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!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Saturday, November 12, 2011
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!
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 |
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
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.
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. |
Saturday, September 24, 2011
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!
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. |
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Pendants and Jewelry Part 2: 8-28-2011
08/28/2011
Hopped up on Diet Coke again this evening, I decided to work on adding metal rings to the pendants and seashells I had successfully drilled holes in before. I chose to use my copper wire because I only have copper, brass, and this really cheap other wire that rusts super easily, and copper seemed the nicest color with the turquoise-y green and other stone colors. My tools and skills are rather limited. I have jewelry pliers and that's like it, so I don't have any sweet patinas to use or soldering or welding skills or experience whatsoever. This is the state these are at. Maybe I'll add feathers and beads. Or just leave them alone in their found form. (See This Entry for the beginning of the tale! http://catherinecole.blogspot.com/2011/08/august-month-of-little-tasks.html )
Also, I continued carving my woodcut. I'm just about done carving what I wanted to be white. Or off-white. Or cream. I haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll do them all! But it (paper, ink) gets expensive. I've been wanting to go with the limited edition strategy of making prints (like 10 and under in my edition) because, as also seen from prior post, I have limited storage and I'm not actively trying to sell my prints. (Yet. )
Hopped up on Diet Coke again this evening, I decided to work on adding metal rings to the pendants and seashells I had successfully drilled holes in before. I chose to use my copper wire because I only have copper, brass, and this really cheap other wire that rusts super easily, and copper seemed the nicest color with the turquoise-y green and other stone colors. My tools and skills are rather limited. I have jewelry pliers and that's like it, so I don't have any sweet patinas to use or soldering or welding skills or experience whatsoever. This is the state these are at. Maybe I'll add feathers and beads. Or just leave them alone in their found form. (See This Entry for the beginning of the tale! http://catherinecole.blogspot.com/2011/08/august-month-of-little-tasks.html )
 |
| Jamestown Jewelry! Named because I found the things at Jamestown Beach. (I found out later it may not be legal to take things from beaches) |
 |
| Two seashells and the other pendants with rings! |
 |
| Here's the oddest shaped piece. I love the direction of the painted hatching stripes on this one. |
 |
| Here's one of the ones with two holes. I should go into jewelry modeling. jk! |
 |
| Here's one of the pieces with the two rings. I hope to get some chain some time so that I can attached separate strand to each side which comes together. |
 |
| This pic was unintentional, but kind of perfect.! I hung my necklace on my bulletin board which is covered in a bunch of pictures, and its the teardrop shaped piece that lands here on this Roy Lichtenstein print-out.. Happy Accident! :-D |
Also, I continued carving my woodcut. I'm just about done carving what I wanted to be white. Or off-white. Or cream. I haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll do them all! But it (paper, ink) gets expensive. I've been wanting to go with the limited edition strategy of making prints (like 10 and under in my edition) because, as also seen from prior post, I have limited storage and I'm not actively trying to sell my prints. (Yet. )
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)