Studio Journal

So here is the beginning of my Thesis project. I would like to make very realistic and life sized trees. The above picture is the untrimmed roots of what will be a tree about six feet high.

This is body of the tree. It fits in place on top of the knarled roots. I have chosen to make the tree in three seperate pieces so it can be more easily work with and transported the tree in a car or through doorways.

Here you can see the seam between the two pices. They fix very well, but I am going to find a way to cover it. It will also look more uniform after it is painted.

Here is another side. This tree is made out of plaster. I first take wire mesh and form it into the shapes I want. Then I take burlap soaked in plaster and wrap it around the metal. I then add layers of thick plaster to the surface, and cover that with a few layers of thin dripping plaster. This creates a nice bark texture.

All this with be painted with a few layers of paint.

More pictures to come

Planet of Slums

This is the first work the viewer sees when entering this exhibition. It made me think of building forts in my living room as a kid. I wanted to crawl in there so badly. Then after viewing it for a few minutes I thought more about the homless forts built out of garbage in New York city.  Interesting how these feelings are on opposite ends.

 These works, by Rob Swainston, are mixed media collages. Both Proposition 40 and Proposition 41 appear to be made of mostly paper in dark and gloomy colors that are folded and crumbled in various ways. They are then put in a deep white frames with glass covering the images. The various marks and patterns are very interesting. they cause the viewer to look very closely. There are deep foldes and marks that create more depth than the objects actually have.

This collage is very impressive as soon as the viewer enters the room. It is 12 ft x 15 ft, and looms over its audience. It is layered and saturated with various figures and images. Black & Whitish, 2007, by Abigail DeVille, is a work that could be observed for quite some time without the viewer seeing every element. It is a mixed media that appears to include pencil, crayon, charcoal, paint, and conte. The images are dark and threatening, and yet there is still a lighthearted playfulness present.

Studio Journal

This is my project for the Water show. It is a working fountain.

It is completely over saturated with rocks, flowers, and plants. There is a mirror at the bottom of the pond so it's very reflective. Theres also a small light in the tree that shows nice moving shadows from the water surface. The leaves are real leaves that have been covered in resin.



Here you can see the rocky pedestal I made to hold the fountain. There is also a hidden speaker playing "water" music. There have been more leaves added since this picture was taken.

Studio Journal

This is something I've been working on for a little bit. I wanted to experiment with paint applied to wet plaster. The results are really fun.

The paint actually eats through the plaster, so there are varying thicknesses. The crevasses add depth to the flat surfaces.

After I made several tiles, I decided to assemble them in a cube formation. It's still in process.

Here is a joint that has not been filled yet. I'm still trying to smooth out the other joints without ruining the tiles edges.

Studio Journal

Here is one of my current projects

This structure in about 10 x 12 x 12in. More will be added. I was inspired by cubist sculptures I have recently seen at the MET and the MoMa in New York. My new found interest was combined with my long term interest in my favorite artist, Brian Froud. Working with such tiny pieces made of bass wood, and using multiple colors is very time consuming.

When cutting the pieces that create the stairs the thin wood often cracks and breaks, so I had to start bracing the edges with other straight surfaces when I make cuts.

This "Labyrinth" is something that i've tried before. I have now sharpened my technique. Every piece is lightly sanded, and all excess glue in imediately removed. The spiral staircase is a create way to incorporate circles into the object by continueing to use only straight lines.