Art in Progress

Delving deeper into the idea of language and layering  Visual storyteller  Being able to mimic soothing shapes and textures through painting and sculpture Bringing to life the relaxing property of softness and smooth lines/shape  Tribal qualities, reminiscent of knot making in ancient civilizations -- ( continuation of our history with textiles ) Playing with light to achieve a more dramatic quality, but moreso to enhance the details on the fabric/canvas  By using textured materials, easier to envision the slow process of time  The collective whole -- combining different materials together to be seen as one. Brining together all of the aspects of art that I find most pleasing in work Ambiguous shapes that are pleasing because of their unknown origin. Natural looking, also soothing to look at  The connection between humans and textiles from birth -- there is still a need for this today, for anyone. We sleep with sheets, we adorn ourselves with clo...

            I took everyone's advice this week and merged some pieces together. I'm starting to like the idea of incorporating sculptural objects on the canvas because it's definitely outside of my comfort zone. I can still keep the color palette the same, which definitely brings me some comfort. I'm enjoying all of it really. I prefer the second to the first mainly because I like the painting style more on the second -- it has more detail to it in my opinion.

          This week was a fun one. I was able to go back to the basics and play around with a big painting. Instead of embracing the flatness, I wanted to add texture. The smaller pieces were experiments of this process, given that I really didn't want to screw up such a large canvas (30"x40"). I really enjoyed the aspect of not knowing what was going to happen. I think I've realized that that's really important to me, because that's how the best things happen. It's really important that I find that language that fully expresses who I am as an artist and individual.

          Working with spotlights had been on my mind a lot, and this was no different. Working with textiles is a wonderful way for me to feel more creative because of the way light interacts with these fabrics. The neutral colors are just another plus side of this sanded satin fabric. It has since changed, but this weeks experiments were definitely a favorite. I also decided that it was time to get over my fear of tangled yarn (mainly because it's pretty tangled now and I'm too lazy to fix it because it does look cool). Wrapping yarn around a large ambiguous form was also something that I wanted to do for that week to see how it would fit in with my work.           This was the week when it was pointed out most that I have many rules and regulations for my work. I think that just goes back to me being a very restrictive person. I feel more comfortable when rules are in place, and if there aren't any in the begi...

          I had decided that it was time to change my concept of painting. Adding to the canvas -- or extending it -- seemed like an optimal idea. I actually liked the way it turned out because it's definitely different from my normal pieces. I felt that this particular week wasn't filled with much progress, but when seeing everything together and how vastly different it is from past weeks, I felt a little better. I tried my hand at stitching, but it didn't work out as planned. I've come to realize that I'm the opposite of patient and stitching requires that and then some. I played around a little more with the air dry porcelain because I've only ever dried them on baking paper. To remove that, I hung the clay around yarn and they dried more like bone. You could even see some of the yarn through the porcelain.

          I was given scraps of leather from the previous class and wanted to turn them into something that could be seen as tribal. The feel and durability of leather is something that is very important to me because it withstands the test of time. Suede in particular is by far my favorite because of its soft texture. It's reminiscent of the fibers in a way because I deliberately choose things that are soft to the touch. This week was a turning point for me when it came to realizing why I love and am so drawn to textiles and fibers. I worked on making the air dry porcelain a big bigger, and extended the length on the pieces. I was too nervous to bring it to the floor in fear of tangling, but now this seems to be an eventuality that is hard to avoid given its storage.

          I continued to stick with painting on the side, but also experimented with sculptural forms. This was the week when I embraced my deep connection with fibers. They were seen as ornamental and organic, just as my painting, but with a more lifelike attribute to them. The variation in texture was intentional. Knot making as a form of communication was something else that I found interesting, and decided to continue on the journey of abstract sculptural forms. I still prefer to stick to a muted color palette, and the greens that I used reflected that intent. The more I look at the paintings that I turned in this week, the more I begin to appreciate that color because of its ability to relax and rejuvenate the soul.