Check-in with Jim Dine

As a bonus to the 2011 North American Print Biennial,  Framingham State University hosted a dialogue with renown artist Jim Dine and MFA curator Clifford Ackley.  It was an opportunity I couldn't resist so I rounded up a co-pilot (artist Kim Wysocki, who didn't hesitate even a second upon my impromptu invitation) and headed up the Mass. pike.  We snagged two seats in the 5th row and enjoyed the wave of Dine's honest and humorous outlook on his own art making process.

Some quotable phrases that impressed us (captured as best as I could):
"To be a painter is a lonely life.  Printmaking is collaborative, I use printmakers as trained artists, they enrich my life."

"I'd be nothing without drawing.  It took a long time to harness hand and heart, to get it to do what I wanted it to do. Drawing from the model taught me to look harder, to focus and concentrate."

"Pinocchio became a receptacle for the emotions one has about making art - the voyage he's on is about being human.  Much like an artist trying to bring things to life."  "I started out feeling like Pinocchio and ended up as Giepetto."

Ackley (L) and Dine (R) in dialogue with Dine's images in background.

We  furthered our "art adventure" by attending the opening for the Print Biennial at the nearby Danforth Museum. We were delighted to meet the museum's Executive Director Katherine French and author  Lois Tarlow, who recently wrote an inspiring article on French in this month's edition of Art New England, check it out.  The Print Biennial is through May 1, 2011, and well worth the trip.  http://www.danforthmuseum.org/