Finally completed this piece after a lot of hiccups. If you look at the left top and bottom you can see some more smearing of the Pan Pastels. I also apologize for the yellow tint of the image. It really messes with the color of this piece. The incisions on here are neon yellow. That is hard to see because of the lighting.
Work continues…here is take two of this piece. I ruined the first attempt. I had to completely restart after I smeared the entire first layer of Pan Pastels. I had actually started this before the previous work I posted with the piece I did in monochromatic blue. I had to walk away and try it after I completed something else because I was pissed. I couldn’t continue this one again, but here is round two…so far. I also included the Pan Pastels in the image so Taylor could see what the material looks like.
My current research is still hitting dead ends. I have taken the original idea and altered it into a survey format for alternative forms of opinions and information. I have created a survey, but found troubles sending it out because I cannot use Survey Monkey for free. The size and number of images I need to complete the survey requires that I upgrade to Pro and pay thirty dollars a month. After I received a response from my HREB reviewer, I decided to create several different surveys so I can use the survey format. The method I was trying to use prior caused a lack of anonymity. So, I am now trying to create several different surveys that fit the format for the free Survey Monkey so that I can use the platform. Once the surveys have been completed, I will post it to my school’s PTA Facebook page. From there I will inform participants that they can choose the survey in which they wish to participate. I am hoping it has some feedback since I have a few parents who are professors at RIT and Brockport. They know me pretty well from the art shows, and their avid dedication in fighting for the arts and the best education for their kids. I am hoping they take pity on me.
As for the photos, I still continue to take images and head throughout the city collecting pictures. I am expanding the imagery now to parts that are not covered in my data selections to use for studio. I have come to find that Rochester is a city for advocacy. Many personal statements can be found in the neighborhoods in peoples’ lawns. Many murals speak to things that are for beauty, kindness, and what supports the best interest in people. I am finding pride living here the more I see the work.
I completed my largest piece yet. I have a few steps of the process in this post. The four layers of wax, the incising, and the addition of the oil pigment with the incising..
I appreciate all the comments you made on the last step I had of this piece. The image is of a mural that I pulled from my research pictures. The words and image of Martin Luther King Jr. is also pulled from a sign I saw in someone’s front yard. I wrote the statement of the sign, and I took the contour of the image of Martin Luther King Jr. in the bottom right corner to give credit to his quote. All of the images have been cropped or altered from the original state I find them. I usually use my camera as a sketchbook. Holding ideas for me until I am ready to start working.
The first visualization, regarding my research data set, had a few areas with hiccups. I followed the same methods of my first two visualizations. I collaged imagery to the background and placed a final image on top of the collage—in this case one map of a neighborhood that I researched. There were a few areas where the threading proved to actually be a bit of an issue. While researching, all the visual culture images collected did not fit on the map. I tried to stick to a small radius for the thread component, but I was not able to fit all the actual visual culture imagery on the map. I decided to stick with the same size circles because I cannot determine from the research which images have more influence on the community than others. The threading was the main area where I faced an issue. I decided to buy smaller nails in height as well as head size for the next data set. I am hoping that will help fit all the needed radius that represent a form of visual culture.
The second area of concern was the maps. I enjoy the use of the maps to continue the theme, and give recognition to the size of the vicinity of Rochester. However, I was contemplating actually collaging the images I took for the research, and collaging them underneath the neighborhood map that is painted on top. My concerns are that I took this route with my second visualization that dealt specifically with my topic, and the images that I printed on tracing paper did not print well or collage well. The imagery disappeared greatly the more images I applied. With the amount of visual imagery, I was trying to document with thread circles, I am afraid it might be too many images to collage with tracing paper.
With these two areas being the major areas of concern, I plan on creating visualizations for the neighborhoods that had the most amount of documented visual culture during the research process. I would like to document each neighborhood that was covered, but I am not sure if that might be redundant.
Anicka Yi is an artist that I was introduced to through a conversation with my brother-in-law. A conversation that generally begins with, “how is this art?” I had never heard of her before, but I was intrigued when he told me her work was about smells. I, personally, love different smells because of the memories tied to them. There have been moments where I smell my childhood friend’s mother’s perfume, and all these memories begin to flood back to me. Although Anicka Yi’s work has to do with acrid smells, not the enjoyable perfumes a person decides to wear. Her work intrigued me because of her exploration with materials. Something that I am currently enjoying with encaustics; a fun exploration of the process with wax pigment.
Currently, she has a show at the Guggenheim Museum where she won the Hugo Boss Art Prize. The show that is in the Guggenheim involves bacteria, ant farms, and smells from things, such as: kombucha leather, deep fried flowers, armpit bacteria, ginger, cypress, and coriander. Her intention with the scent is to bring about narratives; narratives about a memory, or the synopsis of a person.
Anicka Yi, Force Majeure, 2017 (detail). Courtesy of the artist and 47 Canal, New York. Photo by David Heald. © Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. Courtesy of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.
Anicka Yi, Lifestyle Wars, 2017 (detail). Courtesy of the artist and 47 Canal, New York. Photo by David Heald. © Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. Courtesy of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.
Anicka Yi, Force Majeure, 2017. Courtesy of the artist and 47 Canal, New York. Photo by David Heald. © Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. Courtesy of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.
My Data Set 1 Visualization will be posted by next Monday. Kevin gave me an extension due to past circumstances.
I have finished my second piece. I was a little disappointed in the color of the wax. I utilized the natural color of the beeswax, but I think I need to stick with bleached wax. I was hoping the yellow wax would add a bit of a Sepia tone to the work, but that was not the case. I bought bleached wax today and will continue on with that. I have been using images of architectural structures or sculptures with the Pan Pastels, but I have decided to switch it. I will try a small piece using the Pan Pastel for a graffiti/mural piece and incising the sculpture or structure over the top for the third piece. For now, I like the process, but I am still working on figuring out cohesive compositions. I also want to include the recommendation that Lindsay B. recommended with areas incomplete. I think I will try that for my third piece.
Was excited that my artshow finally came to an end this past week. It was wonderful to see so many students out and their parents. With that said, I was able to get back to the grind for grad work. I have attached my most recent work. I have started another piece which I hope to complete fully over the break. It is an area on South Ave in Rochester of a bike sculpture. I am contemplating leaving areas empty like Lindsay B. mentioned in one of her comments.
Tomorrow, I will be going out to complete some more research and take more pictures around the neighborhoods I teach. I am hoping to find a few more inspiring pieces that I can juxtapose with the bike sculpture. I am not happy with any of the images I have already taken to pair with the work. As for now, I hope to finish the Pan Pastel by the end of the week.
The past week has been rough. Most of my graduate work has been put on the back burner as well as some of my work “to do’s”. I had an eight grade student at my school commit suicide. He was an honor student on the basketball team that had–not only home life issues– but was being bullied. After an event where he ran away from home, he found a gun and took his life. It has shocked much of our school, and this past Friday, and Sunday I spent at the candle light vigil and wake. Seeing my students torn apart, and in tears has been quit hard. I have grown to love these kids as if they were my own; and, I just want to hold them and support them and tell them time will be the only thing that can distance them from the immediate pain. Much of the staff went the funeral this morning, and I helped out the other teachers at my building by subbing in on their classes. My mind has not been where it needs to be, and I know find much of my own tasks daunting.
With all this said, I have been trying to get out to take more pictures, but my time I generally spent making installations for my art show. Being at school is hard. Both buildings are undergoing depressing circumstances. I feel as though I can not deal with either. I find it hard to complete the tasks I have to complete. I hope to find some progress in the work load, but I am afraid spring break might be the only time I have to catch up. The next two weeks I will be struggling to keep my head above water.
