3.19.2009

My artwork



This piece was inspired by Brian Knep and Catherine Chalmer's work with life cycles, which I explained in the previous post. I like how both artists were able to simplify a thought provoking natural process into a more straightforward manner. For example, Chamler's photo series demystified the food chain by recording each step in a chain.

In my piece, I was thinking about the life cycle and how when something dies, its remains are made into something new. No new matter is ever created. I decided to use birds in my collage to explain this idea because I am doing work with birds in my other classes.

When I was making this piece, I was thinking a lot about how to depict the passage of time in 2D artwork. I wanted my piece to be read circularly, so the viewer gets the sense that it is an ongoing process. I embroidered strips of hand-printed fabric that I previously made and thought of the organic shapes on the fabric as cells which would mark the beginning of life. I then added a bird and an upside down "dead" bird to show life and death. I also included a pile of feather that would represent decay. Although it a morbid topic, I decided to not focus on the disturbing aspects but think of the process spiritually. To me, it is comforting that our psychical beings are used to create and maintain life.

I think it is interesting that I was able to study and translate ideas from new media work into my own more traditional work.

13 comments:

  1. great! I'd love to see a few sentences on your thoughts and how the piece developed. I like seeing elements your other work within this, and look forward to hearing more and seeing it in person.

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  2. I think that this piece was a very successful way to branch off the ideas of different artists, while making it very much your own. I like the incorporation of the hand-sown fabric and organic shapes. I think that this piece could have a number of generative topics because of its focus on nature and the life cycle.

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  3. Great to see artwork on the recycling aspect of life. All things come to an end, but from the perspective of this piece timelessness is better realized. Wonderful textures!

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  4. Jess,
    I really enjoyed your piece that was inspired by Knep's work and the similar theme of life cycles and the process of life and death. The work is really successful in demonstrating your skill as well as representing your own personal artistic touch. I would love to see the textiles and or the whole work at a larger scale!

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  5. Jessica
    I really like this piece, especially in person! I am glad that you brought it into class so we could pick it up and turn it this way and that. I think you have a really good grasp on the concepts Brian Knep explores and found a new way to analyze those concepts. I love it!

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  6. I really enjoyed the cyclical nature of the piece. The way in which it is composed leads the eye clockwise around the canvas. The different textures are gorgeous & your craftsmanship with the embroidery is beautiful!
    xo.

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  7. I thought your piece was very interesting. I like the materials that you used, and I thought that the presentation was very nice. I like the connection you made to some of Brian Knep's work. Really nice job!

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  8. i really enjoyed the tactile nature of this piece. i like how you made something look cellular and organic, using knitting. i think you succeeded in capturing something natural and organic. it's interesting to see how you were influenced by brian knep's work; the biological element is very clear, even though you used a traditional medium to render it. awesome, good job!

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  10. i really enjoyed the tactile nature of this piece. i like how you made something look cellular and organic, using knitting. i think you succeeded in capturing something natural and organic. it's interesting to see how you were influenced by brian knep's work; the biological element is very clear, even though you used a traditional medium to render it. awesome, good job!

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  11. You're a very thoughtful artist. This piece is really beautiful with or without an explanation, but there is obviously a great deal of care taken with the themes you chose. I'd love to see you take this idea further, maybe using your embroidery on hand-made pillows stuffed with birds feathers that demonstrate even further the recycling aspect of life?

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  12. I like the oriental auora of the piece..it holds
    a mystery...a tale of some kind behind the
    birds and forms. It is enticing.

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  13. I really enjoyed this piece and I think you were successful in avoiding the morbidness of this subject by your use of color and and your floral-like patterns. You might want to check out Sally Mann's series of photos "What Remains", it also works with the idea of death giving way to new life by documenting the decomposition of humans on a body farm in West Virginia.

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