One Time in Art Camp

Aug 26

I was honored to be able to join “Art Camp for Comrades,” a week of facilitated activities with a brilliant cohort of 10 talented artists from across the country. Jason Wyman organized this week of making fast art and creating community over zoom. I drew sketchnotes during the sessions, then copied and collaged those notes into this painting as I reflected on the experience.

Jason is an expert at building people into community. They orchestrated our zoom meeting with regularly timed break out rooms that allowed us to quickly develop creative relationships with our fellow artists. Jason’s art is this fantastic facilitation method and their ability to craft concise instructions that quickly guide us through making art using completely new forms and materials. We were able to move right past skill-building into the artistic flow zone together.

This art practice is separate from Jason’s practice as a designer. They also just launched an online store with their partner, John O'Reilly. Scroll down to see some of the T-shirts available on Queerly Complex.

Reflections on Art Campacrylic and mixed media collage on canvas, 10” x 18”, 2021I cut up my sketchnotes (below) and collaged them together onto canvas as I thought about what I learned and experienced at Art Camp for Comrades.alt text: a colorful scribbly painting that includes text, “ART CAMP” “Who/how” near a sea turtle. “Breath” “COME OUT strongly prepared to frailly grow.” A picture of Jason’s face and hands near the words “Using your brain in ways you aren’t used to.” A black and white flower with a pointing hand as one of the petals, “Ease” A candle. “fast ART” A seed. As cat with the words, “warmth and beauty of that candle.” “embrace light. cast shadows” “inside the fragile truth of pain” “self-reflective” “BEST SELF.” — **Reflections on Art Camp**
*acrylic and mixed media collage on canvas, 10” x 18”, 2021*
I cut up my sketchnotes (below) and collaged them together onto canvas as I thought about what I learned and experienced at Art Camp for Comrades.
alt text: a colorful scribbly painting that includes text, “ART CAMP” “Who/how” near a sea turtle. “Breath” “COME OUT strongly prepared to frailly grow.” A picture of Jason’s face and hands near the words “Using your brain in ways you aren’t used to.” A black and white flower with a pointing hand as one of the petals, “Ease” A candle. “fast ART” A seed. As cat with the words, “warmth and beauty of that candle.” “embrace light. cast shadows” “inside the fragile truth of pain” “self-reflective” “BEST SELF.”

Art Camp for Comrades Day 1mixed media sketchnotes on paper, 8."5” x 11”, 2021 — **Art Camp for Comrades Day 1**
*mixed media sketchnotes on paper, 8."5” x 11”, 2021*

Art Camp for Comrades Come Outmixed media sketchnotes on paper, 8."5” x 11”, 2021 — **Art Camp for Comrades Come Out**
*mixed media sketchnotes on paper, 8."5” x 11”, 2021*

Art Camp for Comrades Breathmixed media sketchnotes on paper, 8."5” x 11”, 2021 — **Art Camp for Comrades Breath**
*mixed media sketchnotes on paper, 8."5” x 11”, 2021*

Art Camp for Comrades Embrace Light and Cast Shadowsmixed media sketchnotes on paper, 8."5” x 11”, 2021 — **Art Camp for Comrades Embrace Light and Cast Shadows**
*mixed media sketchnotes on paper, 8."5” x 11”, 2021*

Jason also just launched Queerly Complex, an online store featuring their own challenges to normalcy and capitalism. You’ll need to browse through all the collections yourself to see the genius.