Starting Back Up

Here is the Lo-Down
I'm in TWO independent Studies this Term
The one with my Prof. Rob Neilson, will be a continuation of my work going towards my senior show. Since the Winter Break I've been working on some new pieces. Making over-sized crayons.

This is 3rd Week and by next Sunday. I want to have all 8 crayons done.

My second independent study consists of work going toward my honors project. Which is currently in a small funk at the moment.

My goal for this week is to have taken some photographs and get ONE TAIL made, toward the sculpture part. And Also talk to Bart DeStasio about underwater filming.

I also hope to update my Blog this Thursday with a mid week update.

Artist's Critique and Salon

Instead of making two separate posts I decided to combine them into one big post. Last week, I had an artist's critique with photographer Sama Alshaibi. Sama is an assistant professor of art at the University of Arizona. We discussed my Miracle Toast, Dominica and Aloysius (Giant Rosaries), and Momento Mori and the presentation of these works. In regards to Miracle Toast, I've talked about suspending it and sewing pieces of toast together, as well as presenting it in clear plastic bags and then having the toast cascade out. Then there was a return to the Giant Rosaries, which I'm particularly fond of, there was talk about making them bigger and better and making them float. There are some kinks I need to work out in showing Momento Mori.
The salon went well, five of us presented work, it was interesting. No one really said much of anything during my critique. Probably because I showed a 4 minute video and I talked for about 2 minutes leaving 3 minutes for muted comments. Not much to say there.

I really want to work on a video project tomorrow.

Concerning Miracles (from all over)

This website, Virgin Mary (again), has quite the collection of the Virgin Mary appearing in numerous mundane objects from all over. The blog comments on these apparitions and does so in a rather humorous manner.

N.M.S.

Concerning: Miracles (at Lawrence University)

On Monday I presented 50 pieces of toast, arranged in rows 5 x 10, each piece of toast was branded with the visage of the Holy Virgin. As I consider the piece's meaning. I find it becomes a mocking and serious comment on the need for salvation, the need to believe in a higher power, man's unresolved issues and fear of the unknown, and life after life. I've been reluctant to work with images of the Holy Mother because I was afraid of the message I might be sending, in other words, I did not want a piece of work that was just about shocking and offending people. Religious iconography has been a driving force of art since 28,000 BCE, from prehistoric to contemporary times, it is not an uncommon theme, especially that of the Virgin Mary. The Virgin Mary, like her son, is a symbol of salvation. I argue, that one can relate more to the Virgin Mary because like you and I, she was an individual, she is often portrayed with open arms, welcoming, beckoning, all sinners into a "judgement free zone", where it is easy to be absolved of sin, because if anyone is going to forgive you, no matter what you've done, it's your mother.

The piece I created, entititled, We Believe in Miracles, was brought about by a number of influences including: the print making process, Catholicism, toast, eBay, salvation, transubstantiation, consumerism, breakfast, and miracles.

For years people, including: prophets, saints, children, men, women, and mental patients, have at some point in their lives, believe that they have seen or, were visited by, a visage, or apparition of, specifically in this case, the Holy Virgin. St. Bernadette claimed to have seen 18 apparitions of the Holy Mother at Lourdes, France. At Fatima, in Portugal, the Virgin Mary appeared to three children, giving unto to them the what we know today as The Three Secrets of Fatima.
However, we live in a time where "seeing is believing." Concrete images hold the attention of today's audiences far longer than apparitions which only a select few can see. No one is more special than the next person.
Today, the Virgin Mary has been known to grace a number of mundane objects with her 2-Dimensional presence. She has been seen in: toast, ultrasounds, underpasses, along the sides buildings, turtles, and watermelon. Some may argue turtles and watermelons are anything but mundane, I'm inclined to agree, at certain times of the year, Autumn not being one of them.













The Virgin Mary gracing the underbelly of a turtle and a cross-section of watermelon













Above, the Virgin Mary appears on the wall of an underpass in Chicago on Fullerton Ave. in the guise of a salt stain, under the Kennedy Expressway (I-90, for those not familiar with Chicago's silly names for interstates).



















Way back in 2005, in Fort Wayne Indiana, the Virgin Mary appeared in a woman's ultrasound kissing her baby.













Here, the Virgin Mary appears on the side of a building, in Kirkwood, MO, due to a pipe leakage.














Who could forget, the Virgin's appearance in grilled cheese, which sold for 28,000 dollars on eBay. Diana Duyser, allegedly almost had a heart attack when she saw Mary staring back at her. People, take this piece of toast very seriously, and someday in the future may end up in the Vatican Vaults somewhere as a holy artifact, I'll continue living for that day.

On a side note, Bernadette always has been my favorite female saint, ever since I went to catholic school and they made us watch a film on the life and times of Saint Bernadette.

Third Meeting Post

I have finished Momento Mori and I also presented something that I really wanted to work on and create. It is a two dimensional piece, consisting of 50 pieces of toast with The Virgin Mary burnt into each piece of toast and arranged 5 x 10 on top of a piece of wood board. We had a very good discussion about the piece and all the connotations it brings along with it. I will post a more in depth post about the piece, once I finally get photographs taken of the work I've done this term. Expect a bunch of posts this week.

For next week I hope to have another bear done
A short film made
Expanding the toast project with three new works having

I'm feeling very ambitious with great energy

Fame

To be an undergraduate student in Studio Art is scary, my Prof. Rob Neilson offers a class at Lawrence known as Senior Art Seminar, required now for all Art Majors, the class teaches you how to put together a C.V., take digital photographs of your work, write an artist statement, and promotes an environment to get Studio Art majors talking about life in the art world after graduation. It includes a variety of topics from Graduate School, Beauty in Art, Post-Modernism and Post-Post-Modernism (which still hurts my head). The one that resonated with me the most was our topic of Fame, it seemed like only three of us in the class wanted to famous for art. Silly me, I thought that's what everyone wanted.

Well here are some ruminations of the idea of fame and art.

Most people's idea of fame can be mistaken for infamy. To be famous, you have to bust your ass and make decisions that would launch your career into a lasting one. Notariety for the person you are and the work you do are completely different. Being famous is not easily achievable, as the media would have you believe. Talent, social understanding, and credibility are all necessary and are to be developed. Actions you take will speak for you. To pursue fame haphazardly without considering your actions makes you replaceable and a recycled idea. You are not entitled to anything as an undergraduate so you have to take advantage of what is available to you.