Lost episode: chapter 6

Th chapter was a bit long and boring for me, however, there were to some thought provoking issues that were brought up about how Takashi Murakami does his work.

"An artist is someone who understands the border between this world and that one. ... I change my direction or continue in the same direction by seeing people's reaction. ... But I work by trail and error to be popular." - This makes me kind of worried. i feel the my work should be something i do that I like not how the consumer likes it. It's like a trap. i see this with musicians like Aerosmtih, the band was popular and still is however they're new albums are not as popular anymore and when they have concerts everyone is expecting them to play their old songs when, as musicians, they want to perform their new work that know one seems to like because the songs are different than their old hits. As an artist, i would be absolutley crushed if i felt the need to express myself in a new way and just because it was different people turned away from it.

- i found it interesting that Murakami has so many studios. i try to put myself in his place, i'm not sure how i would feel having so many. granted he needs those because of the staff of artists he has underneath him. but i see my studio as a home base. I keep all my work together because having my work in front me helps me to develop and evolve. i see a painting that i have completed, and if i like it, i ask myself "How do i take this a step further". but i guess being that Murakami has such, well, an empire, the need to make work based off of old work isn't really necessary.

- Now the fact that he has so many people doing his work for him, kind of makes me mad. i feel its unfair to a certain extent. but i also feel that, if it were me, i would feel guilty about excepting credit for a piece of work that i didn't do from beginning to end. my work is something that is apart of me and if i shared in the process of the work i would feel the piece wasn't entirely my own.

Garry and Megan, discusion on Nov. 13th

I feel that the students sort of attack against Garry and Megan about the thesis was unfair. These students that claimed to have suffered because the thesis proposal assignment had no real structure and that Garry and Megan didn't give enough feed back. I can agree that the thesis proposal should have been the main focus of the class from day one, and something that was touched on at every class meeting. but in response to the students, if this was an issue wouldn't it have been a smarter thing to address this issue before the thesis proposal was due instead of complaining the day it was due? I think these students were simply making excuses and trying to compensate for their lack of work and effort on the proposal. i'm not trying to make myself the good student here, i mean, i waited until the last minute to do the proposal and that's probably what happened to some of them. So instead of complaining that there was no structure maybe they should be a little more apologetic and accept the fact that their thesis was not up to par because it was their fault for not starting it early enough or asking questions early enough. We did receive the requirement sheet for the proposal the 2nd time the class met back in September.
In response to the group meeting every friday for next semester. i think that is a great idea. these students want structure, well here it is. with weekly meetings this pushes students to work at least once a week( WHICH IS SOMETHING THEY SHOULD BE DOING ANYWAY) so that way they have something to present to their group at the end of the week. The group discussions i would consider another incentive or motivation to actually get work done.
By the way... You students are flippin seniors, you are fine arts majors, this is your THESIS class, this should be your priority anyway. this is your last chance to get to show your work for free without hassle or BS before you have to enter the real world and have to go through the challenge to find places to show your work, which i would imagine is going to be a lot harder than writing a thesis proposal. You should be thankful that you are given this opportunity to even show your work.

MFA First Year Show ...*BURP*

I would like to first say that the way the gallery was set was was quite sufficient. the walls that were put in the front were close to the walls, but not too close. the work that was put on the walls were small and you didn't really need to step back too far to look at the work. The Very large paintings in the back of the main room were given enough room for the viewer to step back and look as well. I feel however that the large paintings in the side room should have been put in the main room and the walls and small er paintings should have been put in that small room. the photographs in the corner were a concern of mine. they were pinned up and the photographs were bowing quite a bit. i would have preferred they didn't so the images would be flat and not have these shadows and streaks of white. I enjoyed Summer, and Guerra's work in the one room. i feel that that was a nice pairing. The dull colors of Summer's work made a nice contrast with Guerra's colorful work. The contrast wasn't even that noticeable because they were put at opposits with each other and there wasn't a lot of room to see both at the same time. other than that it was a decent show.

Tattoo As Art? / WCPN.org

Tattoo As Art? / WCPN.org

it speaks for itself.. check it out

The Fair

1) The comment that was made on page 82 about Artists making art and selling it, or Artists making Art to sell. I fear that with the failing economy that's what art might turn into, its not the artists true intention but the artist does it because he/she wants to make money. Is art or will art loose its true meaning of expression?

2) On page 88, the conversation the Rubells have about meeting the artist. "You have to judge it by the chacter of the person making it" I agree somewhat. i think if their artist as a sence of intelligence about the peice i can promissing if the artist continues the work in the same quality. but at the same time the work is what makes the artist popular and if the work itself doesn't have general consences of popularity it's probably not worth it. it's really a crap shoot i guess.

3) Pages 97-98, What makes a good dealer. I can see people i know having an "eye" for art, or just making people think they know what their talking about and molding the taste of fellow art dealers and collectors, mostly effecting those collectors and dealers with a "good ear"

4) Last Paragraph on page 99, it seems like an smart art collector should shop for his/herself and not trying too hard to think what will still be popular or worth more in the future because honestly, does anyone really know what art will be memerable and worth more as the years pass?

5) My overall responce to the chapter: I hate retail and it feels like this fair was like toys r' us on a big early bird special on black friday. I hate to think of art that way. it's kinda of scarey that art can be supperficial and brought into the world of materialism like that. As an artist i would only create work with selling in mind if i was desparet for money. I think art should always be about expression, and not just expression of emotions but just expression of thought; visions and concepts. Thats real art.

Graduate Programs

1) Montclair State University's
-Graduate Program of Fine Arts.
it seems this program gives an opportunity to work more one on one with a professor and more freedom to work with different concepts, mediums, and disciplines.
-Graduate Program of Studio Arts
The same oportunities of freedom are given in this program but there are also more opportunities to have your work shown in NY galleries. and that kind of exposure is what any artist really needs.
2)Rowan University
-Graduate Program of Subject Matter Teaching
if i were to legitimately go to graduate school i would probably choose to get a teaching degree and it seems that this program would give me general teaching skills and teaching skills in the subject of my choosing, Art.
3) Kean University
-Graduate Program of Fine Arts Education– Initial Teaching Certification
the program focuses on the psychological aspect of self expression, and prepares the students to teach art in k-12
4)New Jersey City University
-Graduate Program of Fine Arts; Studio arts
this program gives more emphasis on the students work and prepares the student to teach on a college level.

Gallery Visit (Oct 23rd)

I certainly did my research for this visit. The one show that would have been absoutly perfect for this visit was Tim Burton's Exhibition at the MoMa, unfortunately that show doesn't start until November 2nd. So what i did do was take a trip to the Prallsville Mills Sawmill Gallery in the small town of Stockton, NJ to support my local artists. The Name of this show was "The Real, The Abstract, The Art of Hunterdon". This show included many artist from my hometown and from other parts of Hunterdon County. One of the artist, Shelia Watson Coutin, I knew from an art class i took at Raritan Valley Community college and whom i still talk to every now and again. She usually does pottery. However in this show her work was sculptures that were constructed out of clay and glaze. She had 3 peices in the show that all revolved around a theme. The work, to me, was symbolizing the relationship between nature and the human form. the sculptures included aspects of the human anatomy and 2 of the 3 were representations of actual female figures. I liked how Sheila made these figures voluptuous and rotund, not making them the skinny ideal female figure of society today. And with accents of nature around the forms it gave me a , should i say, warm toasty feeling inside that these forms are natural, and are the true ideal form of the female body. I take this theme to a personal level because as a female in this society there are many pressures to look good and skinny, it seems in this society being skinny is considered attractive and i really hate that aspect of American culture. I also enjoy the human form, i use anatomy in a lot of my work. i also have a high respect and love for nature, however, i don't always incorporate nature in my work.

The Forgotten Episodes chapter 2

The Crit
1) "Although Asher has a steady museu career, the real importance of his art lies in the way it has inspired a dynamic oral culture... they demand verbal description." - cleaver

2)"'sorry, i'm doing this badly. i don;t really know why i am here.'" i'm glad i'm not the only one who gets feeling like that.

3)"'like when a two-year-old discovers how to make a tower out of blocks. it is no halfhearted thing. you are materializing-taking something from the inside and putting it out into the world so you can be relieved of it.'" - EXACTLY

4) "' Art Comes out of failure'" Thanks Baldessari, a weight has been lifted off mt shoulders

5)"' they are social occasions that reinforce the norm. They impose a standardized discourse. They privilege unfinished, incompetent art.... If you're not sick don't call the doctor.'" Thank you David Hickey

6) MFA stands for yet another Mother Fucking Artist"- then what does BFA stand for? Bitchy Fucking Arts? because they can't afford grad school but tryin to make it with just a BFA is too hard? Better Fucking Artist? maybe

7)"'the cubists were not simply individual geniuses. Teir greatest works happened in conjunction.Who was Van Gogh's best friend? Gauguin.'" Never thought about it that way, and that's probably why all those styles came out at the same time (DUH) like a wave crashing over the current art scene.

8) ''' Tallent is a double edged sword. What you are given is not really yours. What you work at, what you struggle for, what you have to take command of- that often makes for good art.'"
aint it the truth

9) i like the comparison that she makes at the begining of the chapter about F200 and then at the end " the space no longer feels dry and institutional but complicated and inspired."

10) its a wonder why all these students would come to that long of a crit to barley pay attention. to be on the computer, or sleep for 45 minutes. i mean if you wanted to be there wouldn't you participate and kind of be at the edge of you seat? i guess its kind of like how some people will go to a weekly showing of the rocky horror picture show again and again and again week after week.

Lets go to... NEW HOPE, PA

New Hope Pennsylvania is what i would consider a more local tourist attraction. There are a lot of people that go there to see the sites, shop, and go to the local galleries. there a lot of local artists in the area, artists that make pottery sculptures, blown glass, and much more. The majority of the artwork in this area is meant to be sold, and a lot of the paintings are of landscapes of the area. It was difficult finding galleries that weren't all paintings of the country side of New Hope and Lambertville, but i did my research and found one gallery that could be something more than just local art. It was Image Makers Gallery of the Stars. Unfortunately the gallery was closed because the owner was on vacation. YAY!.. at this point the trip had become a quest. Well i crossed the bridge over to Lambertville, which i call New Hope Part 2, to find a few other galleries i had looked up the night before. i didn't find them. but i did find 2 galleries that were quite nice. I found des Champs Gallery that was your typical local gallery selling paintings of the country side. but in the upstairs room there were some scultptures by Lubomir Tomaszewski. The sculptures were quite pleasent, something i wouldn't mind having in my home, but nothing that really gathers meaning or sends a message. The sculptures were made of stone and steel. and resembled a ballerina, a wolf, and a gazell.
The Next Gallery i found was Artists' Gallery on Coryell street. This gallery i couldnt find on a web site but they had wonderfull abtract peices by artists named Florence Moonan and Carol Sanzalone. The exhibition is called INOVATIONS. The lady working there told use that the work was out up that day and will be taken down November 1st. The drwaings down by Moonan were whirls and swirls of charcoal as though she took a photo of tazmainian devil in mid spin. Sanalone did water color peices of plants and abstract landscapes using color that was very vibrant and fun.

Anticipation for this Holiday Season

Want something to do other than shopping on Black Friday?

http://www.coveredbridgeartisans.com/ <<>

The Covered Bridge Artisans, established in 1993, are all experienced, professional artists who open their Studios for the Holiday Tour over Thanksgiving weekend. The Tour is self-guided and maps are available from our website or at the General Store, located at the junction of routes 523 and 604, in Sergeantsville, NJ. The group took their name from the famous Green Sergeant’s Covered Bridge near Sergeantsville.

The idea of the group and its now popular studio tour grew out of a desire to bring visitors into the countryside in and around Hunterdon County to see high quality work being produced by resident studio artisans. Since 2000, the group has invited guest artists to display their works at the restored historic Locktown Stone Church in Locktown. It makes a delightful background and is an ideal setting for art.

Chelsea Gallery visits part 2

.. The rest of the trip was not as exciting. We went to the Andrea Rosen Gallery to see tetsumi Kudo and Josiah Mcelheny. i didn't read the artist statement. maybe i should have to better understand what Josiah was getting at. The work was pretty, but not thrilling. the red blue and yellow vases were not appealing. The vases were lost in the shelves that were the same color. Testumi's work was pretty i enjoyed the colors and textures but again, didn't wow me. At the Andrea Meislin Gallery that was showing Jed Fielding's photos. Again i didn't read the artist statment or the review, i just absorbed the work. the photos of people, majority children. the faces and emotions that seems to poor out of the photos, emotions of sarrow, and innocence.

Inside the mind of Julie Jarret

T-When i look at your work i think post apocalyptic landscapes or skeletons of structures... where does you inspiration come from?

J- Some artists and ideas that really interest me come from some of the Dadaist works that inspire and embrace chance maneuvers and manipulations within the work. Hans Arp's Rectangles Arranged According to the Laws of Chance has a real impact on these digital drawings, in that I simply make the marks (as Arp made the pieces) and the computer makes the connections and scribbles that invent the marks (as chance and placement were determined by falling pieces for Arp). Another work that inspires these works directly is William Anastasi's Subway Drawings. In his subway drawings a pencil is held to the paper loosely. As Anastasi rides the subway the shifting of the car and bumps make marks onto the paper. As Anastasi is the hand, the train is really the drawing machine, and he is the mediator. I like to think of myself as the mediator between the machine (computer program) and the drawing. It's like it really is the computer's drawing, I just execute it.


T-What's the thought process involved when you get inspired to do your work?

J- The thought process isn't really decided by me. As someone untrained once said "What were you thinking when you did these?" The simple answer is that I wasn't. It's not my thinking and decisions that compose the work, it's really the program. Though programs can only do what we tell them to do.

T-I see that a lot of your forms are structural but abstract, would you ever try to more representational pieces ? perhaps using those webbed like structures but in more recognizable forms?

J- The structure is really made by a series of no more than 7 straight lines that I put down, intersecting at various points. The program I use then defines the lines that it uses to connect the lines, based on algorithms. The pieces are representational in a way that you can make out forms and space within them. You see a web of structures, and that is right about the line of as representational as I care to be.


T- what are your hopes for this semester? what kind of evolution to do you expect have in your work this semester?

J- My work will get printed. I will try to work on the ideas discussed to refine the message, and to expand upon the ideas presented already.

Chelsea Gallery visits part 1

it was a much batter day to be going to the city on September 25th. Started the day bright and early and hit 22nd street first to the PaceWildstein Gallery. Maya Lin was the artist here. She did 3 huge peices that went real well with the title " Three ways of Looking at the Earth. There were 2 structures of wood and the other of metal wire. The one with Metal wire was titled "water Line". The structure made me feel like i was underneath the earth or perhaps floating above the earth upside down. its funny that i thought of it that way because there were no real ladmarks or visuals to indicate that i was the earth. it was simply a bunch of cured and bend wire, but i think because of its sheer size i felt small like i would feel if i was upsidedown or underneath the surface of the earth looking up. I feel this piece was the most succesful because of the feelings i had. the other 2 peices out of wood were nice but they were simply structures not really invading my space or giving me any feeling that it was something more than just carved wood.

...end of part 1...

New Museum

i don't think anyone could have picked a more worse day to go into the city, it was rainy and just, well, wet. Converse shoes were not a good choice. it was ultimately a horrible trip, and i would truly think that if i didn't appreciate every experience in life and learn from my mistakes. However i felt the exhibits i saw at the new museum were not worth the trip, at least not this trip. I felt the Emory Douglas was a bit redundant with is black panthor work. i feel that it would have made more of an impact if the room was smaller, not so big with the art work stretched out. The Photo Graphs from David Goldblatt were ... nice, i liked how he intertwined the different presentations of the photos with framed and now framed, and color and not color. the only one that did intreig me, and i feel somewhat ashamed to admit this, was Dorothy Lannone's work. She did chose a topic of sex and objectified women that i think is a bit over done. But her style was very unique and there were a varity of mediums used.