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Showing posts from 2012

I'm a wire house not a glass house, you can see through, but you can't leave finger prints

images of final project This piece is an installation, including leftover materials from projects that fell through, past drawings/doodles, as well as personal elements like a label from my perscription.  The "My 16 year old boyfriend..." poster is an excerpt from my highschool diary. By using the materials I had on hand, enabled me to breath new life into past projects.  This plays into my concept, which is all about starting where you are with what you've got, while also acknowledging what got you here.
7 Signs That U.S. Education Decline is Jeopardizing its National Security The Forbes article linked shows how our countries poor education system (among other festering problems our country faces) is hurting not only our job market, but our countries defensive lines.  Though a great deal of money is invested in our education system, the U.S. compares poorly to our peers in all of the intellectual arenas.  The global economy requires foreign language skills, yet 8 out of 10 Americans know only one language.  Unemployment resulting from a lack of jobs is one thing, but you know it's bad when there are positions open with no one smart enough to qualify for the job.  The ACT has shown us that only 43% of high schoolers are prepared for college and 50% of college freshman are taking courses to catch up on material that they should have learned in high school.  Most disappointing of all of these statistics, 75% of those who take the military entrance exam fail. HELLO??  What, is the v

name this shape

In Her Pants Do you know what that shape is?  Before coming across this article i didn't know what it was, either.  This shape is a human clitoris.  If you picture a clitoris as a simple nub, you are in agreement with popular belief.  You are also wrong.  Anatomy textbooks illustrate the clitoris to be one tenth of its actual size.  This new image comes to us from studies conducted in the 90's using an MRI scanner.  You may ask why it took so long for us to map the clitoris, but this is only a rediscovery.  Though we have had correct information about the anatomy of the clitoris released in reports dating back to the 1840's, textbooks have ignored this information.  The Seattle artist Lynn Schirmer's goal is to put this image everywhere she can and make sure that it is known.

Bruce Nauman

As a preview to my presentation, Text as Art, I thought I would talk a little about one of the artists I will be looking at next week.  Bruce does not confine himself to any particular style or method in his art making.  Nauman started creating in the 60's and has body of work more diverse than any artist I have personally encountered.   Bruce Nauman makes all kinds of things, ranging from LED light signs, to performative works, to interactive spacial sculpture and video art.  Nauman's work can be best unified through a philosophical lens.  Bruce, although he would be embarrassed to hear it, is a big inspiration of mine.  One reason for this is his way of not taking himself or his art too seriously.  Nauman really knows how to let himself go and work just for the sake of doing so.  He has said himself that his urge to simply be working with his hands has been the beginning of some of his greatest pieces.  Nauman's concepts include exploring feelings of confusion, frustratio

stick man

my pieces

Mismatched, outdated, and broken jewelry (with some glitter) arranged in the grass.

Decriminalizing Pot Saves Philly $2 Million

consumerist.com/2011/07/philadelphia-saves-2-million-by-not-prosecuting-pot-smokers.html/ Under Philadelphia's new Marijuana laws, it is legal to posses up to 30 grams of pot without being prosecuted.  The offenders are given the alternative option of attending a 3 hour drug class in exchange for a clear record.  This class does cost $200, but this is an improvement compared to the previous fines that added up to over $500.  Police officers approve of the new system and now have more time and energy to use arresting serious criminals.  Police also told the public that there has been no noticeable negative impact on the community.

Scott Scarboro

I enjoyed our visit from the artist Scott Scarboro.  I took a particular interest in what Scott said about using what you have and I like his fearless approach.  He likes to tinker with things and learn how to work out problems as he goes.  Scott's projects with children's toys are cute in a dysfunctional way, or as he says they are "homely".  The incorporation of materials of personal importance is a subtle way to give art layered meaning.  Scott's decision to use materials already in his posession a practical choice that teaches us that you shouldn't have to go to the store to get art supplies.  He is an inspiring artist for his relaxed attitude and ability to have fun with his projects.

Shintaro Ohata

This artist is Japanese and uses a combination of 2D and 3D art by placing sculptures in front of paintings.  She likes to play with light and color to create a dramatic and movie-like quality with her artwork.  I especially admire the manipulation of both light in her paint and the way that light interacts with 3D forms.  In doing so, Ohata creates a harmony between her sculptures and paintings.

Field trip

Last Thursday's field trip took me to areas of louisville that I've never seen before.  It's easy to get excited about the recent developments in the Ville, like the restaurants and housing built at Cardinal Town or the shiny new KFC Yum center.  With state of the art accommodations popping up left and right, one has to wonder if there is any money left to clean up Louisville.  Our city is known nationwide for air pollution.  After visiting rubber town and the landfill site I wondered what has been done to help clean up these toxic parts of town.  Thankfully, Louisville's recent community efforts have been helping improve our environment.  Concentrations of the most common carcinogen found in our atmosphere have been lowered 75% since 2005.
This was a little awkward to photograph.  The cans are meant to be picked up and turned around.  The words and cans are part of a series but don't need to be read or viewed in a particular order.   

Marcus's portable stove

Wood burning stove, handmade from steel cans

Social Media Therapy?

Blogging is Theraputic for Teens by Scott Sincoff Being new to blogging, I would have to say it has made a nice outlet.  Most news stories about the internet's social scene involve cyber bullying or the negative implications of social media on today's adolescents.  Scott Sincoff's article looks to the positive effects of social media on the lives of teenagers.  A recent study conducted by The University of Hafia in Isreal selected stressed out high school either write in a blog or an old-fashioned diary.  Two groups of students were told to write about their emotions or social conflicts in a blog twice a week.  Another two groups were told to blog about whatever was on their mind.  The other groups were told to keep a traditional, private diary.  Results of the experiment yeilded that students who were able to publicly write about their personal troubles experienced a greater mood improvement versus those who kept a private diary.  Greatest stress relief came to thos

Vaughn Bell

Thinking Caps Vaughn Bell's artwork takes a humorous approach in looking at the the human desire to tend to and control the land.   Thinking Caps is and installation piece incorporating elements of sound and paper sculpture.   Thinking Caps  is about the ideal mountain setting, a place that allows contemplation.  The sculpture creates an environment of solitude that is unique from the surrounding environment.  I think Bell's work is funny and she helps us see the ridiculousness in thinking that nature is an entity separate from ourselves that we have the power to dictate.

Artwork

Acorns,beads, paint

SeaWeb Super Bowl Commercial

                  Television commercials are evolving to keep up with our fast-paced and technology driven lives.  Advertisers are packing the most punch as possible into their time slot, using bright colors, infectious tunes, or dramatic mini-plot lines.  The Super Bowl commercial by SeaWeb proves that silence and a black screen provide the audience with the chance to slow down and contemplate a message.  Though plenty of commercials have used the idealistic wildlife footage, a cheesy narrative is usually involved.  In this case, no words are necessary.  Contrasting the larger than life beauty found at sea with a blank screen makes us wonder immediately what our planet would be without oceans. 

Betty Beaumont

Betty Beaumont has been referred to as one of the leading figures in environmental art.  The Canadian born artist lives and works in the states.  Beaumont graduated from Berkeley in the 70's with degrees in environment arts, as well as architecture. Green Museum: Betty Beaumont Teddy Bear Island 1973 Teddy Bear Island is an underwater island; submerged due to the construction of a dam, nearby.  The artist uses a fragmented space, resulting in the viewer's need to move around in order to see all aspects of the work.  The intended experience of Teddy Bear Island , is to be one of an introspective nature.  The viewer is to evaluate their personal belief systems due to the unique environment produced by Beaumont.  The yellow cables are a metaphorical demarcation of the land.  Beaumont's photography of the underwater scene evokes a sense of mystery.   Beaumont wants to challenge socially constructed norms and does so by taking art outside of the typica

week #3 images

Lineage

I visited the Crane House today to check out our fellow classmate, Marcus Siu's installation.  His installation was complemented by a gallery of his father's, Siu Hao-ming.  Siu Hao-ming's gallery consisted of long exposure photography transferred on to aluminum.  Marcus's intstallation was in a room of a considerable size with the floor covered in packed down dirt.  Towards the center of the room, pine needles were inserted into the dirt to look like grass.  My initial reaction was to run my fingers through the blades of "grass".  The pine needles didn't feel as sharp as most do.  I remembered what Marcus had said about wanting his audience to walk on the "grass", so i walked on it.  If I wasn't afraid of looking like a total weirdo, I would've liked to take my shoes and socks off so i could walk on the grass with my bare feet.  I then began to wonder about all of the dirt.  It was packed down to create a surface resembling one found

Entry #3

My first philosophy class at U of L was Intro to Philosophy, taught by Professor Arthur Johnson (a.k.a.: A.T.J.)*.  As those who introduce you to something you grow to love often do, ATJ left a lasting impression on me.  Before learning about influential philosophers, like Nietzsche,  ATJ would often start his lecture by saying something along the lines of, "There could be an entire class taught on this philosopher, but since we only have 50 minutes today...". *If you have an interest in philosophy and can handle an 8:00 a.m. class (this is the only time that his class is offered) I highly recommend that you take Professor Johnson's course!!  It is PHIL  Why, you might ask, am I talking about a teacher a had a year ago? Today, after having the oppurtunity to attend Osborne Wiggins' lecture on Nietzsche's Birth of Tragedy, A.T.J.'s quote was validated.  I could spend a whole academic year in a class about Nietzsche and the thinkers who followed his lead,

Entry #2

"when we perceive a thing to be beautiful, it is because we instinctively recognize the rightness of the thing. this means we have revealed to us a glimpse of something essentially of the fibre of our own nature... a flash of truth stimulates us, and we have a vision of harmonies not understood to-day, though perhaps to be to-morrow." Frank Lloyd Wright Formalism Perhaps art's inability to be defined is a part of its definition.  Art can serve many purposes.  It can teach, explore, heal, or simply put a smile on your face.  Wright's quote about beauty relates to the ideas of formalism and form.   Form deals with the compositional elements of art such as line, shape, color and texture.  A f ormalist approach is one way of understanding the characteristics and goals of art.  The formalist school of thought teaches that the most important aspect of a piece is the initial aesthetic response experienced by the viewer.  From a this point of view, other information su

Entry #1

http://video.pbs.org/video/2170070012/ The fashion of an artist is a subject I ponder often. Whether or not an artist is fashion conscious, it’s safe to say most of us non-nudists have to make decisions about whatever it is we cover ourselves in to face the day. The PBS video I watched had a series short interviews with a diverse group of artists about their style. WK Interact, an artist working in NYC, chooses to wear mostly black because he feels the color suits his "black and white city". Wearing only black is a simple way to dress, but this style choice still reflects Interact's attraction to functionality. Interact’s involvement in street art is apparent in influences his outfits, or as he likes to call them, "his gear". Dressing in black is a way for Interact to blend in with his surroundings and go unnoticed while creating his illegal art. I was really excited to see Tara McPherson talk about her fashion in comparison to her art. I am attracted to