Instructions and Notes Regarding Class Presentations of Artist Statements and Work:
Do email your artist statement so the statement can be posted here. I would like everyone in the class to read people’s statements well in advance before people present their work and statement to the class. At this point in the course I am assuming for some people their studio work may be going in more than one direction so that can be reflected in the artist statement.
Each presentation along with questions and answers in total should last no more than 10 minutes. In the 10 minutes time frame the presentation should take approximately 5 minutes with another 5 minutes for class discussion. If a presenter goes over their 5 minutes they will have less time for questions and answers.
For the presentation include 10 images (minimum) to 20 images (maximum) of your work
If you have video work you wish to present we can present a 1 – 2 minute excerpt from the video work, but also email a link to view the entire video work before the presentation.
At this point in the course I am anticipating that for some people in the class their personal artist statement will be a work in progress. However when presenting the artist statement in the allocated five minutes do try your very best to make your presentation as cohesive and clear as possible.
Monday Sept 24 Presenters and Artist Statements
1) PT
Artist Statement
I walk the sidewalks, streets and back-lanes of my native Winnipeg. My goal is to walk all of them. It is an obsessive activity born of a curiosity to know more about the place where I have lived my whole life. I view the houses and the yards of people I will never know. At night, when lights are on, I can peer through windows and look at a living room or a kitchen - sometimes a bedroom. I try to dispassionately observe on these walks, to make no judgements. I collect errant objects that have been dropped, discarded, or given up for dead, but that still seem valuable to me in some way. I bring these objects home thinking they may find a place in the things I make. Sometimes they do, but more often they become part of an inventory of shelved experiences.
How can I make sense of this collection of objects and the things I have seen? It is an answer concealed in strategies of collecting, ordering, sorting, representing, filtering, categorizing, labelling, (re)contextualizing, and indexing. It is in seeing similarities and differences; and in recognizing patterns. It is in showing the sense in nonsense and the nonsense in sense. It is by applying a strategy based in process to experiences. It is by embracing the vagaries of serendipity. It is by finding meaning in, and/or applying meaning to, objects, images, events, activities and environments. Meanings we are told they have and meanings we assign to them. It is by putting things where they don’t belong or by not putting things where they do belong.
2) SM
Artist Statement
The visual and the
verbal are two sides of one coin for me, with both vying for attention when I
begin projects – projects that always
have names. My concepts are often
triggered by plays on words or visual incongruities, like the WMD print I made
last spring. On it, green cylinders
filling an ammunition belt are tubes of red lipstick, not bullets, in my
depiction of Weapons of Male Distraction.
This twisted view
of the world has its roots in my advertising background (or perhaps it started
earlier!), which left me with a heightened awareness of how much promotion
drives our hopes, dreams and perceptions of the world. I now look at the world of commercials and tabloid
journalism with reactions that range from distaste and cynicism to a wicked
appreciation of often unintended irony. I
try to channel my observations into gentle visual subversion and humour, to
poke superficiality in the eye while avoiding sanctimony. This is the subject matter that underlies my
current work, as I try to make sense of a world that often reveres people of
little substance while ignoring others who have made significant contributions.
3)
Artist Statement
My work will be composed of two distinct parts. First is my
obsessions and second is my obligations. My obsession is appearances. In our
society there is an immense amount of pressure put on individual appearances.
Our appearances affect our daily interactions with each other as well as even
taking part as a determining factor in our job positions. This obsession will become my art. I plan on
creating busts of factual people then artistically altering a specific part of
their face that they wish they could change. This process will be done in
ceramic with possibly some other mediums. This project will illustrate our
obsessions with our appearances in an exaggerated way to draw attention to this
problem that should be minimal towards our daily existence.
My second art project is personal obligations. These obligations are set by my own standards. I want to create a series of ceramic sculptures that represent balance and significant life changes. I'm beginning to believe everything happens for a reason. Art for myself has always been therapeutic. Because of the success of art as therapy, I feel obligate to translate my experiences into my work in order to process and overcome life events. Using clay and possible other mediums, I wish to create sculptures that are (partially) geometrically, organically and aesthetically balanced. My sculptures become an extension of my analytical thoughts and work as a "release" from my body and mind into a form of art.
4) AG
Artist Statement
I invent characters
and storylines geared to a younger audience, where characters must use their
wits to get out of tricky situations. An
example is my animation, “The Pufferfish and the Shark”, where a small fish is
able to scare away a hungry shark.
The connective
themes between the individual works that make up my practice are, the use of
bright and vibrant colors for both the characters and backgrounds; narratives
that can be understood by a broad audience; and a story with a moral.
I begin my process with notes and rough
sketches exploring potential ideas and refining them. I create a series of storyboards, concept
art, and rough animation using computer software programs such as TV Paint and
Celtx. I like to explore classic
animation and 2D and 3D animation art. I arrange the scenes until I get the
look that I want. During this process I
record the voices of friends and family for my animated characters. When all
the animation is complete, I use digital technology such as Final Cut Pro,
Soundtrack Pro, Compressor and iMovie to make a final DVD.
I feel that my
responsibility as an artist to both my audience and myself is to create high quality
work that is well thought out, with interesting and engaging storylines, using a
combination of complex and basic animation techniques. My main goal is to make
people feel good when they view my work.
5) CL
Artist Statement
Growing up in the 90's my life was bombarded with
existentialism, whether it was watching Blade Runner, The Matrix or simply
letting this notion carry over into other aspects of my life. It was hard to
escape the notion that whatever I saw or experienced was just my own reality.
That another person could not fully comprehend what it is I saw or thought I
had seen. It is this rationalization that drives me to express myself in order
to be understood. My hope is that through art my views of the world can be
shared.
Often, my
perceptions are influenced by worldwide events that I experience through my day
to day routine. Generally the events are transformed in my mind from a topic as
complex as the recent economic collapse to the idea that the next generation is
expected to rectify these issues. Sometimes works are just extensions of a past
projects or imagery that I wish to describe. Often these pieces are more about
the interactions of materiality and how I can shape them to express my perspective
of their qualities. At no time do I try
to limit myself to a certain mindset and, as such, I'm quite sure some of my
themes will appear to be contradictory.
The physical manifestation of my practice tends to revolve around clay, steel and wood. Starting
as drawings or sketches, most ideas never progress beyond this point, some
though eventually progress into completed 3D pieces. When it becomes too
laborious to continue building, I unwind by sketching or working on graphic
novels which generally result in new ideas or solutions for old ones.
Wednesday Sept 26 Presenters and Artist Statements
6) SL
Artist Statement
The processes of construction and decay have been reoccurring themes in my work over the past few years. Preserving architectural structures from particular periods in time through ceramic sculpture is how I have commemorated these fragile buildings that were or are in a dilapidated state. Examples would be an abandoned barn in rural Manitoba or a torched pavilion on the outskirts of Kyoto. My hopes are that these moments will be remembered through the documentation and creation of my work.
Although architectural structures have been prominent subjects for previous work, using objects (such as the tonfa) to play with function triggered new ways of thinking. The material used is something that cannot be ignored for it is the material itself that changed the objects ability to function as intended. Demonstrating how to use some of the weapons after tampering with material ultimately contributed to their destruction. This demonstration was something that allowed me to break away from making static work and move in the direction of creating interactive work.
Taking from both of these previous ideas, I intend to focus on making work that is functional, interactive and conveys a sense of place. Visiting many architectural monuments, gardens and galleries in Japan has broadened my sense of place and will no doubt influence upcoming projects. Incorporating new media and references will be the next step towards the creation of a new body of work.
7) SL
Artist Statement
video:
8) JK
When looking at my body of work as a whole it is difficult to make connections between each individual piece. What few similarities there are between pieces are as follows.
All of that said, in my more recent work stories become a common theme. How we tell stories to each other and the relationship between author and audience are the specific topics I am currently focusing on. The process and decision making that goes into translating pivotal moments in a narrative or even tropes common to the rigid structure of folklore into single, charged image fascinates me and is the driving idea behind my current work.
Using recaptured video from internet video sources. I will reappropriate the footage and make it my own by changing certain aspects such as colour, contrast, and resolution. I will then tie these re edited videos to my musical compositions through either live performances or carefully composed music.
A recent example of this: https://vimeo.com/49271537
performance:
For close to two years now I have become completely obsessed with playing, composing, and performing with electric/pipe Organs. I have done multiple projects from composing duets (organ and cello) to doing live soundtracks to films, to performing and practicing with the School Of Music's experimental ensemble. So, with this passion I plan to compose and perform a short symphony (like half an hour or so) to be performed on a Pipe Organ. This syphonet (if you will) will involve other players and for sure a choir.
an example of an Organ performance: https://vimeo.com/49739493
Painting:
Create Paintings based off my Jpegged imagery. I will do this by projecting a digital painting to canvas, tracing it, then essentially completing it via paint it by numbers.
Curating:
Curate a show of my analog photography. which is a collection of 35mm and medium format shots of summers spent treeplanting and traveling in and around northern manitoba communities.
Sculpture:
For my sculptural work I will be creating a sound sculpture. This sculpture which I will call "Tonewheels" will be based on how Hammond organs generate tone. The sound from my sculpture will come from various sized bicycle wheels spinning in front of a magnetic pickup which based on the wheel size and length of spokes will produce different pitches.
8) JK
Artist Statement
- I don’t stick to any one medium, typically I think that the image or the idea should dictate what medium you execute it in.
- Images that I do make are almost always representational. I have dabbled in abstraction and find it too limiting in terms of communication as well as too focused on the medium they are done in.
- I tend to reference other media, film, television, literature, etc... things that carry narrative.
All of that said, in my more recent work stories become a common theme. How we tell stories to each other and the relationship between author and audience are the specific topics I am currently focusing on. The process and decision making that goes into translating pivotal moments in a narrative or even tropes common to the rigid structure of folklore into single, charged image fascinates me and is the driving idea behind my current work.
9) TR
Artist Statement
My work thus far has been a critical investigation of the human condition, a struggle between old souls and the complexities of living in this 21st century. I typically work in the 3-D medium, I create sculptures that are intended to stir emotional responses and encourage the exchange of ideas, knowledge and the bartering of experience in order to break long held stigmas. In a sense, my artwork becomes a vehicle from which to observe and study life. I try to make each piece unique, while garnering specific elements of my own past. While my previous work seems to carry with it an immense weight, going forward I hope to bring in more lyrical elements to both the visual aesthetic as well as to the motivating force behind each piece through both materials choice and subject matter. I enjoy inventing mythologies, delving deep into ancestral histories and conceptualizing iterations of a future that we may yet witness.
10) CA
Artist Statement
The focus of my current work lies embedded within the conversation of portrait painting, photography and literature. Historically, portrait painting depicts the visual appearance of a subject, revealing an inner quality of that subject. Representative portrayal of the subject leads the viewer to grasp an expression of character, and inner essence vs. just an outward depiction. Historically, portrait painting consists of a sitter and a painter, the expression of the subject is indicative of the subject’s essence and the posture or pose reveals the emotional or physical state of the subject that is created by the real time interaction of artist vs. sitter. I am embedded within the historic language ofportrait painting in the sense that I too aim to reveal the inner quality of the subject through pose and expression. My work maintains the essence of portrait painting but departs from its historic tie because I work from photographs of subjects I am unfamiliar with. Initially, I have no relationship to my subject because the photograph is not taken by myself I am instead fictionally creating a narrative for my viewer of the subject or subjects I depict. This verges on the voyeuristic and instead of being based entirely in the visual representation begins to blur the lines between the written depiction of a subject and the visual depiction of the subject. Like all storytellers I am invested in the archetypal, memories and the revealing of one’s self through narrative.
My portraits are based on a collection of old photographs that I have procured throughout my life. The saying a picture is worth “ a thousand words” truly embodies my aim to share my own created narrative of the subject I am depicting. Just as a writer would pen to paper to write a story. My story of the subjects is told through the use of brush, oil paint and canvass. Each photograph has been chosen individually for a characteristic or essence thatappeals to me. But I am neither the photographer nor do I have the traditional subject/artist relationship. I am inviting the viewer to share in my voyeuristic relationship that I create between myself and the original photographer, embodying the idea of authorship by capturing the moment in time in which the original photograph was taken, and then subtract and highlight qualities of the original photograph which I translate to canvas heightening and exemplify my chosen anecdote. This year I intend to contrast the sitting subject and the standing subject, the mobile vs. the static.
I mostly work in oil and I like to paint with palette knives to build the figure almost sculpturally onto the canvas. This layering of the physical paint contributes to the notion of building the fictional tale upon the canvas.
I am aware that the actual process of painting for me is an intimate aspect of my work and reflection of myself. The self-referential qualities of my work arethe underpinning of what informs my created narrative of the subjects. I am passionate about the act of creating art and it allows me to recreate, challenge, redefine and expand my vision and development in both the painting tradition and the written tradition.
11) NG
Artist Statement
I am interested in the struggle to
reconcile existential autonomy with the need for connection. The ephemeral
currency of understanding has a challenging relationship with the unknowable.
This condition of aloneness, both overwhelming and liberating, portends the
inaccessible.
The process of making is a kind of
raveling and unraveling metaphysical string. Brushstrokes gather near the edges
of canvas, threads hang loose at the end of straight lines, one struggles for
control. The need to own is constant. The desire to contain is futile.
To hunt and to gather are actions
typically associated with photography. These actions directly inform my
process. Marks describe moments.
The violation of an impenetrable
barrier is the moment of interest. To understand or be understood has sublime
appeal. When the most one can hope for is to hover around the hive[1],
to penetrate is to destroy.
Often figurative, the paintings are
about reflection, revelation and ultimately, retreat.
Monday Oct 1 Presenters and Artist Statements
12) HS
Artist Statement
Throughout my academic/artistic career thus far my ideas have jumped all over the place, but I have become aware that the materials and methods I use to create my work have become very precious to me and have remained a constant. These things include rich cotton plain and patterned papers, gold lustre, ink, cast porcelain, pencil, combining more often than not into works that eir on the side of subtlety. There are recurring themes of bone, decay, and obsolescence. Recently I have been exploring the fragility of the human body in my work and the effects of illness on not only our physiology but our mental state as well. The materials I use play a large role in the communication of our delicate state and the soft fleshy bits that are our innards.
13) GG
Artist
Statement
My artistic practice stems from my
abstract interpretation of my natural surroundings. Much of what my work
revolves around is certain elements of nature, for example I’ve done a series
of paintings where I researched the internal organs of human bodies and
abstractly painted them with irritating contrasting colours to start a
discussion of emotional stress or my “Discordant Harmony” series where I
studied different types of mold that develops from water damage on foam ceiling
tiles or on bread in small plastic lunch bags. With these influences I often
use different types of media in my paintings such as thread, stucco and spray
paint.
I create large amounts of work in
a very small amount of time but I will not dwell on one topic for very long.
However if I have started a particularly large and ambitious project, I will
work on several other smaller ideas as to not waste time waiting for something
to dry and staying productive. I will push my ideas until I can not anymore and
am bored with it. Whether a painting is done or not, I will move on to
something new.
As I work very intensely on my
projects, I will not usually do much preliminary work as I feel “I use up all
my creative juices on the practice runs” such as studies or mock ups of what my
paintings will be. I may do some basic sketch work but that is more so for
composition and peace of mind, especially if there is a particularly daunting
issue I’d like to approach.
I feel that as a painter, all I
can ask of my viewers and audience is to experience the work first and learn
about it later. I love to see their raw reaction before they understand what
the painting is about, before they read the little blurb card next to the
piece. My goal is to see if they understand the intention of the piece before
they read that card and if they understand it more afterwards.
14) ED
Artist Statement
Working in a diverse range of mediums, my
work can be separated into two different categories of how I approach concepts
and ideas: through a quiet,
contemplative reflection, and conversely, through a playful style that is meant
to provoke and surprise. Inspiration
often draws upon childhood memories and personal experiences, although issues
from today’s culture also influence my work as I consider how my values and
beliefs relate to those of others.
Often my personal experiences direct the
work towards themes that deal with death, marginalized individuals within
society, and my own Mennonite culture.
As I work through this history, the work investigates the psyche: how we respond to death and the needs of
others, how we cope with hardships, and how we view others in those
circumstances. All of these ideas
culminate into a broader exploration of how people interact with one another
and the motivating factors that either propel discordance or bring about a
consideration of others and their experiences.
Wednesday Oct 3 Presenters and Artist Statements
15) DB
Artist Statement
My art is oil painting. My practice has primarily been of one style. In it, I draw simple geometric lines and shapes, and then paint them with a vivid palette of carefully chosen colour mixtures. Together, these elements relate to each other as a complex system of multilayered patterns and planes. As each composition develops and approaches a high level of intensity, a bold structure emerges, stimulating a sense of authoritative power. It is at this point that the painting is complete.
In this body of work, my question is twofold; where does my compulsion to create geometric abstract art originate, and what does my work bring to the history of artists working in the same discipline?
My process is both meticulous and compulsive. Through it, I consider the superficial relationship between colour and shape. At the same time, I approach each painting prepared to explore my own mental and physical capabilities—often exerting myself to distressing limits. Accordingly, it is in this extraordinary place that I find a necessary form of clarity. That is, in between sensation, perception and visual illusions—I capture a state of mind, even if it is only a fleeting moment.
I work in this way as a response to my anxiety and overall ambivalence towards verbal communication. My goal is to encourage both conscious and subconscious associations between the formal elements of the painting and the personal memories of the viewer. Often my paintings remind me of my childhood, and the frustration of not being able to communicate my ideas to others.
Since I am intrigued by the ideas that a given colour mixture can never be replicated, and that no two people will experience a colour in the same way, I explore the endless possibilities of paint in my work.
16) HJ
Artist Statement
As I see it, life and death are dualistic principles who overlap and
inevitably intersect. I spend my time exploring spirituality seeking an
unabridged understanding of existence.
My work often incorporates detritus from my immediate atmosphere. Whether natural components of the Manitoba landscape or relics from my great grandparents homestead, I strive to focus on my personal experience as a springboard for exploration into ideas outside of my limited understanding.
My work often incorporates detritus from my immediate atmosphere. Whether natural components of the Manitoba landscape or relics from my great grandparents homestead, I strive to focus on my personal experience as a springboard for exploration into ideas outside of my limited understanding.
Monday Oct 8 Thanksgiving (No Classes)
Wednesday Oct 10 Presenters and Artist Statements
17) AP
Artist Statement
With the insurgence of this kind of technology there never has been a time before where sharing everyday occurrences has become so popularized. Having such things as apps and iPhones making everything so convenient, easy, and instantaneous, being able to make everyday pictures public and instant with the touch of a button. Its convenient, easy art in a way, anyone is able to take photos and put a filter on it and make a picture artistic in our everyday lives. It is convenient art, simple and to the point, where anyone could take a picture and share it with their friends in an instant.
I think it would be interesting if I took these quick, everyday photos and made them slow down a bit. To be able to take the mundane and the generic and make it monumental in the form of paintings by using these social media pictures as a template. Exposing this overwhelming, constant need to share, these quick photos are snap shots of people’s lives, what we do, whom we are with, what we love, and what we hate. If we as a society are so ready and willing to share these moments with an online audience; why not be able to capture the same type of moment in an art media, such as painting. Would it make it seem silly to capture such mundane moments in an art form that acquires more time then just a simple press of a button on a phone? I think if we are willing to share these types of mundane images then why not in painting as well. If its important to you, then why not and if you are willing to share it then why not?
I want to be able to use this type of technology in my paintings. To be able to capture these moments that I would capture with my phone and then post; and then make them in to paintings instead. I feel as though it is always a good thing to share what is important in peoples lives because its shows what makes them; them. However I find with this constant bombardment of sharing, it becomes forgettable, fake, and overdone. By slowing down the process and choosing a different medium, we can bring more substantial impact back in to these everyday snap shots.
I also think that by creating paintings of these images it will probably create a different feel then from the actual photo. Perhaps the audience will in turn interpret something different then from the actual image. There might be some other significance to the image in a painting rather than in a phone photograph. I wonder then why we share, post, and save them? If we as a society share these everyday images online then why not in the form of art. To be able to share and slow down these moments that we want to capture, will it make it more important in our lives?
The idea is that social media connects everyone to each other. Sharing our thoughts, and pictures, we share our everyday occurrences with an audience. It is so immediate and fast paced; we lose that intimacy and the interaction of those special everyday occurrences. I find sometimes we don’t even find the need to ask how someone’s day went because we can just read about it online. To know something before its already been discussed and to see something before we see it in real life.
While I think sharing everyday moments with people is a good thing, it can be overwhelming and lose its impact and sincerity when it is so constant and fast pace. I want to capture the same type of images that I would with my iPhone, as with my paintings. I believe it would make more of an impact to see all these random pictures of things, moments, and people as paintings. Since we do tend to share a lot of random and intimate things about our lives online, why not in the form of art? Would this be too intimate, or will it put more of a focus on the sharing aspect of our society? If I made these pictures in to paintings would it make it seem more intrusive, more private. I want to make these pictures in to paintings to show that most of the things that we do share with people are mundane. This type of sharing connects people with our lives and by making these images more monumental, it makes them more intimate than before. If I am willing to share these pictures online about my day-to-day activities or happenings then I feel as though I am also capable to make them in to paintings as well. It is simply just sharing on a larger more intimate scale.
AP
Artist statement (revised version)
The concept of my next project will be to pick a weekly tweet that I find interesting, intriguing, or enlightening and make paintings about their thought or statement. Because I believe if we are willing to share our thoughts and make them public why not make them in the form of art. Showing and sharing an individuals most inner, random thoughts in to paintings, might make us think more carefully about what we are willing to share with people and the image it creates around our personalities.
18) SA
Artist Statement
The Legend of Zelda was something that formed the foundation for
everything I imagined as a child. I would apply the game’s lore to
form a direct connection to whatever I was thinking or doing. Even if
there was no connection; I would find a way to incorporate what I
could. It was something that took up so much time in my life that I
feel its necessary to dissect and look at all the different ways it
affected me and what I did. Through painting and other mediums, I
document my past thoughts and experiences.
19) AR
Artist Statement
My work strongly relates to my childhood ambitions and interests; having always felt an inexplicable connection to the ocean, my interests lied heavily on marine biology. The relation of industry and nature is a common theme in my work, in other words, industry verses nature; the resilience of nature and the ways it has to irrevocably change in the face of industry. Recently, my work has begun to reflect my fascination with photomicrography, there is so much beauty that we are largely unaware of that is being compromised through industrial carelessness. I take inspiration from, and try to express this unseen beauty as a way to acknowledge and point out the allure of things invisible to the naked eye.
20) SM
Artist Statement
In my opinion, my art is about
commemoration – commemorating the good, the bad, and the ugly that can be
observed in current events. I want to ensure that events and moments do not
pass into the realms of negligence or ignorance. That is why I can not separate
my passion for politics from my passion for art. It is disturbing to think how
events that are important and crucial, eventually lose their intensity and the
feelings they inspired while simultaneously morphing into dull acceptance. By
inserting these events into art, they are immortalized as they become part of
the record.
Quite a few of my works include
textual elements because I feel that they embody other facets of the issues
that inspire my pieces. In Just Forget, the soft blue background of the
painting is questioned by the calm yet uneasy text that overlays it.
Examining and observing events
through the context of my work helps to explore the relationships or lack
thereof within the quotidien, and how we interact with the politics of
the world around us.
Monday Oct 15 Presenters and Artist Statements
21) AG
Artist Statement
I mostly work in oil paint but I do dabble mediums like print making and drawing in ink.
I paint portraits, scenes and unrealistic spaces that all tend to have a humorous/ corky / awkward undertone in the subject matter or artistic styling. I enjoy these undertones because it reflects my personality.
My subject matter revolves around Film, iconic celebrities, unreal still life and self portraits. Film and celebrities that I paint are chosen based on favoritism. I pick movies and celebrities that I enjoy watching over and over throughout the years so there’s a sense of nostalgia that these films have watched me grow up. I pick the film scenes I want to paint based on photographic quality and how the still represents the movies iconic power. My unreal spaces and portraits are more personal and based off my imagination. I tend to just start painting with a bit of an idea in my head and let it unfold on the canvas.
My painting style has a stiff feel to the figures but painted with think textured strokes. I tend to switch between painting with lots of bright colours and using darker tones lined with black. Bur over all my painting style is flat, bold and textured.
22) SC
Artist Statement
My work questions the self-formulated laws of the internal phenomena
of our conscious being. Observations of the familial and societal
worlds clash with these ideals and our values become a risk to our
character. Defensiveness becomes an attack which strikes at the heart
of our prejudices. I strive to initiate an internal dialog where these
prejudices are plucked from our core and exposed as false truths.
of our conscious being. Observations of the familial and societal
worlds clash with these ideals and our values become a risk to our
character. Defensiveness becomes an attack which strikes at the heart
of our prejudices. I strive to initiate an internal dialog where these
prejudices are plucked from our core and exposed as false truths.
23) CS
Artist Statement
In my work, art is a means of communication. I make work about personal issues that rattle around in my brain. The goal of all my work is to provoke a communication with those who have experienced similar issues. I work in fantasy, as art is as much of a means of escape for me as fantasy is. My work focuses on characters; I design them with fantastical and outlandish details to create a metaphor for how I felt during the experience that I aim to communicate. I work with vague narratives because I want the viewer to construct the concepts of the narrative themselves to better immerse themselves in the experience created. However, I have worked in drawing, painting, sculpture, and video; my heart lies in the realm of Games. Games provide the optimal way to communicate personal issues that stem from experiences because the player/viewer is experiencing the art rather than looking at it.24) PK
25) KT
Artist Statement
My mother once told me that our dream worlds are a shadow of our reality. Some might call this our subconscious. I believe that the same can be said for art. It portrays a world through the eyes of an artist which is a shadow of our reality. My art is the reality I wish to create.My parents own a small construction company, called D.O.J. Construction, that primarily focuses on residential and is breaking out into commercial work. This past summer I worked as a labourer for D.O.J. I mostly painted, but I also was a helper, cleaner, and did minor demolition which are all typical expectations of a labourer. In short I worked my butt off, and got my dad's stamp of approval. What I didn't count on was having to prove myself to my baby brother, who at the time had just come back from a military course. Though my dad is quick to defend me, I didn't think what I'm capable of needed to be explained to my brother. I was aware that my presence on a job site would instigate some kind of reaction from the other workers. I have been encouraged to do things that would make my femininity less apparent. But lets face it, I was the only woman on the job site the majority of the time. The ratio was 1:25, there is little I can do to camouflage into a job site. Some interesting tactics I was encouraged to try were: to not wear make-up, perfume, and to not bring a purse to the job
site. All of which I had tried, and found no difference from the usual stares that I already received.
For my thesis I wish to develop a body of work that is based off of my experiences from working for my family's construction business; a kind of feminist practice supporting women in the workforce. My focus is construction, but in the future I hope to expand the concept of work places, for example: military, corporations, etc... Hopefully by the end of it I will have created a reality where biological differences have no merit in determining what a person can do. At this point in time I am trying different icons and trying to find a visually interesting image through photos. For example documenting my purse on a job site. I'm exploring a variety of media options such as: photos,
paintings, and drawings.
Wednesday Oct 17 Presenters and Artist Statements
26) KT
ARTIST STATEMENT
Creating art is my method of understanding and connecting to the world around me. In the past I have worked separately through paint and graphic design, and now aim to bridge the two by “painting digitally”. Blocks of colour and lines layer the surface of my work to create a sort of visual clutter, as often times I feel that life is a balance of chaos and simplicity. The clutter of shapes and lines builds to form a visual diary in which I am able to express emotions, encounters or events. Because it is a diary, my work is highly personal, often depicting themes of self discovery, spirituality, and emotional awareness. Although simple in subject, each piece delves into the deeper meaning of my own emotional connection to the subject, using visual metaphors and literal imagery and I will continue this practice in my future work. 27) MM
ARTIST STATEMENT
My work is about process; taking unwanted items I reuse and rework to give them a new life. I am putting myself into this process
of reworking by cutting into objects, copying and containing them
through flat colors. I take objects from photographs of garbage and
make a sense of order and harmony with the items that do not normally
belong together. Through painting I have also been attracted to
scenes of chaos/disorder from online amateur videos that put myself
(the viewer) in control. As I stop certain scenes, I pick apart which
elements I want to use. The painting?s shapes appear to be
nonrepresentational, but are in fact contour line drawings of objects,
shadows and images cut or combined over top one another. This
questions the separation of abstract and representation as they are
seen as two separate things. The need to control these elements in the
paintings are a manifestation of my own obsession with trying to
achieve order in my own life and similarly are a huge focus of my time
and my thoughts.
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