This morning I submitted a piece of work of mine into the Artists Emerge juried show entitled "Color Temperature." Let's just wait till April to see how I do.
Coming up: I am submitting work to a show back home in Norfolk entitled "Renewal."
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Artists Emerge
This morning I submitted a piece of work of mine into the Artists Emerge juried show entitled "Color Temperature." Let's just wait till April to see how I do.
Coming up: I am submitting work to a show back home in Norfolk entitled "Renewal."
Monday, March 23, 2009
2nd writing
Sorry guys. I was unaware of the second writing on a gallery I was unable to attend, but instead attended another.
So we were supposed to attend the Best of 2008 Photography exhibit that was on campus at a small, quaint coffee shop called Harrison Street Cafe. As many of times I have walked by this place thinking I should hop in to snag a cup of brew, I have never set foot into this place until one Sunday a few weeks back I decided to go look at the show.
Immediately after I walked in the doors, I felt squished. The space is unsuitable to display art, and I found it very unflattering breathing over the heads of other customers enjoying their lunch and warm coffee. On the other hand, I really love the coffee shop as a coffee shop. The wood and unique layout made this place stick out from any other.
As for the art itself, I could not say I was impressed. A picture of a cat... a girl in the middle of an alley way... President Obama at a campaign... All seemed too uncaring of perspective and creativity. I've gone to band shows and I have had my fair share of photographing the action, this did not impress. The one photograph that I do recall being of my liking was that of an arm cut off on the edge of the frame with leaves filling the rest of the frame. Simple. Interesting composition. Colors flow. Great lighting. That's what I want to see. Not just the quickie I found in the others. Maybe that's just me being picky, but don't we all have our likes and dislikes?
I did feel ashamed after hearing the guy who put this show together. He seemed like a really cool guy and who actually has fun in this town of Richmond (must I inform you I hate taking pictures in this city, and I do not find any sort of inspiration). So I thought it was cool to see how he works and how he produces work in this community.
Sorry for the late entry. Hope to post back soon.
So we were supposed to attend the Best of 2008 Photography exhibit that was on campus at a small, quaint coffee shop called Harrison Street Cafe. As many of times I have walked by this place thinking I should hop in to snag a cup of brew, I have never set foot into this place until one Sunday a few weeks back I decided to go look at the show.
Immediately after I walked in the doors, I felt squished. The space is unsuitable to display art, and I found it very unflattering breathing over the heads of other customers enjoying their lunch and warm coffee. On the other hand, I really love the coffee shop as a coffee shop. The wood and unique layout made this place stick out from any other.
As for the art itself, I could not say I was impressed. A picture of a cat... a girl in the middle of an alley way... President Obama at a campaign... All seemed too uncaring of perspective and creativity. I've gone to band shows and I have had my fair share of photographing the action, this did not impress. The one photograph that I do recall being of my liking was that of an arm cut off on the edge of the frame with leaves filling the rest of the frame. Simple. Interesting composition. Colors flow. Great lighting. That's what I want to see. Not just the quickie I found in the others. Maybe that's just me being picky, but don't we all have our likes and dislikes?
I did feel ashamed after hearing the guy who put this show together. He seemed like a really cool guy and who actually has fun in this town of Richmond (must I inform you I hate taking pictures in this city, and I do not find any sort of inspiration). So I thought it was cool to see how he works and how he produces work in this community.
Sorry for the late entry. Hope to post back soon.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
March 09 First Friday Artwalk
Though I was unable to attend the crowded walk down Broad Street, or even make it out the week after the First Friday due to Spring Break. Fortunately Katie Stanton had not attended the art walk either, so we decided to take a nice walk this past Thursday afternoon.
1708: Took a while to get into this gallery due to the struggle of the stuck door, but we finally got in before we walked off. At first I laughed at this art work. I mean... come on. A journal of stuff like eating toast or doing math. But then I thought about it. Some people can make ugly, unimportant art look somewhat enjoyable and entertaining. So I ended up liking its vastness. Moving around the room, we move to an artist whose work is concentrated on found objects and cheap material such as cardboard. I found this to be cool, as it allows us artists to think that something so simple can be used in such a different way. I always like to look for humor in art, and what made me laugh for about 5 years was a cardboard box and inside there was a drawing of a McChicken Nugget crossed with Chewy. I forget what the caption said, but I died.
Quirk: Not really my kind of art style. This artist used fabric as her medium and painted arms and hands, or legs and heels onto these canvases. But one piece I found interesting was the collared shirts with the button down still attached. For some reason I found this visually attractive and interesting.
Visual Art Studio: Upon walking in Katie and I came in contact with the owner's daughter screaming that she wanted more coffee. Must I inform you, this little girl had to be roughly 5 years old. The owner/artists was very nice. She questioned if we were students, and we talked about this course to her. She found that this Sophomore Seminar class to be very helpful and something she wished was there for her when she was in the Painting and Printmaking Department at VCU some years back. She showed us her studio area and all the work of artists she is acquainted with. She explained how when she attended VCU she studied abroad and thought that would be something we should look into in our near future. But now lets talk about the art. Nothing really attractive. There were a few photographs in the back that were not of my liking. Once piece next to the photographs, on the other hand, did strike my interest. It was a digitally printed work of a woman and a man sculpture of the Greek style. They were being struck by arrows while they hang in shame on their crosses. I found this piece to be interesting due to its 3D-ness and the irony of this classic piece on the background of a modern city.
Anywho. Saw some good stuff, and I saw some bad.
1708: Took a while to get into this gallery due to the struggle of the stuck door, but we finally got in before we walked off. At first I laughed at this art work. I mean... come on. A journal of stuff like eating toast or doing math. But then I thought about it. Some people can make ugly, unimportant art look somewhat enjoyable and entertaining. So I ended up liking its vastness. Moving around the room, we move to an artist whose work is concentrated on found objects and cheap material such as cardboard. I found this to be cool, as it allows us artists to think that something so simple can be used in such a different way. I always like to look for humor in art, and what made me laugh for about 5 years was a cardboard box and inside there was a drawing of a McChicken Nugget crossed with Chewy. I forget what the caption said, but I died.
Quirk: Not really my kind of art style. This artist used fabric as her medium and painted arms and hands, or legs and heels onto these canvases. But one piece I found interesting was the collared shirts with the button down still attached. For some reason I found this visually attractive and interesting.
Visual Art Studio: Upon walking in Katie and I came in contact with the owner's daughter screaming that she wanted more coffee. Must I inform you, this little girl had to be roughly 5 years old. The owner/artists was very nice. She questioned if we were students, and we talked about this course to her. She found that this Sophomore Seminar class to be very helpful and something she wished was there for her when she was in the Painting and Printmaking Department at VCU some years back. She showed us her studio area and all the work of artists she is acquainted with. She explained how when she attended VCU she studied abroad and thought that would be something we should look into in our near future. But now lets talk about the art. Nothing really attractive. There were a few photographs in the back that were not of my liking. Once piece next to the photographs, on the other hand, did strike my interest. It was a digitally printed work of a woman and a man sculpture of the Greek style. They were being struck by arrows while they hang in shame on their crosses. I found this piece to be interesting due to its 3D-ness and the irony of this classic piece on the background of a modern city.
Anywho. Saw some good stuff, and I saw some bad.
Taxidermy is my friend.
Who: Amy Stein
What: Artist Lecture
When: March 4th, 2009
Where: VCU Student Commons Theater
WHY?
As we all spend majority of our days in the Pollak building, we are well aware of the many fliers and posters hung on the cork boards in the hall. Well when I stumbled upon Amy Stein's artist lecture flier, I finally had the courage to admit that Fine Art Photography could be worth while.
As most of our views were very unenlightening when Stein first admitted she jumped right into the photography scene due to unemployment, I believe we all came out of this lecture with a since of change. To be honest, this lady is inspiring. For one, I don't like Fine Art Photography, I am more commercial, but Stein works with this aspect. Her series entitled Stranded are portraits of individuals caught with flats or blown heaters. What got me is that Stein went out to travel the roads, meet strangers in uncomfortable situations and was able to shoot these photographs that captures the humiliating sides of these poor, stranded people.
I like the way Stein works. In her series called Domesticated, Stein became one with a community, learning about a small town place outside of her own state of residence, and made brilliant art. At first you may want to believe the animals placed in each frame are living, wild animals, but in fact they are not. Taxidermy is very helpful in times like these. So much that even myself have been out on the search looking to find a bird to use in a piece I am submitting to a show soon.
All in all, I believe Stein to be a strong figure and artist in my mind. After leaving her lecture I jumped up and said "let's go and make a series." And so I have yet to find that one thing I want to capture.
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