LAURA TWO TINA is a blog about collaboration.

WE ARE TWO artists, friends, women, teachers, learners, thinkers, collaborators, writers, conversationalists, observers, explorers, co-authors…and so much more.

WHY SHARE THIS CONVERSATION ON A BLOG?

Laura and Tina could keep this conversation to themselves through email, phone conversations, and visits to one another but whenever they shared their work with others it sparked wonderful conversations.  Understanding the beauty and power of community and collaboration, they decided to open up their work and process to the public in 2009 with this blog.

Tina and Laura’s work in Education and Art Advocacy for 15 years prior to meeting one another lead to a seamless collaborative working style.  They believe that building a community of dynamic interactions and interrelated processes is creating a new and important framework for creating art in the twenty-first century. These two artists, in revealing their process and creating a new sort of permeability with the audience through technology (blog, Facebook, Twitter) are redefining the artist from solitary to collaborative.

If you are here and interested in joining the conversation…please grab a cup of coffee, get cozy, and know that Tina and Laura welcome your unique perspective.  Although they may address the posts with ‘Dear Laura’ or ‘Dear Tina’, they are addressing them to you too.

HOW DID OUR COLLABORATION BEGIN?

Laura and Tina started collaborating during graduate school in 2006 at  Goddard College by developing a course of study about peer-learning and co-authorship. This resulted in drawing exchanges, mixed media artwork sent through the mail, written and spoken conversations, as well as workshops presented.  Recently they have brought to completion a two year collaboratively made visual book they have exchanged through the mail, developed a Mail Art project, exhibited a series of work at a gallery in Charleston SC, started a new co-created project titled Two Artists: One Surface, and developed a dedicated following to this blog.  They have an exhibition, publication, and workshop planned for 2013 so stay tuned for updates.

WHO ARE WE?

TINA HIRSIG is an interdisciplinary visual artist living and working in Charleston, South Carolina.  She explores her personal experiences as a woman, mother, and creator through drawing, sculpture, and collage.    To learn more about her personal practice go to her website here:  www.tinahirsig.com

LAURA GAFFKE is an interdisciplinary visual artist living on the shoreline in CT. She works with mixed media painting techniques to express the joy found in intimate, everyday moments. She is interested in life’s conversation and what can be learned from soulful connections. You can learn more about her personal practice on her website http://www.lauragaffke.com/