Coloring Project

BACKGROUND OF TITLE

The title of the project is: “In a True Democracy the Many are Obligated to the Few” or the “Coloring Project” for short.

A democracy implies a system for choosing and replacing, and the active participation of people. I’m playing with this idea and the idea of the contemporary art system, which is by no stretch of the imagination a democracy. What if it could be? The contemporary artists listed start from Van Gogh and reach to present day artists such as Guy Ben-Ner and Ann Hamilton. I’ve then drawn lines over the course of several years, based on the information I learn through research and reading. The lines don’t always correspond to thematic connections, they could be drawn because they dated, they dressed windows together to make a living, or they are mothers. While contemporary theorists would balk at my exercise, I truly find art historical texts and essays to be full of opinion and fiction – a sliver of reality framed in the most aesthetic light. So I thought I would try the same.

“The book acts as an art history lesson in lines and a delightful springboard for further inquiry.”

BACKGROUND OF COLORING BOOK

This project started in 2007 after I wrote my very first guide to contemporary art – one that was intended to bring light and levity to an otherwise daunting, theory-ridden proposition. Mind you it was not meant to parody, but rather a work of consequence – I don’t take lightly the importance and power of art and its lineage.

When it came time to approach publishers and gather permissions for the use of imagery, the work took a sad shift south. The cost and privilege of having original works documented in a book or catalog are exorbitant, not to mention an application process that requires one to prove scholarly-ness, PhD-ness or institution-ness. None of which are part of my vocabulary, nor shall they be, when discussing the most vital and basic need of art in our lives.

I promptly put the project on hold and stewed. On a residency the stewing started as tracing the 151 images I had collected for reference. While tracing I considered where I could fit amongst all of this business. What was my position and contribution as an artist? How could I use my art to help me understand life a little better and help others too? What is my relationship to the larger dialog of contemporary art? So the tracings became meditations and quiet questions.

Over a period of five years I soaked in the tracings and made peace with doubts and questions I had surrounding these thinkers and makers. The results are a skeleton of the exercise, and one that I felt needed to be shared. Could I use these to illustrate my original manuscript? Likely not. Then I thought about the play of coloring, the idea of inside and outside the lines, what is missing and what is chosen. And of course levity and humor are always gateways to opening our minds. And thus the coloring book in your hands was born.

These tracings are merely quotations – homages to some of the most powerful minds in contemporary art. They are not copies, they are tracings and a way for me to bear witness, a way to attempt a lineage, see what feels best, and see what essence feels closest to home.

I hope that the images and invitation to color create a springboard to learn more about the works cited, the artists and the ideas from which they were derived, or simply a way for one to meditate on the life, work and challenges of visual artists in the 20th and 21st centuries.

In no instances have I claimed the work as my own, all works are titled after the maker, I only claim the work to be an homage and a thank you. I’m sending this out into the world with the hope that artists known and unknown can be reminded of their incredible contributions, can make connections to one another, and can use the white space to feel included in the dialog.

Peace and love, and thank you for coloring.

Catherine Haley Epstein, October 2013

EXHIBITIONS TO DATE

Over 50 artists from throughout the US, London and Japan have participated to date in three shows, where I’ve printed the coloring page poster size and had them intervene. All proceeds of the exhibitions have gone to support arts programming in elementary and high schools.

2015  “On Coloring | An Exhibition on Contemporary Art History and Coloring I”,  Rolling River Distillery, Portland, OR
2016  “On Coloring | An Exhibition on Contemporary Art History and Coloring II”, a fundraiser for arts in education, Pushdot Studios, Portland, OR
2017  “On Coloring | An Exhibition on Contemporary Art History and Coloring III”, a fundraiser for arts in education, Luke’s Frame Shop, Portland, OR

WHERE YOU CAN BUY IT

From this web site, or now available on Amazon!

I’ve been working on this labor of love over the past five years, and it’s finally finished. Sort of. You need to color it though, and send me your images;-) A great gift idea for yourself, or any ravenous or reticent contemporary art lover. Please send me your colored images (jpg is fine). I am creating a gallery of these beautiful images. Thanks! Here’s the description from Amazon:

“AN HOMAGE IN THE FORM OF A COLORING BOOK, A “TRUE DEMOCRACY” IS MEANT FOR ARTISTS AND NON-ARTISTS ALIKE. OVER 150 COLORING PAGES, ALL AFTER MAJOR THINKERS AND MAKERS OF CONTEMPORARY ART OVER THE PAST 150 YEARS. THE BOOK ACTS AS AN ART HISTORY LESSON IN LINES AND A DELIGHTFUL SPRINGBOARD FOR FURTHER INQUIRY. THERE ARE DIRECTIONS IN THE BOOK ABOUT SENDING COLORED IMAGES TO THE ARTIST FOR DOCUMENTATION OF THIS COLORING PROJECT. WHILE THIS IS A COLORING BOOK AND A GREAT GIFT ITEM, THERE ARE A FEW IMAGES PARENTS MAY WANT TO REVIEW BEFORE HANDING IT OVER TO YOUR BUDDING PICASSO.”

Review of Coloring Book:

5 Stars –  “If anyone of any age is interested in connecting graphics and colors with intellectual ideas, this is a thought-provoking and entertaining way to dive in.  Have fun!” – Chuck Rose