Do Titles Matter

Waiting for a Title from Port in a Storm series

Recently at my Helix opening of Ephemeral; Here and Gone I spoke with a collector about whether titles mattered to her. She said that titles matter a lot to her. In fact, they can make or break a purchase.

I get it. Imagine walking up to a painting or any work of art, feeling a strong response to its color palette and composition, stepping back to take it in, imagining it in your bed, living room, etc, and then taking a look at the title and discovering it's an interpretation of a trip to somewhere you've never been or would ever want to go, or that it carries a disturbing sentiment, or that it's the title of a song that brings back difficult memories. (I have a few of those, don't get me started, just please don't ever play YMCA by the Village People at a dance party when I'm present). More on that another time, maybe!

Anyway, do I consider that when I'm naming my paintings? Is it manipulative and lacking in honesty to only choose neutral sounding titles? Would it make more sense to number instead of naming artwork?

All good stuff to consider, but the fact is for me, titles do matter in what I'm doing when I present my work. Clearly I want to cultivate relationships otherwise I wouldn't bother showing, selling and gifting my art. The title is just another dimension of the work as far as I'm concerned. Maybe I could go so far even to say that a title is another element of composition, along side line, shape, color, value, pattern.

So why would I ask you and my art followers to contribute names to my paintings if I believe they need to be an authentic element of my work?

I ask you to help name my paintings for 4 reasons:

1. To cultivate relationship and connection.

2. To encourage your creativity because I know how important creative expression is for health and wellbeing.

3. To open and expand my own awareness to other ways of seeing and perceiving.

4. In this instance, so that I have an excuse to gift you with a signed, limited edition print and this helps me to know who really wants one. Sometimes gifting is tricky because you don't know who wants what. It can feel presumptuous to assume someone wants my work. Asking you to name a piece that speaks to you does away with that issue.

Please also note that while it's your title, I will only choose the ones that align with what I feel about the work. So in essence, we are collaborating and finding a mutually shared experience. The titles I don't pick aren't bad titles, they just don't fit with my ethos around the piece.

So if that helps you step into the ring and share some names, I'd love you to give it a whirl. Even if I don't use yours, you’re still pausing to consider what my work speaks to you and that means so much to me.

See the series here Port in a Storm

And see the originals at the Little Spokane River Artists Studio Tour on September 27th. I will be set up at Maggie Anderson’s Home and Studio.

Be well,

Leela