In my work, I often combine rendering modes. And so naturally I began to wonder how it would be to combine rendering modes between two artists in the same work.
I asked grad school colleague, Jodi Lightner, if she'd consider working in collaboration with me. I sensed that our different styles and preferred subject matters could complement each other with contemporary results. She took me up on the idea instantly, even though we were separated by 900 miles.
Here's a quick look at our collaborative process. (Click left image to toggle through to a larger view of each stage.)
First, we decided on the theme Reinventing Self, based on the common experience of reshaping our lives after grad school. Then, we agreed on the rules: flexibility, autonomy, and trust. We responded creatively to the other's work over the distance of three states. We'd each start a work solo, ship it off with a brief explanation of our intention, then allow the other person to contribute without further discussion, unless requested.
We played to our individual strengths: Jodi created the environments, I painted the figures. We each started six of the twelve works. Starting a work gave the lead artist opportunity to concept the direction and title the work. Continuing a piece challenged the second artist to further that concept, which often resulted in expanding the intended meaning in new ways.
Reinventing Self, a collaboration of 12 works by Amber Stene and Jodi Lightner will be showing at Weinberger Fine Art in Kansas City, Missouri, from December 5, 2014 through January 15, 2015.