Wednesday, December 14, 2011

End of the semester...

This semester flew by.  I was very busy between ceramics, senior seminar, and art of Japan.  Overall, it was very successful.  I did not make it to all of the ideas I had for projects in ceramics, but I added some and the ones I did not make it to will be a good start for next semester.  The first big project I did collapsed in the kiln, but the following two animal trees I did came out pretty nice.  I was pretty happy with the colorful one, but there were things I wanted to improve upon.  I had a request of purchase by someone I really respect as an artist and thinker, which felt really nice.  I was much happier with the gold animal tree's structure.  I would like to put on more luster and refire it, but I did not have time due to the student show.  I also made a small animal tree, which I love.  It is little, but the glaze on it is very nice and it did not warp at all.  I also made numerous little objects for my shadow box/shelve and show.  I put together two of the shadow box type pieces for the show on pearl.  Neither of them was exactly what I had envisioned, but I did like the way they turned out.  I will make some changes for the next ones I build.  I did a lot of work with different lusters and mason stains, which was fun.  A lot of my work this semester involved going to thrift stores and collecting.  All semester I was basically working up to my room installation on Pearl and putting everything together in a way that made sense for my work.  It was nice seeing my work in that environment.
As far as crits go this semester, we had two in ceramics that were basically just over our ideas/themes at the beginning of the semester.  I also had my bfa and spacelab show crit.  We also had crits over our artist statement in senior seminar.  The first crit of the semester was interesting, considering it was based solely on concept.  Thinking about the semester as a whole was good for me I think.  The second crit near the beginning where we just talked about ideas/progress was painful and it sucked.  My bfa crit was pretty good and I got a lot of helpful feedback.  It was nice to have professors really like my work.  My spacelab crit was a joke.  I did, however, get some helpful comments from Brian, which I have been working on implementing into my work.  Writing my artist statement this semester was very beneficial for me.
I had three pieces in the library show, in which I won the "People's Choice Award."  I also got a piece in the Juried Student Show, in which I won the "Preston's Ceramics Award" and the "Art History Award."  During the opening to my spacelab show I had some great feedback and it went pretty well, but I don't know what happened during the crit.  I thought it looked pretty good, but maybe I was supposed to take it a little more seriously?  I'm not really sure.  I did what I was supposed to do, but overall it was not a very good experience.  It would have been more beneficial if we could have picked our own partners and maybe if we had a little more direction.  The feedback in the opening was all very positive, then I got blindsided in the crit.  The highlight if the semester was the Pearl Street show.  I did a lot of promoting and had a huge hand in setting up.  It was an awesome experience.  Not only was I so happy with my work in the space, but the show as a whole (and the opening) was excellent.  I had several offers from people to purchase some work, which is always flattering.  It is seriously making me think about trying to sell things after I graduate.  Standing in my room at  the opening I heard people talking about my installation, saying stuff like, "My mom had that," or, "This reminds me of my grandma's house."  Several people pulled me aside to ask questions about pieces in there or tell me their own story about some of the antiques.  That was great!  I guess I achieved what I was going for.  Several people also commented on my artist statement and said it was very well written.  It was a lot of hard work, but it really paid off.  The only thing that would have made that night better is if my friends Tina and Jessica could have come and if some of my co-workers from Glassworks would have come out.  I want them to know I am a real artist too! :)
I had a successful semester, conceptually, artistically, and scholastically.  The only thing that would have made this semester better on the whole is if there was no animosity in the studio.  Sometimes you can cut the air with a knife.  I think if is bad for everybody, creatively and spiritually.  I have pretty good groups for both my BA show and BFA show next semester.  I have the BA opening in early February, then the BFA in early April.  Unfortunately, our show this semester was so cool that the shows in the Barr gallery are going to seem kind of lame.  I can't quiet decide what I want to do for the BA show.  I'm thinking either some prints or some shadow boxes.  For the BFA show I am planning on something similar to what I did on Pearl.  Next semester I am taking Printmaking, Photography, Ceramics, and Senior Seminar.  I also have two trips to New York planned.  It should be a good semester!


























Monday, December 5, 2011

Clean Fossils


















http://www.flickr.com/photos/philipcollins/   Some more photos from the show are on Philip's flickr.  I took a lot of them!
What an exciting/exhausting week (and a half)!!  Our show was awesome.  Everyone's work looked great in the space.  I was really happy with my installation, and the feedback was all positive and supportive.  Here, on my blog, I have shared some photos that were added by Brian to Facebook and some pictures that were shared with me by my friend, Bobby.  The pictures I took can be found on the above link.  
It was a lot of hard work and long hours installing this show.  It was a great experience and I learned a lot.  I honestly think this was the best undergraduate show I have ever seen, and even better than a lot of shows I have ever been to.  We did a great job.  I am so happy with the outcome.  The reception was so fun.  So many people came out to support us.  What an excellent night!  And the after-party was a huge success (thank goodness).  Great memories with great people.
Thank you to everyone who helped out so much... Philip Collins, Chris Little, Ashley Stewart, Aberlyn Sweetland-May, Daniel Frank, Brian Harper... you all made those long hours of installing a fun, learning experience.  You are some of my favorite people and favorite artists.  I will truly miss seeing you so much and working with you after we graduate.
 
Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear
Miranda Becht

I remember sitting on the floral patterned couch in my living room, my feet not yet able to touch the avocado green shag carpet.  My grandma showed me different objects from the curio cabinet.  I took the small animal figurines and miniature oil lamp shades in my hands.  “But, be careful!”  I tenderly investigated the artifacts as she told me stories about them and how she came to have them.  These objects are to be revered.  These objects are old.  These relics have stories to tell!
          Looking back through my life, I realize that the objects I was surrounded by as a child have had a huge impact on my current sensibilities and aesthetic.  I feel instinctively drawn to gaudy antiques, vintage items, and kitsch figurines as an adult.  I am fascinated with collections and objects that come alive with meaning, history, and sentiment. These mementoes carry strong emotive connotations and associations with past spirits.  Antiques have the authority to tell the stories of their past and of the people who owned them.  These artifacts have residual fingerprints of thoughts, memories, and experience.   I am interested in this visual narrative. 
           I value the objects in my curio cabinet.  It is filled with cute porcelain kitty figurines, tiny glass animals, and antique salt and pepper shakers.  I desire to flaunt my acquisitions, accumulation, and display.  These objects are my reliquaries.  They are sacred.  They are precious artifacts.
          My work captures the precious and nostalgia of the antique artifacts of which I pay homage.  There is an autobiographical presence in my work, but I also hope to create pieces of sentiment and craft expressions of nostalgia for the viewer.  Remaking and recontextualizing objects from my past is an extremely intimate experience for me.  There is a sense of preservation in the work… a desire to preserve a memory.  Perhaps an idealization of the past. 
          I am in need to collect, remember, remake, and recontextualize.  There is a satisfaction achieved, as I am able to relive these moments and put myself back into my grandmother’s house just for a little while as I recreate and reminisce.  My hope is to give the viewer a little glimmer and invite them along with me to experience the feelings, reverence, and intrigue I have for these artifacts as I recontextualize them.  Perhaps the viewer will be able to create a narrative of their own.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Blong.

 I am pretty happy with this piece.  I am excited to hang it on the wall and see it in the space.  It's pretty heavy though.  I will need some help hanging it on a stud.  The hanger I attached to the back claims it can hold up to 200 pounds, so lets hope the wall is nice and sturdy.  I also have another shadowbox I will need to hang on the wall.  I need to go get that either tonight or tomorrow.  I wish it wasn't pouring down rain.  This is so inconvenient for this show we are trying to put together.
 Here is my grandma's old coffee table I still need to take over to Pearl St.  I got most of the furniture moved over today.  I am still freaking out a bit about getting everything done on time.  I still need to move this, my old green chair, and a curio cabinet.  I really wish it wasn't pouring down rain because I would prefer not to get these pieces wet.  I really want to get all the furniture over there and the things hung on the wall before I start unloading ceramics in the room.  I am so stressed about this.
 Here is where all my stuff used to be... my house feels naked!
 Here are boxes of ceramics and things I have packed up for the show.  It's going to be a bear getting it all over there.  But, as long as I can get everything moved in a timely manner it is going to be lots of fun creating my environment.  I am so pissed that it is going to be pouring down rain for the next few days!!!!

I wish I would have taken some photos of the stuff I have done in the room so far.  I hope this turns out well!  I am seriously freaking out due to time constraints and the weather and all the work I have to get done in it!  It is going to take another day to do the rest of the moving, then I need to hang the wall pieces (the tall shelf needs to attached to the wall, two shelf/shadow boxes need hung, and I have a few small shelves, and some ceramic wall decor), and a couple days to unpack and place things.  I have a lot of arranging to do.... and more curtains to hang.  At least Philip and I got the majority of the furniture moved today.  I am soaking wet and feeling overwhelmed... excited, and stressed..... 

Monday, November 21, 2011

 Here are some photos of the rooms I like for my installation at 501 Pearl St.  I am going to go with the white one, although I love the feel of the darker upstairs space.  The lighter downstairs room will be better for a number of reasons.  It will be easier to light and easier to fill and get the tight, jam-packed feeling I am going for.  I will also be able to get it nice and clean, which will look nice with my work.  I am excited to go over tomorrow and start cleaning and get my hands on that cabinet.  I am going to bring it home and clean it up.  It is going to be just about perfect for one of my pieces.  I need to measure the longest wall in the room to find out if the mantle I am planning on building is going to work.




 I got my gold animal tree in the student show.  I am pleased I got a piece in, although I am surprised about the one that was chosen.  I thought for sure my pitcher and one of my prints would get in.  Out of the five I entered I thought this one had the least chance of getting in.  But, I do like it.  I was pretty bummed about most of the pieces I got out of my luster kiln I fired.  This gold isn't quite as nice as the other gold I had, and the colors look pretty weird.  I do really like the mother of pearl (it's on the little sheep in one of the photos below).  The show that is going up in the Barr gallery seems to be a little sparse, and I am not too impressed with some of the work that was chosen.  I liked the last two years a lot better.

 Here are some more pieces I lustered.  I loaded that kiln today.
 Here are some of the pieces I got out this past week.
 And, I purchased some more pieces for my installation, most notably these two tables to use as "pedestals."  I got really good deals on them.  There are also some more little things I have been collecting and working on.  I also got some glass shelves made for one of the curio cabinets I got.  They were way more expensive than I expected.  I do not even want to know how much money I have spent on this show.  I got some lace curtains to hang on the windows in the room.  The shadow boxes need to be finished, I am still undecided about the mantle, I might need to buy a rug, and I have three more kilns I am planning on firing.  Installing is going to be a lot of hard work, but I am in pretty good shape.

Monday, November 14, 2011

This past week I fired a kiln.  It was an 04 glaze.  The pink glaze I mixed up still looks bad, no matter what I try differently.  I've got some different things planned for these guys.
 I also loaded a kiln today.  It's another 04 glaze.  I am going to load an 018 tomorrow.  My new lusters came in, so I am excited to see how they turn out.
 I have been spending a lot of time collecting.  This lamp is a gem, and I got this table to go with it.  I also got some nice doilies for my installation.
 Here is the claw footed cabinet I found.  I stained and polyurethaned it.  It looks really nice now.

 Here is the first of three shadowbox shelves being worked on.  The cedar wood that this is made from is wood that came from my grandma's old house.  It used to be paneling on the wall.  I thought that was a nice touch, which goes well with my theme.  It is going to have a wood backing and glass front with a frame around it.  This is the biggest of the three being made.  I can't decide if I am going to stain this one or not.  The color of this wood is nice, but I guess it depends on the color of the wood used on the backing and frame.  I want it to match.
 And here are some more things I have been collecting and working on.  There is a miniature shadowbox shelf and some more items, some of which I attained from thrift stores and some my mom gave me that belonged to my grandmother.  I also will be getting an antique rocking horse to put in my show.  It's going to be pretty cool.