Between now May 14th you can turn in your review of one episode of Craft in America, your final project and the short essay over your final project...apox. 250-500 words. Share your experience using our three regular questions.
I have enjoyed getting to know each of through this class. Thank you for your time and for sharing your thoughts on the book. This is the last time this class will be offered. I have been re-assigned out of Visual Studies (not sure yet if I will be in Foundations or Art Appreciation ) as such I will not be offering the seminar this summer on Threads of Compassion: Crafts and Community, nor will I be able to chair any MAE committees. It has been my honor to work within this program.
The Craft in America episode that I watched was BORDERS Season 9, episode 1. It seemed perfect for a few reasons: 1. I live in El Paso, Texas, a border city. They address a lot of artwork and cultural things that I thought it would be interesting to know more about since it's right in my backyard. 2. It focused on textile works, so I thought it would be good since I am doing my embroidery piece for the class. 3. They addressed recycled materials and how to be environmentally friendly when doing artwork. All of these things appealed to me.
ReplyDeleteReview:
I really loved hearing more about the day of the dead altars. I've seen my students and the community create works like this all around town, but it was great to hear about it from individuals celebrating it in Oaxaca, Mexico. It really is a beautiful thing to go through the process of making something with the sole purpose of remembering your loved ones. I would like to make an effort to do something like that for my family and friends. It is so easy to get caught up in our lives and not take a moment to pause and remember.
I also really liked that, throughout the episode, they kept reiterating that there are no borders in communities and within art. I really thought about what that meant and it fascinates me.
I loved the beautiful jewelry work at the end of the episode made out of rolled paper. It is amazing that they make all of their own paper from local plants and also that the weavers use insects and plants to make their dyes. This has made me want to go visit Oaxaca to see their museums and surrounding towns. This episode reinforced that I love folk art!
I would like to use these Craft in America episodes in my classrooms more. I don't know why I never have before. I guess it's because this is the first time I've ever watched one.
What surprised me is that there are museums that are in Mexico strictly devoted to crafts.
What impressed me was the amount of time that was invested in creating the textile works. Not only are they creating the work, but they have to prep every single component of it to create it (the paper, yarn, dyes, etc.)
The take away from this is that the world of crafts most definitely has a claim to be considered art. I don't know why some people would not consider it so.
I have chosen to do two craft pieces. The first is the main one I am striving to complete- an embroidery piece. I am doing an abstract piece using french knots, so far. I TOTALLY underestimated how long something like this would take. I have a small circle done so far and it has taken me over 8 hours, several fingertip jabs, and pains in my hands from the repetitive movements that I had not anticipated! This is a lot harder than it looks! I will continue to post updates with photos as I move forward with this. I am trying to fade the thread colors from dark to light. It has no deep meaning or message, but serves as an experiment in technique for me.
ReplyDeleteWhat surprised me is the difficulty of embroidery. I will try to include more stitches to change up the texture of this piece, but the french knot is very time consuming.
What impressed me is how relaxing something like this can be (when I'm not stabbing myself with the needle, of course!).
My take away from this is that this is something that is underrepresented in public schools today. I plan on doing more embroidery pieces with all of my classes next year. I think there will be students that will appreciate it.
*See photos of this embroidery project out in the main All Posts Blogger area. I am also including photos of another mixed media piece I did just for fun. It was with found objects.
LOL concerning your sewing. Every time and I really mean every time I begin a project I underestimate how long it will take. I try to triple my projected time and then I am almost correct. But as you said it is relaxing and there is a wonderful satisfaction when it is complete.
ReplyDeleteYour found object is fun.
I am glad you enjoy the Craft in America series. They are all good but this one was one of my favorites.
Now that you have said this about the time estimation, that is all I can think about now! That is a good rule of thumb!
DeleteThe Craft in America episode I chose is Season 2 Episode 2 - Process
ReplyDeleteI chose this episode solely based on the title because it’s what I’ve been thinking a lot about lately, and the theme for my final MAE project. As I watched the episode it was confirmed to me that I chose a good one because there was a lot I could relate to.
The first relatable element of the show to me was seeing how some of the artists started their career doing something else before they switched over. I’ve had a similar experience switching careers a couple times before I found my passion. I like what one artist said regarding why he switched over. He said, “There’s a difference in leaving work having made something and leaving work having made a certain number of phone calls.” I think using my hands to make is a big reason I lswitched over too.
Second, I was surprised to find in the episode, a spotlight on printmaker Tom Killion! He said something profound about printmaking that I have discovered as well, but haven’t been able to put as eloquently:
“There’s so much work before you get the color onto the page. You really don’t know what it’s going to turn out like. That is the greatest joy of printmaking…it takes part of the construction of the image out of your hands and puts it out into this magical space.”
It’s so true. Sometimes I think of how much easier it would be for me to just paint what I’m envisioning. There would be a lot less process involved and I’d be more certain about my results. It’s odd because you have to practice so much control through most of the process of printmaking, but in the end you have to kind of just let go and see what the universe gives you.
As I’ve been working on my final project and presentation this semester, I’ve found that element to be one of the major reasons I like printmaking and one of the major themes of embracing the process in my work and my life.
Along those lines, Tom also says that he would never have gotten into printmaking when he was young, if he hadn’t been hit by a car while he was riding his bike. Being stuck at home recovering, he decided to try printmaking and that has been his passion ever since.
Lastly, I found Tom’s description of his technical process to be helpful too. There were a couple tricks he mentioned about transferring the image to the woodblock and registration that I have never used that will be super helpful to me in the future (check out minutes 22:00-23:45 if you want to see it).
This was the first time I’ve watched Craft in America but I’ve watched a couple more because I enjoyed it so much. I plan to watch the Borders episode next (after reading Candie’s review of it) and look forward to watching more.
The whole series is wonderful.I think it takes time to find where we need to be...time to try processes and then time to allow ourselves to believe in ourselves.
ReplyDeleteChapter 8
ReplyDeleteI was surprised about how big the jewelry got. I really like how Arline Fisch made her body ornaments. I've only taken one class in jewelry and plan on taking another this summer I hope to learn more about chasing and repousse.
I took a weaving class at the University of Houston in Clear Lake and in that class I learned about Claire Zeisler. I have always been impressed with her work. I really was intrigued by her sculptures done in fiber with knots like Red Preview. The next year I took a sculpture class and I did some sculptures with wood and fiber. I also took an advanced painting class and ended up doing fiber relief that was 4 ft by 2 ft. I have enjoyed working with fiber.
I am taking away with me a better understanding of the 60s. The different types of artwork that were created. I love how modernism and abstract art is developing.
I was astonished by Charles Loloma and the different types of artwork he did and how his artwork evolved. I am happy that he ended up making jewelry. I think it was very funny how he went home and flaunted his money. I like his bracelets and how they do look like an abstract painting. I love this piece and how it looks like an abstract landscape painting. I would definitely wear his artwork.
Diana Pardue said “Charles Loloma can take more credit than any other artist for changing the look of contemporary Native American Jewelry” in Contemporary Southwestern Jewelry. He often decorated the inside of his rings and bracelets. He once said “ I like to think of the linings as the soul”. I Understood this to be like a person that looks better on the inside than on the outside. I find his artwork very integrated and interesting.
Be sure to contact robin.d.germany@ttu.edu to register for the metals (jewelry) class. They need students. You will love it.
DeleteI have already signed up. I emailed Bobly Glover and got approval. Thanks
DeleteChapter 9
ReplyDeleteI am surprised and intrigued by Brent Kington for his thought process on how art should “ invite active participation”. I'm just thinking about how this led to interactive artwork. It makes me think about how art today can have sensors or motion detectors that activates something to happen when you walk up or when you interact with the artwork. I think it is amazing how interactive artwork has evolved.
I am impressed with how Joel Philip Myers created vessels of glass that did not let the light through. I like how he worked with the surface of the glass vessel by adding glass fragments to the surface like he was creating an abstract painting by adding paint to the canvas. Even though he was criticized for his work, he made future artist think about the surface of glass that led to an everlasting change in glass art.
As an abstract artist I find Art and places that most people wouldn't. I look at art that some people would not consider art but I do. This question for me is very hard because I can look at a piece of artwork and I think it's great whether or not anyone else does. I like art that has a shock factor to it. One piece of artwork that I had to really read about to understand is Picasso's Guernica. When I just looked at the artwork, I didn't understand it but as I read about it I understood the meaning and the shock factor behind it.
SAW PIECE NO.4 (AUTUMN) by Randy Walker
I found this piece about 9 years ago when I was taking a weaving class at the University of Houston Clear Lake. This piece of artwork has been in the back of my mind since. It has been in many art museums since then and has sold. One of the other saw pieces is now going for 8,000 dollars and if I remember right it was selling for about 600 nine years ago.
No image came up but I will research it . Picasso has always been a mystery to me...yet when I saw a retrospective in NYC I was moved by the overwhelming number of works he created.
DeleteThe episode of Craft in America I decided to watch and review was Nature. I was immediately drawn to the episode because of the title. I felt as if I could relate to that episode more with the immense passion I have for nature and how it constantly inspires me and my artwork.
ReplyDeleteI liked all the artists for different reasons.
Patrick Dougherty’s giant interactive sculptors are mesmerizing. The way he starts with a frame and bends sticks to create these giant structures that show movement with the material. I liked how he knows that it’s not always going to look like this, animal and humans will come around and take sticks out and put sticks in different places.
What I liked about Michelle Holzapfel and her work is how she sometimes works with the wood and its grain and sometimes she chooses wood that she can strip down and manipulate completely. Her work was phenomenal. The piece she did as a self portrait with the string was incredible. I thought it was a real book!
Mary Merkel-Hess’s worked reminded me of my thought process and inspiration I get from the places I’ve been to. She takes her scenery and tries to translate it into her sculpture. Like the colors of the sunrise or the texture of the field. I can relate to that.
I appreciated how Preston Singletray takes some of his background and visually creates these beautiful and big glass pieces. The thing I like most about his art is the process and design work he does after the glass is made.
Finally, I loved how organic Catherine Alice Michaelis letterpress prints are. I liked the idea of working with your significant other, taking something they enjoy and blending it with something you enjoy. They get to work together in creating the paper with both their knowledge and I think that makes the piece even more special. They use the natural shapes, tints, and scents of nature and give back by planting and advocating about the natural powers each plant has.
I ended up watching this with my boyfriend who’s more of a scientist than an artist but we enjoyed it so much we watched the second episode I thought about watching which was landscape. Also a great episode I thought. I will be saving these to show to my students.
Yeah!
ReplyDeleteI love all the sessions, for different reasons.
CRAFT IN AMERICA PBS
ReplyDeleteCELEBRATION episode
Season 7 Episode 2
Impressed: Wow! I didn’t realize that dragonheads held up for so long and just being made out of paper Mache! I was blown away after that segment with just the amount of detail and work goes in creating a dragonhead. I thought that dragonheads were made with plastic and other hardens materials. I really enjoyed learning of the process of how to create round objects using bamboo sticks and how to bond them together. This has given me a new way to approach paper mache in my own work.
Surprised: I was so excited to learn about the Chinese floats! Just the amount of work and detail that goes into one float! I was surprised to learn how long they spend working on each float. The second they are done with one parade, this group of artist is already planning and working on the next year’s parade.
Take Away: My take away from this episode of Craft in America PBS is that is very important to understand the history and culture of what you are representing in your artwork. Traditions represent a critical piece of our culture. It is important that as an artist you are representing and highlighting the culture in a positive way!
Chapter 10
ReplyDeleteI was surprised by the casting of glass. I had not really thought about how glass was formed if it was not blown. I really liked Thurman Statom’s artwork. I like how he painted on the glass and glued objects and glass on to the main form. I like the chaotic feel of his artwork and yet there is a little bit of control. The the structural form for the bass at the artwork is very controlled and precise but the design on top of the form is more chaotic, uncontrolled, and sporadic.
I am impressed with the size and the installations that was done with fiber. I like the artwork by Elliott and Hickman. I like the unclean edges and the movement of the artwork. I like how it was hung midair and not against the wall. It does make me wonder what the other side of the artwork looks like.I was intrigued by the discussion of Elliott's thoughts on her baskets and the materials she used and how he evolved into wall hangings and more contemporary pieces. I thought it was a good idea to paint it black to give it a more contemporary feel.
I am taking away with me the thought on how jewelry can evolve but yet some jewelry is timeless. Jewelry has so many different areas for example fine jewelry, costume jewelry and artistic jewelry that makes a statement. Some jewelry was more ornamental and did not have any precious metals or gems stones. I really like how jewelry has so many different elements and so many different directions it can go in.
My favorite style of furniture is a mixture of different pieces of furniture. I like how they came together to set the atmosphere for a room. I like some rustic pieces and I like some modern pieces. I feel the combination makes the room have a contemporary but yet rustic feel. I like the country feel and how it has a relaxing homey feel to it. I also like the clean smooth feel of modern and contemporary pieces of furniture.
Craft in America
ReplyDeleteI watched the Craft in America show about family. I liked seeing how artist grew up in households where the parents were also artists and how that influenced them to become artist. I like watching this show and it made me think about my children and what they are learning and how they perceive things differently. I have two children a boy (Zander) that's 13 and a girl (Aspen) that's 12. Zander is very logical thinking and very mathematical whereas Aspen is very much a free spirit.
I enjoyed watching how the Moulthrop family had three generations of woodturners.
I also enjoyed watching how each generation built upon and evolved from the generations before. I like that each generation had their own style and techniques in wood-turning. I was like other people and didn't realize how big the father's pieces of art were. I like how the son started using pieces of wood and resin to make his artwork. The grandson added to the artwork by adding a polish that gave the art a shiny finished look.
I like watching the Marioni family and how the children went in different directions then their father. I really love the fathers artwork and how he made the glass abstract hangings and later made the mask. I like how the father made a statement with some of his artwork. I also really like how the son(Dante) designed his glass. I like that he blew glass instead of of how his dad piece glass together. I think this son had a great sense of design and patterns and his artwork. The daughter(Marina) went in her own Direction and made embroidery and made it into jewelry. I look at this family and realize that this family could be mine. My son would be the one that had to have the patterns that made sense that was very appealing to the eye. My daughter would be the one that would learn my techniques and then go develop her own style and possibly go into another fields of art.
I am glad you liked the session...you might enjoy more, they all have something to share
DeleteChapter 11
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to see Dante Marioni.I had just watched Craft in America that had his father and him and his sister on the show. I learned more about Dante and his glass blowing. He liked the traditional European vessels and you can see the different influences in his artwork. Dante said “ I was more interested in perfecting something then in inventing it” and I feel that his dad was the opposite he liked inventing artwork.
I was impressed with how large the Glass vessels were that Dante made. I was also impressed with the different colors and how bright they were that he used in his artwork. I would eventually one day light two take a glass blowing class. I know this year they're not offering it during the summer like they have in the past bummer.
I am taking away with me a sense of how craft has changed over the years and will continue to change in the future. Dante Marioni does not think of his work as art he thinks of it more as craft or decorative art. I find it hard to distinguish the difference between art and craft. I believe that they co-exist together, that you can't have one without the other.
What would I do with a NEA grant of $10,000. I think I would convert the shed in the backyard to a studio. The shed already has a concrete floor and walls. I may try to make it a little bit larger and would make sure that it had running water. it has electricity but I would make sure it had the right wattage for a kiln. I think I would purchase two kills one for ceramics and one for glass fusing.I already have a small window unit air conditioner that I could put in it. I have a wheel that may need a little bit of repairing. I think the only thing left, I would need is some supplies for ceramics or/and glass.I would also like to buy some tools for jewelry making. I would definitely make a budget and know exactly how much things would cost and the most efficient way to spend the grant.
great idea for a studio....start with one kiln and expand
Delete