Group Statement Revision I

As a group of thirteen artists, we bring a variety of well-rounded art forms and ideas to the foreground of an otherwise closed-curtain world.  As artists, we best communicate our interpretations of varying trials and personal endeavors by attaching them to our artistic concepts and design work.   Our thoughts are never fully recognized by others until we reveal them.

The Reveal is an unearthing of a seemingly masked hypothesis, that works to fully expose the legitimacy of our crafts.  It is the unveiling of what is normally, and unintentionally, shielded from the eyes of the public.

 The Reveal is our embodiment of refined technique as successful, and well-versed, artists and creators.

Update...finally!

Thanks to Greta, I've finally been able to get a more favorable understanding of what I'm doing and why.  My art will mostly have to do with my generation's view on the rapidly deteriorating earth.  I'll explain on this more next week when we show our progress to one another.   Here's a photo of my first painting.  (More progress has been made on it since this photo was taken). I'll be doing a total of three 36x48 paintings.

I've been looking towards a lot of impressionist artwork to gain inspiration for my series.

Andre Kohn's art has been especially influential.  Here are a couple of his pieces:

Update

Because of a minor setback (injury), I couldn't do as much as planned as far as photographing. Even with the little I could do, I attempted to get some done but I know they aren't my best. I have also been re-editing some images to reprint because some of them came out a little funky. The critique from J.J.R on Friday was very insightful and gave me some things to think about when capturing my images. It is interesting to hear multiple views on your work. Moving forward, hopefully I'll be back in action in a couple days. I have a couple people I'm meeting up with. Just going to keep shooting.

weekly report

This week I was critiqued on my copper tree, I got a lot of great advise on how to make it complete for senior show. I started making final moves to complete my tree and have moved on to my next few projects. I went thrifting for drinking glasses, I then washed, dried and broke all of the glasses. I decided that i should leave the glasses to show that they are glasses for alcohol, I want it to be slightly obvious that this piece has to do with an accident that has to do with alcohol. The other protect I started was redoing my glass case: taking it apart, sanding the base, cleaning the new caseand getting it to fit the base. I've also been working on my candle piece at home, lots of wax build up!

Jaume Plensa

Patricia Piccinini

This past week

This past week I edited Belle image, but need to make more adjustments.  As for over the weekend I was able to photograph both Snow White as well as Cinderella.  I just got my Elsa outfit in the mail, but need to make minor adjustments to it before shooting and also need to figure out what scene/story should be for her's.

Stuff this week

I have still been working on my other two pieces for the show. I am getting my second relief print situated out by beginning to print on my good paper using the first two colors. I decided, with the help of my advance print professor, to make the print three colors. I have also started actually working on my locket drawing and so far it's coming out well thankfully. I am still trying to think of a design for my alter ego drawing.

Paride Bertolin is an artist from Italy who specializes in character design and illustration. He works from doing basic drawing to computer animation.

  'Ucronia 2'

'Ucronia'

This week: Computer crash but I'm still alive!

I think from now on I'll wait on updating the OS on my hackintosh until after the semester is over with. I'm so glad I had a good Time Machine backup. I'm still working on the video. Adding things here, removing things there. Adjusting the timing and rhythm to the video but I'm still not completely happy with it. So I took a break and researched another photographer concerned with a culture's disappearing practices.

These images are all part of a series called The Rhythm of Chaos by Gabrielle Lurie. I couldn't find much information about the details on the series, but nonetheless I was captivated by her use of film and the striking composition of each picture. It takes place in India and as one can imagine the sights there are always live. The people, the heat, the dirt and movement of the streets seem to come alive in each picture. I can easily hear the noises of the cars, the bicycles, the kids and the animals while going through each image. Most of the images in the series are soft and have texture to them, which adds to the mood of the setting. The shapes she creates in every single photo seems unintentional but she still is conscious of what to capture.

Week 9

This week has been a week of critique for me. I finally got into the studio and started making work prints. I had a group critique with my photo seminar class. We also had a visiting artist this past friday, Justin James Reed. He gave a presentation on his work (which was amazing!!!) as well as critiquing our classes photo series. It was nice getting feed back from him and seeing from a different point of view how my photos are perceived. I also enjoyed getting reviews from my fellow classmates and I cannot wait to reveal to you, my senior show class, what I have been up to. This weekend I am hoping to go out once again and see what is out there for me to photograph. I have a little bit more direction in what I am doing now.

“I’m interested in the ambiguity of images. The way that all photographs have elements of fabrication and truth making.” — Graham Miller.

Ariel and Video Work

This past week I shot my Ariel shoot at fort story.  It was over all a success since it was literally the last warm before the cold front. Afterwards I edited my image and I believe it turned out great.  I also took video of Laura burning her chair for senior show.  This upcoming week I will be photographing Snow White and Rapunzel.

Brandi Rhodes - Week 7 and 8

Hello Classmates!

 

Whitney, the class statement is truly amazing, I literally got chills while reading it. I think you did a fantastic job incasing our diverse class into one incredible synopsis. Couldn't have done a better job writing it!

 

The class postcard came out awesome! Huge thanks to Mark and Leah for making it happen. Mark did a great job coming up with the initial design and I think all the suggestions the class came up with together really sent it over the edge, ultimately creating an original piece that I am excited to say represents out senior show! Hope you guys are just as happy as we are.

 

As for my recent progress that I have failed to post for the last two weeks, I say it's better late than never! I have been kicking myself in the ass because I have been making time to put in the hours but have not taken time out of my schedule to post what I have done so here it is....

 

Due to class cancellation the Wednesday before last, I spent the class period with my graphic design group finalizing the ideas for our postcard, with full intent of actually producing something on paper together. After failing to come to a unanimous agreement, we focused on smaller details and factors that we all agreed would make a successful piece, all the while still defining out show as an ultimate "reveal". We came to the conclusion that we all loved design created with photography. I then spent the remainder of the class period going through some of my images from previous art classes, searching for any element of design resembling a letter within our title "the reveal". I put together a rough design of images spelling the title which the group commended and we adjourned our meeting with fully agreed intentions of taking some time out of our weekends to come up with other design options to propose to the class the following Monday, which was this past Monday. I spent a rather large chunk of my weekend researching alternate design ideas and utilizing them. I produced two more designs in addition to the one completed Wednesday, all of which are shown below. Definitely cant deny the fact that Mark's design blew mine out of the water though, it was no question when the class pretty unanimously decided to go with the design we chose!

 

 

 





As for week 8, I finally began putting all of my ideas I've been sketching on paper! I have 4 of them preliminarily sketched out in pencil as shown below. These are just the outlines of the basic shapes and lineworks that will be present within the images. Once refined, I plan to go over them with ink and then add lots and lots of detail with intricate linework, pattern, and lastly, color. The first sketch shows feathers, the second shows trees and buildings, the third shows cats, and the fourth shows hot air balloons over water. You could definitely say I took the whole idea of commercial art and ran with it! Haha if anything relates these pieces at all, it will definitely be the numerous details and schemes they will be made up of so there will be some correlation by the time it's all said and done! Each drawing is on 11 x 14 Bristol board with intentions of framing and hanging. The previous lithograph I completed is 11 x 14 as well and I am considering adding color to one of the editions to specifically use for the show. I feel like if it is the only piece in the show without color, it will be too much of an eye sore in comparison to the others and will not correlate smoothly.

In addition to the beginning stages shown above, I also began sketching and implementing my second lithograph throughout this past week of class time. This time we are utilizing the smart plate technique to produce our editions. My print depicts a bicycle stacked with my numerous items such as books, various food items, a birdcage, fish bowl, and other everyday items. Regrettably, I forgot to take a photo of it but once I get to a finishing point and am ready to start printing, I will definitely have one to show! It's finally wedding week so once it's all over I am eager to start pumping out some artwork for this show!

Week 8

This week I worked on photographing myeslf in different places and seeing if they had anything that is relatable to my current series. I am learning that if I go out and continuously take pictures, that I end up getting something that I am truly love. I also think that the concept is starting to come through in all my photos. They're is a since of wonder and being lost in them. It is making me look more into who I am as a person and where I am at right now emotionally. This series was originally suppose to be about how far I have come since my divorce but I think it has turned into more then just that. I feel like there is a lot of issues in me that I do not let other people see just because when I let my walls down the person ends up hurting me. So I have learned to keep them in now. In my photos I feel like these are moments when I am letting the viewer in to see me at my most venerable state. I am alone in my element and letting you the viewer in.
  As far as this week goes I am doing 5 work prints and I am continuing to take pictures. I also have some new photos below that I have been working on.

   

Update Oct 19

What a week. Dad back in the hospital, problems with the IRS and midterms. This project becomes more meaningful all the time. After giving it some though, I don't think I have enough images in the timeline – not enough to get my ideas across anyway. I did take some photos of every day things and add them in but it still needs more. I have the family covered. Friends too. I'm trying to stay away from making it look like event-driven type video. Kinda hard when your career of being in the Navy is all about events. Maybe I can find some images of everyday life in the military to add in... Church too. I don't have anything of where I was introduced to a lot of those songs. That is our active part in the worship service – singing.

Progress

After a recommendation of a photographer, I knew where I wanted to take my series and the view I wanted. I'm venturing into environmental portraiture. Environmental portraiture was the idea of what I wanted my series to be in the beginning but I was straying away from that. I had to take a step back and take a breather because I was beginning to overthink things, like if I wanted to still schedule shoots or just walk around and shoot. I'll be doing both.

The photographer that I'm posting this week is the recommendation I was given. His name is Paul D'Amato. My inspiration came from his Here Still Now series.. beautiful portraiture! Even his statement was inspirational.

Update

My midterm meeting forced me to really look at my work and analyze it---what am I doing and why am I doing it? Prior to the meeting, I was all over the map. Now I have a better focus.

This week I have been building my stretcher bars and stretching canvas for the final two paintings. I have also completed a lot of work on my second painting.



Two smart plate drawings are complete and I will print those editions tomorrow. My hands are reflected and placed in the bottom left and right hand of the page. I envision these prints hung side by side.






I have begun drawing on the stone for my next litho. I have nearly worked out the image. My sister's head, hair and upper torso will be shaded. The landscape behind simply lines. And everything in the sphere will be in color.



I was unable to make the field trip, but was told by several classmates and Greta about Julie Heffernan. Her images are extraordinary and very detailed. She paints the type of image in which one could very easily get lost. I also love her use of symbolism and surrealism. Wish I has seen her work. Maybe I can still make it to Richmond soon.





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

successful week

This week i finished my copper tree project. The things I had to before hand were put more wire branches in and I tested the leftover wood from the base of my project to see which stain would be the best contrast against the copper. I chose linseed oil because it darkened the wood in a natural way but still went well against the copper. My critique is on Tuesday! I also started burning my chair for my installation with the acetylene torch, Jessica came and took pictures and videos, it was successful. Also, at home i have been burning white,  off white and cream candles and letting the wax drip onto a mirror representing time,  which is moving very fast from what the wax build up is showing.

I also went to Shaped Polarities exhibition, the set up was amazing,  I really focused on how the lights were set up, the artists really focused on the shadows of his work which made his pieces much more powerful. Both artists had work that i was very interested in, Allan Rosenbaum had sculptures hanging from the walls that reminded me of claymation art and when the light hit it the shadows made it that much more visually appealing. As for Fiona Ross, her work made you think about gravity, she put a lot of time into her work.

Going to this show was a great opportunity for me. That night John introduced me to people are looking for someone to put in installation in at the Botanical Gardens, so it was a great way to make connections. I also ran into Fiona while I was working at Borjo the next morning where I congratulated her on her show!

Moving along

I have been working quite a lot this past week with my work. The second plate for my second relief print is all carved out and I have started proofing with the first color. My drawing for my 'Phrenology' drawing is also completed. My fourth which is another drawing will soon be given its detail since it's already drawn out and I'm sorting through my ideas on how my fifth project, which is another drawing, should be done as far as the content and composition.

The artist of the week I discovered is named Natalia Tyulkina who works with pattern designs, textiles, and watercolors. I usually never work with watercolor but it's nice to see others who can make it work out as far as the techniques they use with it with an elaborate finish.


 

Searching For Meaning

I changed my concept to something I'd had been working on previously but had not fully realized the meaning of. I created this spirits as a way of seeking religion (I'm agnostic/atheist) and ultimately finding happiness. Each spirit is in an ambiguous moment and searching as well. More to come.

Postcard and Poster Graphic

Made the changes requested to the Postcard.

Group Statement

The Reveal-

As a group of 13 artists, we have a timeline of ideas that range from paintings of a small thought to a post apocalyptic universe. Others juxtapose old versus new through typography; while some use photography to narrate the basic human statuses in society. We want to exude strength and illustrate our opinions as designers and crafters. As artists, we use our perception on the world to communicate our concepts. We feel that our ideas have not been recognized until we have been Revealed.

The Reveal is an unearthing that uproots the masked hypothesis of our creations, a grandstand that exposes the legitimacy of our craft .An uncovering that means we no longer have to hide behind the public eye; to show what we have learned and who we are as artists.

An unveiling that will bring us to the final stages of secrecy to exposing our refined techniques as successful creators. It is the unveiling of something amazing that cannot be explained. An exhibition that will display everything that we have worked years to perfect

The Reveal- the beginning of the end. The start of an extraordinary final scene. Raise the curtains!

Back of Postcard

Here is the back of the post card. I have included everything we agreed upon. Is everything good?

Week 7

In the past week I have thought a lot about the direction I have been going in for my series and the type of photos I want. Before I was working on a series where it focus mainly on how I have changed after my divorce and the person I have become. After talking with Greta and looking at the work I was producing, I was not satisfied with how it was coming along. I had reached a dead end. So after spending a week of just taking photos and making tableaus I decided to go back to what I was doing in the spring. The photos are still a narrative of who I am and the struggles I have been through but they are not as literal and more ambiguous. I also recreated some of my photos by putting myself as the subject matter. Right now I am trying to figure out how I will sum up this new series and how it flows together. I will began working on test prints this week. Below are so of the photos I have been working on.                                      
                                                                             New

                                                                          Original

This Past Week

After the individual meet, I went back to the drawing board but this time more focused and with better understanding on what I want to communicate. I spent a lot of time online looking for the right songs and through my own library and think I found what I can use. I also went through my images and starting picking and weeding through all of it to make selections for the visual part. After laying them in and mating it with the music, I think I need to find even more images.

In researching about how photography interplayed in capturing a vanishing culture, a friend told me about a photographer and blogger concerned with the disappearing cultures of native americans and native Alaskans. C.Whitney-Ward photographs both architecture and native families in Santa Fe.