Quick Challenges

 

Transparent/Layers

Transparent/Layers

Ink and Stitch

Ink and Stitch

Conversations

Conversations

Erase

Erase

Gesso Drawings

Gesso Drawings

Reflection

    I found that the quick challenges were a good way to keep me constantly working and experimenting. Often in my work, I have a tendency to stick with what I'm comfortable with, so being forced to try new things was a little scary and frustrating at times, but I think that experimentation is important to personal growth as an artist, so I appreciate being encouraged to try something else. I favored the erase quick challenge the most, it felt the most natural to me, I think it may be in part because of my work as a printmaker. In my drawing where I created a face by erasing charcoal with a kneaded eraser, it reminded me a lot of relief printmaking, taking out your light areas and leaving the dark. I definitely think I'll keep exploring drawing with an eraser, I love the ghostly look I was able to achieve with it and again, as a printmaker, it felt incredibly natural.

Transformation Drawing

Transformation 1

First Drawing, Transformation #1

Transformation 2

All This Ringing, pastels, 36in x 30in

During the creation of this image, I was getting over a virus that impaired my hearing and resulted in temporary tinnitus. The ringing in my ears was the only thing that I was able to focus on, so while drawing this image, I tried to portray the annoying buzzing sounds and overwhelming feeling of the tinnitus. I struggled to cover the pitch black of the original image. I found myself constantly rubbing at layers of charcoal and building up layers of color to mask it.

Transformation 3

In Red, pastels, 36 in x 30 in

I started this drawing by rubbing away the previous colors as much as I could with wet paper towels, resulting in a muddy grey and giving the paper a harder texture when it dried. I'm drawn to figures so I used sponges and pan pastels to build up shapes to create a face while I lay on the floor drawing, resulting in odd proportions. I used a red pastel to create the illusion of a sheer red fabric wrapping around the woman.

Transformation 4

Womb, pastels, 30in x 26in

I was thinking about water during this drawing. When I was thinking about water, I thought about how being submerged is sort of like being in the womb, surrounded by amniotic fluid. I covered the previous colors in grey and shades of blue to make the image feel cold. The drawing is meant to make the viewer feel both a sense of peace and sorrow, like being cradled by water yet drowning.

Transformation 5

Watching, gouache and acrylic paint, 28in x 24in

During the creation of this piece I was thinking about horror movie posters from the 1970s, specifically House (1977) and Suspiria (1977). The two posters for those films are illustrative and consist mainly of orange, red, black, and white. I cut the paper into a headstone shape and glue the cut off pieces onto the  front of the paper. Since this was the final transformation I wanted to use more permanent materials so I opted for paints. I coated the paper in black, then added the eyes. Finally I used a sponge with very little white paint on it and dragged it across the paper, resulting in an industrial texture across the drawing.

Multiple Panel

1. Tracey Williams

2. George Baselitz

3. Cindy Sherman

4. Quick Challenges

5. Idea #1

Idea #2

Final Product

Plaything, pastels, chalk, and yarn on paper, 6ft 8in x 1ft 9in

In my work, Plaything, I wanted to make a piece discussing women's bodily autonomy. As a woman, I've often felt that others seem to believe that they deserve to have control over my body, whether it be the government controlling what I can and cannot do with my own vessel, or men who believe I owe them to look a certain way, or feel as though they have the right to use my body for their own pleasure. The marionette does not have control of herself; her every movement is determined by a puppeteer. The white chalk and pastel are soft and dainty, just like her. The circle below her is her stage from which she cannot escape. The marionette hangs and waits for her puppet master, she cannot be allowed to function on her own.

Spatial Tape

Ephemeral Marks Classwork

 

Ephemeral Marks

 

Experimental Sculpture Collection

 

Left to right: Spirit, Soul, Energy

Sculpture 1

Spirit, Materials: wood, thread, paper, masking tape, and wood glue. Approx. 15.3in

Sculpture 2

Soul, Materials: acrylic, wood, and thread. Approx. 12in

Sculpture 3

Energy, Materials: Wire, tracing paper, and gel medium. Approx. 10in

In Process

Research A.

Julian Watts, Growth

Research B.

Camille Benoit and Mariana Gella, Calista

Research C.

Amy Joy Watson, Moon Dune Collection

Reflection Statement

    

        When working on these three sculptures I found that they all felt very meditational and I feel that idea is communicated, I found that in an odd way they all felt very "human" to me. I have never really worked in 3D before so I wanted to experiment with a wide variety of different materials so that I might learn what I like best. As someone who likes to plan their work ahead and have a concept I really struggled at first, I wanted my pieces to be representational but that wasn't the goal of the assignment so I found myself getting frustrated. Once I started letting the material tell me what it wanted to do I was able to find a rhythm in my creating. This project taught me to be more loose with my work and to take things as they come. In my drawings I tend to be a perfectionist so even though this assignment was in 3D I hope I can take that as a lesson for all of my art in the future, to learn to let loose and be kinder to myself in my creative process.