end of the year

Right now all I'm working on is framing... and man is it taking me a long time. I ended taking a lot of pieces off of the wood I had them on, making blocks of wood to go on the backs of those and now I'm working on painting the wood and finding some glue to glue the images to the front of the wood. I'm waiting on a few more stretchers, and still have a little sewing to do. Hoping to get this all finished before the end of the semester!

busy busy

Yesterday I started planning out who my committee will be for my Thesis next semester. I've got three art professors, I'm meeting with a philosophy professor next week to interview him and see if I think he'd fit, and I still need to decide between Keith and Dan.

I got to go to Cleveland yesterday and see 3 pieces of my work, as well as a lot of other work in a gallery on West 78th St.  It was nice because my parents got to come and they really enjoyed looking at all the work; It's something they don't get to do often.

Next week I'll be bringing home all of my printed pieces to have my grandpa size them and hopefully make some if not all of the stretchers. I've got three new small pieces to start sewing, and then I'll need to print one more piece after that. The end of the semester is coming fast!

moving along

I've got my fourth piece finished on screen and ready to be printed (after a few revisions). Now I'm just going to be working on sewing once that's printed, and figuring out my final piece (or two).  I was going to post a picture but it's not saving right at the moment.

another post

Here is the one I just got printed, it's huge! but I love it. (Denise's hand for size reference)

Here's what I still have on screen that I'm working with. These would be two separate pieces.

what I'm up to...

I am almost finished sewing all 3 of my printed pieces! (3 really meaning 12) I had one of the small squares reprinted today so I still need to do that one. I'm also having one the largest pieces I've made printed today. Haven't decided if or how I'm sewing into that one. Right now I just want to work on finishing all three of these printed ones and then I'll work on my final two (which are basically done on screen).  I'm also hoping to get them all stretched/framed over thanksgiving break.

what I'm doing

so I had my second four pieces printed off and I've gotten quite a bit of sewing done on those. I also have 4 other ones but can't decide how to sew or if I even want to. I suppose I will just give it a shot and see where it goes! (I can always reprint). So I have three printed pieces total, and 2 on screen.

display

I've been thinking a lot about how I want to display my new pieces. I was asked if I will want to display the cut up versions alongside the full image. I haven't decided but for my new water one I think I might like them displayed together. But I'm still trying to figure out where they would be in relation to each other. examples:

From the cut up pieces alone, you don't get the same amount of information as you do with the full image. I haven't decided if I think they can stand on their own and still have an impact or if they need to be put with the full image. Let me know if you have any thoughts on this =)

suggestions?

These are two pieces I have in progress so far. Does anyone have any ideas/comments/suggestions?

after crit

After today's critique I'm feeling pretty good about where I'm headed. I really like the images I'm working with/plan on working with. I won't be able to start sewing my second group of images  until we get some more canvas paper in so this weekend I will just be working on screen. I like that I'm working on incorporating a figure into this piece and hopefully more. I think it will be a challenge once I print my new ones and don't have as much of a guideline on where to sew but I'm excited to see how they turn out.

sewing...

This week I've just been doing a lot of sewing. I'm finished with two of the smaller pieces and plan on getting close to finished with the other two over the weekend. Then I'm just waiting on the next four to be printed (something was going wrong with the printer) but until then I've got a lot of new photos to work with. Starting with the one of the lake! wish me luck..

I've also been working on finding artists that work with landscapes/nature/religion. It's a bit difficult but I'm looking into JMW Turner as of now.

content

I took some photos over the past week that I want to start working with, creating new landscapes (and then piecing them up). I'm still working on sewing the 4 pieces I have printed out. Once I'm done with those I have another four part piece to print and sew.

In my art theory and crit class we've had to talk a bit about our work. I've always had trouble developing/verbalizing the content behind my work. Something I'm realizing more and more is that my work is about the process. It's about going out and taking the photos, experimenting with altering/creating images, and spending the time sewing. I know this is not something I will be able to write a thesis on, but I'm realizing that for me, the content is something that comes after the work is created. So the concept is something I will continue to work on...

progress

so I've printed 3 pieces and I'm about done sewing one of them. I was looking into possibly using wax or some other form of media on top of my new work. I'm not really into using bees wax or any animal product really so I was trying to find soy wax (i found some cheap online but realized there was like a $20 shipping charge) :/ so I'm still looking. I came home for the weekend so I plan on going a few places to get some photos for new pieces. Possibly the lake! that would be something different..

printing

so tomorrow I will be printing the two pieces (actually 8 individual ones) that I showed in class on friday. I haven't decided how big I want them, so I think I will go with a smaller scale for now. I really like the way those pieces look I guess I just need to see where it goes off screen. I like that I'm going with a more abstract look this semester. I think I will continue chopping up landscapes I already have, and then create new ones and do the same to those (as well as use them as a whole).

A closer look...

This semester I'm going to try to go in a bit of a different direction. I will be using parts of my previous works to create closer up, more abstract images. I'm really focusing on my concept this semester, since I will be writing a thesis soon....  

I'm still going to be sewing after the pieces are printed, and I haven't decided if I will be printing onto canvas paper or doing transfers onto canvas. (I like different aspects of both) If anyone has any preferences let me know your opinion :) I will also be experimenting with different sizes for my images... I'm thinking more along the lines of longer rectangles..

framing

brought my two small pieces home this weekend, my grandpa has the stretchers and frames made so we'll be doing that tomorrow. I'm still not 100% sure what I'm doing with the circular piece but I don't know if it will be completely done by the end of the semester (in terms of framing).  Right now it's just time to sew sew sew.

feeling a little lost..

I've got all my pieces printed out, and almost two completely finished. I have on left to transfer, but I think I'm transferring it to wood so I still need to get that. I really don't know what to do differently with these pieces. After my junior review I'm feeling really lost. I liked where I was going with my work but I guess it's not working. I know I need to come up with more of a concept for what I'm doing, but I guess the sewing isn't really working so I don't know where to go with it. I'm hoping that as I start to work on my last 3 small pieces I come up with something.

new tree.

Any comments about using this tree?

new

Two pieces I've been working on. Anyone have any input?  (I will be changing the tree in one of them so they're not the same, just need to take another picture)

transfer time

I got a third piece finished on screen, it was just printed out so I still need to transfer it and then sew and whatnot. I've got a fourth started on screen (same one I posted last time) that I need to work on and then I need to start a fifth! I'm out of town for the weekend but I'm going to try to get some work finished.

really cool website!

I was on stumbleupon (which is another website you should check out), and I happened to stumble upon this website that lets you view famous works of art super close up! I thought it was cool =)

http://www.googleartproject.com/

flowers..

This week I've just been working on my two small flower pieces.  I really like how the one with the single flower is looking, but I don't know what else to do with it. I changed the one with the 3 flowers a little bit but still can't decide what else needs done. opinions? I've also been trying to look for artists to gain inspiration from. In Western Art II we were learning about Vincent Van Gogh, and how he really appreciated nature. I feel like I will be able to draw some inspiration from some of his works. I'm still looking into other artisits..

(re-posting this from friday, accidentally posted it signed in as the wrong name)

I have two pieces almost completely finished. I tried to get most of the sewing done by yesterday because I gave them to my parents to bring home for my grandpa to frame. I have a smaller one on screen that I want to print out and transfer. I plan on doing at least two smaller pieces, like my flower one from last semester. Jessica told me I am still being too safe, so I'm trying to work on that! I want to do more with the mixed media. more charcoal or paint or something.

more meaning

This is what I've been working on. Since the critique I've really been trying to develop this image, and have a reason for what's going on. I asked some friends to tell me what they see when they look at it, or what stands out to them. This was really helpful! My roommate told me that the colors and the texture really stand out to her. And that there's a lot of depth and that makes her feel like she's really part of this space. She said the scene looks peaceful. And she feels like she's looking at God's creation; makes her feel connected to life around her. 

I was happy to hear all of this! A lot of it is what I was going for and I hadn't really discussed that with her. I also asked my boyfriend: He said the darker path on the left intrigued him. Like he felt like you're supposed to want to go where the light is, in the back, but something about the other one made him want to go there.

Since the critique I've been working on giving this piece more meaning. I made the back path very light. This is representing the path in life that is best for you, that you should take. Some of the branches and leaves seem to be pointing you in this direction. But there is the dark path to the left. You want to know what's down this path even though it's dark/ dangerous. 

struggling

I've been having a hard time lately making things work. I like how my first piece is looking but the second one was just really getting me down. I decided to just start on a new one and I think I like where it's going. Unfortunately, my computer shut down and I did not save it, after doing A LOT of work. I'm hoping that I can remember everything I did and recreate it some time this weekend. I was going to post it on here today but obviously I can't do that :/ I'm going on a retreat for the weekend so I won't be able to work on it much, but hopefully I can figure it all out soon! uugggghhh.

transfers....

I've been trying to decide if I want to do transfers or just print right onto canvas paper. I really like the way both of them turned out last semester. I like the clean look of the regular prints, and the more textured, rough look of the transfers. I'd kind of like to be consistent but I don't know if I'll be able to choose so I might just switch it up!

any ideas?

This is what I started this week. It kind of looks like it's on some other planet or something, not really sure if that's what I want. I like the colors but I know this needs a lot more!  any ideas?

some progress

I've been working on some things we talked about during the critique. I think I've got the shadow for the tree down for the most part. and I've been trying to make some more hills in the background to make the skyline look more believable. I still haven't fixed the sky so that is something I'll have to work on. I haven't worked on my second one at all yet since the critique.


On another note, I put my pieces from last semester in a gallery in Mansfield so that's exciting! I don't really expect to sell any because the prices might be a little high. but still cool =)

this week...

Right now I've got one piece that I feel could be close to being finished (on screen). I'm liking how it's looking but I can't figure out what else it needs. I've also started working on another piece but I keep changing it a lot. I'm not exactly sure where I want to go with it yet! I was thinking about using some text, and possibly some other media in addition to the thread. Here is the first one (I'm feeling like it's looking really flat, any suggestions?)

stuck

I've been trying to work with some pictures I took over winter break, but I'm having trouble because there's a lot less color in them to begin with. I've been looking up artists to gain inspiration from. I've also been scanning in some things like croutons (weird) to come up with some different textures and backgrounds to use for my pieces. I'm liking how it looks! I just keep getting stuck on where to go with them. I start something and then can't figure out where to go so I just start another. I need to get this figured out!

New semester

This semester I will be trying to work more on figuring out the meaning behind my artwork, and why I do what I do. I will still be using photographs that I've taken, manipulating them on photoshop, and then printing them onto canvas paper and sewing. This semester I want my pieces to flow a little better together, and I really just want to be able to express the meaning of my work, and give people a better understanding of it.