Independent Project

My first independent project thing!

Artist Statement

My first experience with art was in kindergarten art class, and I have enjoyed it ever since.  I do not consider myself a "serious" artist, but art is great hobby for me.  It is a way for me to relax myself and let time fly by as I make my work.  I am an anxious person, so art is valuable because I let go of my worries for a while.  This is great because I find most of my ideas when I am not worried about anything.  My favorite thing to do in art is to play with colors.  I like to use oil and chalk pastels and blend different colors together to see how it comes out.  My experiments seldom end up as final pieces, but is more of a warm up so I can start to feel less self conscious.

If I were to guess, less than half of my work is on paper and the rest is in my head.  I spend a lot of time thinking and worrying about what I will do for my art pieces (or any other work).  I do not usually consciously brainstorm, but I will have my work in my mind as I go through each day.  Playing sports has the same effect on me as making art, so many of my ideas come when I am playing sports.  I have always enjoyed sports, so there is an area in the basement dedicated as my "sports area."  This is where I can hit or throw balls against the walls as hard as I want, and it somehow relieves my tension.  When I am angry, I can go hit balls in the sports area, and I will be fine again when I am done.  When I find myself frustrated in front of a blank paper, I take a small "sports break" to gather my thoughts.  I have a great memory when I want to (and sometimes when I don't), so this is far more effective than writing things down on paper.  Because my art is about calmness and focus, my process is way more important to me than my product.

Symbolic Portrait: Finished

If Stephen Colbert was a robot, he would look something like this :)

Process Reflection Two

This is me, upside down and working on my
weave thing.

You’ve been hard at work on your final project.  What did you accomplish in the last week?  What challenges have you faced?  What are the next steps?  What do you plan to do in the week ahead?  Include a photo of your work in progress or of you at work (see class site for pics).


This week, I mainly worked on my symbolic portrait and independent project.  I finally finished my Stephen Colbert "robot picture," and have been going through my sketchbook to find more project ideas.  Today, I finished two independent pieces using ideas from the sketchbook, and I am thinking of doing a longer one next week (maybe).  I had trouble drawing wooden blocks in a certain formation, and will probably ask you sometime on Monday how to draw them.  As you probably know, my challenge this week was to come up with something for Robot Stevie's "legs."  After about two hours of watching "art pictures" on a classmate's screen and scribbling out ideas in my sketchbook, I finally got it, and drew flamboyant "stars and stripes" pants.  As I said before, my next step is to ask you for help on drawing the blocks, and then making my own drawing of them.

It's a little off topic, but if you would like to see Stephen Colbert try out for the New York Knicks, click here.  :)

Art 21 Reflection Three

Imagine skating on that.  Really cool, right?

This time, I will write about Maya Lin and Tim Hawkinson.  Ms. Lin is an artist who clearly uses a lot of architecture in her work, as she designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  She is shown making an "ecliptic ice rink," that has lights underneath it so it looks like the night sky.  She says her work "deals with naturally occurring phenomena" and is "closely aligned with geology and landscape."  Based on what I have watched and read so far (memorial and ice rink), Ms. Lin's work is about transforming the atmosphere around the art, or creating a "mood."  I think that the mood the rink creates is really peaceful, and creates a calm atmosphere for the people of the city.  I think it is great for Ms. Lin that she did a favor to Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Her work is one of my favorites so far, and I even liked it as much as the gunpowder drawings.  Sometimes, it is hard for me to explain why I like or dislike something, but I just do.  I just like the idea that the piece of art will become a part of the community, like the library or the corner store is a part of a town.  These installations help the community be unique, and this one even includes a restroom!  I can not relate to making a giant ice rink project that took years, but I can't help but wonder how she came up with the idea.  It's like John and Joe's idea for the mural:  I still don't know where that came from (maybe they just wanted to throw something).  After I saw how Ms. Lin had multiple diagrams, those atlases, and all of those people working on it, I can appreciate how much work it took to complete this.

This is the "Emoter," a clever combination
 of "emotion" and "motor."  It moves, too!

Tim Hawkinson is an artist who seems to generally make giant installations of kinetic sculptures.  The moving sculpture featured in the episode is called the "Emoter."  From what I can tell, this is a picture of Mr. Hawkinson's face, with movable features that move automatically depending on what's on TV.  He says that he often starts with his own image, but by the time he is done with it, he doesn't identify with it anymore.  His art is about the human body and how it experiences the world around it.  I don't think art has to have deep meaning to it, so when I look at the Emoter, I see a complex machine that the artist probably explored for a long time.  I don't know how Mr. Hawkinson did it, but he clearly sees things differently than the rest of us.  I like his work because it is different from what many of us consider art.  You might say, "You didn't like Mr. Baldessari's work.  How is this any different?" but I really don't know the answer to that, so please don't.  I just think that the Emoter (and the "Drop" machine too) are interesting and innovative designs, and I don't see a moving face machine every day.  The best way I can think to relate to this is those "Rube Goldberg" machines (I really like those things).  I did a group project of that in seventh grade, and enjoyed them a lot.  They required us to be creative to find out how to make something work, and I bet Mr. Hawkinson's experience was similarish, but way more in depth.

Here is a video of one of those Rube Goldberg machines, in a Honda Commercial:  This one's really cool!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_qUjrMtMec

Art 21 Reflection Three

Imagine skating on that.  Really cool, right?

This time, I will write about Maya Lin and Tim Hawkinson.  Ms. Lin is an artist who clearly uses a lot of architecture in her work, as she designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  She is shown making an "ecliptic ice rink," that has lights underneath it so it looks like the night sky.  She says her work "deals with naturally occurring phenomena" and is "closely aligned with geology and landscape."  Based on what I have watched and read so far (memorial and ice rink), Ms. Lin's work is about transforming the atmosphere around the art, or creating a "mood."  I think that the mood the rink creates is really peaceful, and creates a calm atmosphere for the people of the city.  I think it is great for Ms. Lin that she did a favor to Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Her work is one of my favorites so far, and I even liked it as much as the gunpowder drawings.  Sometimes, it is hard for me to explain why I like or dislike something, but I just do.  I just like the idea that the piece of art will become a part of the community, like the library or the corner store is a part of a town.  These installations help the community be unique, and this one even includes a restroom!  I can not relate to making a giant ice rink project that took years, but I can't help but wonder how she came up with the idea.  It's like John and Joe's idea for the mural:  I still don't know where that came from (maybe they just wanted to throw something).  After I saw how Ms. Lin had multiple diagrams, those atlases, and all of those people working on it, I can appreciate how much work it took to complete this.

This is the "Emoter," a clever combination
 of "emotion" and "motor."  It moves, too!

Tim Hawkinson is an artist who seems to generally make giant installations of kinetic sculptures.  The moving sculpture featured in the episode is called the "Emoter."  From what I can tell, this is a picture of Mr. Hawkinson's face, with movable features that move automatically depending on what's on TV.  He says that he often starts with his own image, but by the time he is done with it, he doesn't identify with it anymore.  His art is about the human body and how it experiences the world around it.  I don't think art has to have deep meaning to it, so when I look at the Emoter, I see a complex machine that the artist probably explored for a long time.  I don't know how Mr. Hawkinson did it, but he clearly sees things differently than the rest of us.  I like his work because it is different from what many of us consider art.  You might say, "You didn't like Mr. Baldessari's work.  How is this any different?" but I really don't know the answer to that, so please don't.  I just think that the Emoter (and the "Drop" machine too) are interesting and innovative designs, and I don't see a moving face machine every day.  The best way I can think to relate to this is those "Rube Goldberg" machines (I really like those things).  I did a group project of that in seventh grade, and enjoyed them a lot.  They required us to be creative to find out how to make something work, and I bet Mr. Hawkinson's experience was similarish, but way more in depth.

Here is a video of one of those machines:  This one's really cool!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_qUjrMtMec

Name Drawing

This is one of my name drawings.  It's a crane!

  

This name drawing is of a star!

Process Reflection One

This is me.  I think I win now.

This week has been the beginning of the end of our time together.  Everyone is in a different spot in their work.  In a post on your blog describe...  What did you accomplish this week?  What challenges did you face?  What are the next steps? What do you plan to do in the week ahead?  Include a photo of your work in progress or of you at work (see class site for pics).

This week, I have mainly been working on the blog and on my symbolic portrait.  It has taken me ages, but I finally have an idea for my Stephen Colbert portrait.  I will have a big stack of items arranged into person form :).  The main challenge I have faced this week was coming up with an idea for it.  I had writer's (artist's?) block for a while, but hopefully I am on a better track now.  I am almost done, and will then be able to work on an independent project for around a week (this is the next step too).  Because I have run out of things to say, I will end there and say that I am excited to finish this project and work on something new next week.

Art 21 Reflection Two

That looks like an amazing job!

This time, I decided to choose a couple of artists from the "what to watch" doc, to see if I like them better.  I chose Cai Guo-Qiang (gun powder) and Vija Celmins (pencil drawings).  I will start with Cai "the powder guy" Guo Qiang :), because that is the one I could find first, and he seemed really interesting.  Mr. Cai seems to specialize in gun powder, and having worked with it for years, he has gotten to know it and made some conclusions.  He is drawn to gunpowder for his art because it represents "beauty and romance" on the one hand, but also can be used for destruction.  After working with it for years, he has learned to accept that it is dangerous to anyone nearby, and that he needs to stand back and give the powder most of the "control."  The rest will sort of fix itself (boom!).  I don't think that there is any way for me to relate to exploding things for art (Do I wish so?  Yes. Is that at all possible?  Not really...), but I guess I like the way/mindset he has when making artwork.  He seems so relaxed even though he is working with a potentially deadly material, and lets things happen the way they normally would.  I was a little uncomfortable (but also laughing my head off) when he compared making art to making love, but if that inspires him, it's okay with me.  I really like his work because it is unique and one of a kind.  There aren't many people in the world who do that kind of thing.  Before I watched the video, it looked like it would be really easy: just dribble powder and your are good to go.  However, after watching him, I can appreciate how much work and precision goes into each painting.  Dusting?  Not sure.  Anyways, he has his own style to express himself with, and I am sure many people around the world, especially kids (well, pretty much anyone) who are interested in it too.  (Note that I saw the rest, but as a kid, I am the most interested in talking about the gunpowder.  His dad's scroll was really cool though).

Doesn't that look like a photo to you?

Vija Celmins is an artist who does incredibly detailed and labor-intensive drawings and paintings.  At the beginning, she said that she used the photo she was not exactly copying as an inspiration to her.  It helped her focus on getting the "feel" of the cosmos, almost sharpening her mind so she could make those painstaking looking little stars.  In that painting, she had worked on it for over a year, and painted it a dozen times.  She doesn't throw away the ones she finds that she has lost the touch on.  Instead, she paints over them, letting them accumulate and giving the painting a different feel.  She considers sanding away the layers part of her process, and calls her numerous attempts "building a painting."  I really like her work too because it is so realistic, and if I didn't know better, I would think it was a photograph.  I am using the one up there (the plane) as an example, and she used all gray in the painting (the plane and the sky).  This may be really easy to you professional artist types, but it is amazing to me.  Knowing how long it took her to make the comet painting, I can only imagine how long this one took.  I can not relate to making incredibly realistic paintings, but I think I can relate to her process, in a less extreme sort of way.  To me, cleaning the slate and starting fresh is a part of the process, and sometimes it makes things feel better. My drawings do not turn out like that one when I start over, but I think ideas come to me more easily when I am in front of a blank piece of paper.  In fact, I think it is easier for me to work on one thing for hours (with less breaks) so that I can keep my mind blankish instead of working on it for an hour, taking a break, getting back into the "feel" of it, etc.  Ironically, even as I say that, I think I will stop there for now.

Sketchbook Archaeology

Spend some time looking through your sketchbook. Look at the cover and try to remember making it way back in September. Turn each page slowly and as you look at them try to remember what you were thinking about when you made those marks. Pay close attention to things that show up more than once…materials, characters, shapes, patterns. In a blog post describe briefly how you’ve felt about your sketchbook this year and what role it’s played in your artistic development. Then…make a list of the things, materials, themes that show up more than once.

To me, the sketchbook is the place where I can write down my thoughts, brainstorm, and experiment without feeling self conscious.  I think it is more relaxed than working on the big drawings or sculptures because I can do anything (within reason) in there, so it is my favorite place to work.  I also think it is a way for me to look back at my growth over the year, more so than the blog.  If I am stuck for ideas, I can always go back to the beginning of the book and take some ideas from it.  I can also laugh at some of my earlier spreads :).  I think the sketchbook has affected my artistic development because I can practice and experiment in there.  From the assigned/suggested spreads, I was forced to experiment with prompts and broaden my materials past oil pastels and pencil.  From the non-assigned spreads, I have been allowed to try materials I enjoyed, or tried other projects I wouldn't have wanted hung up on the wall for people to see.  To me, the sketchbook was a great way to do art projects that I wouldn't want to get graded on.

List of repeating themes and materials:
-  Oil pastel, chalk pastel, pencil, and charcoal pencil were the for main things I used.
-  I tried to use humor for some of the spreads.
-  Gradients, the sun, and the moon are repeated.
-  Turtles, cartoon faces, and pianos are repeated.

Project Planning

So…you have a couple of weeks to make whatever you want (almost). What do you hope to accomplish? What is your idea? The job of the artist is to have an idea.


I'm not going to lie:  I am mainly doing this because I would like to get this one finished before the deadline, and am probably not going to start this project until after the symbolic portrait.  However, I think it will help me to get some ideas down right now.  For this project, I think I will use it similar to the way I use my sketchbook.  I think it is easiest to come up with ideas when I am relaxed and sitting in front of my sketchbook.  I think it has something to do with how I am able to draw pretty much whatever I want in there, and am not self conscious about it.  I think I will either revisit or expand on one of my spreads for my independent project.  Maybe I will use oil pastels again, like the extended pour painting, and draw an animal of some type.  Maybe I will do another pour painting because those were really fun.  I will probably update this one when I am done with the symbolic portrait I have had a week or so to think about it.

Initial Reflection

Look through your blog. Go all the way back to the beginning of the year. Look especially closely at your finished work. Think about how the year has gone for you. Now, write a detailed paragraph that describes how the course has gone for you. What have you found to be your artistic strengths? What have been your challenges? What do you think you’ll leave the class thinking about? How can you see it influencing your life in the future?


First of all, I think that the year has gone by really fast, but I don't think that is what the first question is asking for.  I don't think I am the most talented artist in the class, but I think that my strengths are mostly my patience, effort, and planning.  I put a lot of work into my art, even before I get my paper.  This is not necessarily a good thing because it takes me a lot longer to come up with an idea, but I don't think my work would turn out as good as if I rushed through it.  For example, I still haven't started that symbolic portrait.  I need to get started on that...  Anyways, I think that it has been one of my challenges too because I have a much easier time working on one thing at a time, and I need an idea for the individual project in addition to the symbolic portrait.  Gah!  I usually leave class thinking about lunch, but I think I will leave the last day of class thinking about how I have changed as an artist.  I think I have improved a lot and explored a lot of new materials, and will be sad when this class is over.  It will probably influence my life in the future because I enjoyed it and will do an art class next year (probably drawing and painting).  I wasn't sure about doing an art class this year because I didn't like my art class at my old school much, but I think a second, third, and fourth try at this school would be awesome.

Art 21 Reflection One

This is some of her art.  As you can see, lots of lines :)

The episode "systems" includes art by Julie Mehretu, John Baldessari, Kimsooja, and Allan McCollum.  Julie Mehretu is an abstract artist, and she calls her old style of painting "maplike" and her new style of painting "atmospheric."  Her goal is not to explain one of her life stories or show people a message, so she doesn't say what her art is about.  Instead, she tries to make the paintings interesting and make the viewer "feel" where she is coming from.  Her paintings are massive, and she even has a 21 by 84ish painting that takes a year and a half to make.  She works in a team with several other people, and each has a self-assigned job.  A lot of her influences and ideas come from another artist she lives with (I'm not sure if they are married or anything like that.  Maybe...), Jessica Rankin.  They give each other ideas and feedback and look at each other's work all day.  Even though I don't understand it, I think I like her art because it is huge, it captures my attention, and I can appreciate the fact that it took years and many people to make it.

You never know, maybe someone actually does like this.

John Baldessari is another abstract artist (almost all of them probably will be).  His main idea is that he would like to challenge the popular beliefs about what art is and is not.  He tries to push the boundaries of the subject and broaden the people's ideas about it.  He doesn't paint anymore because he thinks it is too much based off of opinion and he prefers a systematic approach.  Mr. Baldessari uses photos, often more than one per piece, words, and colors in his work.  His studio is littered with photos that he edited or colored over.  He is crazy, but I guess artists are allowed to be.  I am mostly saying he is crazy because he looks like one of those dwarves from the movies.  I do not particularly like his art because they look like photos with crayon colored over them, but maybe some people are into that kind of thing.  I do like the part where he helps out the art students, though.

This is the one with lanterns.  I don't know which side is
 the ground, but it looks interesting..

Kimsooja is an artist who uses the environment, music, sounds, lights, videos, and more for her work.  She often does installations, or pieces that were made for a certain space.  Her main idea is that she tries to find peace and enlightenment, I think, through her work and tries to give the audience the same things by seeing/hearing it.  She believes she is always making work and that her whole life is one piece of art.  She took videos of her standing still with people passing by, calling herself a "needle woman."  I like her work the most so far, but I still think she is a little "out there" (not really a bad thing, just different).  To me, in order to make art like that, a person has to work differently than others.  S I thought the "needle woman" part was boringish because they were videos of her standing there, but I guess she found meaning in it.  I like the installation with the thousands of lanterns because, if I was there looking at it, it would capture my attention for longer than the needle woman videos.

Each one of those framed pictures is the symbol of a person.

Alan McCollum is an artist who took a lot of influence from his uncle, who ran a television program called "Learn to Draw" (guess what it's about!).  He made massive quantities of pencil drawings of symbols for various things for an installation.  He tried to make shapes that symbolized everything on the planet.  I really like his work because I think that it is a really interesting concept to work on.  I don't know why, but the room full of framed shapes was interesting to me.  Maybe if I knew his system for symbolism, I could find a symbol for myself.  He explained how thousands of things to look at is awe inspiring and overwhelming to people, and I think that it is great.