Blog

1/26 - 2/1

This week was the begging of the first half of the 20 work I spent a great deal of time researching and planing what I wanted to do for this first allotment of the 20 works. I really wanted to use this project to just experiment with different types of mediums and application, in order to create a series of pieces that are all inspired by songs in my playlists. For this first 10 I wanted to utilized more of what I was doing last semester by using water color, acrylic paint and digital drawing. but for the next allotment of 10 pieces Im thinking about trying to paint with plaster on wood panel and collage.

2/2 - 2/6

2/10 - 2 /15

This week was really based in brain storming in my studio about next steps. Our up coming assignment requires us to make three new paintings. Last critique my textured plaster paintings seemed to a be a break through as to how I should continue my work in pulling out images from abstract paint splotches / textures that were created from throwing plaster on sheetrock. My research has been online as well as in person. I spent this week emailing an artist who uses a similar texture technique but on canvas and board. And consulted with an employee at C.C. Lowell who informed me that a large quantity of "Golden light molding paste" could also create a similar effect to my plaster paintings. For this project I might continue to use the sheetrock but also looking into possibly using sculpture plaster as my base and then treating it as my canvas for my paintings .

2/17 - 2/22

This week I really explored a new way of applying plaster. After spending most of last week really researching different artist and their methods to create textured paintings I began bouncing ideas around the studio to my fellow classmates to help me brainstorm how should I tackle using plaster in the way I was envisioning. Noelle was very kind and took my hand to show me how I can utilize sculpture plaster sheets to set a base that I can then add my wet plaster to. this week was focused on building the base structure for my works that I will be presenting next Wednesday. I have a lose idea of what I want these works to be but need to play with the materials more tomorrow and this weekend before I see a finished image.

2/23 - 3/1

In the final week before this developed critique, I spent the past week build and sculpting the three pieces. I wanted to challenge and really push myself to take the advice of trying a much more abstract approach to my pieces. I was working to break out of the traditional box format that I had done with the previous plaster pantings on dry wall. I did this by using chicken wire, burlap strips and plaster as a way to change the overall shape of each structure. With this allotment of works, I also tested out other artistic choices such as utilizing an air brush as well as a collage element to one the three plaster paintings. While I am glad I gave myself this challenge to make three works that were quite different then any of the other works I have created from the past semester and half, I still feel unsatisfied. There are elements from this challenge I want to bring forward into my final proposed works. I do appreciate the way I was able to layer on the paster and the dimensions I was able to create in layering the material. However I was slightly disappointed with the inability to maintain a small section of flatness in an area of the piece so that I could potentially paint or draw on. The inclusion of the small cartoon characters was an interesting idea that I want to brainstorm more. I am thinking of potentially drawing or painting the figures or even the possibility of creating stencils. I want to really utilize spring break to really think about how I can combine elements of the plaster sculpture coupled with flat features or areas that I can more concisely paint in. I have a range of ideas or themes that could potentially work. Whether it be creating a base painting and asking people what they see and then painting their response. This could still keep with my original idea that I am drawing from my psychology background but inadvertently forcing people to take a fake rorschache test. I could also take this plaster element and respond to the forms created spontaneously and then create little word between the folds and bumps of the plaster. When I get back from break I would like to try to build a half plaster structure and half plain gesso wood to see if that is the aesthetics look i want to push forward with. I am going to sleep on these ideas and hold conversations with my classmates and friends as a way to move through all my ideas.

3/ 3 - 3/15

While on break I used this time to reflect on what I want to do for my final pieces. What I believed I have settled on for this assignment is to have 4 works total. These works will combined both traditional painting as well as 3D plaster sculpture elements. I reflected on the advice given to me at the critique before break. Therefore I want to have two of the four paintings represent others Rorschach tests. The feedback my peers provide me from reporting what they see within the texture and design of the basic pieces, is what I will then use as inspiration as to what will be painted more formally on the flat areas of the wood panel. For the other two pieces I want them to represent me as well as my own Rorschach process in which I create my work. I think this would be an interesting way to come full circle with the ideas I have been playing with for the past two semesters. Over break I ordered some more paint that should arrive by latest Sunday. For next week My goal is to have two of the panels gessoed and plastered. That way I can begin working on those two pieces and see if the other two works should be the same size 2x2ft or if they should increase in size and be 3x3ft each.

3/16 - 3/22

This week I kept pushing forward in creating my final four pieces for the Cantor gallery show. I completed this weeks goals that I wanted to achieve within my original schedule. Have all four of my panels gessoed and plastered. I will give the plaster at minimum 24-48 hours to completely dry before I begin to paint on them. What I feel I want to do as for planing the paintings schedule, I will beguin painting the two bigger pieces and then paint the two smaller peices. This is simply because I want to get a collection of responses as to what other people see in the smaller paintings before settiling on a color or direction. I want people to just respond to either the shape of the plaster or the negative space it creates against the boards without the influence of color. I also got some great feed back for my artist statement so I will also clean that up a bit more as well.

3/23 - 3/29

This week I really pushed myself to break hard ground on three of the four final pieces. After the feed back I am trying to reevaluate how I can push the two side pieces more; so that it's not as separate from the plaster. I am going to go back into the skiing piece and really cleaning up the lines because I would like for it to be apart of the collection I plan to present for Saturday. As for getting this piece ready for Saturday I think I will go back in and really clean up its lines. As for the longer term goals for these two piece for the show I am going to try testing out some acrylic mediums on scrap wood to see if that material will allow me to give the painting areas more texture so that it blends with the texture of the plaster better.

4/2 -4/5

This past weekend was the showing for the Reardon awards. I great feedback that I can use moving forward with my work. I also am planing on restarting the brown sculpture painting. I discussed with Professor Beaudoin with what I should be doing as to work on my final peices. I think im leaning towards showing three pieces now as apposed to the four. For this week I woked on the last plaster painting that was left with no paint. I think this was a good choice because it allowed me a fresh start. I will continue to re work the other paintings in the same way I went about working this piece below.

4/ 11 - 4/12

This week I fully re-gessoed the two other wood / plaster panels. I also continued to work into the red and white piece by adding lines and more shading to the face. I am taking a step back from this peice for the moment just to being working on the other two panels since the gesso is fully dry now. Right now im currently making a decison as to what colors I was to use to spray the next piece. For this process I am utilizing adobe color wheel to play with the colors I already have avaliable.

4/13 - 4/19

I'm proud about finishing my final pieces this week for the show. For these final two pieces I really put in the hours by just layering spray paint to pull back the dimensions of the plaster after it had be re-gessoed. I decided that I wanted my sketchy line work from the red and white plaster piece to carry through in the last two pieces. This week I also refined my artist statement and created a outline for what I want to say at the acidemic conference. After todays in class run though I will spend this next couple days hanging my work in the gallery and will fix my outline by recording myself freestyle-ing my speech and doing my outline more based of my practice recordings.

4/20 - 4/25

This week I hung my work in the Prior Art Gallery with Tim Johnson. He explained to me the science that goes into how they gallery goes into hanging for each show, that he uses an imaginary horizon line and that no mater the size of the pieces are centered on the horizon line. Tim also explained to me his intricate process on how he goes about lighting each

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