A Very Long Blog Post to Reminisce on a Seemingly Very Long Semester.

This semester. . .
I choose to work on 3D work in art portfolio.

I started out really enjoying ceramics and throwing on the wheel.

but that got old...

..so I changed it up a bit and made a few breadth pieces...er..well I made two. A clock and a chair. I'm very happy with these two pieces, but still, only two? Laaame.

The chair took around a month of my class time, and I found myself behind schedule and scrambling to throw some pottery and create a couple more concentration pieces.

And I did. And it took forever to get them fired...ahem...Mason....And now I just have way too much to glaze and I HATE glazing.

...anyways, as I recollect this semester that seems to have lasted forever, I realize that I really didn't come up with a substantial number of projects. 2 Breadth pieces and 3 concentration pieces with a few scattered extra thrown pots that don't really count as fine art, and many thrown pots that I trashed before they even got to the kiln.

I really didn't get much finished this semester, as I am an extremely slow and sort of meticulous worker.

I also took many wonderful photos on photobooth with Molly. We're pretty photogenic as you can see..

SOOOO, to get on with the list's I'm supposed to make for this blog,

List number one: What I wish I would have done differently in these last few weeks:

• I wish I would have stayed on task and completed more projects.
• I wish I would have thought more about concept and functionality of my art.
• I wish I would have felt more confident about my work
• I wish I would have been more daring with my projects
• I wish I would have had more inspiration, and not have been so stuck in a funk with my work
• I wish I would have thrown more on the wheel in order to better my skills
• I wish I would have worked more in my sketchbook
• I wish I would have followed due dates
• I wish I would have. 

List number two: My Goals for NEXT semester

• I will work more diligently
• I will complete more breadth pieces.
• I will attempt to do everything that I wished I would have done in the first list.
• I will finish an outstanding portfolio.
• I will draw from observation more often
• I will blog more often. I will blog about my work, even when blogs aren't assigned. 
• I will continue to make self portraits, not to be conceited though.
• I will be more outspoken.
• I will DRINK MORE COFFEE
• I will make my art teachers proud:)

And I think that a list number three needs to be added: Positive aspects of the last few months:

• I made functional art.
• I tried new things.
• I also worked in 2D
• I'm beginning to make a concentration of self portraits in my 2D work
• I actually worked on art oven Christmas break
• I applied to the art programs of 6 universities. AND got accepted into all of them, with scholarship offers. I'm still undecided though.
• I got my very own easel for Christmas. It is wonderful. 
• And, I got a puppy named Claude. He is super fantastic and wears bandanas. This only relates to this list because he is named after a famous artist and a typeface designer. 

He's so cute:)

I feel as if my strongest 3D piece so far has been my cardboard chair, as it is functional, and it gets a lot of good reactions out of people. The next is probably my puzzle clock. 

My strongest 2D piece has probably been one of my self portraits, possibly the words one, or the charcoal one with lots of hair. I can't decide. Oh, I also need to be less indecisive this semester!

I don't have pictures of these yet though, so that's it for now! :)

Stuck in a Funk

This week I have been completely uninspired. I feel utterly exhausted, and I haven't been able to accomplish anything whatsoever. I have more than one project that I need to get started, and I haven't been able to come up with any ideas. I feel like my mind is dead. As I've sat and contemplated what to do, I have even tried to search the web for inspiring images or for anything at all that could spark my interest, but, nothing. I feel like I am stuck in a rut, unable to get out. Out of the frustration of being idea-less, I decided to go to the wheel and try to throw a few pieces to get me motivated to create something; but alas, my inability to do anything art related this week kicked in again, and I failed miserably on a few wimpy pieces. I need out of this funk! I want to be able to start on something, I just don't know where or how right now. So this is me, an uninspired artist, trying to find myself.

I feel like I haven't completed this blog, but I cannot honestly say that I have been inspired this week. I have failed. But to make accurately complete what the blog has asked of me, I googles "inspiring art" and found this image on the first page:

After clicking on the image, I noticed that it was part of a series called "Angels of Protection" by Rob Jacobs. In a small discription of the work, he said "I did feel that any series with angels would be conducive in helping me heal some of my own personal issues." He also explained that one of the angel works that he created hung over his fathers' bed for protection. I am Catholic, and strongly believe in God being part of my life, so this image was a reminder that I have a guardian angel watching over me, helping me to get through this funk. This series is the small inspiration and motivation that my week is ending with. Thank you Rob Jacobs. 

This series has also been compiled into a book with true inspiring stories. 

http://www.angelsofprotection.com/

I love the bright colors and collage technique used, especially of this last one! 

Levi van Veluw

About a week ago I was Google searching self-portraits. I was trying to inspire myself, and also, I love looking at great works done by other artists. I think self-portraiture can be one of the most interesting types of art. This image that I happened to come across during my search further proved this thought in my mind. I love it; I find it so facinating and unique. I decided to do a little research on the artist of this piece, and found him to be an incredibly interesting artist.

His name is Levi van Veluw. Awesome name, right?! He doesn't only have an awesome name though, along with it he has incredible talent and pieces of art. He created the image above on himself, assembling it with no help and then photographing it. In the majority of his work, he uses the same pose and expression, just changing the medium used. The way this artist uses repetition as an underlying theme in his artwork amazes me. Every piece is new and interesting, even with the uniformity. It makes the series all the more beautiful, and the change in medium becomes the subject of the work, rather than the person.

Another thing that I find incredibly interesting about this artist is that none of his works are digitally manipulated, he creates it all, assembling the image onto himself. He also does work with sculpture that has the same repetition theme. Here are some of his sculptures:

They are actually quite large!

This artist's work isn't similar to mine in any way except that it is 3d, but nonetheless, I think he has become one of my favorite artists. I think his work is incredible! 

Look at that detail! :) He uses wood, 

Light

landscape

natural elements

and even ballpoint pen!

Some of his other works are really interesting too!

Sorry for the picture overload, I couldn't help it! :)

When I Grow Up

I've always wanted to be a doctor; however, I've developed a hatred for every science class that i have taken, so I'm pretty sure I'll no longer be pursuing that path. That doesn't mean that I don't still have a dream world of being a doctor on Grey's Anatomy.
When I got to high school, I decided to take my first real art class. In art one, I realized that I had some potential, but an art career never occurred to me. As I continued to take art classes though, I started to think maybe I could make it into a career. I've thought about graphic design, photography, teaching, and now I've really found a liking for ceramics.
I think that I would really love a career as just an artist, but I think for now I'm going to go to college for an art education degree with a concentration in ceramics. I would love to eventually get a MFA also. I plan on going to Webster University, hopefully taking classes in all aspects of art, especially ceramics, drawing, and photography.