My Plan

I have a couple different visions of how my work should be displayed in the Nancy Lincoln gallery.  I have created about 12 different 8"x8" pieces of paper with different patterns and abstract designs on each one.  It would be great if I could incorporate all of the pieces into the show, by either creating a bigger square with all the smaller pictures constructing the outline.  Another possibility would be to attach all the patterns in a line or even try to connect them in a way that would carry the pattern through all 12 pieces.

Within the next couple of classes, I'm going to experiment with the placement and positioning of the different pieces.  I think the best way for me to get the whole picture would be to lay them all on the floor or another flat surface where I can experiment with the arrangement.  

Boston Galleries

I really enjoyed our class field trip today to the south end to visit different art galleries.  It was a great opportunity to explore galleries while also having the chance to meet with some of the owners.  Most of the gallery owners were friendly and asked where our group was coming from, and asked if we had any questions.  Having that one-on-one time was useful because we learned alot more about how the art is made and about the different artists.  My two favorite galleries were the OH & T Gallery, and the Howard Yezerski Gallery.  Both of those galleries had very different work from one another but were very amusing and appealing to me.  I also really liked some of the sculptures in the Boston Sculpture Gallery.  

One of the sculptures from the Boston Sculpture Gallery.  Little wooden people were placed on everyday household objects.

One of the pieces in the Howard Yezerski Gallery.  The other people I was with all through these paintings looked like cake frosting smeared onto canvas.  We were all very tempted to touch the paintings, and feel the texture.

 This is one of the walls in the Steven Zevitas gallery.  I thought this was a very cool arrangement because the whole wall was painted.  There was a painting hung on the wall that almost looks blended in with the wall painting.  

Alternate Exhibition Formats

While looking through the slideshow, many different artists caught my eye.  I really enjoyed Andy Goldworthy's work because it was different from the art I am used to seeing.  Last term in my Art in the Interactive space class Andy Goldworthy was one of the many artists/sculptors that we focused on.  His work is very unique, specifically because none of it is permanent.  He works with nature and natural objects to create his artwork, so eventually overtime his work will be destroyed by either the environment or humans.  Even though his artwork is made out of natural objects he still pays close attention to the colors and shapes he uses.  As an artist he must be very patient because things may not work the way he pictured or imagined.  I give him alot of credit for working with the materials he does, and for experimenting as much as he does.  

One of Andy's pieces, made out of leaves.

Boston Art Scene

Based on the articles we read, there has been a lot of change in the Boston art galleries. Mainly due to the economic crisis our country has been experiencing, the cost of rent and has gone up. People also aren’t going out and buying expensive artwork to decorate their homes. Because of the decrease in frivolous spending, many art galleries have had to close. This could just be a temporary thing until the economy get better, or the cost of rent and living goes down. However, there are some galleries that are booming with business. I’m excited for our field trip this week to the South End galleries, because there are high hopes for the galleries there. The rent is lower and different art fairs and advertisement has been featuring the South End, attracting a lot of tourists and even local visitors.

An art gallery could potentially blossom in this economic crisis. This could be a new opportunity for creativity, and experimentation. Artists are being forced to think in new ways in terms of development, presentation, and use of materials. Because of this, and with the use of technology in our society, the Internet may soon become the prime place to buy art rather than in galleries. This could be a very good thing because artists who don’t have enough money to rent a space in a gallery can advertise and sell their work on the internet.

I have been in a couple of different art galleries, some even in other countries outside the United States. The first thing I noticed about being in a gallery is, everyone is quiet and observant. There is no rapid movement, and usually no young children go inside. For the most part, galleries are peaceful and relaxing. The artist or a representative is always at a desk or walking around helping customers and answering any questions. The best experience I’ve had in a galley was in Israel. The artist was in the gallery when my family visited and he told us all about his inspirations and how he got many of his ideas from a recent trip to the United States.

WEEK 3 Reflection

This past week I have been focusing on creating a series of different 8 X 8 squares that I cut. On the different squares are abstract designs and patterns mostly made of paint and fabric paint markers. The different squares are all different colors and use the combination of paint and markers to create abstract designs. I love creating these different squares because I go in with no set plan, and just keep adding more as I go. The end result is always surprising or amusing to me. The main focus of my artwork was to have different swatches, almost like wallpaper swatches, of different patterns and designs. I’m working with the same content; however I am just creating completely random patterns.


Pattern 1

Pattern 2

Design 3

Surviving the Critique

In my opinion I think the role of critique, especially in our class, will be useful in several different ways. It is important throughout the process that you hear other opinions and suggestions that can help you with your work. A critique is best used during the processes. It will help the artist realize what their intentions are. If the artist is stuck or needs further suggestions, a critique is a great way to hear others opinions and suggestions. By offering insight, the artist might be able to better interpret what they were planning. I believe that the best advice and criticism is offered by those who know you best, like a friend or teacher. The close I feel to a person, I think the more honest they are with me. With that, I think that if our whole class were to do a giant critique, it would be less helpful. If we split up into smaller groups, we could have more in depth conversations and have more time to comment on each others work.

I can be a helpful participant in the critique process by being completely honest. If I have an idea that can help the artist then I would want them to hear my opinion, and potentially use it to help their work. I would be honored if the person incorporated my suggestions into their work. I try to never put down a person work, or only give negative criticism, however I do believe that it is more helpful when there isn’t just positive feedback. The most important thing for me to realize is, I don’t have to change my work just because one of my critiquers isn’t satisfied with it. I can use their suggestions, but in the end it’s my artwork.

Art & Fear

“In general fears about yourself prevent you from doing your best work, while fears about your reception by others prevent you from doing your own work"

This quote is significant to me because I always find myself worrying about the final outcome of my work. I get this perfect image in my head about the final product and my work never ends up looking how I wanted it to. My fears when doing artwork is, after all the hard work and patience, my piece will not please anyone. But from this quote, the message is, don’t worry about your audience and create something that is meaningful to you. Creating art is something I mainly do as a hobbie or for fun, and whatever style I choose to have is the style that I should be satisfied and happy with.

"If you think good work is somehow synonymous with perfect work, you are headed for big trouble"

By sometimes being a perfectionist, this quote pertains to some of my troubles. The perfect picture that I create in my head is never going to end up what I had planned. My final piece will be unique in it’s own way, but in order to get past the perfection part, I need to realize that there isn’t necessarily such a thing as perfect work. If I get hung up on having perfection, I will not be focusing on what I want to create, but what’s going to look perfect, which will drag away from my own ideas.

“At some point the need for acceptance may well collide head-on with the need to do your own work.”

This quote I feel goes in hand with the other quotes I picked. The biggest factor for me to move past when creating art is, acceptance and perfection. If I can move past the image in my head and experiment and have fun while working, I think I can surprisingly come up with a better outcome. I need to make artwork for me, and remember that it’s something I love to do for relaxation and fun, not stress and frustration.