Self port/alter ego (in progress)

Figure it's about time I give an update. I'm working on a self portrait/alter ego in my painting class. Very much a work in progress. I'll get some more photos of completed works up soon.

Yay!

Start Painting tonight!

Wood/Music Sculpture

Final Sculpture project was to interpret a piece of music using wood as the medium.

Music: Spaghetti Western - P.Sellers

The music has discordant qualities with multiple instruments joining in as the music spiraled. Ending with a solo piano echoing softly. I was successful in creating a piece with a visual connection to the music.
My piece was constructed from collected branches, a block of lumber, and toothpicks. One large curved and swirling branch was trimmed of extra branches and attached to the vertical standing block. The block of lumber was cut at an angle at the base to activate the work. This effectively addressed the discordant nature of the music and solved the issue of balancing the weight of the large branch. The large branch was attached to the block using glue and shims created from twigs. The twisting curve in the main branch represents the main melody of the music and creates movement as it spirals down to meet the block. The block grounds the work creating balance while representing the contrast of the flowing melody and the discordant sounds. Smaller twigs were debarked, pinned and glued to the bottom of the large branch at the transition point of the block and branch. The branch grows from the block and from this meeting of block and branch the smaller stripped branches sprout. The white color of these branches contrast with the main branch. Although the line and shape are repeated in these smaller branches they represent a shift and growth in the music as instruments are layered. Carved toothpicks were inserted at the points in the large branch where branches were trimmed. This again created contrast giving a thorny appearance to the flowing branch and emphasizing the discordance. Finally, branches were sliced into round disks. These were grouped together as if floating and climbing from the ground creating repetition and variety.




Yes. It was large and unweildy.

Detail


Detail

Detail

Spaghetti Western website: http://spaghettiwesternmusic.com/

Drawings: Using color

We had to use color for darks and lights. Interesting and a greater challenge.

Drawings: Face (2 versions)

This is my favorite piece from my drawing course. Based again on a black & white photograph. Medium is ink. The second version includes another piece I was working on. My instructor walked by and saw them drying on a board and liked the two oriented as they are below. Not sure what I think it is interesting but I really like the face all by itself.

Man's Face

Two drawings together. Lower one is upside down.

Drawings: Outdoor Observations

Our last day of class was spent doing observational drawings outside. We needed to include foreground, middle ground and background. I used powdered charcoal and vine charcoal.

Loring Park #1

Loring Park #2

Drawings: Girl in Window

This drawing was from a photograph. We used powdered and vine charcoal so I had to erase to create highlights. This medium was one of my favorites. I will revisit it again in tomorrows post.

Drawings: Skeleton Face and All White Still Life

Two drawings posted today. First was a favorite of my instructor. We had to use different items to create different elements of a face with out being too obvious about it. I used a skeleton, sea shell, corn cob, a piece of twine and a stick. The media is india ink.

The second drawing was of an all white still life. Nice enough but not really successful. I did a lot of blending and I would like to experiment on this without using the blending technique.

Skeleton Face

All White Still Life

Drawings: Man walking a dog pulling a wagon carrying a plant

This assignment was fun. Had to draw our interpretation of a man walking a dog pulling a wagon carrying a plant. This is the dog looking back at the man and the reflection of the scene in the dogs eyes.

Man walking a dog pulling a wagon carrying a plant.

This assignment while necessary and informative it was a challenge and pain. A huge still life was set up and we had to choose a section to draw. The object was to draw the spaces between the objects. If you accurately draw the space between or negative space than you will end up with the object.

Observational Drawing

Drawings: Trees

Working with ink and white tempura paint. The goal was to create the shadows and highlights.

Drawings: Angel Skeleton?

For this assignment we had to build a sculpture by wrapping an object with paper and rope. We then had to draw the sculpture. I chose the medium of ink and white tempura paint. This is what I came up with...I think it's pretty sweet!

Sculpture: Mold Making

Project #2 was to make a 2 part plaster mold.

Once the decision was made to create my own freeform object from clay I worked out an organic shape with implicit movement. I formed the general shape and it was clear I was not satisfied with a single size. So I constructed a total of three molds of varying size. I did not have a specific plan but felt the shape provided opportunities. The organic nature of the shape, the swirling, and the conical form already had ideas floating in my head. I saw horns, stylized Dr. Suess trees, tornados just to list a few. I decided to let the project reveal itself. Once I saw the finished form and the opportunity for manipulation and personality, it became clear the objects were creatures. I ultimately see hundreds of them meandering in groups on a floor, wall, and ceiling. Gathering as a flock of birds.

The project repeats a shape and form. The forms vary in size yet are unified by their triangular shape and conical form. Beyond the individual pieces the project also takes on a similar unity and variety through the repetition of 3 separate molds. The varying sizes help to create a balance. The forms are set in motion by twisting the object creating a swirl. The movement is repeated and furthered by a twist within the swirl becoming like an eddy or tornado. In post mold manipulation I added texture to the piece by creating ridges and organic lumps and bumps. I also created a delicate vertical line texture on each piece which was subsequently covered with the application of wax. The wax and crayon covering assumed a fleshy texture and appearance.

The entire group.

From above

Close up #1

Close up #2

Drawings

This past summer I enrolled in a drawing course. Finally have had time to photograph my work. It was a great experience and I learned a great deal. This drawing was done with charcoal. It's a piece of driftwood.

Observational Drawing #1

Self Portrait: Photographs

Messing around taking some self portraits.

Black & White

Black & White

Blurry

Self Portrait: Sculpture

The semester is winding down. This project was a self portrait. Only stipulation on this project was the head had to be made of clay. The rest was up to us.

The structure of the figure was extremely important and required creative problem solving to counteract the weight of the clay head. I constructed the frame work from PVC pipe and chicken wire. I filled the legs with plaster to weigh down the body so the head would not topple the body framework. I painted on paraffin wax for the eyes. I also used wax and crayon for the chest and hand to create a flesh appearance.

Detail

My self portrait explores being constrained in life by personal stories and the past. The mummy imagery was chosen as a representation of death. Not death in the traditional sense but the death of play, adventure, and spirit. The dead spirit lies asleep, emotionally unconscious and self expression silenced. The body is wrapped as an ancient mummy locked away in a tomb. The wrapping represents layers of personal narrative weaved over time. The wrap constrains the figure as our past can constrain our actions and way of being.

Yet, the figure struggles and tears against the wrappings. Exposing the head as the body begins to reanimate. There is an awakening. Blind eyes open and flesh returns. The wrappings are being shed as the past is released. There is a part of me currently in a struggle to unburden myself form my personal narrative and release my true self expression.

Plaster Sculpture

For this assignment we chose a verb with some kind of sensation that can be translated into a visual experience. Then carved an expression of the verb into a block of plaster.

Dripping has a dynamic, natural and creepy aesthetic I appreciate. This quality granted the opportunity to combine contradictory design elements. Smooth, flowing lines covered with a rough texture and exaggerated form. I also enjoy the juxtaposition of creating a representation of liquid and movement from a solid and static form. The large scale of the piece adds to these opposing elements creating boldness in a tiny drip. Conceptualizing the piece I envisioned dripping blood ala classic horror films with a certain thickness and viscosity to the liquid. I also thought of a clear, crystalline droplet of water with smoothness and clarity. I combined the two with an exaggerated carved out, symbolical almost cartoonish representation. Droplets spurt and flow from long flowing threads and also gather in groups as they coagulate

Front

From behind

From above

Detail

Wire Sculpture

Taking a sculpture course this semester. This is the wire project.

Wire Sculpture

Detail

A Success!

Well by all accounts Arts off 84 was a success. A steady stream of people at all locations. I had a few sales. Nothing major but I consider it a success.

Poster created for Jay's Cafe.

Desert Sentinels #1

A series of photographs chronicling life and death of the Saguaro cactus.