Monday, March 30, 2009
Scratching, by Twyla Tharp
To Twyla Tharp, Scratching is to come up with the foundations of a piece of work, to find ideas that launch her pieces though studying others, to improvise. Through looking through everything she has, Twyla scratches ideas. The ideas and methods that I see myself using from Twyla Tharp are looking at my surrounding, and what I already have, to create an art piece. I have already done a little "scratching" before, however I just call it brainstorming (from lack of a better term). In the studio, scratching would be to look at the people around you, see how they are working, and individually look through your own work, own space, own organization and gather ideas from the way you use your space. Assuming that studios are usually messy (and usually they are) it is safe to think that there will be a lot of mess, and paint, and clay, and cardboard or whatever materials you work with. taking the mess and using it it an advantage, because any of that "mess" can create ideas, or how Twyla calls it, Scratching.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Alternating Exhibition Formats Responce
The artist that I found most interesting in this presentation was Christo. I really liked how he used simple materials, cloth, to make a magnificent piece of artwork. The Gates and the Valley Curtain were very powerful installations through their size, color and layout. I am not going to be creating anything like the work that Christo has done, but the idea of simplicity is a very interesting concept. To be able to make a piece of art that is simple but magnificent at the same time is a challenge to accomplish, and a challenge that I want to experiment in Senior Studio. Chisto uses simplicity in a few ways; In construction, and in the product. Yes, it is hard to put pieces together that are either massive in size, or massive in quantiy, but the general idea and general process of construction is simple. As an artist, I wish to work with art that is simplistic, and I hope to play with that concept in Senior Studio.
Another thing that is interesting about Christo, is that he is using fabric. I have a love for fabric, and his work inspires me to use fabric in my art pieces. whether I use the fabric for draping, painting or cutting, Fabric is interesting to play around with and that is a material that I would want to test in Senior Studio (that is, other than when making garments and costumes).
Another thing that is interesting about Christo, is that he is using fabric. I have a love for fabric, and his work inspires me to use fabric in my art pieces. whether I use the fabric for draping, painting or cutting, Fabric is interesting to play around with and that is a material that I would want to test in Senior Studio (that is, other than when making garments and costumes).
Week 2.
This was supposed to be a response that leaded in to the second week of Senior Studio. I was supposed to talk about my accomplishments for the first week of class. I was not available for the first week, However I can talk about my first few days of the second week of class. Coming in to class, I was not sure what to expect. I was a little overwhelmed with the idea of having no assigned projects, "what will i do, there are so many options" was my first thought. However overwhelming the idea is, i love it. I spent the first few days of my time in Senior Studio experimenting, and brainstorming for possible projects that I might make over the short term. I came up with an idea of doing some abstract painting, as opposed to my usual interest to still lifes. That would fit with my goal of challenging myself outside my normal comfort level. For my first week, I did not get much done, however over break I plan to brainstorm more so that I am fully prepared the Monday class starts back up again.
Art & Fear
Art & Fear by David Bayels and Ted Orland
There are a few quotes that stood out as i read this article. The first one that caught my attention was about talent. "There is probably no clearer waste of psychic energy than worrying about how much talent you have--and probably no worry more common. that is true even among artists of considerable accomplishment."
I have had problems throughout the years concerning if I had enough talent as an artist. I would get discouraged if i got stuck, or was having a hard time accomplishing something. At one point I was worried if I would even get in to college. I would come to such blanks when making my portfolio, that I was worried that I had no actual talent at all. I learned that worrying and procrastinating about it was the worst thing to do, and that just attempting was better than nothing.
Another quote that I found interesting in the article Art & Fear was on perfection. "The ceramics teacher announced on opening day that he was dividing the class into two groups. all those on the left side of the studio, he said would be graded solely on the quantity of work they produced, all those on the right solely on its quality...Well, came grading time and a curious fact emerged: the works with highest quality were produced by the group being graded for quantity. It seems while the "quantity" group was busily churning out piles of work--and learning from their mistakes--the "quality" group sat theorizing about perfection, and int he end had little more to show or their efforts than grandiose theories and and a pile of dead clay"
I love this quote because it proves a very good point. Every good artist wants perfection in their work. However, rarely comes the time where they will get it on their first time. This used to happen to me every time I would want a perfect oil painting. I would get frustrated because I wanted pefection, when really I should not have been over analyzing anything. However, a very similar instance with that Ceramics class happened to me recently, in Sculpure class. I had to make a bunch of mini books for a project. The first books were the worst looking things I had ever seen. If I had originally tried to make only one, that was perfect, I have a feeling that would not have happened. However, after I had made the 10th mini book, the quality had improved incredibly.
A third quote that spoke to me was in the section "Expectations." "Conversely, expectations based on the work itself are the most useful took the artist possesses. What you need to know about the next piece is contained in the last piece. The place to learn about yuou r materials is in the last use of you rmaterials. The place to learb about uour execution is in your execution. The best information about what you love is in your last contact with what you love. Put simply, your work is your guide: complete, comprehensive, limitless reference book on your work. There is noother such book, and it is yours alone."
I agree with this quote, and I am a big believer of learning from mistakes. My favorite part of that quote, although a little cheesy, is when it says that artwork is your own reference book. That idea is a good way to think about past pieces, and I have had that happen to me through my painting. Over the past year, I had been unsatisfyed with some of my paintings. As I was trying to figure out how to improve my paintings, I realized from my previous paintings that I needed to be more loose and not worry so much about detail and perfection. My teacher in France helped me realize that as I was getting scared to loosen up and really experiment. I got so frustrated with my paintings, and then all a sudden I had a "lightbulb" moment as I decided to trust myself and be loose with my brushstrokes. In the end, there was a huge difference between my paintings from my junior year at Beaver than over the summer, and the fall of senior year. My Junior paintings helped me learn from my mistakes and it has made me a better artist.
There are a few quotes that stood out as i read this article. The first one that caught my attention was about talent. "There is probably no clearer waste of psychic energy than worrying about how much talent you have--and probably no worry more common. that is true even among artists of considerable accomplishment."
I have had problems throughout the years concerning if I had enough talent as an artist. I would get discouraged if i got stuck, or was having a hard time accomplishing something. At one point I was worried if I would even get in to college. I would come to such blanks when making my portfolio, that I was worried that I had no actual talent at all. I learned that worrying and procrastinating about it was the worst thing to do, and that just attempting was better than nothing.
Another quote that I found interesting in the article Art & Fear was on perfection. "The ceramics teacher announced on opening day that he was dividing the class into two groups. all those on the left side of the studio, he said would be graded solely on the quantity of work they produced, all those on the right solely on its quality...Well, came grading time and a curious fact emerged: the works with highest quality were produced by the group being graded for quantity. It seems while the "quantity" group was busily churning out piles of work--and learning from their mistakes--the "quality" group sat theorizing about perfection, and int he end had little more to show or their efforts than grandiose theories and and a pile of dead clay"
I love this quote because it proves a very good point. Every good artist wants perfection in their work. However, rarely comes the time where they will get it on their first time. This used to happen to me every time I would want a perfect oil painting. I would get frustrated because I wanted pefection, when really I should not have been over analyzing anything. However, a very similar instance with that Ceramics class happened to me recently, in Sculpure class. I had to make a bunch of mini books for a project. The first books were the worst looking things I had ever seen. If I had originally tried to make only one, that was perfect, I have a feeling that would not have happened. However, after I had made the 10th mini book, the quality had improved incredibly.
A third quote that spoke to me was in the section "Expectations." "Conversely, expectations based on the work itself are the most useful took the artist possesses. What you need to know about the next piece is contained in the last piece. The place to learn about yuou r materials is in the last use of you rmaterials. The place to learb about uour execution is in your execution. The best information about what you love is in your last contact with what you love. Put simply, your work is your guide: complete, comprehensive, limitless reference book on your work. There is noother such book, and it is yours alone."
I agree with this quote, and I am a big believer of learning from mistakes. My favorite part of that quote, although a little cheesy, is when it says that artwork is your own reference book. That idea is a good way to think about past pieces, and I have had that happen to me through my painting. Over the past year, I had been unsatisfyed with some of my paintings. As I was trying to figure out how to improve my paintings, I realized from my previous paintings that I needed to be more loose and not worry so much about detail and perfection. My teacher in France helped me realize that as I was getting scared to loosen up and really experiment. I got so frustrated with my paintings, and then all a sudden I had a "lightbulb" moment as I decided to trust myself and be loose with my brushstrokes. In the end, there was a huge difference between my paintings from my junior year at Beaver than over the summer, and the fall of senior year. My Junior paintings helped me learn from my mistakes and it has made me a better artist.
The Artists Studio
Answering Questions:
What types of things do you see in more that one artist's space?
Why do you think these things appear in so many different artists' studios?
In an artist's space, you often see work in progress, finished work, sketches and sketchbooks, and materials that make up final products (or that help a piece along the way). An artist is an artist, and no matter what kind of art they make, all artists have tools, ladders, brooms, work tables, art pieces, sketchbooks or planning books, canvases, paper, paintbrushes, pencils and pens, charcoal, scissors, pallet knives, wood, cardboard, paint, clay, and much more. Those things are what make them an artist. Everything that is in an artist's studio appear in so many studios because they define the work that the artists do. On top of that, these 'things' are used to make art pieces or have some sort of significant involvement with the pieces that each artist works on. the items are in an artists studio because they are the "necessities" that are used in the process of making art and the final product.
What types of things do you see in more that one artist's space?
Why do you think these things appear in so many different artists' studios?
In an artist's space, you often see work in progress, finished work, sketches and sketchbooks, and materials that make up final products (or that help a piece along the way). An artist is an artist, and no matter what kind of art they make, all artists have tools, ladders, brooms, work tables, art pieces, sketchbooks or planning books, canvases, paper, paintbrushes, pencils and pens, charcoal, scissors, pallet knives, wood, cardboard, paint, clay, and much more. Those things are what make them an artist. Everything that is in an artist's studio appear in so many studios because they define the work that the artists do. On top of that, these 'things' are used to make art pieces or have some sort of significant involvement with the pieces that each artist works on. the items are in an artists studio because they are the "necessities" that are used in the process of making art and the final product.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Artists At Work: Workspaces and Processes
How do artists develop spaces and methods for making their most authentic work as part of a daily artistic practice?
These artists step out of the usual norm of what people expect an artist to be. Carrie Pollack said that she needs to go out and find her source materials, and cannot always do everything inside her studio. She lets her surroundings inspire her, with a daily walk outside. Hamlett Dobbins said that he does not let the space affect his work, and that no matter where he is; it’s about the work itself, the content, and not the environment that he is working in. Many artists to choose to religiously work in their studio days on end, However these artists prefer to work in their studios only when they think it is necessary. Another important aspect to artists that Dobbins brings up is that artists need to pay attention to whoever they are with in the studio, complete ignorance of people there is not a good think because they miss sentimental moments. It is not like that point is going to inspire me to just leave my work and socialize, but its important to see what other people are doing, and what they are working on. Certain people are messy, and no matter what, while they are working, they create a mess. That is common, and often if artists stop what he or she’s doing to clean, it often stops that spark of inspiration that is keeping them going. Those few methods, to me, are how artists develop methods to keep their work the most authentic and as a daily artistic practice, and to keep producing their work. If an artist over analyzes everything, tries to be spotless, becomes so self oriented though their work, and does not take the time to have a breather outside, they will get frustrated and progress know where. These spaces are what develops and artists, whether it is being outside or creating a mess in their studio, its what motivates them to produce their work.
These artists step out of the usual norm of what people expect an artist to be. Carrie Pollack said that she needs to go out and find her source materials, and cannot always do everything inside her studio. She lets her surroundings inspire her, with a daily walk outside. Hamlett Dobbins said that he does not let the space affect his work, and that no matter where he is; it’s about the work itself, the content, and not the environment that he is working in. Many artists to choose to religiously work in their studio days on end, However these artists prefer to work in their studios only when they think it is necessary. Another important aspect to artists that Dobbins brings up is that artists need to pay attention to whoever they are with in the studio, complete ignorance of people there is not a good think because they miss sentimental moments. It is not like that point is going to inspire me to just leave my work and socialize, but its important to see what other people are doing, and what they are working on. Certain people are messy, and no matter what, while they are working, they create a mess. That is common, and often if artists stop what he or she’s doing to clean, it often stops that spark of inspiration that is keeping them going. Those few methods, to me, are how artists develop methods to keep their work the most authentic and as a daily artistic practice, and to keep producing their work. If an artist over analyzes everything, tries to be spotless, becomes so self oriented though their work, and does not take the time to have a breather outside, they will get frustrated and progress know where. These spaces are what develops and artists, whether it is being outside or creating a mess in their studio, its what motivates them to produce their work.
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