Kireilyn Barber were always taking us around Los Angeles and California, to events, museums, historical places, so that we could have experiences. We also were always given books to look at and read so that created a great foundation. I trained as a teenager with the intent to be a dancer: classical ballet. This took a great deal of energy, time and dedication. In my early 20s I had to be realistic about supporting myself for the future but I felt very lost: adrift and empty. I had a friend who was studying graphic design at the time who inspired me to take some foundation art classes in preparation; these experiences completely renewed and reinvigorated me with new goals and directions. Even though dance and design did not become my method for making a living or finding self-expression, they have definitely impacted my studio art practice in a way that I am now recognizing with more clarity. My University education was important for introducing me to great overviews of art history and critical theory, as well as for meeting many people. Everything becomes a ring on the tree in formulating how we perceive and think, respond and react. Because I was goal-oriented and trying to be conscientious and plan well, I don't think any previous activity was a waste of time. To address your question specifically, I can agree that some methods of formal training can be stifling or limiting. It can be challenging for person to detect this or to even respond to it actively at the moment. Perhaps it helps to be a resilient and/or self-aware individual: you can analyze and move beyond setbacks and limitations by seeking resources and alternatives. Before starting to elaborate about your production, would you like to tell to our readers something about your process and set up for making your artworks? In particular, what technical aspects do you mainly focus on your work? And how much preparation and time do you put in before and during the process of creating a piece?
As you can see from how I've organized my website, my interests that I want to investigate visually concern space, light and time; coincidentally, these are also elements that are essential to dancers. All of my creative work starts with a sequence of seeing, feeling and thinking. Because I appreciate observing things Kireilyn Barber 89