Need help & ideas for Artist Talk

[Ricc Havens]

Recently I entered the 44th annual Juried Regional Art Exhibition at the Midwest Museum of American Art in northern Indiana. This art exhibition accepts entries from over 20 Indiana & Lower Michigan counties. Both pieces I entered got accepted and won awards.

The museum Director found out I was legally blind and was impressed with the turnings I produce. He has asked me to do an presentation as part of their weekly noon-time Artist Talks. I'm scheduled to present on December 22nd. This talk is to include some artist background (which I think I can handle) and also about the history, processes, etc involved in the art of turning. This artist talk will be about 30-40min with time for Q & A afterwards. Format is powerpoint and talking.

Anyone ever do something similar and willing to share some of their presentation that I can adapt and modify? Or, suggestions on what to include or not include? Or info on the history of turning that can be easily and briefly presented within a few powerpoint slides? I need to plan some sort of outline so I can start roughing out the powerpoint presentation.

By the way, here are the two pieces that are in the Exhibition until Christmas. The tall enclode vessel is monkeypod wood with a finial of black sea fan coral. The shorter hollow form is Indian Rosewood

 

[hockenbery]

Congratulations….
When I have done similar talks I have shown pictures of my work that shows the progression and changes over time.
A slide of the process with chips flying. Might include a 5 second video clip today.

Like you’ve planned I do a brief bio. Academic training, working for DoD, Getting my first lathe.
If appropriate invite questions
Then move to the turning I start with some early pieces and then
first one to get juried into a show,
first to get published…..
Unique forms I have created…

In going through the progression I mention the influences of where the ideas came from
Visiting the Heard museum in Phoenix the anisazi pottery led to the southwest forms
Talking with David Springette led to the ball in a ball

Our shop looks out on a cattle ranch so I often end with a picture the bull that used to hang out there when he wasn’t working.

 

[Donna Banfield]

If you belong to the AAW, you can access the videos of the WIT Presents series. The Women in Turning (WIT) has created artist talks over the last few years; I did one in 2020 about the evolution of my Soul Series body of work. There are talks by Andi Wolfe, Betty Scarpino, Sally Burnett, Barbara Dill, Tania Radda, Joey Richardson, Dixie Biggs and many more. They are all different and may help you form your own outline for your artist talk. From the AAW page, go to Communities, Specialty Programs, WIT Home Page, WIT Presents Archives.

 

[John Tisdale]

Your's is an intriguing request - here's a thought that may be worth what you're paying for it:
I will argue that WOODTURNING and PHOTOGRAPHY are first cousins - both present a reality and a beauty that were already there - both turner and photographer seek-out their subject, apply unique skills and allow us all an appreciation of nature previously unseen. Who would guess what was lurking under the bark of your willow log.
Of course the analogy collapses due to the turning "is" a chunk of nature and is "one-off".

Would love to see the ppt you present.

 

[Monty Ivy]

I've had the occasion to speak publicly for one purpose or another several times over the years. I don't seek these "opportunities" out because I don't really like it but sometimes duty requires it. I've always relied on the four rules of public speaking to help me accomplish this and it's worked out pretty well.

The four rules of public speaking:

1. Stand up
   1. Make eye contact with your audience
   2. Dress for the occasion
   3. Appear confident even if your knees are shaking
   4. Don't bury your head in your notes. Let them see your face.
2. Speak up
   1. Don't tell a joke to "break the ice"
   2. Write your speech ahead of time
   3. Write your speech for the specific audience
   4. Speak in a loud and clear voice
   5. Avoid umms, urrs, and figures of speech
   6. Enunciate your words
   7. Be concise and stay on track. Don't wander off topic
   8. Practice your speech on a friend to prepare
3. Shut up
   1. When you get through your notes stop talking
   2. Limit the amount of time you will take Q&A if any
4. Sit down
   1. When you are done you are done
   2. Make yourself scarce.

The last time I had to do this was to deliver my father's eulogy many years ago. There were around 250 people in the auditorium at the church. Many came forward to shake my hand and thank me afterwords. These days it certainly seems like some folks get easily offended. Keep that in mind while preparing your remarks. I wish you the best of luck with this endeavor

 

[Ricc Havens]

THANKS- Al, Donna, John, and Monty. Lots of great advice and ideas!

Anyone else have any input?

 

[Mark Jundanian]

My thoughts? The know your audience thing is key. If your audience is the general public or other artists who are not woodturners, then I would spend some time talking about what a lathe is and how tools are held stationary while the work is spun into the tool to form the wood. A video would be worth a couple of minutes, if you can do that. But for that audience I wouldn't spend much time on when you got what lathe or even how you got into turning. Talk about where your ideas come from and what you have to do to bring them into being, particularly with your visual impairment. That also gives you the opportunity to show more of your work.