pics

did a photo shoot on Tuesday (thankyouthankyou), so I now have images of the most recent stuff that's done... here's a couple...

Artist Statement

As an addendum onto the pics from final crit, I wanted to post up the text of the Artist Statement that we each wrote that helps to give the backstory and context to the work we're producing. Grad school(as I see it) is not just about the physical objects, but also about the underlying context, intent, and meaning. I heaven't read this since I wrote it, so I can almost guarantee that it needs much work, but it's a start.

The work that I did last semester, with its relationship to the body and the unconventional way in which it was designed to be worn, was the starting place for my work this semester. I wanted to tie the forms that I was using to the body in a less generalized way. I began to look at anatomical references, as I was curious as to how imagery of the body on a microscopic scale could be used to form the decorative language for my work. I'm interested in the idea of removing the concept of jewelry from it's traditional forms of ring, necklace, etc., and displaying the work where it seems most appropriate on the body.
The idea of body as site combined with body as visual language formed the basis for the work this semester. I also took a more medical and science-based approached to my imagery. Instead of creating forms that go with the body as I see it, I took imagery from scientific photography and then reworked aspects of those images in to three-dimensional forms. I then reworked and reinterpreted those forms to abstract them further from their original site. For example, I took the form of alveoli lung sacs and created a vac-u-form mold. I then cast plastic into that mold, cut the plastic casting into slices, then pierced them out so that they had a lighter and more cellular appearance bringing the sliced form closer to the original physiological form. I am interested in taking the visual language of interior anatomy and using that as exterior ornamentation of the body. Microscopic imagery of the body has a real beauty to it in the visceral quality as well as the patterning created by the body's structure. By combining this language with nontraditional material choices, I am attempting to augment and expose the interior of the body as ornamental.
I am also interested in the way the jewelry is worn. Any object placed on the body develops a relationship with the body and the wearer. Not just from a site perspective, but also from the interaction or restriction on movement that is created by choosing to wear that piece. This can be behavioral, direct or abstract, or purely physical; but the way that we change what we do simply due to what we are wearing is fascinating to me. Not only are we choosing to limit or augment ourselves by what we adorn our bodies with, but we are also deciding to portray a facade or a specific portion of who we are. Making those choices affects how those around us interact with us as well. By tying this back into that anatomical references we are making choices about ourselves and what is inside of us in a direct way.

semester finale

This semester went by in a time warp- it seemed both too fast and neverending at the same time. The blogging got pushed aside in favor of getting other stuff done, but I'll attempt to post the thoughts and musings from this semester to give it all more context. I got the pics of my final crit setup uploaded so here they are....

social design project 2 in progress

Been working on refining my idea and prototyping. I was trying to figure out a way to tie in the idea of trash into the overall form of the bracelet (starting there, will expand out), and I hit on the idea of using a plastic bag as the form. I did a quick prototype out of a bag from a roll of vellum.



Overall, I think it conveys the idea, but I want a more crinkly look- like you get from the cheap grocery bags. Those were too wide, but I found a couple bags that I thought would work. I decided to fill them with alginate so that they would hold the right volume and form for when I mold them.
Here are the 2 bags I used all alginated up.

Not sure which one will work better yet, but I'm planning to do the silicone mold Monday and go from there. Potential Casting materials so far are: slipcasting plastic (translucent), a flexible rubber, I'd also like something that is totally green. The plastic references the actual bags, the rubber would be sanitary and easy to clean, so I'd like something that is completely biodegradable as well- I'm thinking maybe corn starch?

Project 1

So for our first project in Social Design, we are focusing on DIY/Guerilla Art tactics. This is not my strong suit by any stretch, so I'm going to throw out what I am thinking and go from there. In addition to the Guerilla part, I'm also going to be making both the locket and the bracelet that I was talking about earlier. In 2 weeks.... we'll see how that goes- and there goes my not making things overly complicated for this semester....

Onto the ideas.I'm of 2 minds on what to do, and since I'm already doing other pieces this is not a "do both!" scenario.

Idea 1 is focused around the idea of calling attention to the lack of involvement in yourimmediate society- i.e people not caring. It also for me wraps back into the idea of increasing tolerance of other people. This is one of the key issues that I see affecting and creating more social problems. I'm thinking of doing a pay it forward style thing. Maybe buying X cups of coffee at the cafe. I'm thinking of putting stickers on some of the cups, and if you get one of those cups, your coffee is paid for. This way it's random and not all at once. I'd like to make the stickers removable from the cups so that they can be reused and reposted. Not sure what they'll look like yet. Also considering having a (something) that you get if you get free coffee that nudges people to do something nice for someone esle during the day. Maybe a 3"ish size that has suggestions of things to do, also either a page that detaches or another sticker togive to the person you do something nice for.... That way people keep being reminded to keep the chain going. I believe that if I can get this idea started, it will at least enter into the collective mind... and hopefully by being aware that this is going on, people will start acting on it. I'm sure that a decent percentage of people won't do anything on their own, but if I can get people at least thinking and aware of it, maybe it will change something. slowly. maybe.

Idea 2 is to draw attention to how much people consume and discard everyday. I'm thinking of measuring out enough rice to feed a person for a day and contrasting that with how much we have to choose from. I'm not sure if this would be a free standing display or if I could package the rice into packets and put them out in the cafes like the rest of the food they offer....
Another thought is to display all the trash that the arts building accumulates- sorted out into what is actually trash, compostable, recyclable, etc. Still thinking on how to work in the guerrilla aspect in on that though....

wearables

So one of my Independent Studies this semester is on wearables. By this I mean the integration of fashion and costume into my work. I'm excited to actually things like pattern-making and better sewing skills than my current DIY version- which while it can get the simple jobs done, not pretty. For the first project I'm looking at making a corset using the bone/vein structures from last semester.


Met with David on Monday, and he gave me a tremendous list of people/sites to check out. Also now have ~a dozen books either in hand or requested from the library to read....
So here's some of the people I've been looking at:
Alexander McQueen- Love,love,love. Have for a long time (like a decade+). His aesthetic is spot-on for me.


Lucy Orta- I love the multi-purpose and urban survival aspect.


Thierry Mugler- again Love. Before McQueen and clearly an influence, and in addition to the aesthetic, I also love the theatrical quality of it all...


Francesca Lanzavecchia- amazing mashup of function+ style and repositioning (total Jan word) medical braces as fashion.
also: Hussein Chayalan, Shinmi Park, Gareth Pugh, Junya Watanabe, Troy Hortubise, Rebecca Horn, and Nancy Grossman

New pics of my work.... I've been doing more with the bone/aorta structures.
These red and blue piece are wax that will be electtroformed, but right now they look like science illustrations which is pretty cool.

A cuff bracelet


& the bracelet half constructed


what it looks like on....


and brooch


Pile o bones

work pics

So after my midterm, i started working with some new forms that have a more direct correlation to the body. Here are the bone/aorta pieces on my desk, also tested out the medical adhesive last night and it works well. So also pics of a swirly talon and a bone on the body....



Realized that it is going to take quite a while to get everything glued on properly. Must remember to budget the time for that...