Tony Sonnenberg- Pilchuck Glass

 

                Pilchuck Glass School was well represented Thursday night when six members of their residency program came to visit and share their experiences.

                The person that I enjoyed listening to most was Tony Sonnenberg.  Looking at pictures of his works was so inspiring as the detail that he puts into each piece is incredible.  He mentioned that many of his pieces are very beautiful but that does not necessarily arrive out of beautiful thoughts.  He shared how the labor of his work and the amount of time dedicated to each piece of art is important as one needs to devote themselves to their works if they want to have an amazing piece of art as the end result.   I share this same belief that one must give time and energy to their work if they desire a well-received outcome for themselves as well as the audience at hand.

Lewis Watts and Cable Griffith

 

                On Thursday, October 18, 2012, we were able to listen to Lewis Watts and Cable Griffith talk about their work.  One thing Lewis said was, “Line is just where two planes connect.  There is no line in the real world, only in paintings and drawings.”

                This statement sits well with me because whenever I try and draw something from the real world, I tend to start with lines.  But it is more like puzzles pieces fitting together with different values and shapes.  Looking at two walls that meet, you can see two clear planes that come together at the edge.

                Cable’s statement, “One’s artwork is an influence to oneself”.  This represents that an artist can continue learning from your past works.  You still can gain outside influences from other artists.   The more work one does, you will begin to see similarities by showing items, patterns, and interests that keep influencing your future works.  Cable also stated that at times you may feel like you are going in circles, but really you are not making full circles, more like loops.

Tobba by Shirin Neshat

            On Thursday the 11^th of October, our class attended the Seattle Asian Art Museum on Capitol Hill. There were various artists whose works were on display, a very collective set of works to view and enjoy. We were asked to pay special attention to Shirin Neshat’s film Tobba (tree). The film was displayed on two different walls simultaneously and they were facing each other. They did not show the same image at the same time but they eventually linked to one another.

            I personally enjoyed the film very much. There were times when I was concerned for the woman in the tree, especially when the connection was made that the men were getting closer to the tree. I felt relief when she suddenly disappeared from the scene. Since there were so many men compared to the one woman, it seemed like she was going to be harmed.

            Next I found myself concerned for the tree.  I was glad to see that the men kept their distance from the tree. It was almost like there was a force field around the tree that would not allow them to get closer.

 

Site Book

Ephraim Russell

 

Once you have decided on your next creation, what have you found is an effective way to begin preparing?

 

What I have found to be most effective when working with sculpture is using a graphic design program such as Adobe Illustrator.  Using this program I can make a blueprint for my idea and have a clear vision of what the pieces of the project will look like.  This also allows me to see things in different scales and from all angles.

The next step is to gather materials.  Using the program, I then decide what pieces I will need to have manufactured or which ones I shall make on my own.  Once the pieces arrive, I then begin creating the piece.  Over the process things may change from my original design and sometimes the design is based on the space I am displaying it in.  The project will evolve based on area, lighting, and color.

 

 

Work of Art: The Next Great Artist Focus Event

 

                We had the opportunity to meet two former Cornish graduates who were featured on the Bravo Network in a reality television show called The Next Great Artist.  Although they were on separate seasons, they both were one of fourteen contestants.  Mark Velasquez and Jazz-Minh Moore shared their experiences on the show and at Cornish.  

                Making art on a reality show was very challenging for both.  One example shared was how they were given twenty minutes to form an idea prior to shopping for the needed art supplies.  Due to the inability to gather additional supplies, they were bound to their original idea.  Each challenge was timed and the artists found themselves unable to go very far outside their initial idea because of time restraints.

                During the duration of their participation in the making of the reality series, they were unable to have any outside influences such as music, television, internet, newspapers, or telephone.  This challenged their ability to make their work their own, not formed from ideas brought forth from outside media or contact with others.  Most artists find outside influences beneficial to their overall creativity, yet possessing the ability to make it their own.

                The show was a positive experience in that all of the artists received attention via the media.  Whether the press shared positive or negative comments about the works or their participation in the series, both artists agreed that even negative press got their name out there.  It was challenging being shut out from their normal routines and learning to adapt to the surroundings and other participants.