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!

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.