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Janet Echelman

Sculptor, Studio Director, Studio Janet Echelman

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Creative vision -- how do you develop and hold onto it, especially when obstacles appear in your path?

Artist Janet Echelman overcame rejection and doubts to develop her methods of building voluptuous sculptures the size of buildings out of simple materials like fishnet. In this live conversation, ask questions and share your own experiences with Janet about the path to creative endeavor.

This Live conversation will open on Feb. 13th, 2012, 2 pm EST.

If you couldn't make to this Live Conversation, the discussion with Janet Echelman continues on her TEDTalk page: http://www.ted.com/talks/janet_echelman.html

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    Frank Hasenstab

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    Feb 13 2012: From your story I guess that you, too, could not make a living from your art only in the beginning. How did you manage to survive daily life and still have enough time and engergy for your creative work?
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    steven katona

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    Feb 13 2012: i do mind maps on essays in anthropology. i think visualizing things makes things easier to understand! some of those social anthropology essays were complex and putting things into perspective with themes and artwork helped me remember all those essays from back then to this day! here i'll upload one...
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    steven katona

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    Feb 13 2012: hi!!!
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    Elizabeth Gu 30+

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    Feb 13 2012: Janet, I am one of the people who were really inspired by your TED talk.
    Actually, instead of telling my idea about this question, I was wondering if I could get your advice:)

    Right now, I am in a quite difficult situation.
    There are so many things that are beyond me, and there are also lots of things I have to take care of.
    I know that I am not able to handle those things just by myself.

    But.... there's something I've always wanted to do(not a specific job),I've wanted to try, and learn.

    How could you overcome the obstacles?
    And if you were me, what kind of attitude and plans would you have?

    I know that what I'm talking about here is a bit abstract right now, but I really want to hear your advice even if it would be just a word lol.
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    Peterer S

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    Feb 13 2012: as someone who wants to sculpt more than anything, and has good ideas, i am trapped in the little world I live in and confronted by a pattern of failures right out of college. I cant say im going to let it get me down, but I dont know haha. cantseem to catch a break

  • Benito Apreza

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    Feb 13 2012: Hello Janet I'm doing an essay over your artwork and i was wondering what do you consider your art to be? I mean it is definitely unique but how would you describe it, or under what genre would you put it? I apologize if it seems too dull but i just want to know. I'm an art history student who has never had an interest in art but yours certainly gives me a feeling of awe. Not to mention how do you perceive your art to be revolutionary, taking into account the unique techniques you have implemented in your sculptures..

  • Nishit Somaiya

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    Feb 13 2012: Hello Janet,
    Do you let time-frames/deadlines, in any way, govern your creativity?
    Thank you.

  • Richard Schwab

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    Feb 13 2012: I hypnotize myself. The unconscious mind is largely regarded as the source of creativity, by most creatives I've met anyways and so it's helpful to have a means to talk to it and ask it for help. Hypnosis is good for focusing on things, and everyone seems to enjoy going into trances once they've learned to do it. You can be very focused and alert, but also observant so your creative side can offer suggestions and help you to solve problems you're overcoming as well.

    There are many people who disregard hypnosis, and that's their right. I find that there are few ways to really speak to the right hemisphere of the brain / unconscious mind (though I do not think these are identical, only similar in certain ways) that we discuss as a culture. Once you've learnt to talk to your unconscious, there's a wealth of abilities, potentials and insights you can gain. It needn't be all about therapeutic value, you can do it for achievement, learning and releasing your 'super powers'.

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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      Feb 13 2012: Hi Benito,
      I don't think my work fits specifically into any category. It's a hybrid of many fields. But the frame within which I see my work is sculpture as it meets urban design. But there are so many additional fields that come into it.

  • Laura Anca

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    Feb 13 2012: Hello, Janet! I would like to ask you how would you define confidence and how important do you think confidence is when it comes to creative jobs? Moreover, how do you recognize the area you want to be creative in? And how do you get past people who just say let's do something creative just for the sake of saying it and don't really mean it? Thank you!

  • Nishit Somaiya

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    Feb 13 2012: Hello Janet.
    If intense research and development was required to develop products and a lot of time passes with several hurdles faced... when do you think, should artists/designers get their designs/products out there in the world... rather than spending longer and longer time chasing the unattainable "perfection" at the start?
    Where do you define the line?
    Thank you for doing this!

  • Lee Hoover

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    Feb 13 2012: Hi Janet,

    Your work in your website portfolio is fabulous! Some remind me of aurora borealis.

    I am "reinventing" myself at an age when my peers are beginning to think about retirement. Learning multimedia design, photography, etc. School, work, homework = not enough of me to do it all sometimes. Housework? Cooking? Ha ha ha.

    Perhaps the hardest for me is prioritizing, and not downplaying or second-guessing my creativity, which has never been in the forefront as it is now. Often there is not enough of me after I get off work to feel very creative.

    Can you offer ways that you recharge yourself and your creativity?

    Thank you!
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    Frank Hasenstab

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    Feb 13 2012: Do you or will you have projects in Europe?
    (I sometimes work for http://www.aktivraum.de/en/inforolfzavelberg, so I am also interested in the aspect of light in your work)
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      Feb 13 2012: Hi Frank,
      My first project in Europe is in Portugal, on the border between the cities of Porto and Matosinhos.
      It's called "She Changes" and was really important in my development as an artist.
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      TED SpeakerTED Attendee
      Feb 13 2012: I've just started working on a new and exciting project in France, but I can't tell you the details about it yet, as it's just beginning.
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      Feb 13 2012: In fact, this project came out of one which didn't proceed. I traveled to France when a French curator proposed my work for the 2013 European Cultural Capital in Marseilles, and I became a finalist and traveled to France to meet the curator. (They just announced that the commission has gone to a French artist). But the good news about how things go is that while I was there I met someone else that may turn into one of the most interesting projects of my career. So for me, sometimes what looks like a "dead end" turns out to an unexplored path.
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      Feb 13 2012: Frank, if you want to know more about this European project, please stay tuned on www.echelman.com
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        Frank Hasenstab

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        Feb 13 2012: thank you, I will :O)

        As I edited my post, I may ask again, which role does the lighting of your objects play for you?

        Anyway, I really like your work and hope to see it one day maybe even in Germany. A city like Cologne, where I live now, could DEFINITELY use it!! :)
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      TED SpeakerTED Attendee
      Feb 13 2012: Frank, Would be interested to talk about light in my work at length.

      Am running out of time.
      If you can re-post your question underneath my TED talk, I can answer them with more time.

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  • Anna Reynolds

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    Feb 13 2012: Hello Janet,

    Any advice on how to silence the critical mind in order to allow the unconscious total freedom to create? This is a big one for me!

    Many thanks.

  • Andrew Collin

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    Feb 13 2012: Do you have a documentary of any of your processes? That would be a great project to work on. Showing some of your skills and unique talents in action while not giving up everything like a TV show. I'd watch it.
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      Feb 13 2012: Andrew, I'd love to work with a crew on a documentary. A crew in Australia began documenting my project in Sydney Australia this past September, and they are seeking collaborators in other countries. If anyone is interested, they should contact me via the email on my website

  • Valeria Wenderoth

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    Feb 13 2012: Janet, I'm interested to know about your way to overcome doubt when you are creating.
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      Feb 13 2012: First thing is that I have NOT overcome doubt. I am always encountering doubt. BUT, when I encounter it, if I have the time, I try to have a little internal dialogue with it, and sometimes to explore what internalized "voice" might be the source of it. I think we all have a kind of board room in our brains, the various voices which we have internalized, and some are more supportive of the creative process than others.
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      Feb 13 2012: Valeria, I'm oftened asked about this, and I want to give you something concrete you can work with. I guess my suggestion is that when you encounter doubt, I would spend a little time exploring where that is coming from. If it turns out to be a very powerful negative internal voice, and it may be just too difficult to make it go away (it generally is) so in that case, I'd say to ask it take take a lunch break, or as extended a vacation as you need to explore your creative issue at hand. Let me know if that is helpful. I'll do my best.

  • Ivan Hernandez

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    Feb 13 2012: Hello Janet, our research group is very interesed in knowing about creative environments, not only creative individuals. Greetings from Bogotá, Colombia .thanks in advance
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      Feb 13 2012: Ivan, I'm really interested in your question about creative environments.

      Running out of time.
      If you can re-post your question underneath my TED talk, I can answer them with more time.

  • Jakobsson Stefán Atli

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    Feb 13 2012: Is it just a chat? ....is it not a lecture?

  • Mary Hannington

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    Feb 13 2012: And I am also curious how you design these pieces before construction. Figure the structures and fabric (fishnet) needed. It would seem a lot of logic and engineering must go into these designs.

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    Stephanie Taylor

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    Feb 13 2012: Hello. Persevering through all the challenges over a long studio career has been part of the fun. And I say that through the birth of three children, many recessions, and judgements as to who or what I am as an artist in the pecking order. I've ignored the obstacles, worked around them, adjusted and mostly kept my sense of humor. I just care about learning and that's what's kept me going. Now my latest challenge is agism...but hey, everyone else is aging too.
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      Feb 13 2012: Stephanie, Am happy to engage in this conversation if there is a particular issue.Running out of time.
      If you can re-post your question underneath my TED talk, I can answer them with more time.

  • Mary Hannington

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    Feb 13 2012: I have always been amazed at what the creative being can do... sometimes the impossible! How do you convince people that this driving creative spirit is REAL?
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      TED SpeakerTED Attendee
      Feb 13 2012: For me, I have to believe it myself first. I find that if I really truly believe in something, and have conquered my own ambivalence first, then I can communicate my enthusiasm and belief to others.

      • Monika Starzyk

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        Feb 13 2012: Janet, thank You for all your wise words. I don't know how about Mary but for me it sounds SO true. But ..do you have some special ways of doing this? Is it about self talk only? What works for me is to write down a lot in my notebook to convince myself. Do you have some other better ways? :)
        I would be so happy to hear from you about it more!
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      Feb 13 2012: Mary, does that sound useful? Is there some ambivalence within yourself that is preventing you from convincing others?
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      Feb 13 2012: I'd really be interested to hear from you on this forum again, to let us know how things are going.

  • Gudrun Schulze Ebbinghoff

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    Feb 13 2012: Your work is beautiful and inspiring.

    I'm curious how you source the specialists who help you with some of the technical aspects of your creations -- the aeronautical engineer for example.
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      Feb 13 2012: Hi Gudrun, I often contact many people before finding the one where it really "clicks".
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      TED SpeakerTED Attendee
      Feb 13 2012: Your question about the aeronautical engineer- Peter Heppel - is a good example. I started by asking my friend who was chairman of the engineering department at Columbia University in NYC at the time if he could recommend a doctoral student or graduate who might help me with these porous dynamically-moving forms. A couple weeks later he got back to me saying he "some good news and some bad news".
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      TED SpeakerTED Attendee
      Feb 13 2012: Bad news was there was noone in his department or anyone he could think of, and besides, I probably couldn't afford it, because it would take someone 6 months just to get up to speed before starting to analyze my sculptural form.
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      TED SpeakerTED Attendee
      Feb 13 2012: Good news was that he had found a software on the internet that was used for sails for racing yachts, and gave me an email in New Zealand where I could try to connect with them. I emailed repeatedly, and finally got a response saying that they no longer represented the software, but I could try emailing the man who had originally written the software, called Relax.
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      Feb 13 2012: I emailed that person, and got a response within 5 minutes asking me to dial a phone number-- that started with the same area code as mine! We were both on the west side of Manhattan. It turned out Peter Heppel (who is a British National) had come to NYC right after September 11th 2001 to work on what they then thought would need to be a tensile structure covering the site. And when they realized they would not cover the site, he was available to work on new projects. So we immediately started working together. Making hand-made net models that we hung from the top of my door in my tiny Manhattan apartment. This story could go on much longer, but that will have to wait...

  • Priscilla Chueng-Nainby

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    Feb 13 2012: Apa khabar Janet. You have lived in Bali for five years, how fantastic! I wonder if the cultural experience influence your work and creative process? Do you mind elaborate also your experience in how researching on the topic (cultural) informs your art (imagination). Terima kasih.

  • Shirley Steele

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    Feb 13 2012: Hi Janet--
    The promo for your talk says that you overcame "rejection and doubts". I'd like to hear more about that. I'm an artist and I have occasional doubts, but too much rejection! How did you deal with it?
    P.S. I love your work. I look forward to to the Philadelphia piece.
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      TED SpeakerTED Attendee
      Feb 13 2012: Shirley, I get rejections ALL the time. It's not like it stopped. Any active artist who is putting their art out there. And it is still hard. I still wince. But I try to keep going, just get back in the game. I do recover more quickly now. Sometimes I try to look at the art that I feel truly good about, not the feedback of the world, but the feedback that comes from within. If YOU like the work, then it is worth making it.

      • Shirley Steele

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        Feb 13 2012: Janet---Thanks for the advice! Will spend more time looking at the work and less time checking my email! :-D

  • Rocky Adiguna

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    Feb 13 2012: Hello Janet!
    I would like to know how do you manage passion and earn for living? Some artists doing their art really good and don't want to compromise to their client (or market), and perceive that when money comes into play, their art will not be 'pure' anymore. What's your thought about it?
    Thanks!
    Rocky

    • john lamb

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      Feb 13 2012: What is the reason for art? Is it fundamentally self expression or is it communication?

      If the issue is self expression, there there should be no expectation that others should care about what you have to say. If they do, AWESOME, but if they don't, well...

      However, if the reason is communication, then the audience becomes part of the medium. Just as in a conversation, you need to adapt to your co-conversationalists. If you are boring or offending the people you are talking to, then you need to make adjustments. This doesn't mean you have to bore yourself or sell out yourself. People find creative, fulfilling ways to interact with other people all the time that fulfill their need for creativity and self-expression.

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        • john lamb

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          Feb 13 2012: Sure, but we've all had the experience of talking to someone who just didn't listen.

          I guess what I'm trying to say is this: The neat thing about human experience is that most of it is shared by everyone - thus through being totally authentic to yourself, you can also be authentic to others. However, it is really easy to 'go to far' ... to think that I cannot consider what people want to see/hear or worse yet... what they expect to see/hear.
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          Janet Echelman 50+

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          TED SpeakerTED Attendee
          Feb 13 2012: Running out of time.
          If you can re-post your question underneath my TED talk, I can answer them with more time.
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        Janet Echelman 50+

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        TED SpeakerTED Attendee
        Feb 13 2012: Running out of time.
        If you can re-post your question underneath my TED talk, I can answer them with more time.
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      Feb 13 2012: Rocky, wow, this is a tough one. And EVERY painter/sculptor/actor/musician I know has this problem. For me, when I was just starting out after college, I decided that it was important for me to spend as much time trying to develop as an artist, and the thing I had more ability to control than earning a living was my own cost of living. So I moved to a village in Bali, Indonesia (Ubud), and I was living on about US$250/month. I would go back to the US where I'm from every year and sell my paintings, and with that I could return to Indonesia and spend another year pursuing my artwork full-time. It turned out that that was very important for me to develop. I really needed that time.
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      TED SpeakerTED Attendee
      Feb 13 2012: Rocky, I don't think that's a solution for everybody. It's just what worked for me at the beginning. And I still encounter that question all the time, whether to direct my energies toward something that appears to be more profit-generating vs. what appears to be more my creative desire. What I've discovered (and again, I don't know if this would be true for others), was that when I followed my creative desire, it ended up having a better financial outcome anyway.
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      TED SpeakerTED Attendee
      Feb 13 2012: For example, when I was painting during the first decade I was an artist, I worked with a gallery that told me that yellow paintings just wouldn't sell, and also that small and medium sized works were easier for her to sell. When I returned to my studio after that, all I could do was use yellow, and I am naturally drawn to canvases that are larger than the swing of my arm. There's an internal part of me that needs the artistic expression to be authentic, and it just won't take direction like "don't use yellow". But in the end, I made a big expressive yellow painting, and of course, it was one of the best. And when my next exhibition opened, the ones that sold were the big expressive ones. So in my creative process, I just try to ignore external input like that.
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      Feb 13 2012: But I do have to consider maintenance issues at every stage of my work. Those are external data points that are crucial for successsful outcomes.
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      Janet Echelman 50+

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      TED SpeakerTED Attendee
      Feb 13 2012: Running out of time.
      If you can re-post your question underneath my TED talk, I can answer them with more time.

  • Adam Grayson

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    Feb 13 2012: Hi, your sculptures are amazing. Where do you draw the line between listening to the feedback or criticism of others and plowing your own path?

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      TED 10+

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      TED Staff
      Feb 13 2012: Barry, this is the live feed. It's written conversation. You make a comment, and Janet responds. You'll need to refresh the page from time to time. Thank You!
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