Break Time

Moving away from I.P. for a second for some personal work.
ahhhh... relaxationnnn

Nest 1

Here's the nest!

I used a Liver of Sulfer patina on it to darken it, however, I discovered that the 24 gauged wire I used was not real copper because it didn't patina.... at all, unlike the rest of the wire. So needless to say, this photo is of it before the patina, and now I am probably going to remove the patina and either paint or color pencil some of the wire to add a more rustic look.

But anywho, let me know what you think of the stucture, form, etc :)

Follow my Intuition... Finally

Post for week 14:

This past week was spent away from all things that involved my thoughts as I worked purely with my hands and own intuition. I put my sketchbook down, my computer away, and just began making.

I made a nest.

I used various gauges of cooper wire that I hammer textured (between last Sunday night and today, I spent 18.5 hours doing this). It is almost finished. I have the just the very outer layer to weave into the structure and then to patina it and add finishing touches.

I wasn't exactly sure why I wanted to make this next at first, but I think ultimately it lies within the theme I've been coming back to over and over again. I keep returning to these ideas of preciousness in nature, nesting, home, and elements of surprise through discovery. These are themes that have been laid out in my sketchbook since before the semester began, but I had always felt they weren't saying enough, or there wasn't enough of a dramatic concept behind them to create with them. Thus I've spent the past part of the semester trying to jam too many ideas into one. I feel that this new direction I am going in... although I'm not 100% sure where that is yet... takes my previous ideas and simplifies them. Intuitively I've always wanted to constructed objects/forms that mimic nature out of metal. However, before I was too scared that that would restrict me to just making pretty nature jewelry, but now that I've finally just let myself start creating what I am an most interested in, what my heart tells me too, I realize these don't necessarily have to be wearable pieces, unless I have a reason for them to be. I also realize that I don't have to hide or conceal them inside another "ordinary" form or structure just to make them precious to the owner. AND they don't have to be transportable or carried around just to get their point across.

Therefore, I have redefined my project to making a series of personal objects fabricated out of metal and other various materials that will mimic and capture unique forms and textural qualities that can only be found in the natural environment. I still would like these objects to act as a form of escape... but this time, as an escape into nature, not just an escape from our culture of mass-media, consumerist society. I want my pieces to provide the same therapeutic qualities nature does, such as peace, mental release, and physical and mental healing. This is important to me because whether or not we humans are aware of this, we depend on nature for these attributes. I know I definitely do, and I think that is why I consistently have returned to these concepts in my process this far.

Back to the nest. I want to put continue making a series of nests and experimenting with different forms, structures, and weaving techniques. Ultimately I want them to house something, but I am not quite positive what yet. I was thinking small portraits of the women in my family, but I am not positive... that is just an idea.

Still in love with my walnut locket that I produced last year, I want to continue with a series of lockets fabricated to look like different nuts. Again, I want them to hold something and am not set on what, but keep picturing using the actual ediable portion of the nut as the charm inside each.

The only other things I worked on this week were my Abstract (1.5 hours) and did a bit of reworking for my presentation (1 hour) but I still have a bit more to go by Tuesday.

Well... that was a lot to say, but I am going to get back to making now. I am really gun-hoe on this and find myself really enjoying the process... so why stop?

The countdown begins

Post for week 13:

This past week I spent a bit more time sketching (3 hours) but more so I focused on constructing my practice presentation (5 hours) that I presented on Thursday. The presentation part went really well and I have only a few changes to make plus a few things to add for the actual presentation which will be giving December 14. However, with that part in a good state for now, I am lacking on the process. Running into a bit of a mind block, I am considering redirecting my project goal. I am not totally sure what is "exciting" me about my project anymore and feel like I am hitting a wall. I think the only way to get around this is to start making... which is precisely what Janie and Seth highly recommend I do. Therefore, this weekend will be full of making and experimenting. I need to just make for the sake of making, without a specific focus or concept. I just need to make something that will allow me to find that "excitement" again, and if it veers me in a new direction, then so be it. I will only discover what I like and dislike like by trying....

Rando Shmando

So I've been returning to some of my original archives of images/artists that i collected over the summer just to see if anything sparked.

Here's what I found....

This i just think is beautiful. I love stones I realize. However, this isn't going to do much for my project.

Interesting concept of holding nature. How can I integrate this type of "holding" into something more ordinary? Something in disguise?

What can I do with these guys? They are SO interesting, curious, and beautiful. How do I structure those characteristics? I can see these being part of something active...

Remind you of anything? Inspiration for the last model I created.

Not quite looking to do a ring... but what if I have some type of ring or watch that was ordinary (and functional?) in all aspects, except when you took it off, the back side showed into another world. I like the idea of the cuts in the back of this ring.... but as my mind keeps expanding and I think of a watch with the backside almost like a little snow globe, with a little world inside that is hidden underneath the face of the watch. You'll only see it if you take the time to take your watch off.

IMMERSING.... but slightly too much. Too big of a structure and too much effort to get inside.

Mind Mapping

Week 12 comes to a close:

Here are the some images of a part of the mind mapping I was doing that i mentioned in my previous post, along with starting sketches that I have begun from a list of ideas that I have been building up on this past week (4 hours). Unfortunately these two images are poor quality (sorry!) but once I get to my camera I'll be sure to post more :) In the mean time, I've also been running into some cool artists for ideas in both form, medium, and scale for my portable objects (1.5 hours). Since running into the holiday posed a lack of time, I plan on doing a ton more work the rest of this weekend to really dive into what I want to come out of this.

Jethro Haynes

Walter Martin and Paloma Munoz

Megan Bogonovich

Show and Tell.... well already told

So I just am now realizing I never posted the images of my finished iteration of my first model, SOOOO here they are. This may help give you a sense of the scale I was using and how in order for it to become more portable, the scale needs to definitely shift down. However, I hope this helps to allow you to see what kind of experience I am trying to portray.

Just keep on making and making and making....

Post for November 19:

This past week I had my meeting with Jan (1.5 hours) to discuss my objects, however, after explaining to him my ideas, he advised me to do some mind mapping and really focus in on what it is (or what kind of experience) I am trying to give to my viewer; whether that's tactical, experiential, visual, a smell, etc. From here I was slightly confused, but talking with Janie, Seth as the GSIs on Tuesday at the library reassured my direction so for the rest of the week, I continued to research miniatures, picking up a few books on Chinese Miniature, decorative match-box sets, and small scaled environments. I also continued looking online at other small box-like structures and vessels, pretty much anything that interested me as a small container (3 hours). I also spent time listing out the specific things (which was still many) that excited me the most about the nature, and from there I put each into a category based on their experiential quality: tactile, sound, smell, visual, etc. (2 hours). From here the ideas started flowing and I began writing a few down and even sketching some out (2 hours). From here I plan to continue until I have about 15 sketches/ideas, will pick 3 I am most drawn to and then create them :) I want to start the creating process by this coming weekend over the holiday.

A Mindful Break

Post for November 11:

Cathryn Barmon

Bio-accessories, Ben Landau and Brittany Veitch

Anastassia Elias

Annalisa Vobis

This week was used for a bit of a breaking point as we took a group trip to UMMA and I focused mainly on my Grant Proposal and setting up a time line for myself. The trip to UMMA was a great way to clear my head a bit and look at other works to expand my view of possibilities. The ideas and concepts expressed the Museum pieces portrayed a true sense of dedication, commitment, passion and creativity... all of which are aspects I employ in my own work. By viewing these characteristics in an other's work besides my own, I realized I am capable of anything at this point and should not be afraid to reach for the stars when it comes to materials, concepts and forms. With this, I am now fully charged and excited to do dive in and explore a variety of materials and processes to construct my pieces in a manner that will satisfy my highest expectations.

As far as what work was done this week, I spent much time on the Grant Proposal (5 hours), which included making a detailed schedule for my self with deadlines for model making, gathering feedback, construction and completion of final objects and writing my thesis. This was extremely useful because it really put time in perspective for me, which was something I hadn't been paying as much attention to as I should have been before. I also spent some time doing a mind break of my own (4 hours) and looking up various artists working with smaller viewing objects and artists who recreate smaller environments. Artists I found to be most interesting were Annalisa Vobis, Cathryn Barmon and Anastassia Elias had work that either dealt with scale or the environment similar to what I am looking into. Bio-accessories by Australian designers Ben Landau and Brittany Veitch, was also a very inspirational series that I found, playing more on the idea of function. All these works are helping to lead me to new ideas to scale down my objects. I also have a meeting set up next week to speak with Yan about design and function of the objects. So until then, I will continue sketching and developing my ideas further so that after my meeting, I will be able to begin a second model.

In the midst of all this I was able to finish my first model on Thursday (5 hours). I had to go backwards a bit and break out some of the stones inside the can to fit the light source in. This caused more stones than I wanted to to fall out and I had to re-epoxy them back in afterward. Because of the reconstruction of the piece, it is not perfectly up to my standards on craftsmanship, however, it is a model, and that is what they are for. The basic ideas are demonstrated through the piece as a whole and it works very well as a first attempt. I am able to see what I like, don't like, need to change, scale down, and re-evaluate in order to move on. Overall, the model making process was very useful and for the most part, a successful tool for development.

Learning what models can say that sketches can't

Week of November 5:

This week I focused purely on constructing my first model for one of my environments (9 hours total). After feeling out various materials, I constructed a cave-like environment with the use of rocks, epoxy, bristle board, and a large Monster can. I started by finding the exact demensions and circumference of the can to create a three part cone-like structure out of the bristle board that fit perfectly inside the can, creating dimension as the cone tunneled down from a larger opening at the veiwing point to a smaller opening at the ending point. From there I filled the inside with rocks section by section and epoxied them in place. Although using the epoxy was very time consuming, it gave the piece an awesome effect and created a shine on the rocks that the light can bounce off of, appearing as if they were in wet or in shallow water. I still have yet to construct the water source I would like to add to the piece, but have gathered the materials I think will work.

Once looking through the piece into the light I realized that although I liked the depth created by the longevity of the can, the inside, once filled with the rocks, became darker than I had anticipated. To solve this, I will have to place a piece of vellum on the end (where the light will enter), which helps expand the area light will cover and help illuminate the inside, bringing out some of the colors of the rocks.

Another issue I ran into was the weight of the can. Once fully constructed, it became very heavy, and seems impractical to carry around. Not only was weight and issues, but the use of the can itself started to pose and issue. I was aiming for a very metaphorical reaction to the use of a Monster can to play into the contrast of society's dependence on caffeine sources to get through the day when all we really need is a break, time to connect with nature. I also like the idea that the can is such a man-made mass produced object that has a one time use only, you open it, drink it, and then dispose of it, and by housing this environment inside, you now have a reason to keep it.
However, after getting my peer's and professor's reactions to the piece (I spent most of Thursday in the morning and during section asking for reactions), I have realized its impracticality to the goal I was originially aiming for in my project proposal. I realize to get people to want to carry this piece around, it has to be smaller, it has to have a function.... a function in terms that it becomes some sort of use to people, rather than a burden to carry. Ben English made a good point to me "If you build this environment in a coffee cup because it is something that people carry with them in their daily lives, then you are making them now carry two coffee cups... one with actual coffee inside, and one with this environment. Who wants to have to do that?" I need to re-evaluate how it will be carried: will it be worn? pocketed? put on a key chain? It needs to be smaller, lighter, so scale and sizing must be explored. While slightly disappointed to see my weeks worth of work prove to veer me off the track, it was a good learning experience as I realized many things that I wouldn't have been able to just through sketching and writing my ideas. Model by model, I will be able to see what is working and what is not and from thre be able to focus my direction into what I am truly aiming to do.

The Ups and Downs of Process

Post for 10/28:

This week was a little bit of a stand still unfortunately. I spent about 2 hours earlier in the week going to the ReUse Center and PTO collecting more containers; this time water bottles, canteens, and thermoses, and water bottle carriers. Once sitting down (3 hours, Tuesday studio time) and carving again into these objects I began thinking about other ways in which to allow my someone to experience nature besides looking into these objects. I thought about what if they could touch/feel nature by sticking their hand into a compartment, or open a small container and smell it... things they could do without having to look into something. This lead to the idea of having a kit or carrying case to house these objects. I began to write down and collect ideas for these kits and presented them in section on Tuesday along with my process with of objects.

Once having discussed my ideas with the class, I realized there were two main routes I could go and both said very different things. The kit idea lead into more of a therapeutic, remedy based concept, while using a pop can as my container (instead of just a water bottle) spoke to a very metaphorical meaning of contrast between modern society and nature.

In mist of trying to decipher between the paths, I found myself straying even farther from what I truly want to focus on and I began looking into herbal remedies found in nature and how I could form environments and build a kit based off those characteristics. However, after a few hours of sorting through my ideas and research found online (4 more hours) I realized this was too far off the path I what I originally wanted to do and the message I was trying to portray through my proposed idea. While all off this at first seemed like a waste of time, it was good to exercise other ideas and helped me really realize how to narrow down and maintain my focus. I realized what I need to do to advance and that is simply to just go ahead and make one of the objects using a can (preferably the use of a can that has a re-sealable top... I'm pretty sure Monster makes some, however I was having trouble find one today). By having the object produced in a tangible form for me to look at, verse simply think about, I will be able to better evaluate its meaning and see if it works to what I am looking to portray.

So for now its so long to the sketch book and thought process, and hello to physical creation.

Oh, and if anyone has seen/knows of cans that are re-sealable or have twist tops, PLEASE feel free to let me know what they are :)

Keepin' it sort and sweet this week. I'll try to post more this weekend as I work through the physical construction of my object.

Chaio!

Cranking it Out

For the past week (until 10/21), with a mass of built up energy, I pulled my nose out of the books and finally got my hands dirty. After last Thursday's discussion with Janie, Seth, and a a few other peers, I realized there was so much exploring, discovering and experiementing I needed to do that could only be achieved through making/thinking with my hands, and not so much with my head.

Therefore, this weekend I returned home again for Fall Break, and again, hit the Paint Creek trail a couple times and began to collect (4 hours), however, this time I was collecting with a specific focus of "creating an environment" this time. I looked for objects that had specific forms, textures, colors, and beauty that would fit into a container and depicts an ambiance, rather than sticking an acorn inside that would just say "hi, I'm an acorn inside a box." I also was collecting things that I knew would be able to withstand a long period of time and wouldn't degrade or dry out with a couple of days, changing its appearance completely. My findings were a great.

my favorites

While looking for natural objects, I was also looking for man-made containers to take apart, dissect their structure, and experiment with in terms of form and space. I went to Salvation Army in both Ann Arbor and in Rochester, along with another thrift store, but was unsuccessful.... I will be trying again this coming weekend with the ReUse center and PTO.

Surprisingly where I was most successful at my house here in Ann Arbor. Tuesday, I collected at least five different sizes of pop cans, tons of cardboard, pill/vitamin bottles, pencil cases, glasses cases... basically anything I had around that I could stick a knife through. Once I started thinking outside of only water bottle cases, I realized the materials and forms that make up these other found objects could work very well to convey specific environments. (Overall traveling/collecting: 3 hours)

Wednesday I sat down and began writing/sketching/diagraming which types of environments I was envisioning, descibing the type of light flow I wanted, objects inside, structure, color, depth, textures, ect. that I wanted for each in a very specif manner. Creating the inside first helped for me to identify the form of the outside. After I had some solid ideas, I sketched out object renderings of my ideas (3 hours).






From there I began cutting holes into the bottoms of everything I collected and put the objects up to my eye. I took notes on the quality of light flow, how it reflected inside certain objects, the depth and width each object provided and what I liked/disliked about the object. I began sticking different forms inside another, covering the holes with different fabrics, papers, leaves, and other semi-translucent objects to control light and depth (2 hours - then 1 hour continued into this morning).








Today, through mid-morning studio Erica and I began to talk about my collecting and experimenting and got into a great conversation as I shared my work, objects, and sketches. We discussed ideas for other environments, other ways to house them, potential objects to look for, process and more, giving me even more ideas on what to look for/create with this weekend(45 minutes-hour?).

Section was spent sharing our progress in small groups, however, only half the class presented, and I will be presenting mine this coming Tuesday. I plan to share the same things that I had to show for today, but plan to move on quite a bit more, having more objects that I've dissected, but also, I plan to attempt to fully render, as much as possible, at least one object with an environment inside to gain a sense of how the two interact with each other and in the palms of my hands as I look inside.

Note: I plan to post pics of these sketches and my writings... as soon as I find my camera cord! So hold tight for those of you who are visual thinkers like me, and can't follow what I describe :)

Weekly Entry for 10/14... Oh man is time flyinggggg

This week has taken me for quite a spin. This past weekend I made a trip down to North Carolina and back for some family issues, so my mind hasn't exactly been where it should have, but these things happen I suppose.
But now it's time to get down to business, and I am ready to dive in!

Unfortunately due to my travels, I was not able to get much I.P. done this weekend besides more research and reading from the books I previously mentioned (3 hours). The research is great and really gets me motivated to express my ideas and concerns on about humans and our currently diminishing connection to nature. For example, here is a piece that I had written origninaly in my project proposal for this week (but cut it out because it was unnecessary for the assignment), but I feel that it embodies some the reasoning behind the direction I am heading in:

"Over the past few generations, there has become an exponential increase in the disconnect humans are experiencing with nature. This is important because we has humans, whether aware of this or not, depend on nature for many psychological, emotional, and physical attributes. Through my research, I have found various studies that prove nature to work as a form of therapy, of mental release, and an aid in the healing processes for both physical and emotional injuries. Other studies have shown its benefits in the prevention of and aid to existing childhood development disorders, such as ADD and ADHD. Illnesses such as obesity, especially childhood obesity, are also said to be partial caused by detachment that has become so engrained in our society."

The source I find most useful is Richard Lou's Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-deficit Disorder, a book from Janie.
Some other inspirational excerpts from him that helped to form my Project Proposal are:

"Today nature is more of an abstraction than reality,"

Nature embodies "Full use of the senses,"

Nature "clamed me, focused me, and yet excited my senses,"

"nature represents beauty and refuge,"

the view that nature is "therapeutic and restorative is ancient"

Wednesday night, I sat down to write the rest of my project proposal, and well.... went a little over board. After about 2 hours of sorting through ideas and writing, I ended up with over 1000 words describing what I wanted to accomplish, what I am trying to express, how I plan to do it, why I wanted to do it and what inspired me, along with future thoughts on where I can see my piece going over time. Obviously this was wayyyy to much detail and unneeded information for what the assignment was asking for, but at the same time, it was a great way for me to organize my thoughts and ideas into a clear focus so I could better explain them in person.

Thursday during the studio I spent most of my time cutting down and refining my proposal to be clear and concise, which was a slight setback since I was very eager to get started messing around and playing with different materials for work to show next week.

However, on the upside, during the section I had the chance to sit down with Janie, Seth, and a few other fellow students to discuss what directions to head in next. I decided the best thing for me to do is literally start making my objects. Trying variety of forms and models to see which would work best for the structure of my objects which will encapsulate specific environments. I plan to head to Salvation Army and the Reuse center to see which already existing forms I can modify to my needs. I also plan on collecting as many found natural objects as possible and start sorting them into which kind of environment they fit into best.

I am excited to see what I will encounter and produce for next Thursday, and and uplifted to start making things again, letting my mind wander away from the books.

Yay for Fall Break! And let the Candy Corn and Apple Cider warm our tummies!

Final Project Proposal

Senior Project Proposal

Throughout my childhood I spent most of my time outside, in the woods of my own back yard, or on the Clinton River banks swinging myself into the water, collecting rocks, or pretending I was a Native American princess. I would take family trips up to Northern Michigan to fish, take walks and spend time on the lake. We’d spend time in North Carolina’s Smokey Mountains to hike and bicycle while staying in a remote cabin overlooking the miles of mountains. These experiences in nature have formed the person I am today. Through my studies over the past years here at the University, I have realized that this is not the case for many; more and more children today are lacking contact with nature as the media is jamming our culture.

There is no other environment that I have yet experienced in this world that gives me such overwhelming feelings throughout all my senses, physically and mentally, as nature does. I forget that modern civilization exists, and the space completely absorbs me to a point that makes me question reality. I want to provide a chance for the viewer to connect with the natural world that is no longer easily accessible in this congested world of consumerism and mass media. I hope to provoke a sense of peace and wonderment, of being in tune with one’s self as part of the larger, pure, natural world, not just a member of the modern technologically advancing society.

I plan to create a series of three easily transportable “personal” objects that will act as escape mechanisms, which mimic and capture unique forms and textural qualities that can only be found in nature. I want not only to stimulate the individual viewer’s visual sense, but multiple senses at the same time. Light, smell, feel, texture, and visual rendering will be vital each of the objects in their ability to bring a different nature-based experience to the viewer. The objects will take on a kaleidoscope-like quality on the inside; a small hole for the viewer to peer into to find some sort of structured environment. The outside however, will be rendered as an unnoticeable human-made product. This contrast between the outer and inner characteristics of the object speaks to our yearn to blend into the rest of society.

I want the effects of my work to take the ordinary details of our everyday lives; such as a stone we would generally pass by on the ground without a secondary glance, and transform it so that we feel the need to hold onto, pick up, put in our pocket, take with us, and if its too big to carry, we wish to mentally capture it exactly as it is in that moment, so that we are able to call upon it at any given point when we find ourselves in our most distressed mental states.

Weekly Entry for 10/7

This Past Week:
Saturday I took the Arts Outta Town bus to the Grand Rapids Art Prize (see previous post for more) in hopes to clear my mind, see what other artist were doing in the world, and find possible inspiration (6 hours spent at the show). As I said before, going through the show really let my mind wander and allowed me to realize I can feel free to experiment with any medium of choice to express my concept/ideas.

Sunday was spent reading a piece from Art and Discontent by Thomas McEvilley (1hr). This piece was great as it discussed a number of concepts and themes and opened my eyes to various processes and materials artist work with to form their work around. I especially liked the passage on "Content rooted in biological or physiological responses," as I felt much of what was said here pertains to my interests in other artists and my own work.

Sunday and Monday night (7 hours), along with all of Studio Tuesday morning and part of the afternoon (4 hours), I spent reading from the 5 books Janie gave me, a piece Amanda sent me, and watched a video on Art and Ecology. I took notes and quotes that interested me from all of these (which mind you was a ton! I filled about 8 pages of lined notebook paper with this stuff) and was really able to sort through my ideas on what my interests were with nature specifically.

Wednesday night I began to struggle a bit, so instead of focusing on writing my self-review I spent time researching, watching videos, reading blogs, etc. on other environmental and land artists throughout the past decades and created another inspiration archive folder on my computer (3 hours). This was a good break from the specific topics I was just focusing on and opened me to a broader view on nature and art.

Still though, by Thursday the only problems I was running into was narrowing my focus, trying to chose between a few conflicting ideas; like do I still incorporate my family strongly in the piece or is it time to let that go and subtly show through my process? How strong of a political voice do I want to have in my piece? I find the concept of children becoming more and more disconnected to nature to be a huge issue in our society today and it hits a spot in my heart pretty hard to realize the facts provided, partially because nature was such a big part of my childhood.

Therefore, Thursday morning was spent sorting through these questions and trying to find the answers to them (3 hours). The processes of writing the "Mock Review" of my final piece really helped me solve some of these issues and come to conclusions about what I want. Therefore, I am quite satisfied with where I am in my thinking processes and am ready to complete my proposal :) YAY!
Thursday afternoon, after a short discussion as a class, I immediately let my ideas pour into my sketch book and the idea of "Nesting" became something was really spiking my interest! You can read more about this when I post my project proposal...

Art Prize

Traveling to Art Prize this weekend really helped remind me that I am totally free to experiment, create in whatever medium I wish. I don't have to be afraid of trying something new and sticking to only mediums that I know. This was a good feeling of relief, while fair itself was fun and full of amazing sights to let my mind wonder :)

Some of my favorite pieces! (Of course I didn't get to see everything, but from what I did, these were great):