Hopefully Back in Action!

AH! The semester is almost over. Finally! It has been super hectic and I have clearly had no extra time to update. For the first time in forever I actually had time to do some drawing/watercoloring for myself tonight. So here it is!

It's Ms. Bailz with her hoop. I love this photo of her. It truly captures her, and the type of lady she has become. I hope to take this quick painting and transfer it into an actual large scale, oil painting this summer. Potentially a summer project in the works :)

Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Application

I turned in my application for the Bachelor of Fine Arts program at Central Michigan today! I am hoping for the best. I thought I'd share my artist statement and the 10 works I submitted.

Portfolio

Artist Statement

The BFA program will help me progress as an artist and support the type of mixed-media art I would like to pursue. My interest is primarily 2-D art. I enjoy painting, photography and printmaking and would like to experiment more with mixing all three mediums and establishing my own artistic voice.

            The work in my portfolio reflects the format in which I would further develop through my courses. Air Pollution was something I created in high school, but is a piece I frequently come back to because it demonstrates the type of art I want to be producing. It includes a manipulated photograph, done first with Photoshop and then furthered by hand, a collage of drawn images, painted imagery in the background and many layers of inks, chalks and acrylic paint on top. The layering method of different mediums is something I wish to further pursue. Finding the perfect materials to express an idea, and not being bound by the rules and restrictions of them, feels adventurous and exciting. I like the idea of being a well-rounded artist with experience in a wide range of areas.

            Portraiture is the format of work I would like to further explore. I really am a true introvert type of a person. I get scared and nervous when talking to people, but at the same time I find people extremely fascinating. I find that a lot of my inspiration to create art comes from the fact that I feel very shy and awkward most of the time. Trying to understand human emotion, and furthering that emotion to convey a completely different topic is something I have attempted and would love to continue to do.

            At this point I do not have particular standout favorites in the art world, but I have found I most frequently gravitate towards portraiture. For example, a printmaker that I enjoy is Barbara Elam. The portraits she makes seem to be memories of hers. The people aren’t proportioned perfectly, or necessarily look real, but she has a definite style that can be seen in all her work. A painter I enjoy is Victor Rodriguez, a hyperrealist painter. I am very attracted to the idea of taking portraits and pushing them so far as to have the viewer question whether the image is a painting or not. These two artists have very different styles, but I find both to be very influential.

            Overall I feel the BFA program fits my needs because I am a very driven person, interested in really developing as an artist. I am also an art education major and being a teacher later in life is all the more reason for me to have as much experience in the studio as possible. The BFA program would give me more opportunity to practice discussing and supporting my own work, something I know will benefit me not only as an artist, but as a teacher as well. 

Here's hoping for the best!

Sketchbook

Just another sketchbook entry.

It's been a bit of an up and down sort of weekend. I started this on Friday and for some reason even sitting down to draw/paint felt frustrating. I'm pretty sure it's a bad sign when something you usually do to unwind keeps your frustration afloat. I put it down and picked it back up tonight. If anything, I'm just proud I finished.

Middle School Art Journal

For my Art for the Middle School class, we learned how to make a basic sketchbook. Thinking back to myself as a middle schooler, I would have LOVED to know how to make this. Basically you take 3 sheets of paper, folded, and then put within one another, into what is called a signature. Make as many signatures as you want and then bind them together using a simple coptic stitch. Use two pieces of anything sturdy (something as simple as cardboard works) for the cover. Decorate the cover in any way you please and there you go! Your own homemade journal. :)

The 2 times I have done book binding in class I have absolutely adored it. It will without a doubt be incorporated into my classroom one day.

This is my journal with my personalized cover!

 I gave myself a bit of a scrunchy face, but whateverrrrr.

Sketchbook Addition

It has definitely been one of those weeks. 

I did this one fairly quick last night while watching True Blood (uhhh, it was entirely distracting to say the least, haha). Not the best, but it's something, and something is all I'm interested in producing in this little sketchbook.

Final Photo Project

For some reason I've been picking up my camera less and less these days. I don't like that. And I need to start documenting again. I know part of it is because I REALLY want a new camera, but that is just not in the cards right now....so all excuses aside, I will be taking more pictures again.

I thought I'd post my final project for my photography class from last semester.

For some reason I'm pretty nervous to post these.

With all of the Occupy Wallstreet movements going on throughout country at the moment (it was especially on my mind in November when I took these pictures) I decided to focus my final assignment on the power of protest. More specifically how protest really links generations of people together...

I took 3 photographs and attempted to make them look as though they were from different periods of time. The first being the late 50's, early 60's, the second being the late 60's, early 70's, and the last fitting anywhere between the 80's and today. When sifting through numerous images of protest not only from the Occupy movement, but others such as the Civil Rights movement and the protests in Wisconsin, I noticed similar terms found on the protest posters used. So, I decided to use common phrases of protest to try to show that link between generations and the different protests that come with them.

It's sad to say that I was really swamped with tons of other projects while this was going on, so I don't think it's the best I could do by any means. But hey, it is what it is. Hopefully it satisfies at least the tip of what I was thinking.

My Momma

So it has not been the greatest of days today. But I'm alive so I can't complain.

I got a bit upset this morning and called my momma who calmed me down. I have 2 great parents. Anyways, it seemed appropriate to post this little sketchbook painting I finished last friday.

Momma Wilson!

I really like this one. The chin bothers me a bit, but other than that I'm proud of it.

My Mini Sketchbook Focus

I've been trying tomake time to use my little 5.5 x 8.5 sketchbook to make watercolor paintings+ ink in my spare time. Now, spare time is extremely hard to come by when you are working, playing a sport, and attending school full time, BUT I've managed to squeeze it in.Here are all of the little paintings I've done so far...

These are honestly some of my favorite things to do. Some are better than others, but that's okay. They're pretty quick in terms of a painting, and I feel that they challenge me every time I sit down to do one. I'm assuming most of my blog posts will involve these, so hopefully they are of some interest :)

*(A lot of these were taken with my cell phone, so I'll get better pictures soon and update.)