Untitled Life Post #1

This week's update is more of a photo montage than anything else, folks. I've just been so busy! I've done things! I painted with tea! I spilled coffee (intentionally!) all over my screen prints, I've painted, and hey, I turned 26, too! I'm just so damned exciting. So here, friends- have a photo or seven.

Here are a few photos from my recent edition in my screen printing class- I took a two-layer print and just went nuts with some black coffee. Successful? I think so- kinda. Though I'm not new to screen printing, I haven't done it in years, so I'm a little behind on figuring myself out this semester (as far as that goes).

In my advanced painting course, we worked from a model last week- rather happy with my results.

In another course, I made a mess. I enjoyed the mess, but nonetheless, I made one.

I just finished this little baby up today- VERY happy with the results! 

Oh- have a birthday selfie, too.

Enjoy, folks! I'll have more for you soon! Maybe I'll even get off my ass and make a real website!

Abstraction: The New (and perhaps final?) Frontier

My work has taken a new turn, friends! After those small studies from last week, I took the plunge into objective abstraction. Though this began as an assignment for my contemporary abstraction course, it blossomed into what could be the direction I continue to follow for the remainder of my time in graduate school (who am I kidding, this could change in ten minutes.. Bear with me.).

This new direction really allows for me to fully execute what I'm trying to say conceptually in my work- absense/presence. Time/space. Fresh memories/things we've forgotten. THIS has been a huge help for sure.

What's extra exciting about these pieces is that they're exponentially LARGER than previous posts' artwork. The first piece is 2x2', where this piece is even larger, at 28x32", I believe. I think the size really allows for the viewer to feel a bit more immersed in the piece, though I'll say that sometimes the wee little ones hold my attention, as well!

This piece is actually only 8x10", and though I wasn't happy with it at first, I can now see how size really doesn't matter (heh.) in paintings, as long as you can effectively communicate what it is that you need to say as an artist.

WOO! Again, thank you readers, for following me in my journey through graduate school! Side note- my birthday is a week from today. Only 6 days left of being 25!! Life is a wonderful thing.

XOXO,

C.

The Importance of Peanut Butter & Studio Tour!

Peanut butter. Always keep it in your studio for quick protein, unless you have a nut allergy... Then don't. Though I don't have it currently, I recommend organic and/or natural- less sugar and honestly tastes better than this Planters' crap I have right now.

This weekend was... Well, I can't come up with a more professional word for it, so we'll go with crazy. The Graduate Art Association hung a really great looking show (more photos this week, I'm so excited!), I cleaned my studio (as well as a terrifying prop room), and started a larger painting.

Also, the most important part: I finally figured out exactly how to put my paintings into words. The artist statement is real, dear readers. It's real, and here it is:

My work investigates the relationship between absence and presence, and how these separate entities work together to create memories in the human mind. These recollections allow us to hold onto important moments in our lives; much like the photographs and keepsakes we gradually obtain to remind us of occasions that matter.  In my paintings, I choose to work with objects of daily use that are not traditionally viewed as valuable, and compose them via repetition, obstruction, and various stages of resolution to persuade the viewer that these objects are of a more precious nature, much like the relics we collect for the same purpose.
 In my paintings, I hope for the viewer to take with them a quiet understanding of the impermanence of life; that every moment counts, regardless of its significance, and that before we know it, it’s gone.

I'm still going to continue to tweak it as time goes on, but for right now, I'm working towards keeping it simple. Before I choked that statement out today (seriously, it flew out of me faster than I've ever written a statement in my entire artistic career... I have a Bachelor's Degree, WHY AM I SO BAD AT STATEMENTS.)

I'm feeling good. So good that I also got around to taking some proper photos of my studio! I love to share what's going on in my life, including the space I work/essentially live in. Here goes!

This is the most important part of my studio- my easel and palette. What's really awesome about this part of the space is the easel itself- my grandfather built it for me last year, and I'm in love with it. Handmade ALWAYS trumps manufactured- it's unique, and made with love. That matters. It's also huge- that painting is 2x2', for some perspective.

Here's a photo of the painting- I'm excited about this one. I think the four little studies I did this week are REALLY going to feed the content of this piece.

That fabric, though. I'm planning to recreate a painting aI did last semester with it, as well as my mud-covered Doc Martens. It's gonna be a good time.

UNICORNS AND KITTENS ARE DETRIMENTAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS STUDIO. Also, magic legs.

If you haven't got one, buy a copy of Gray's Anatomy. It's wonderful- and no, I don't mean the television show... I've never even watched it.

So there we be! I work in a great space- it's not too small, and not too big; it's just right, which is exactly how I'm finally feeling about the direction of my work; and that's what matters, right? Right.

Until the next blurb,

C.

Do Werk.

This week has been a whirlwind of busy- between planning for my first meeting as the President of our student organization on campus, as well as getting ready for our Fall club exhibition, things have been a little nuts. BUT- I got a few new pieces done that I'm happy to share with you.

This semester, I'm taking a Contemporary Abstraction class- I decided to look into the information we've been talking about, and applied it to my own work, which is how these 4 pieces came about. I'm planning to tweak them a little bit, and potentially add more pieces in to make a panoramic sort of image, but here's what we've got going on so far!

Here's the first piece, titled, "Dreamcatcher." Though it's small (I generally use a lot of 8x10" canvases- I really enjoy the intimacy of small paintings), I feel it holds its own as a work of art, rather than a study. I'm currently letting it dry, as I may go back into it a bit yet. Here are the rest, enjoy!

"The Tangled Web," 8x10", oil on canvas. 2014.

Untitled, oil on canvas, 2014.

Untitled, oil on canvas, 2014.

It's highly likely that I'll be going back into these pieces as I work more through this series- I'm thinking of doing ten, just so I can really work out how this applies to my work (I already know that, it's just putting it into words. See last post for my issues with that!) 

ALSO- Look for a post about the upcoming show I'm in with my fellow grad peers this week, as well as a post about my artist statement- I'M FINALLY READY TO RE-FORMAT!

This is exciting. This is real.

We Don't Want A Strong Concept!

In the graphic design building on campus, a student posted the title of this post on the wall, somewhat protesting the need for a strong concept in graphic design. While hilarious and snarky, it does ask an important question that I sometimes often struggle with-

What is the importance of a concept in visual art? Why is it that artists, critics, etc. feel that the makers of art have to have some strong, deep conceptual backing to hold their work accountable?

As children, we start making art simply to fulfill the need for a creative outlet- somewhere to expel energy without ripping the house apart, or something like that. We made art because we wanted to, and at that point, it was enough.

As adults, so many of us are plagued with the question, "So, what is your work about?" 

Simply stating that it's about the damn vase on the table and how the light bounced off the ceramic isn't really ever the answer that's acceptable. Take my work for example- while I do have a concept that I feel is developing into something quite strong and well thought out, I still struggle regularly with how to word it, how to paint it, and why the hell I'm even bothering in the first place.

This is not an orange.

It isn't that the struggle is all that debilitating- I really enjoy mentally working out compositions and how said compositions drive a particular point home. What makes things difficult for me personally as an artist is getting those organized thoughts from my head to paper, or to mouth, whatever you like. In my brain box, everything makes sense- this relates to this, and so on... When it comes out of my mouth, it sounds like jumbled word vomit that no one wants to clean up.

Does anyone else have this problem? I know I have this problem. It's a problem.

I'm really hoping that in the oncoming months, I can figure out how to fully articulate what I want to communicate in my work, as well as why I find this method of creation important to my own personal growth, and to the growth of the art world, as well.

Also not an orange- I like to think of this as my struggle with the  Dionysian and Apollonian dichotomy, and its role in factory farming.

Happy painting!

Best,

C.