Recent Pics of Recent Projects

02/10/2012

Recently I almost tossed out the backing of a large sketch pad and I thought I should find a use for the spiral/
All of the sudden I had an idea to use it to hang necklaces. So, I just pinned it and its worked ever since.
And of course I organize them by color!

Last weekend I won first place at the Excellent in Printmaking exhibit at the Washington Printmakers Gallery!
Four of my prints are in the show that is there for the month of February!

On a completely different note more to myself, if this kind of thing ever happens again I should take off my coat and put down my purse.
And lose forty pounds but that's another thing all together I'm trying to do before grad school, if I make it, that is. 

A re-shoot of some of my work for grad applications. That's a bunch of print outs of my work on the table I was using to figure out the order of presentation for my portfolio slides.

I used this kind of sectional frame for the first time. For that larger piece in particular I was nervous that it was too flimsy once it had the mat and glass in it, however, I don't expect it to fall apart any time soon.

I got a print rack for Christmas, which I have turned mostly into a blank canvas rack.
I also got that sweet polka dot robe for Christmas, too! Win!

During a visit from my boyfriend a month or two ago, I started this drawing of him.

Naturally I took pictures of the piece along the way to see the progress!
Sometimes I feel as though using photographs is cheating.

But then again I don't really think it's cheating too much. It's a tool.
Although, there is that danger that it will look too much like a photograph...

Well, I made a few more changes after this state, but this is practically it.

I did my best to leave lots of markmaking to make it distinct from a kind of photographic copy of any kind. It's more fun to make that way anyway, aside from the expressive autographic or calligraphic kind of qualities.

Also, I know, the chair is super uneven, but I kind of saw it that way.

While I made many self portraits  in college, I discovered my eyes are uneven. And if I close one eye, then switch to use just the other, everything shifts diagonally. And I see color slightly differently.
That may be why I kind of see space differently and have a bothersome time with drawing in-proportion, on top of my astigmatism.

While cleaning out my room two to three weeks ago, I found my first woodcut from High School!
The week before I had found the HS orchestra t-shirt design based on this, too!
And then I proceeded to pull my back muscles by carrying that full box beneath it from my room to my basement, and couldn't really move for about a week!

Woohoo!

01/20/2012

My grad school applications are complete!
Hopefully I will write a new post on recent art and crafts or what I've been doing around the house. Hopefully a post on the books I made last semester.

Also, time for a job search. Praying I get in to grad school, I'm just going to try to get a short-term job, either temping, waitressing, working in retail, or substitute teaching. We'll see!

Also, I'm super excited that I got four prints in the Excellence in Printmaking exhibit at the Washington Printmaker's Gallery. The show is during most of the month of February!

Books, Boiling, Blocks

11/12/11

I've been keeping busy with classes!
Here are a few photos from what I've been working on!



Almost Completed Cover to my Nutcracker book!

Boiling squares of my old worn-out favorite jeans to turn into paper 

I made coasters for a friend for Christmas!
I bought 16 cent tiles and used coordinating scrapbook paper,
modge podge, and I glued cork to the bottom!

Finally cut another layer of my woodcut. It's turning own nicely!

Second (r) and Third (l) layers on my woodcut! I have one more layer to go!

A copper plate for class, from a Life Magazine Cover, through silkscreen transfer process

A Nut Case!

10/12/11

October is usually my favorite month of the year! It's now fall- the weather is gradually getting cooler, the air begins to smell different (maybe from ripening harvest fruits and veggies, but it's likely the dying, molding leaves, although inspite of that, it smells refreshing!) I love Halloween, so rich with imagery and smells and tastes! I fill up with joy from seeing or making costumes, and ghoulish, spooky, frightful, cute or tacky creatures or decorations. And not to mention, October is my birthday month!

I've been keeping busy! Here are a few pics of my ongoing class assignment making a carousel book (also known as a star book). My book is a very loose fantastical narrative involving 2 nutcrackers from my childhood- the red one was mine and the blue one was my twin's. The blue one is only the star of the book because I thought it was more interesting to play with, with its little drum. I'll have more pictures later, including some from my finished concertina book. 

Part of my mock-up carousel book

My completed mock up carousel book!

Star of my book! My sister's nutcracker.

A couple of partically completely spreads from my book!

Three partially completed spreads from my book.
I apologize for the brightness, I was doing this quickly.

Happy Fall!

09/24/2011

As with most journal-like media, I tend to start things and then get distracted, so it's been a while since I've posted.
I'm currently taking two art classes at George Mason now and I'm still researching grad schools. I need to choose which ones to settle on, and I think I'll apply to 5 or so, since it's expensive.

I'm in an artist book class and a digital printmaking class, mostly to figure out if I wanted to consider pursuing any of those routes in the printmaking realm. Its funny how after a few weeks I feel like I was meant to be in those classes at this time. I'm glad I have the background I have, and these classes have helped me both reflect on all that I've learned, and unlike at other art classes I've had, it forces me to dig deeper into my subconcious to find my interests or reoccuring themes and what not I really haven't focused on before. I used to try to avoid sentiment, in a sense, since I used to feel it wasn't professional and some people don't take it seriously, and I knew that just because I was emotionally connected to something doesn't make those pieces valuable except to me, and besides, I liked the inherent beauty of things around me more at the time than trying to do things by memory or imagination. But now I guess I'm at the point where I'm ready to infuse a bit more memory and some imagination into my work, and it has helped with my first books for sure.

But then again, these classes could just as easily be distracting me from focusing on grad applications. I haven't made an oil painting since summer. But visiting friends, orchestra, and playing tetris battle and games on Facebook are also major distractions, as well. Maybe that is a weakness to keep in mind for future interviews? Maybe not... Oh decisions!

One of my first assignments was to bring in 8 3x3" images I liked.
I used some of my grandpa's photographs.
Apparently I am drawn to images that are cinematic and filled with a sense of nostalgia. Hmm

I finally got around to beginning to print my woodcut from the summer. Here it is inked up!

Here it is printed! I mixed etching and lithograph ink for this, so it was a little strange,
but I got the color I wanted that way.

First pronto plate image! It's supposed to be about our relationship to George Mason.
As I don't feel all that connected to Mason, I am much more connected as a commuter

One of my first completed prints with two pronto plates.
The orange writing is a plate I made from my journal entry on what I think about when I drive/commute.
I managed to write about 4 pages.

Went to Potter's Violin recently with my dad to get my viola checked up. They had this broadside hanging on their wall- I love all the slab serif, fat face type faces!

Working on the latest book. Lucy sometimes gets in the way.

Lucy sitting on my homework. Talk about a distraction!

Ink drawings part way completed for my first Concertina Book.