Box Project

From fracturing a sense of reality by combining a sense of archaic tones through the old wooden chair hanging from the ceiling and old twine with a conventional tool such as a toilet; I was able to create interest in my artwork because of its unique composition. I realized from this project that abstracting events can create more interesting compositions than mundane placements of objects. In my concentration, I will try to incorporate these ideas to better attract the viewer to the abstract way in which the materials interact to form an image.

Conversation Between Forms

If I were to continue this project, to match my concentration I would have to include elements that tied together my theme of global warming with the “Conversation Between Forms”. I could do this by including different objects and setting them aflame to emulate combustible matter that is on the tipping point of being set ablaze. To communicate this image, I would use water color and collage bits of a globe into the background and then burn the entire thing with flash fire burns after dousing the drawing in water. By using abstract, reconstructed forms, I could create a theme of uncertainty which would go well with my concentration. The uncertainty would be akin to the climate denial skepticism that surrounds the global warming debate today in international politics. By using reconstructed and broken down images, I would better be able to depict the chaotic nature of today’s fragmented attempts at GHG emission reduction. 

Cards Project

The speed we worked, the need to work back and forth between pieces, and the firm deadline are things that were new to you.  How did working on this series in this manner help you in thinking about how to go about working on a concentration?

When I started working on the Cards project, I already had a clear vision for what my concentration would be. I was planning on depicting the effects of global warming on society and the catastrophic implications that GHG emissions had on the environment. As a result, making the first two cards wasn’t a problem. However, once I progressed to the next few cards, I had a hard time trying to diversify the elements I used. After using a combination of collages and pencil line drawings, I decided to utilize actual fire and burn my pieces to better emulate the burnt nature of a physical element (such as wood, aka paper). Near the end of the project, I started running out of time because I had spent so much time on perfecting the first two cards. Oddly, I finished my last two cards in one day, but both were remarked upon by my peers as my most successful work. I realized that sometimes working quickly can yield the best results. Getting bogged down on the details can trade off with the bigger picture so when I worked without fear, I was able to finish my cards quickly with confidence.