PRESENCE AND ABSENCE

FINAL PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT #5 - Presence and Absence

DRAWING THE SEEN AND THE UNSEEN

Assigned: Thursday, March 26th

CHECKPOINTS: 4/9, 4/14, 4/21 (SEE BELOW)
In-Progress Critique (at least 1/2 finished): 4/28

Final CRITIQUE AND Due Date - FINAL EXAM TIME: Thursday, May 7th 12:30pm-2:30pm

Counts Towards 17% of Final Grade

“It’s about being still enough, long enough, to see something you weren’t seeing.”

— Vija Celmins

Overview

In this final project, you will create a large-scale drawing that explores presence and absence through observation. Whether you draw the familiar and transform it, or trace what remains, your work should reveal not just what you see, but what you feel and remember.

Both of these approaches begin with drawing from life and end with a drawing that moves beyond depiction — a work that reflects what you see and what you feel.

Option 1: The Familiar, Reimagined

Draw something ordinary from your daily life — a space, object, or scene you see every day. Through drawing, transform it. Let the act of seeing and marking reveal new significance: intimacy, humor, tension, wonder.

ARTIST EXAMPLES: Lois Dodd, Jennifer Packer, Catherine Murphy, Antonio Lopez Garcia, Amy Sillman

Option 2: The Residue

Draw what remains — traces, imprints, or shadows that point to something that has already passed. Think of this as a drawing of memory or aftermath.
Wrinkled sheets, dishes after a meal, footprints, stains, a shadow that moves across the wall.

ARTIST EXAMPLES: Vija Celmins, Rachel Whiteread, Doris Salcedo, William Kentridge, Ann Gale

Objectives

Integrate observation, composition, and expressive mark-making
Explore the emotional and narrative potential of everyday subjects
Demonstrate control of materials and sensitivity to form
Respond to the work of a contemporary drawing artist for inspiration

Requirements

Surface: one sheet of white Stonehenge paper, 22” x 30”
Media: must include graphite or charcoal; other media (colored pencil, acrylics, watercolor, crayon, etc.) optional if conceptually authentic
Subject: drawn from life — still life, self-portrait, or interior space
Artist Research: choose one contemporary drawing artist whose approach inspires your visual language
Written Reflection: 300–400 words connecting your chosen artist, your subject, and your interpretation of presence or absence

Weekly Breakdown
Week 1 — Research & Inspiration

Choose your direction: The Familiar or The Residue
Research one contemporary drawing artist (suggested: Vija Celmins, Lois Dodd, William Kentridge, Jennifer Packer, Amy Sillman, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Catherine Murphy, Rachel Whiteread)
Create a 1-page visual research sheet with images and short notes
Write a short reflection (100–150 words): why this artist, and what connects their work to yours?

4/9 Check-in: Bring research + ideas to class for discussion - submit to Moodle before class

Week 2 — Concept & Composition

Develop your subject or setup: gather or stage what you’ll draw
Create 3–4 compositional sketches exploring viewpoint and lighting
Experiment with materials — test expressive marks, layering, or color
Finalize your concept and composition by end of week

4/14 Check-in: Sketches + material studies critique - submit to Moodle before class

Weeks 3–4 — Final Drawing

Begin work on your 22” × 30” drawing
Focus on building depth, light, and expressive form
Allow traces of process — erasure, smudges, and revisions — to remain visible as part of the piece’s presence and history

4/21 & 4/28 Check-ins: Ongoing progress feedback and peer critique

Week 5 — Reflection & Critique

Final CRITIQUE AND Due Date - FINAL EXAM TIME: Thursday, May 7th 12:30pm-2:30pm

Final Critique: We will discuss how each drawing balances observation and interpretation, and how each artist’s influence is visible in your voice.

Submit via Moodle Before Final Exam Time:

Visual Research Sheet
Process Documentation (sketches, studies, and photos)
Written Reflection (300–400 words)

Questions to Consider

What does your drawing remember that a photograph would not?
How can light or mark suggest time, touch, or absence?
What do you discover when you sit with something ordinary long enough to truly see it?

Tip for Success

Think about material as metaphor — the smudge that remembers a hand, the waxy drag of crayon for nostalgia, the fragility of watercolor for memory.
Your drawing should hold both what is there and what is felt.