly” life drawing by Jenny Meehan aka jennyjimjams ©jenny meehan

I’m trying to recognise more of my own emotions in a fuller way, and this process involves, for me, embracing an acceptance of my belly… Yeah, really. I need to let things go in a good way, and this means accepting my rather prominent belly. If its the seat of my emotions, then I need to love it more!  I’ve put this drawing up on my redbubble artist profile, so you can buy a print of it if you wish! I’ve called the print  “Female Freedom.”  I often use more than one title for a work, and giving a print a different name from the original drawing isn’t a bad idea… Its a more generalised, universal phrase “Female Freedom” but sits with my “Beautiful Loose Belly” very well! 

https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/150404436

So not that much to show… But a very nice time in and around Weymouth on holiday! 

Here’s a few photos… 

Portland Bill Lighthouse. 

This photo includes (in the far left), the seven metre tall white stone obelisk,  built in 1844. It’s at the Southern tip of Portland Bill as a warning of a low shelf of rock extending 30 metres south into the sea.

Pulpit Rock, Portland Bill (the Pulpit Rock part is the piece behind the people!) 

Christian Reflections 

A quote from “My Utmost for His Highest”. by Oswald Chambers, has set me thinking I my usual meandering manner! 

“A person who has the vision of God is not devoted to a cause or to any particular issue – he is devoted to God Him/Herself*.  You always know when the vision is of God because of the inspiration that comes with it.  Things come to you with greatness and add vitality to your life because everything is energized by God.” (*my add) 

I love the energy! It’s much needed! Yet, what is it to be devoted to God? And what is” the vision”? My response to this text is somewhat different now to what it would have been years back when I first read the book,  and I am going to digress! 

It is unhelpful to “abstract” God… putting our Creator God into a concept we have, which is always a limited image/ idea. But it’s a necessary evil, for our very limited capacities render reductions very necessary! Our minds would be blown without them! Our “vision” (even our best one) is essentially impaired and vastly coloured by our life experiences; particularly by our parents or significant others, and how life has been for us.  Love is the best word I can find to label the divine, but even as a contemplative Christian, I find “Love” can be vague, and maybe even impersonal.  For me, this is why Christ, God incarnate, is so important.  Because though God is, in one very definitive sense, expressed in bodily form, at the same time He/She is also retaining total mystery, and expansiveness. So maybe for me, “the vision” I embrace… Is in how I perceive the person of Christ to be… And this serves in some way as a corrective lens??? I’m thinking on this! 

As well as Christ incarnate, there is also a wider dimension to Christ in the cosmos, sometimes referred to as the “Cosmic Christ”. Richard Rohr gave this presence a name. For him, the Cosmic Christ is the spirit that is embedded in—and makes up—everything in the universe, and Jesus is the embodied version of that spirit that we can fall in love with and relate to. For more reading on this go here:

The Cosmic Christ

I’m not a theologian…Far from it; I am pretty ignorant and the scope of the area is indeed vast and far beyond me.  But Christ has, and is, key for me in the way I think about and express my love of divine love, compassion and life purpose. This is the meaningfulness which continues to bring grace into my heart. 

I was reading recently about some baptism wording…It was something like “I join the side of Christ” and I think it was maybe a battle kind of analogy, in the sense of a person being on the “good” side rather than the other.  However it struck me that for me, to be on the side of Christ speaks of different things.  

For “the side”, for me, speaks more of Christ’s body, and the suffering, vulnerability, pain, etc that that was part of Christ’s life.  It is part of my life.  That my Creator might meet me in that, is worth everything to me.  It transforms my experience of life.  It means that God is both all powerful and all vulnerable.  It means that my  Creator is with me in ALL of my life experiences, if I want to allow my  Creator to meet me in those experiences. It means a depth in faith, which comes through allowing my Creator to touch my life, deeply, to the core.  And that no pain or suffering is not understood by my Creator.  It is compassion manifest.  It is involvement by the Creator of the world IN the world, without limit.  Actually, and Potentially.  Potentially is very important, of course.  As is inspiration and vision.  Our eyes need constant opening. Our minds too. Humility. Awe. All of those things.

“Vision of God” is something to constantly seek.  To have eyes which are open.  To have ears that listen well.  There is much to be seen and found in many different faith traditions.  We will tend towards one or the other, for a variety of reasons.  What is a great loss, I think, is to close up ourselves to the insights, wisdoms, revelations and understandings which come to us in many ways just because it is not “our” religion or “our” faith tradition.

Love, and Godde* (as Love manifest), is going to seep though into our hearts and lives as much as we let it happen.  Life is very complex, very deep, and often very confusing and conflicting.  It it natural to seek for clarity and this is not a bad thing.  However it can be unhelpful to make divisions where unity exists.  Differences are fine.  They are good.  Different views and thoughts, ideas and beliefs are part of what makes life interesting and beautiful. Whatever our faith tradition, we have so many overlapping areas.  If we want conversation, communion, love and understanding, then we will respect each other in our different perspectives and recognise that God is present in our lives in many marvellous and mysterious ways, which are far beyond our comprehension.

(*PS, had to slip this in; this term suggests the middle ground between “God” and “Goddess,” combining a feminine-type ending with the traditionally masculine-type word, yet transcending both by pointing beyond itself to a divine reality that we can grasp only by metaphor. I really like it!  God is gender free but still, I find this productive for my own thinking! I think I might get in the habit of using it! )

Open Water Swimming Art

I’ve got lots of beautiful open water swimming themed art and design on my redbubble artist profile… Take a look!  When you buy a product on redbubble with my design on a get an artists margin which helps support my creativity. 

https://www.redbubble.com/people/jennyjimjams/shop?artistUserName=jennyjimjams&asc=u&collections=1887235&iaCode=all-departments&sortOrder=relevant

Nisargadatta Maharaj quote on wisdom and love image ©jenny meehan

Jenny Meehan Poem: Myrrh Bears 

Myrrh Bears

“Tie yourself to the Tamarack Tree.”
The myrrh bears whisper.
Soft,
as black breezes echo,
disguising mysterious literacy.

Though
only yips and yelps now fire
rapid rustlings,
through spiny, knobbled, spurs.

The light toys, wistful, within the dark ended day.

I’m spotted
by a sable, shadowed, mover
at precisely the point he fixes on me;
his moon-like eyes, defying night.

He wears a shrouded mystery.

“Tie yourself to the Tamarack tree.”
Those echoes of vanillin sweetness;
aroma of a haunting, yet hunted, memory.

The resinous beast wears ebon furred skin,
transfers his weight, on branches of reddish-grey.
Held, in his spiny madness, he startles
the cavernous nest of trees.

I delve through bitter, scented places of ululating fear,
press my hands through fingered roots,
in mossy thoughts,
draw near;

within the ceaseless distant barks,
the cuts and bleeds cry
clearer.

I lick from gummy sap, a kiss
to which my flesh
adheres.

“Dark dynasties, despair, for I defeat you.
Take needled skies, heave heaven’s hopes within.”
The myrrh bears in their frenzied spirit, shake the trees
to hear the heartwood of a mortal being’s song.

Jenny Meehan 2009( Written for one of the rounds of the Literary Mary Competition).

Here are my current thoughts on this poem, written 14 years ago!!!!  It is a strange poem, this one, but I like it. I think a simple reading of it would be its an invitation for myself to allow myself to move into areas of my mind and emotions that I have blocked myself away from, which is a fear inducing exploration, however there’s a strong sense of redemption and the divine present too. The tamarack tree is wooden… Maybe symbolism of the crucifixion/(a union with Christ?)

It’s my union within the sufferings of Christ which bring forward a kind of victorious point in the poem. There’s a search for redemption, yet some considerable ambiguity in the poem in many respects, which I like a lot.  It’s a poem I wrote before starting psychotherapy, yet it points quite firmly in that direction I feel. There’s certainly a strong pull to the need to articulate myself and get to the core/ expression, ie  “heartwood of a mortal being’s song” which I can relate to for myself, yet also relating to the triumph over death of the fully mortal and yet fully divine Christ.

Myrrh Bears Spoken Word Video 

My Graduation 

This is my graduation photograph taken in 1994.  I studied at Kingston University as a mature student  on a combined honours degree course (History and Literature), and with the final year focused on Literature alone, I achieved a BA Hons in Literature.  I went to my graduation alone. My mother, who experienced chronic mental disorder (schizophrenia) over the majority of her adult life, (which  impacted her capacity to be present in several respects) did not feel able to attend.  My father died five years earlier.

And so I went to this ceremony without any family member. I didn’t feel able to ask a friend to come instead, as it seemed to be an event which was all about adult children and their families and relatives, rather than friends.  In retrospect, it was a bit of a mistake to think this; a friend would have been fine and better, because going alone, and having no one there felt  deeply embarrassing, humiliating and sad. But I really wanted to go, and at that time I thought it was the only way! 

To go to one’s own graduation alone is not a good thing to do, at least not when it reminds you of other times when your parents were missing from your life.

But I know I’m not the only one.

And so this is this is shared  for those of us who have lost, due to many reasons, the family support and encouragement that we wanted and needed, and whose families were not able to celebrate their successes for whatever reasons.

What I achieved is something that I can be proud of, and the fact  I was alone when I stood there to receive it, in spite of being in a crowded hall, doesn’t make it any less worthwhile.I hope this is of some comfort for anyone reading this who can relate it to a part of their own life story.

It still makes me sad, because I know how deep it cut, and my happy smile was genuine, but doesn’t show the whole picture. I’d also add that, due to psychotherapy, my faith tradition, and the love of many wonderful people in my life, I now know what it is to be supported, and I have many people who can stand with me.  I know how to seek the support I need when I need it. To be honest, this is probably more of an achievement for me than the degree I obtained, and for anyone struggling with their mental health right now, it might, I hope, be a helpful thing to read.

Jenny Meehan Redbubble Art Prints 

I regularly upload selected artwork to my two Redbubble artist profiles.  Here are some examples below.  Take a look!  You can buy my art printed on many different substrates and products.  I like my work to be enjoyed and accessible, and using Redbubble achieves those objectives. 

https://www.redbubble.com/people/jennyjimjams/shop#profile

Redbubble Artist Jenny Meehan AKA jennyjimjams

Redbubble provide worldwide delivery, and your purchase helps support my creative work in all areas, writing, painting, and explorative experimental artworking and research.

You can shop at a safe, well known online marketplace for beautiful abstract art and home decor, including homeware, fashion, stationery, masks,, wall art and many other great interior design accessories.

All very useful if you are restyling parts of your home, have moved into a new home or office and need to decorate it, or want to purchase an original, unique gift for someone for a special occasion.

https://www.redbubble.com/people/jennyjimjams/shop#profile

Putting selected work on redbubble is an example of how I make my work more accessible, as my “fine art” and original pieces are out of budget for many people.

Redbubble are a “print on demand” site which I upload selected artworks up onto, meaning the products and prints can be manufactured by Redbubble and orders fulfilled directly by them.

There are thousands of artists on there, so it can be tricky to locate my specific art prints unless you have a link or the full artwork title.

So if you want to order anything with my art and design on, and are having difficulty locating it on redbubble, please do contact me directly via my blog with a screenshot of what you have seen and want and I will locate it for you and send you the link.

Putting the full title in Google within speech marks also usually brings the specific artwork up, particularly if you add AND Jenny Meehan to it.

Postage costs at Redbubble basically get higher if you order many different types of products because they are shipped from different manufacturing points, some of which are in different countries. It might be worth considering this when you order, as some products will be cheaper to post than others depending on where they are being printed.

Building Bridges

I like to include past artwork as well as present in my art journal. Here is a piece I still have which went down well and looked very good in its context at the time, being shown in the Engine Rooms Gallery of Tower Bridge which I feel was perfect for it.

building bridges the female perspective art exhibition tower bridge engine rooms jenny meehan

Jenny Meehan – About this work:

Drawn Together by Jenny Meehan

“This artwork expresses some of my female emotional experience: the emotion of two
parts of my sense of self being pulled together. A feeling of balance and unity, which holds, even when the two sides are different in some respects. The suspended purple and yellow contrasting colours create stasis and tension. Yet, there is also a mirroring of the same essential structure in my composition, drawn together in a pivotal centre, which may suggest movement.

This piece resonates in relation to the Tower Bridge; an engineering achievement involving among other things, precision, balance, and design. Creative energy, both within and without, in both engineering and art. ”

Exhibition Information:

Southwark Arts Forum, Tower Bridge “Art at the Bridge” #7 “Building Bridges, the Female Perspective” in celebration of International Womens’s Day,

“Drawn Together” by Jenny Meehan.
Drawn Together (Artist’s own signed print) was exhibited at the Tower Bridge Victorian Engine Rooms in 2016. © Jenny Meehan

The work is available as open edition unsigned prints on the “print on demand site” Redbubble

How “Drawn Together” appears on my jennyjimjams.redbubble.com artist profile

I like my work to be available to a wide range of people, with all budgets.

https://www.redbubble.com/people/jennyjimjams/works/20377969-drawn-together-building-bridges-the-female-perspective-design-by-jenny-meehan?asc=u

West Dean Estate by Jenny Meehan

Above is one of my paintings carried out at West Dean College. It’s of the view from the front of West Dean College. ©Jenny Meehan

Design and Artists Copyright Society

DACS info for those wanting to license images

Do you need a licence to use one of my images?

Yes!

I’m a member of the Design and Artists Copyright Society, (DACS) and my digital images are licensable via DACS.

Please contact me in the first instance with your enquiry. I’m flexible about fees, which are based on the industry standard, but negotiable. NOTE :All fees cited by the Design and Artists Copyright Society are proposed; not set in stone; and depending on circumstances, budgets, the nature of your project etc I can be flexible.

To get an idea of the industry standard fees for an image licence take a look at the Design and Artists Copyright Society Information page.

You can simply fill out an image licence request via the Design and Artists Copyright Society form here too if preferred:

https://www.dacs.org.uk/licensing-works

The Design and Artists Copyright Society is an informative website and a good introduction to the process of licensing an art image for anyone seeking an image to use who is not familiar with the process, what information is needed, etc.

I am also happy to help you personally though as well, and have an extremely large archive of digital art images so do feel free to contact me directly and give me an idea of your project, intended use, and requirements.

Remember..

DACS will automatically propose a licensing fee in line with the industry standard.  However, please note, this is a negotiable fee. I am happy to be flexible about the initial fee proposed, and it’s not a problem if the initially proposed fee is outside your budget. 

It works like this…

Administration of the licensing process is facilitated through the Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS), who liaise between us with respect to the exact fee agreed. Depending on circumstances and the nature of your project, I can usually offer fee reductions for a certain percentage of licensing arrangements.

If you decide you want to use their online form, then you need to attach the low resolution image of my artwork which you have found on the internet, they will know which image you seek permission for.

As I’ve said, you can also contact me informally,  in the first instance if you wish to, of course.  Any formal  arrangements will need to be made through the Designer and Artists’ Copyright Society, but I can often offer the opportunity to alter images, for example, putting in different aspect ratios or colourways, so it’s really helpful to communicate with designers and clients first with respect to the actual image required.

So, feel free to contact me. I will also be able to let you know the maximum size the digital image is available at. If you then wish to licence the artwork image, you would then contact the Design and Artist Copyright Society to arrange the licencing agreement according to your requirements. Once paid and agreed, I then supply the high resolution image directly to you.