Saturday, August 8, 2009
Searching for title
I'm back in the city for several days to get my work ready to ship to Ottawa. I spent yesterday brainstorming titles and I actually came up with some great ones. There are still several that are nagging at me. The image below was created in response to an event that occurred while staying at Birr Castle Demesne. Right now Tangled, Uprooted, Connections, & Family Tree are the top contenders. Any input will be appreciated.
Something evoking the "previous owners" (in Lord Rosse's terms) of the grounds might work. The grounds of what is now Birr Castle and its demesne were the hq of the Ely O'Carroll clan before the late 1500s and the imposition of the English shire system on Ireland. (Lord Rosse calls the grand, ancient oak in the meadow the "Carroll Oak" in their honour, since it was probably a sapling when the O'Carrolls last held sway in the demesne.)
ReplyDeleteThe younger vines reaching up and enveloping the older trunk, and the backstory of the fall of the old tree, seem to call for an evocation of the ancient and its continuing presence, don't you think?
I'm not an artist, so I wouldn't know exactly how to do that, but something including the name "O'Carroll" would fit well with the image, I think.
Even if not, it's a great image, Margaret. Thanks for sharing it.
Thanks for the thoughts Sherwood. I agree with your line of thinking. All my other titles have one word in them . I tried to come up with "open" works that allude to layers of meaning. All the work is based in fact and has layers of symbolism too.
ReplyDeleteNow what's the word for "the evocation of the ancient and its continuing presence"? The old memory is chugging along! I also thinking about helping the viewer a bit because some people are confused by the vertical blue strip.You also never want to make the titles too specific. The viewer needs some space for personal reading. I think titles are more difficult than painting.
I see you have come up with the same sort of process I do when I am starting a new series. I start brainstorming words--- anything that pops into my thinking. Some of them end up as titles.
ReplyDeleteI am the world's worse when it comes to names. I am just not that deep. But I love this.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteBefore I read the background, and just viewing the work I thought:
"Entangled"
And I like it very much.
Enjoyed your blog!
Babs I like entangled. Tomorrow is decision day as I am putting on the wires and adding the final coat of paint to the sides. We'll see how my mood is tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your show, Margaret! And I love the painting.
ReplyDeleteI keep a list of free-association words in a file on the computer that I refer to when I need a jumpstart for titles. And even then, sometimes they elude me and I end up with something rather boring.
i will curious the title you come up with. its a very complicated looking painting? is that photo too? makes me feel like i've been told a fantastic story just looking at it. congrats and good luck with your show!
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