Summer Porjects
(Work #1)
Admissions
Mixed Media
26cm x 21.5cm
October 2015
For this piece I was inspired by the work of Richard Hamilton, an english collage artists. His works often feature many different images that, together create a space or environment. These scenes often depict portraits, like those in his series Fashion-Plate, or of human interactions, like those in his piece Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing?
I was very much inspired by Hamilton’s ability to develop a scene using such a wide variety of images. this create a surreal image in some ways, but his work’s content and themes explore the pop culture and current events of his time. In some ways I wished to do the same with my piece. I wanted to focus on the impact of college applications and searches at this point in my life.
I used images from pamphlets and postcards sent to me from colleges. I wanted to express the stress of the applications process through my work by using multiple images that would not normally be seen together in order to promote the feeling of confusion or being lost. I used an image of a young girl walking into this confusion as a way of expressing the abruptness of this part of my life.
I was very much inspired by Hamilton’s ability to develop a scene using such a wide variety of images. this create a surreal image in some ways, but his work’s content and themes explore the pop culture and current events of his time. In some ways I wished to do the same with my piece. I wanted to focus on the impact of college applications and searches at this point in my life.
I used images from pamphlets and postcards sent to me from colleges. I wanted to express the stress of the applications process through my work by using multiple images that would not normally be seen together in order to promote the feeling of confusion or being lost. I used an image of a young girl walking into this confusion as a way of expressing the abruptness of this part of my life.
(Work #2)
Clementine Study
CHARCOAL
38cm x 31cm
October 2015
This piece was inspired by the sketches of renaissance artists like Da Vinci and Michelangelo. Through most of their sketches were plans for portraits or studies of human anatomy, the renaissance movement created many still lives as well. I was particularly inspired by the detail that the artists had in their sketches. I was interesting to think about how much effort and skill was applied to plans and studies. I wanted to experiment with this same skill in my work and practice my techniques. I did this with a still life of a clementine on top of a mirror because of the round form of the fruit and the complexity of the mirror. These elements were popular in the still lives of the time.
Charcoal was a new medium for me. I was not sure how to begin the drawing or how to use charcoal. I began using it like a pencil which did not look great. I then decided to think about it like a painting. I laid down shadows and used my eraser to make highlights. I blended and then used a charcoal pencil and white pencil to make final details. I think that the clementine was successful in its detail and shading, however creating realistic and detailed images in the mirror was difficult for me. This study challenged me and allowed me to study the work of renaissance masters that I had not done in a while.
Charcoal was a new medium for me. I was not sure how to begin the drawing or how to use charcoal. I began using it like a pencil which did not look great. I then decided to think about it like a painting. I laid down shadows and used my eraser to make highlights. I blended and then used a charcoal pencil and white pencil to make final details. I think that the clementine was successful in its detail and shading, however creating realistic and detailed images in the mirror was difficult for me. This study challenged me and allowed me to study the work of renaissance masters that I had not done in a while.
(Work #3)
Bell Pepper
Mixed Media
74cm x 98cm
November 2015
For this piece I was inspired by the collage work of Pablo Picasso. His collages, like much of his work, deconstructed the image into simple forms and built them so as to view the image in a new way. His piece, Guitar, was especially inspirational for this piece because of the simplicity of materials and the three dimensional composition.
I wanted to do a collage still life similar to that of Picasso’s guitar in that its focus was on the object itself. I chose to do a close up of the pepper because it is a image that is often seen but not often admired. Like Picasso, I wanted to develop the image using three dimensional elements such as the cardboard that formed the seeds and rounded parts of the pepper. I also wanted to differ from Picasso’s work so as to be inspired by his use of the medium without copying his ideas completely. I did this by working from a flat surface and building out as well as adding slight color to define highlights and deeper pigments seen on the still life.
While I wanted to create my own piece and differ from Picasso’s, I was intrigued by the use of string in his piece, Guitar. I wanted to explore this in my own piece. I did this with copper wire in the upper right corner of my piece. I did this in an effort to describe the image of the veins inside of the pepper. This and the other three diminutional elements of the piece are somewhat of a success. It is sometimes difficult to see these elements, like in the upper right and lower left corners. However, it is successful in it’s interpretation of seeds and in its ink and color work.
I wanted to do a collage still life similar to that of Picasso’s guitar in that its focus was on the object itself. I chose to do a close up of the pepper because it is a image that is often seen but not often admired. Like Picasso, I wanted to develop the image using three dimensional elements such as the cardboard that formed the seeds and rounded parts of the pepper. I also wanted to differ from Picasso’s work so as to be inspired by his use of the medium without copying his ideas completely. I did this by working from a flat surface and building out as well as adding slight color to define highlights and deeper pigments seen on the still life.
While I wanted to create my own piece and differ from Picasso’s, I was intrigued by the use of string in his piece, Guitar. I wanted to explore this in my own piece. I did this with copper wire in the upper right corner of my piece. I did this in an effort to describe the image of the veins inside of the pepper. This and the other three diminutional elements of the piece are somewhat of a success. It is sometimes difficult to see these elements, like in the upper right and lower left corners. However, it is successful in it’s interpretation of seeds and in its ink and color work.
(Work #4)
Dreams
Collage
35cm x 28cm
November 2015
I was inspired by the piece Collective Invention by Rene Magritte. I was intrigued by surrealism and its way of combining images, so as to create new beings and sceneries. I was drawn to Collective Invention because of its dream-like way of molding the human image to nature. I wanted to explore thins in my own work. I wanted to do so by creating a self portrait in which the shoulder becomes a scene of shrubbery. The background was made of images of oceans and water. I wanted to create this blending of my form to nature in a clam image.
I wanted to make this piece with collage because of my interest in the medium as well as its ability pixelate an image in a collective and purposeful way. I wanted to use collage in the face and arms that would show highlights and shadows in a natural way.
I wanted the piece to reflect a memory of mine. It was inspired by my time on the coast of the Italian Riviera. Through my time there was brief, the landscape and the emotions felt through the beauty of the area was engraved in my memory. I wanted to express the felling of calm and content that I feel when I think of this time. I believed that this was best expressed through an image of sleep. This was done through the blending of what is seen outside, the image of my sleeping self, and the inside, the images of my dreams. This blending of nature which depicted the coast of Italy and the images of myself connect back to Magritte’s surrealist works and his ideas of blending two realities.
I wanted to make this piece with collage because of my interest in the medium as well as its ability pixelate an image in a collective and purposeful way. I wanted to use collage in the face and arms that would show highlights and shadows in a natural way.
I wanted the piece to reflect a memory of mine. It was inspired by my time on the coast of the Italian Riviera. Through my time there was brief, the landscape and the emotions felt through the beauty of the area was engraved in my memory. I wanted to express the felling of calm and content that I feel when I think of this time. I believed that this was best expressed through an image of sleep. This was done through the blending of what is seen outside, the image of my sleeping self, and the inside, the images of my dreams. This blending of nature which depicted the coast of Italy and the images of myself connect back to Magritte’s surrealist works and his ideas of blending two realities.
(Work #5)
Child in MAndala
Collage
50cm x 37.5cm
December 2015
This piece was inspired by Mandalas. They are typically circular images with patterns encircling the center or a square with designs encompassing it to form a circle. They are popular in Buddhism and are used to symbolize the universe. While they are prominently used in Indian cultures, forms of the Mandala can be seen throughout the world such as the rose windows of Catholic cathedrals. I wanted to explore the idea of a universe and what it could mean. The “universe” could mean literally the universe and everything exists, or it could be more personal. It could mean an individual’s universe, their life, their environment, their everything.
In my mandala, I wanted to represent the universe for a child. I used an child’s image with bright colors and flowers to express the beauty of the world that i had seen and felt as a child. I encircled this image with watercolor, creating a strong barrier with the rest of the piece so as to express the divide between the child’s understanding and the reality of the world. I then used spray paint and stencils to create hazy images of people in order to depict the vastness of the world and its people. These images are separated from the child’s “mandala” in order to further express the innocence and the limitation of that universe. The image then fades into all white to express the unknown of our collective universe.
I wanted to use modern materials like spray paint to create a contemporary image because the piece assesses questions and thoughts of a contemporary culture.
In my mandala, I wanted to represent the universe for a child. I used an child’s image with bright colors and flowers to express the beauty of the world that i had seen and felt as a child. I encircled this image with watercolor, creating a strong barrier with the rest of the piece so as to express the divide between the child’s understanding and the reality of the world. I then used spray paint and stencils to create hazy images of people in order to depict the vastness of the world and its people. These images are separated from the child’s “mandala” in order to further express the innocence and the limitation of that universe. The image then fades into all white to express the unknown of our collective universe.
I wanted to use modern materials like spray paint to create a contemporary image because the piece assesses questions and thoughts of a contemporary culture.