The Subjectification of Objects.

 For my painting midterm, the assignment is to compose and paint a picture of paper lunch bags. I see the potential to project human emotion onto inanimate objects: I see relationships, not just of color and scale , but ones based on human emotion. 

I envision an inflated bag standing over a prone, deflated bag. I imagine piled body-bags, bags crowded together joyously in celebration, or a single lonely bag. I feel love and loss, and the whole trajectory from indifference to immediacy to intimacy and back again. 

Maybe that's strange: a "portrait" of bags. Why not? If it means I'll care more about the project, and really put my all into it, then it can't be that crazy.

20 thumbnail sketches due by next Tuesday. Hopefully I'll have something raw and conceptual that will want to be painted so desperately, that when I'm finished, I will stand back and ask, "Oh my god, did I paint that?"

I feel a little ridiculous. I'm falling in art-love with paper bags. 

This must be what you would call dorking-out.

(completed painting) updated 10/27. I just had crit. today, and got a really good feedback. Also it was said to have drama;  so I think my metaphor carried through.

My First (Presumably) Finished Still Life in Oils

Horrible quality phone images, yes. But this is my first still life homework from painting class. Being just as conceptual, if not more, than I am visual, still lifes (lives?) often make me develop a shorter attention span. Mostly because I have no emotional connection to the objects. For homework assignments, I get to pick my own objects to paint representations of.
Naturally all of these items are either significant to me, metaphorically symbolic, or just really attractive to me visually or in a tactile way. (hint: recognize anything round and blue?)

Mystic Orb Journey

Here's just a preview of the long ago promised photos from my conceptual art project, the Mystic Orb Journey. Only the first in more of such explorations, I hope. The actual Physical art objects that will be a result, or lasting document of this adventure are coming along... slowly but steadily. (It's difficult to do with a full load at school, but it's gonna happen).

These photos are the last of the Mystic Orb Question segment of the trip. For some reason blogger deems it right to upload and place in a backwards style. That's fine.
More to come soon!

Coming Soon: the Magic Orb Road Trip!

On Wednesday, I and my friend Carter will begin an epic 2 day journey that will serve as the main metaphor in my new art piece about the roll fate plays in our lives, and the fine line between the excitement of spontaneity and foolhardy reliance on chance as ones main vehicle in life.

Hopefully this will be the premier experiment in an even greater artistic study. A pilot episode, if you will.
I was discussing this venture amongst a group of creative types whom I am fortunate to call my friends, and one of them who had not yet heard of my project suggested I read a book called "The Dice Man," a dark comedy that seems to share a premise with my project's theme.

I looked it up on Amazon, and though I rarely buy online, I think I may just have to order it immediately. Although, on the flip side, I arrived at my concept very independently, and not wanting to appear derivative, I am hesitant to have my assumptions and preconceptions of my uncompleted "assignment" tainted by someone else's thought process.
I won't have time to receive and read it before Weds anyways. Yaaay! Potential conundrum averted!

Quick-and-dirty scans of the cover and several excerpts from my art book "Inundated." Mixed media includes photo, watercolor, ink and bleach stamping on linen paper, cloudy vellum, jute string and found objects. This "Abecedarium," or ABC book is in the form of an alphebatized free verse poem comparing feelings of being overwhelmed with the process of drowning.

The latest ongoing art exploration...

Based on concepts from Ambika Wauters' book "Chakras and Their Archetypes", and my own explorations with Maslow's hierarchy of needs, this project explores and expands the pyramid to match each need to a corresponding chakra, or energy center, in the human body. Each one of the chakras is also representated by both the negative and positive aspects of each one of Carl Jung's archetypes. When one of these chakras is blocked, or one of the needs is unfullfilled, the negative archetype is displayed.
This artistic exploration seeks to figure out, quite simply, what do we (not just want, but) need to be fullfilled and happy? I believe fully, that it is through creativity that we can best hope to solve such deceptively simple sounding questions in life.

Need a Studio Assistant?

(click for bigger image)

Update: as the demand for my services has increased, I have raised my new client rates to $12-$15 an hour. (depending on the amount of physical labor involved- for insurance reasons, and the kind of tax paperwork that needs to be filled out).

Also, I do occasionally discount on a sort of bartering system for clients who have items: artwork, materials, or services, for trade. So don't be afraid to make an offer.

Upon request, I can provide a list of very good references/recommendations and an inclusive resume. My client history includes successful artists, art teachers, musicians, private galleries, a museum, emerging photographers, and creative and artistic people in the field of psychology.

As an artist and student of the arts, I have studied in many media, including, but not limited to drawing, painting (acrylic, oil, watercolor), photography (non digital/film, w/ some photoshop), 2D and 3D color and composition (found objects, collage/assemblage), ceramics, sculpture in various materials, silver smithing, and bookmaking/binding.