Processed with VSCO with p5 preset

This project was one of my favorites. Glenn was right about how beautiful the Rives BFK paper is. I loved the thickness, texture and the rough edges. I used different color highlighters for this project and I loved the way the paper absorbed it. I chose to do this project with my boyfriend and we had a great time doing it. After getting the initial laughter of it all, it almost became very relaxing and reminded me of meditating. Just letting go and not worrying about the outcome was a nice and stress free feeling. We both had the same amount of control so it was soothing to just flow with the pen.  The outcome was interesting, we noticed how some movements were more sharp and others were curves and more relaxed. It almost reminds me of the artist I interviewed this week, Emily Barnett.

 

 

Week 5-Artist Conversation

Artist: Emily Anne Barnett

Exhibition: Recent Works on Paper

Gallery: Maxine Merlino Gallery

Instagram: @emily_b_anne

Artist Background:

Emily Anne Barnett is from Northern California and graduated from Humboldt State. She is currently a post grad at Cal State Long Beach in printmaking. She said she’s been drawing for about nine years. She stresses the importance of mental health awareness as she has been a victim in anxiety and depression. She states that reflects her struggles through most of her artwork.

Formal Analysis:

Emily starts her art as purely lithographs then combined with a painting. Materials include: lithographs, monotype, gouache, watercolor, sharpography, water-soluable crayon. She uses one image and uses it throughout her gallery in many different ways. This reoccurring image is a representation of Pooh bear, a “comfort object” she used throughout her life.

Content Analysis:

Emily’s art is meant to visualize what it is like to deal with mental illness. These paintings are a translation from the feelings of anxiety and putting them into visualizations. These paintings arise from what she may have felt at that moment or representing her feelings from the past.

My Experience:

I appreciated Emily’s gallery due to the fact I have dealt with anxiety disorder and know first hand how destructive it can be. Emily’s pieces represented how anxiety can feel. And it is not a smooth experience. Her piece that I believe is called,”Puppy,”did a fantastic job of what anxiety feels like. Its all over the place. One thought can spiral in to many different thoughts and outcomes. She used alarming colors such as red, yellow and bright blue. I really loved this gallery and the message she conveyed.

Week 4 Art Care Package

 

I decided to sen my ACP to my older sister that lives in New York!

What I included in my art care package:

1. Girl Scout cookie box–Thin Mints (my all time favortie!)
2. Rose petals– I received a bouquet of roses from my boyfriend on Valentine’s Day.
3. Movie tickets– Fifty Shades Darker…riskaaaay!
4. Some lucky pennies–I am a firm believer in some luck.
5. Groupon– To a massage gifted from my boyfriend.
6. Cosmopolitan Magazine ad– best magazine ever!
7. Photo Booth pictures– photographed with my best friends and boyfriend (definitely a great night!)
8. Voting Ballot–Today’s politics are historical.

 

1. I believe sending an ACP is more intimate than sending a quick Snapchat that someone probably sent it to multiple people. I think it is more intimate than Snapchat due to the fact that it takes more time to create and you are sending tangible objects.
2. I completely view ephemera as precious. These temporary objects gain value over time. For example, at this time, the Girl Scout Cookie box doesn’t have that much value to me (other than signifying delicious cookies are near). However, in fifty years, what if these cookies do not exist anymore? We can even dig deeper into examining the cover picture of the box and how it represents our time. For instance, it is a picture of girls planting (stressing the importance of taking care of our world). Right now global warming is a crucial debate, and we can argue this represents that.
3. I believe there is a difference between art that is seen by many people and this ACP that is seen by a few. While it does have similarities, like being almost a time capsule of that time. I think that art in galleries are more grand and magnificent than these more intimate projects.
4. I believe thinking about someone and showing any degree of care is valuable. However, for this example I would feel more loved if someone spent all afternoon preparing dinner for us rather than getting fast-food last minute. I do think that ACP can contain a more deeper showing of affection because it takes more time and effort into displaying your care. It seems as though we have lost sight of these slower-paced intimacies. I had to double check how to address a letter because it is something I rarely do. Think about how nowadays our best friends just write on our Facebook pages for our birthdays and do not send cards in the mail. We like instancy and are straying from intimacy.

Week 4 Artist Conversation- Robert Nehemiah

Artist: Robert Nehemiah

Exhibition: Immaterial

Gallery: Max L. Gatov Gallery West

Medium: Painting

Instagram: @wookieewarrior

Artist Background:

Robert was burn in South Gate, CA and he’s currently an undergraduate at CSULB with a major in BFA-drawing and painting. He is finishing his last semester this spring and will be moving forward to graduate school. He has been drawing since he can remember and has always had a deep passion for it. His philosophy around his art is materialism and how common things that are overseen can be art. For example, he used unique platforms for his artwork. This included wood, cardboard and tarp. He said that when he was in the midst of his art, he realized that his artwork may have even more meaning than he originally thought. He said that his original message was that his artwork would not last due to the unusual and unprimed canvas symbolizing how things in life are temporary. However, while he was painting his older loved ones, he realized they too have an expiration date. Because of this, we can’t take life for granted and live every moment to the fullest. His main goal for his artwork was to explore, not necessarily to be sold. He also has an interest in music.

Formal Analysis:

Robert’s materials included oil on unprimed wood, metal, cardboard and tarp. He explained how playing with some of these surfaces were quite challenging as they would absorb the paint and end up costing a lot of money and time. This gallery took about eight months to complete.

Content Analysis:

Robert’s motivation in his art is materialism. Not only things are temporary, but so are people. He also exemplifies how art can be created on surfaces people tend to overlook as garbage.

My Experience:

Meeting Robert was truly inspiring. His outlook on life was intriguing and showed in his art. He has undeniable talent and passion for art. Each piece had someones name as the title and made it more personable. I loved that he painted people who are very important to him; his mentor, mother, grandmother, even himself. He gives value to things that society sees as invaluable. He was very easy to speak with and had clear vision of his artwork and what it represented. My favorite piece was “Portrait of a Grandmother.” You could see the withering details of her age and I believe by pairing this portrait to cardboard was a perfect marriage. He also said this was his favorite piece as he spent the most time on it and when he realized the metaphor for that people do not last as well.

Week 3 Classmate Conversation- Trevor Yarger

Trevor Yarger is a senior at CSULB and a business major. He works at Naples Rib Company (super amazing by the way, if you have not gone, you have to go!) He was born and riased in Long Beach and loves it. He is actually going on quite a big adventure this upcoming month to Italy! He is going with a few of his best guy friends to visit their friend who is currently studying abroad there. He has a dog names Paddy who he loves more than anything! She is a Husky and Pit-bull mix and has a lot of energy as she’s only a year old.

Week 3 Artist Conversation Kelvin Lopez

Artist: Kelvin Lopez

Exhibition: SCRY BABY

Gallery: Dr. Maxine Merlino Gallery

Medium: Printmaking

Instagram: @klart760

Artist Background:

Kelvin’s hometown is San Diego, CA and received his associates degree there at a community college. He’s now an Undergraduate at CSULB in Printmaking and produces free and non academic art. He is somewhat of a street performer and makes his art live at underground music events. His interest in printmaking stemmed after drawing and painting for quite some time. One of the reasons he strayed away from painting was because oil paint created his head to hurt. The pros of printmaking is that uses natural resources. This is something he is passionate about. Kelvin likes to have a wellbeing within himself and within the environment. He believes in the power of crystals and is present in his art. Kelvin Lopez’s influences are Alex Grey and Fred Tomocelli, geometric shapes and his lab director. He loves getting a rise out of his audience and leaving an impression.

Formal Analysis:

His material is litho crayon on limestone, nitric acid, screen frame, squeegee, ink, transparent base. The crystals allow the art to pop!

Content Analysis:

Kelvin’s motivation in his art is his personal life. He represents the crystals as almost being a magical crystal ball, in telling the future and the past. This process is called scrying.

My Experience:

I believe this type of artwork is more popular nowadays. His work is more psychedelic and I could easily see his art on one a DJ/EDM type music album cover. I love his artwork dealing with the crystals because crystals are also some sort of fashion statement currently. I appreciate the meaning behind his work and I love how his art represents so much creativity.

 

 

 

 

Cocktail Corpse

Alcoholism ran in her family and she ultimately fell into the cycle. She had been drinking almost everyday since she was 16 years old. She first did it to impress others. Then it became her crutch in order to be social. Alcohol meant she was funnier, prettier, cooler, etc. She wanted to be liked and she thought she could get that through drinking. She was the center of attention when she was drunk and when she was sober she felt like she fell into the shadows. People started to see her problem and her once lively friendships dwindled away. She only had alcohol left to comfort her. But she did not know this frienship was ultimately deadly. 

Meeting Samantha

My favorite idea for the ‘Landscapes with a Corpse’ idea was Sam’s! She got very creative and shared her idea of having a Christmas decoration mishap. While taking down her Christmas lights, she falls and gets tangled into her ultimate death! She said her brothers will help her out with this project and I really hope it turns out just like she is envisioning it. Samantha is a first year and lives locally in Long Beach. She said she is loving CSULB so far and excited for Art 110!

Meeting Ryanne

In our first class meeting, I had the pleasure of meeting the beautiful Ryanne. First of all, how awesome is her name?! It is pronounced Ryan and is derived from a relatives last name. We talked about how she lives close by with her parents, is a first year and has a boyfriend who she has known since high school. We actually were able to network with each other as she is looking for a job and I was able to let her know about how my job at Red Bull is currently hiring. It is nice to have her as a contact in the class because she has helped me with a few art questions! I can’t wait to continue getting to know her!