Almost all of my practice begins with fairly similar approaches to individual projects- trying to learn something new, often about something which was once valuable, but ceases to be so. However, what truly defines my practice, is practice itself. For me practice is repeated exercises with the aim of acquisition of skill and knowledge. This practice facilitates a relationship. Life moves on as I practice; I wake up, I read, I go for walks, I talk to other people, enjoy nice meals, and go to bed. But I know these objects of attention cannot be neglected, and so I find a way to incorporate them into my life, to guarantee practice. They affect the way I write grocery lists, the way I listen to the radio. I cannot help but think of the questions I wish to ask them, the questions I will practice asking in many ways until we have reached an understanding. Notably, the practice always terminates before I have gained complete understanding, as all relationships become dull when we have apprehended the other. This ensures there is always the potential for future practice, when I have matured, and can again bring something new to the relationship.
– 2016
Revisiting this artist statement 5 years later, I’m struck by the ways that I actually have matured. I abandoned my artistic practice as a profession during that time, but I continued to practice in spurts. During this time I realized ideas that I had sat on for years, had one stolen, and realized that I made better things when I wasn’t so focused on producing work and showing it off all the time. I also realized there were a lot of things that weren’t worth me saying or taking up space for. I’ve became more political. More emboldened, with the security of a good job outside of the arts. I’m also not so serious.
I began practicing book binding, knitting, and carpentry. I developed coding skills, as part of my ongoing practice thinking in patterns. I’m still trying to develop skills and relationships.
Now I might add that I work with the familiar – mainly paper and textiles – to produce work that is tactile, engaging, accessible and easily shared, but otherwise, that statement still holds.
-2022
Jordan Pedersen 