5/23/2018 0 Comments Finished Final ProjectFor this piece I used a technique that I had never really tried before, inspired by work done by Stephanie Ledoux. First, I painted a portrait of a refugee from Ethiopia, now living in Atlanta, on watercolor paper. I used watercolor as the base layer of her skin before using watered-down acrylic paint to complete it, and colored pencil to fill in the eyes. I also used colored pencil over the acrylic paint once it had dried, adding shading and dimension to her face. After that, I printed out Ethiopian textiles and Scripture in the Amharic language onto parchment paper and modge-podged it onto a large canvas. Then I attached the portrait onto the canvas, framed by the textiles and collaged paper around it.
This piece is meant to express the beauty and the power of this woman’s culture. It is almost a contrast to one of my earlier pieces, “Silenced”, where the woman in the picture looks shy closed off. The woman in this piece is bold, her face open and the colors of her hijab bright. There is also a small part of this piece that I intentionally hid within her face. It is such a small part, yet it encompasses my entire message as an artist. Within the woman’s eyes can be seen a reflection of the cross, revealing the event that ultimately brings this woman, and all people, true peace and validation. The meaning and purpose she has received through the sacrifice of Jesus has become a part of her, changing her life to be full of truth and joy.
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As my inspiration for my final project, I chose to research European artist Stephanie Ledoux. Stephanie mainly focuses her art around portraits, painting beautiful pieces of the people she meets during her travels. She divides her time between traveling and creating images in her sketch book and then using those sketches to paint more detailed pieces during her studio time. These paintings are often representations of her experiences with the people and places she visits. Often when she is sketching, throngs of people gather to watch, only energizing and encouraging her more. While drawing, she interviews her models t learn about their lives, traditions, and aspirations and then enjoying their reactions when she shows them the drawing. She has enjoyed her status as a woman, allowing her to gain access into homes and talk with women, allowing her to build relationships with the people she meets. To her, drawing is a universal mode of expression, transcending the language barriers she often faces. I chose to research Stephanie because her work celebrates the beauty of diversity, keeping alive their culture and traditions. Each portrait tells a story, both about that person and about Stephanie's experience. I am also very drawn to Stephanie's technique of using watercolor over paper and maps, incorporating collage into her paintings. I also love how in some of her pieces she uses graphite and acrylic to paint the colorful portraits. I think her style correlates well with the direction I want my artwork to go, and I could honestly spend hours looking at her work!
For my project, I am hoping to use either watercolor with watered down acrylic on top of paper mounted on canvas, or I could use spray paint an acrylic on canvas. However, I would like to incorporate layered paper or collage in my own piece. As for sizing- I would am planning on working on a 24x30 canvas. As they say, GO BIG OR GO HOME! (: Mickalene Thomas is a well-known artist in Brooklyn who expresses the ideas of black female beauty, sexual identity, and feminine power through elaborate, collage-inspired paintings that are decorated with rhinestones, enamel, and colorful paint. She uses ideas from historical artwork in her pieces, borrowing from artists like Gustave Courbet, Romare Bearden, David Hockney, Edouard Manet, and Henri Matisse. Thomas was born in New Jersey in 1971 and studied Pre Law and Theatre Arts in college in Portland, Oregon. She then received her BFA from Pratt Institute and her MFA from Yale University. One of her most famous pieces is called “Le Dejeuner”, in which she creates a contrast with work done by Eduardo Manet.
Eduardo Manet was a French artist born in Paris in January 1832. He became one of the first artists of that time to paint modern life. This hugely impacted the transition from Realism to Impressionism, and the controversial aspect of his work is still impacting the world of modern art to this day. In 1841, he enrolled in a secondary school called the College Rollin. Manet was also influenced by his travels to Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, meeting artists who would help shape his career. His famous piece, “Dejeuner Sur l’Herbe” is the work that Mickalene Thomas based “Le Dejeuner” off of. In order to understand the relationship that the two pieces have to one another, first we must look at them both individually. Mickalene Thomas’ “Le Dejeuner” is full of bold colors and intricate patterns. There are three African American women seated together as if they are lounging or relaxing, eating lunch together as intimate friends. All three of the women seem to have a colorful style, correlating with their culture. Their hair is styled in accordance with their culture and their make up is bold and beautiful. The whole piece shouts expression, color, and a unique power. Two of the women seem to have a darker skin tone, while the woman on the far left has a more amber complection. The background of the piece more of an abstract form, yellow and oranges contrasting with the blues and greens toward the bottom of the piece. The entire piece looks almost like it is fragmented glass, different cracks breaking off pieces of the painting. The surface of the painting looks almost glasslike due to the resin covering, giving the piece a shiny, modern appearance. The style of the work has a pop-art feel to it, the bright colors drawing the viewer’s eyes around the work and causing him or her to begin searching for deeper meanings within Thomas’ painting. Eduardo Manet’s painting, “Dejeuner Sur l’Herbe,” is a large oil painting on canvas. In the painting, there are four figures. Two men and one woman are seated around their lunch in the forest while another woman is behind them slightly in the distance, bent over toward the ground. The two men seem to be of wealth and importance, dressed in black robe and a brown suit with nice pants and a relaxed appearance. One is reclining while the other is sitting propped up with his hand, a faint smirk playing on his mouth. The woman beside them is, in contrast, fully nude, her clothing having fallen away from her body. Only part of her garments are wrapped around one of her legs and placed beneath her so that she is able to sit on the grass. The man next to her appears to be sitting close to her with almost a possessive air. She is the only one in the painting looking directly at the viewer. The woman in the background appears to be wearing a thin dress or her bathing clothes. This aspect of the painting causes the viewer to wonder why the men are fully clothed, but the women are nude or scantily dressed. Was this the womens’ choice? Are they forced to be less dressed or nude as a means of entertainment and visual pleasure for the men in their state of relaxation? Looking at this painting, the eyes of the nude woman catch the attention of the viewer. She looks directly at the viewer, and although a faint smile plays on her lips, I wonder if there is something more there: An unspoken discomfort? An expression begging for someone to revive her dignity and stop this objectification? Perhaps her feelings only continue to be stifled by the society of that time… until modern artists begin voicing these unheard opinions. Analysis of Thomas’ “Le Dejeuner” and Manet’s “Dejeuner Sur l’Herbe” reveals that these pieces contain clear similarities. Firstly, the three women in Thomas’ piece clearly mimic the postures of the group in Manet’s painting. Both are relaxed, appearing to enjoy the simplicity of companionship over lunch. It is also interesting to notice that the skin color of the women in the first painting directly correlates with the coat colors and skin color of the group in Manet’s painting. The complection of the woman on the far right is similar to the color of the coat of the man on the right. The woman in the middle has a complection similar to the coat color of the man in the middle. And finally, the amber color of the woman on the far left is the lightest, in relation to the woman on the left in Manet’s piece. The colors of both pieces are also very similar. Both incorporate lots of greens, oranges, and blues. Thomas also incorporates abstract tree-like structures in the background in order to parallel the forest setting of Manet’s piece. Despite the obvious similarities between the two pieces, the differences are almost even more apparent. Firstly, the most obvious difference is the difference in skin color between the people in Thomas’ painting and those in Manet’s piece. While Manet painted four wealthy, caucasian men and women, Thomas painted three African American women. These cultures contrast, only more accentuating the differences in style between the two paintings. While Thomas explored more of a pop art style, including bright colors and abstract designs, Manet’s style was much more detailed and realistic. While both pieces express a form of power and culture, their meanings are quite different. Manet’s piece holds the connotation of male dominance and the wealth of caucasian people during that time, while Thomas accentuates the power, dignity, self-reliance, and beauty of African American women. Overall, both pieces are powerful and interesting. The relationship between the two paintings are clear, and the message of Mickalene Thomas through her work is clear. It is inspiring to see how modern artists are exploring the ideas of those from the past, while challenging societal ideas and expressing the truth of the power and beauty of those who were once considered as less. The voices of each painting are uniquely different from each other, yet explore similar ideas in different ways. The work of Thomas reminds me of Kehinde Wiley's mission through his artwork. Both artists inspire me to think about what I am expressing in my own work, motivating me to pursue my own passions and challenge the way our society thinks. 5/3/2018 0 Comments Finished Truth To Power PieceThis week we finished up our Truth to Power pieces. This process was interesting for me because I had originally started one idea for this project, but after working on it for a day or so, I simply wasn't feeling inspired. I didn't feel connected to the piece and I had some other ideas about how I wanted to express the truth of my identity. After researching artist Patrick Bremer, I felt inspired by his work an wanted to try his style of collage, something I have not worked with very much. This entire piece is slightly outside f what I would normally do, and I experimented with a variety of techniques and ideas in this piece.
I began by painting the face, the silhouette, and the background with acrylic paint. Then I used images and text from magazines and other sources to create a collage over the skin. My meaning behind this piece is simple. As I thought about the idea of truth and power, I struggled with the idea that each person has his or her own definition of truth. Looking at it this way, that means truth can be defined about 7.3 billion different ways. In that case, is there any such thing as truth in the first place? This goes back to the idea that the experiences of each individual person ultimately shapes their worldview. So I decided to create my piece based on what I have seen to be true in my own life. All that I could think about when I was asked to express truth is the power of God and the impact my faith has had on my life. The power of God, who created the earth and has all things within His control, is the most incredible truth I have experienced. Instead of grasping around for some fleeting way to add meaning and substance to my life, my “identity in Christ is the foundation of my soul”, and in Him I find truth because I know that His sacrifice, the shedding His blood, and his victory over death is the reason I can live free. I wanted to show this through my piece, so I added some symbolism. The red color of the silhouette represents the blood of Jesus, intertwined and essentially making up my existence. The pieces of images and text represent my experiences and what makes up my identity. And the shifted brushstrokes in the bottom represent my openness to the ideas and opinions of others, as well as my own output of thoughts and my witness of the truth and power of Jesus in my life. 4/26/2018 0 Comments Sculpture Piece UPdateToday I got a hold of the Chapel Hill Volunteer Coordinator. She gave me information about how to contact the man in charge of displaying things in lobbies and waiting rooms. I emailed the man today and I am currently waiting to receive a call or an email back. I finally got ahold of someone at the hospitall!!
4/26/2018 0 Comments Truth To Power ProgressThis week I began working on my Truth to Power piece. My concept is based on John 8:32, which says "And then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." This is meant to be a representation of my personal faith, experiences, and truth, and because of the power of Christ I am set free from my burden and the pressure to do enough good in order to win my validation. My plan is to create a thin layer of paint a an undercoat before creating a collage on her face and skin.
But to be honest, I am struggling with this project. For some reason I don't feel motivated, and I don't feel like I know what I'm doing. Maybe the piece itself is not that bad, but my process is. I constantly compare myself to other students, working to try an uphold some sort of invisible standard for myself. It is simply ironic that I am working on this project, symbolizing the freedom I have through Christ, just as I am struggling with my own human imperfection. When I realized this tonight I felt very convicted. I know that something will come out of this piece if I let myself go to try new things and work at it no matter what. Next week I may either take this project in a whole new direction, or continue trying to work on this one. Either way, I know that the important thing is that my message is conveyed. 4/17/2018 0 Comments NCMA field trip reflectionThis week, we were given the opportunity to take a trip to the North Carolina Museum of Art. I have really looked forward to this trip, and it was really a treat to tour the museum with Mrs. Whitney. It was a great time to just experience the exhibit with my friends and discuss the things we saw there. Our class was able to visit a special exhibit called You Are Here: Light, Color, and Sound Experiences. This exhibit was full of pieces playing dramatically with light, color, sound, and technology. I was incredibly surprised and pleased with my experience and I really learned a lot about how artists today are pushing the boundaries of art and manipulating the dynamics of light and technology to make an impact.
After that piece, we were able to see several other amazing pieces before we went into what was called the Sound Room. This room was filled with a circle of large speakers, each one making the sound of an individual person singing. There were men and women, young and old, and as you stood in the center of the room and listened, they all made up one beautiful song. This touched me deeply because as you walked up to each individual speaker, you could hear their contribution to the song. But you couldn't see the person and you couldn't tell what they looked like, what their skin color was, what their individual beliefs and convictions were, or what they had experienced in life. But they were still a person whose existence and input into the song made it that much better. This really spoke to me the truth of how each person is uniquely created and valued by God, and that we each have individual talents and abilities that make us who we are. Regardless of race, ethnicity, background, gender, or any other determining factor, each person has a purpose and their contribution to the song. Above is Divinity, another one of my favorite pieces from Wednesday's trip. The piece is chalk, so it is temporary. It basically encompasses the meaning of life and how each of us fit together as one big picture. This piece reminded me of the Sound Room and I was very encouraged by the message of both of these pieces.
The following pictures are a collection of the photos of various art pieces that we saw during our visit. Many of them were very dynamic and colorful and I truly enjoyed the experience. 4/17/2018 0 Comments ARtists Exploring Truth and PowerLars America Jan: A witness to the rising tide This piece is performance art, a woman cleaning while water slowly rises around her feet. This piece is meant to address issues concerning climate-change in relation to rising water levels and weather-induced flooding. Jan, who is based in Los Angeles, asks, “Are we, as individuals, communities and a global society capable of evolution in terms of recognizing complex, long-term patterns and then adapting our everyday behaviors based on that rational understanding?” Although climate change is not an issue I have dedicated a lot of time to learning about, I really appreciate the way this performance art explores an issue with creativity and boldness. I think the aspect of performance art is very intriguing to me in general, and this is something I have not experimented a lot with. I love how in this piece, the stream of water represents a stream of live environment data, representing how the artist believes that global warming is making life more difficult for ordinary people. This artist is finding a way to express a truth they are passionate about, while suggesting that perhaps we have the power to change it. Marthalicia Matarrita This mural artist painted this piece in Harlem as part of the Education Is Not A Crime project. Harlem is home to many murals with the goal of raising awareness to and overcoming the inequality of education within our nation. Many races have faced inequality when it comes to education and opportunities, and this piece specifically addresses that issue in children. I chose this piece because I love how Matarrita so simply yet so beautifully displays something that is very important to her, speaking what she sees as truth to her community. I think there is a deeper level to this piece as well, representing the power possessed by teachers, parents, and school faculty to plant truth in the minds of children through education. That is a power they hold, and it can be both used for good and an opportunity missed. I know that personally my teachers have been the people who have had some of the greatest impact on me. They challenge me, they believe in me, and they genuinely want me to live to my highest potential. They have planted the gift of education in my life and through this education, I have the opportunity to more effectively pursue truth, finding out who I am and what I believe. http://www.notacrime.me/harlem/#harlem/murals Patrick Bremer
As I explore all of these various aspects of "truth and power", the one truth that I feel most strongly about and that I feel most convicted to share is the truth rooted in my faith about my identity in Christ. This has been something incredibly important in my life, and when I think of the words "truth" and "power", this is instantly what comes to mind. I have a desire to express my personal faith and the freedom I have received through the truth and power of Jesus Christ. I believe that whom the Son sets free is free indeed, as said in John 8:36, and my experience of that love and the undeserved worth given to me by God has greatly shaped my life. Perhaps I will create a piece representing my journey to seeking truth, or perhaps I will explore the idea of my invisible chains and bondage being broken by the truth of Christ's power and love. I want this to be a representation of my own personal experience of truth, and I am excited to see how others express their beliefs about this topic.
4/16/2018 0 Comments Truth To Power DiscussionTRUTH
What is it? Truth is by definition the quality or state of being in accordance with fact or reality. However, I think that the meaning of this word can go much deeper than that, because certainly something does not have to be a factual or realistic in order to be true. I think that truth can certainly be defined differently by different people based on their individual experiences and beliefs, but ultimately I believe that there is one source of truth that gives hope to our lives. Who says it is? It often seems that everyone is shouting a different thing, thousands of voices and opinions competing for the chance to speak "truth". But the problem with this is that as human beings, we each develop different ideas of what is true. Thus, truth can be defined about 7.3 billion different ways. There is no solidity in that, no assurance of what is actually right. With this mindset, we will be grasping around for some sense of hope, in actuality only trying to find some scrap of validity to hold onto in this world of uncertainty. In order to stay afloat, we need some foundation, something to turn to in times of doubt. But our political leaders seem corrupt, the internet frames issues to put forth its agenda, and even the people around us do not seem to be reliable sources of truth. So where do we turn to find answers? I believe that in the crazed muddle of blurred lines between what is true and what is false, what is right and what is wrong, the Name of Jesus and the Word of God ought to be our reference for truth in every situation and in every aspect of our lives. How do we know? I think that my source of truth is definitely not everyone's source of truth. This again comes back to the fact that truth can be defined differently by every person. It doesn't make sense to me that there would be no absolute truth, no answers, only thousands of different conclusions that in reality are all correct. I cannot live without some absolute foundation of hope, only living my life trying to accept that it doesn't matter what you believe, that we are all equally right and that all opinions, regardless of their contradiction to one another, are correct. That just doesn't seem right to me. But I think that the only way for someone to understand what truth is is for them to experience it for themselves, which is how I know that my foundation of truth is real to me. In my own life, I struggled with trying to understand what I believe. But as I have grown I have seen how my life has been impacted by the truth of God's Word. I have seen how I am changed as a person, going from uncertain, confused, fearful, and depressed, to someone who is more confident, rooted in my beliefs and understanding that I am validated through Christ. I struggled to understand my own identity and discover what I wanted to do with my life, but now I have been set free by truth. No longer do I have to carry around the burden of my own failures. John 8:32 says, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." In Christ I find truth, and I know that in this world of pain, death, and uncertainty, He is the Name above all names, the Ruler above all rulers, and the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world. As I have searched God's Word and searched my own opinions and experiences, the truth of the God has been proven to me over and over and I see it daily in the way He has blessed me and provided for my life. Even though I am far from perfect, I hope that my life will be living proof to those around me that real truth can be found in the Name of Jesus Christ. POWER What is it? Power is the ability to wield influence in a position of authority. I think that this definition can also be taken in several directions, because in a way everyone has power. Certain individuals are in charge of more and seem to have more influence in our world, but in reality our ability to be powerful comes from our passion to implement change. Who has it? I think that it is easy for us to feel that power rests only in the hands of political leaders, or in the grasp of imperfect human beings. With this mindset, we are bound by human failure and corruption. While our leaders do have great power over us, and while we are directly impacted by their decisions, I believe that there is one God over them all, who holds the earth in His hands and keeps it together by His will. No person on earth has more power than God, and I feel great peace about this because it means that He is above all and has the final say in every situation. It means that no human on earth has the power to snatch me out of His hands, and He works all things together for good. It means that I don't have to try and strive to earn my validation and save myself, but that I can rest in the fact that the One who has power over death is holding me secure, giving me the freedom to live my life without being burdened by my shortcomings. How is it used? Again, our typical response to this question would be that many of our leaders are wielding their power to promote their own beliefs and marginalize the opinions of the people. Many people use their power for selfishness, greed, and corruption. Some others in positions of power also use their gifts and abilities to benefit those within their community, speaking out with boldness to influence the people around them and cause them to question the way our society thinks. This is inspiring to me because one goal I have for my art is that it would make people uncomfortable, cause them to think, and speak truth to those around me. I also appreciate art that causes me to feel uncomfortable, to really think about what it means, and therefore to only reaffirm my own convictions about what is true. The courage to ask those questions and speak up for what is right is what power is to me, and I believe that is how it ought to be used. I think that a strong use of power can also be seen through Christ's sacrifice for human kind. Being fully God, Jesus came to earth to be with the people he loves, ministering to them and serving them before sacrificing his life at the hands of the Romans for the atonement of sin. After his death on the cross, the sky grew dark and the power of God was revealed as the sins of the world were paid for. Matthew 27:50-54 says, "50 Then Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. 51 Just then the temple curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks were split apart. 52 And tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had died were raised. 53 (They came out of the tombs after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.) 54 Now when the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and what took place, they were extremely terrified and said, “Truly this one was God’s Son!” To me, this verse reveals the power of God, the earth shaking, the rocks splitting, the dead coming to life, and the people falling to their knees as Christ took the wrath of God that man was fully deserving of. And three days later he displayed his power once again by defeating death, raising from the dead and rising in victory against the darkness of sin and death. It had to be Him, because He was the only one who was perfect. He was the only one possessing power over death, and he used that power to save those who were completely undeserving of the gift of eternal life. But now, because of his sacrifice, those who believe on the Name of Jesus have eternal life (Acts 16:31). Because of this, I can face every tomorrow. Because of this, all my fear and pain is gone and I know that He holds my life and my future in His hands. 4/15/2018 0 Comments Sculptural Piece Progress
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