a simple philosophy

I believe in visual art’s power to communicate the nuances that we haven’t yet learned in words. I believe in the imperfect, the cracked, the broken, the aging – the quiet beauty that is so subtle that it could easily be overlooked, but when noticed, stops time. I know we all crave a simpler, quieter way of life, a more accepting attitude towards existence, and I know we all crave beauty; our definition of beauty needs only to be pried a little wider. The stains in our favorite teacups – the wrinkles around our eyes – the uneven stitches in a hand-knit quilt, these are full of the energy of age, the power of being loved over and over again. A reclaiming of heritage is in order in this world where it’s easier to throw away than to mend. An embracing of our “flaws” is in order, to be kinder to ourselves, and to be kinder to the world.

prints

So, I got some prints made of a number of pieces from the “cute girl” series, and am really, really happy with how the print job came out. The colors are rich and the blacks are lush, inky and solid. I am beyond pleased! In other news, the semester is almost over: all that’s left in the following week and a half is a couple of finals, a portfolio presentation, and a paper to write.

BFA thesis show

So… this was more than two weeks ago, but here are some pictures from this semester’s graduating class BFA thesis show, which was well-attended and well stocked with delicious food. Our good friend Cori even made a treacherous drive through the snow from Boise to visit!

housefly

pencil, ink, pins, houseflies (under plexi, hence the mediocre photo) 12″x12″

recent studio work

Pencil and sumi on watercolor paper, 17″x20″. This one is about the story of Rapunzel, the power and sexuality associated with hair, and the act of cutting: transition, renewal, and transformation.

Pencil and Sumi on watercolor paper, 17″x20″.

pencil, sumi and watercolor on watercolor paper, 17″x20″. These last two I meant to leave open to interpretation, but the responses I’ve gotten so far have been unintentionally sexual!

Charcoal, sumi, printmaking ink and thread on unprimed canvas… around 3.5′ x 4.5′. Freckles, stars, myth-making and interconnectedness.

Water-soluble pencil, sumi, and acrylic on unprimed canvas. About 3.5’x4.5′. Again with the stars, this time with fireflies, the briefness of their lifespans – you can see them dying and falling off at the bottom. With the stars dripping off of her body I was reminded of the only organisms on the planet who not only survive but actually thrive on hydrochloric acid, deep in caves, and output light…. so basically this piece is about glowing bugs and stars.

Water-soluble pencil, sumi and cut-out fabric flowers on unprimed canvas, about 4’x5′. This one I still feel is in a bit of a chrisis. I liked the figure drawing (except for the foot) before I started gluing the flowers on, and now it seems quite overdone, somehow. Maybe it’s the excessiveness of the pink, and maybe I’ve just spent too much time staring at it. Either way, I’m calling it done for now.

This one’s still in progress, there will be more flowers. Sumi and cut-out flowers on unprimed canvas, 4’x5′.

There’s only a month left before our senior show goes up – I’m so excited!