Carl Heyward: Artists’ Collaboration Process

Primary to any understanding of the approach that GAP ( global arts project) has undertaken in its collaborative art practice is the principle of trust; trust in one’s fellow artists; trust in the process and trust in self. Without these essential elements nothing can be created; there is no GAP. Add openness, willingness, a spirit of adventure and a love for experimentation with an equal amount of non-attachment to the results and you have the intellectual basis of our collaborative ambitions.

This piece with three figures is actually a collaboration between myself, Heather Wilcoxon and Marianne Kolb… it came out of our interaction in a recent rhythm / PRESENCE workshop Heather and I conduct at Arts Benicia. As I recall, in the course of a six hour session, this wailing wall item metamorphosed from an exercise in automatic marks, to being layered several times in colors and gestures that were “warm ups” for smaller works on paper by myself and the other participants. Marianne, whose forte is the human figure, probably began her definitive three figure drawings over an abstract background, which changed drastically as I, then Heather, more or less “claimed” one of the figures standing against the background of the wailing wall’s colored covered surface and what emerged were individual entities with personalities that reflected our individual tastes and efforts.

Out of nascent projects beginning in 2011 -12 that involved an exchange of art and non-traditional materials using the postal service as a delivery system — (canvasses, paper fragments ( frags), fabric and found objects – the group morphed into face-to-face workshops. In Venice, Italy in 2014, GAP’s initial core group of five international artists ( USA, JAPAN, KOREA, AUSTRALIA and ISRAEL), were winnowed down from more than 500 participants in previous projects; painters, mixed-media artists, fiber artists. Living together in a 15th Century Palazzo, the core group exhibited solo works initially, then conducted well attended workshops for a month.

A level of harmony completely unexpected coupled with a naturalness of communication despite language and cultural challenges that informed our collaborative works, albeit tentative at first, blossomed into some of the pieces exhibited presently at ROOM ART GALLERY. The group has evolved through our continuous practice in Mexico, Italy and the US during the past two years. Collaboration is a learning process: Non-attachment to materials or outcomes, freedom of expression, no censorship no ownership no direction no masterpieces no / MIND : not too much analysis, being in the moment of creation and sharing that moment;  exchange of technical information;  experimentation in modes of working with unfamiliar materials; generosity of spirit.

No list or highly articulated detailed description can replace the value of the direct experience of this collaborative process. It is akin to a musical improvisation engaged in high-energy, rapid movements; of an insect colony seemingly of one mind persuaded to follow as one body through a silent, intuitive, almost telepathic dance; a high-tension tight rope walk over the treacherous heights of ego and control exhausting both. The resulting outcomes could not exist without this exchange of openness and exploration.

Carl Heyward, founder of GAP