Artwork for Thesis

My thesis is a diptych and will be paintings of photos I took in New York- the paintings measure 30" high x 60" lengthwise and 30" high by 36" lengthwise

Second Review

I showed 2 more recent paintings that are still along the theme of my other work and are leading me to my thesis piece. Overall the comments were the same. In terms of the imagery these seemed more closed off and more literal and not the same color palette as the others. The one is just started so I believe it will take on the color quality once I finish it. I have to bring in my photographs that the final project will be from for more feedback. My painting teacher recommended actually taking a carriage ride and photographing so that I can better integrate the horse and city and keep my unique viewpoint. The group agreed this would be interesting and asked how I would photograph-randomly or with a structured plan to take a picture every minute for the entire ride or something. While my painting is structured I think the way I find the image is not. I just look at the world til I see what I feel like painting.

Thesis Proposal for Installation Commity

My Thesis piece will be one painting. It will probably be around 4'x6', not exactly sure of the specific size at the time, but around that size and it just needs to be hung like a normal painting, so no other specifics on how it needs to be set up.

First Thesis Review

I got some pretty good feedback on the paintings I am doing leading up to my thesis. I have a bunch of cityscapes that depict things like the Empire State Building, Madison Square park, the World Financial Center , and carriage horses. I take my own photographs and use the image to break down the scene into layers of patterns and colors that I then rebuild it on the canvas with paint It is a very structured and organized process, but it helps me to build the picture on my own terms. The focus for me is on the smaller parts of an image and when that comes together in the painting I feel I've built a unique bigger picture. The comments I received confirmed for me two things that I am finding are themes in my work and are areas I definitely want to focus on.

1) A Surreal and unusual color palette. It makes my paintings look a little mysterious, a bit photographic, and captures a sense of the neon glow in the city.

2)An unusual viewpoint. All of my paintings have a peculiar perspective that capture what is unique of the environment of some pretty well known areas. The framing and cropping are also somewhat photographic.

MFA Show

The MFA show was curated much better than the BFA show. Not only did they group the work well, but it seemed like there was more space to view each artists work, which might be why it seems so much more successful. I liked that it seemed to be grouped a lot by medium. The sculpture was in one room, photos in another, painting, and then a few mixed areas. The right pieces got the individual rooms; the large photos, the installation with film, and the set of figurative and abstract paintings in the back room. The hanging walls right when you walked in did a good job of channeling the viewer not only around the space but focused you on certain works, like the set of photos to the right when you walk in the door. I also felt like things were grouped well based on their size and vertical/horizontal orientation. The one room had a line of many smaller and more horizontal photos and paintings and I felt like this strengthened all the work because nothing felt like it was out shadowed. I loved the dptych of the park in the main room on the left wall-not only was it great painting but it fit the wall nicely and then led you to the two really big abstract paintings at the back. There just seemed to be more harmony with this show a opposed to some of the others we have viewed.

Grad School...

maybe...
-SVA
-James Madison
-Tisch
-Tufts
-University of Maryland
-Pensacola Christian College Division of Communicative Arts
-SCAD
-Arizona State

"Seven Days" Reading- Chapter 3

-The quality of "invisible" architecture for an Art Fair creates an environment worthy of the art-in this case Art Basel's main exhibition space is a black glass box on the outside and a clear-glass circular courtyard on the inside-ceilings are high enough for them to go unnoticed, the walls are strong enough to hold heavy work, and the quality of lighting is clean and natural

-Don Rubell on experience with collecting "First if an artist is going to make one good work, then there is no sense in fighting over it. Second, a collection is a personal vision. No one can steal your vision."

-What is collecting art for the right reasons?? Love of art, desire to support artists-not about being rich, privileged, and powerful. Collecting is an "art" itself-a lifetime process. Rubell's attitude is that it's a privilege-there is more to it than the money. They truly love art.

-Barbara Gladstone is not about just selling work-to differentiate genuine collectors from speculators she would rather have in-depth discussions about the artist's work- it is very hard to do at the fair

-"Hard buy" Galleries don't just surrender work to the first comer or highest bidder. Demand for a work takes consideration of how prestegious a location is-the goal is to enhance the artists reputation.

-Galleries discover and develop artists, dealerships trade in art objects

-Artists don't view the Art Fair the same as gallery owners or collectors. John Baldessari,artist, doesn't like that quality of art depends on the monetary value. He wants to do his own thing and change his art whenever he wanted not base it on a "market"