exhibitions

I'm having trouble finding exhibits that I would actually be interested in, or that sound at least semi-legit. A lot of the online galleries seem really cheesy. I printed out the information, but here is where I found most of them.

videos

I don't usually search out artist films but these two are great! And completely different.

Scintillation

Olive and Mocha: Fast Times at Sugar High

Greely Myatt

I had seen Greely Myatt’s work before we went to David Lusk Gallery this week. It was when there were multiple shows all around Memphis, including the Brooks, featuring Myatt. At the time I enjoyed the work I saw, but I wasn’t sure of the conceptual background. I felt kind of the same way at the gallery, I enjoy the speech bubble pieces, and I can guess at concept, but I meant to ask him so I could really find out. I do think he doesn’t even know what some of his works are about because he is enjoying experimenting with the materials, which I think is fine. Especially since he knows it. I definitely feel like we talked more about formal construction versus concept, I guess I should have asked a better question or something. Though he did have a habit of starting off trying to answer the question but moving into a different, only semi-related subject. Sometimes I just wanted a straightforward answer, especially to the “business of art” related questions, because he was a bit vague where I wanted specifics.

Myatt was very easy going, not intimidating to ask questions, which was good practice for our first visit outside of the classroom. I definitely think we all need to work on better questions, though. He was very open and his work is very fun to look at, but maybe we need more controversy to bring out better questions or something. It was definitely a good experience, and I’m glad to have finally gone in the David Lusk Gallery because, I’m ashamed to admit, I hadn’t before.

floral

I can't resist anything involving cute flowers. Especially when it involves pink. I'm not really sure when I became so girly, but it's okay with me. The first Image is from Rifle Paper Co., one of those businesses I really admire and wish I was a part of. The other image is from here, I'm not really sure what's going on in it, but I sure do like it.

Statement of Intent

So I think I might have taken this home and not actually turned it in. But here it is, I used part of my draft artist statement so just bear with me if you are reading it.

I make art about the nostalgia I feel towards my home region of Florida and my relationships by using imagery of nature, and my friends interacting within nature. When I moved to Memphis I immediately found a new appreciation for my home. I began to romanticize my memories and so I began making art focusing on my skewed recollections. By using personal photos I have a tangible reference to start from, and by abstracting the imagery I make the pieces less specific, and therefore more relatable to others beside myself. I do however leave clues of the original occasion so that they are not only recognizable to me, but the friends involved. I simplify the color palette to help exaggerate elements of the composition and to reflect how some details are lost in memory.

I would like to transform Rust Hall into a scrapbook of sorts. My works will line the walls; they will range from 18×24” to 5×7”. The arrangement will alternate form groupings of paintings, to rows two paintings deep and to single pieces. This will give variation and emphasize a kind of timeline. While the subject matter will be similar, certain events will be depicted multiple times, and certain figures will become recognizable throughout the works. I will utilize oil painting, embroidery and watercolor. Some pieces will include only one of these mediums, while some will combine them. This will break up any possible monotony while adding emphasis to certain images through the technique and the level of abstraction. I will decide how much to abstract each image based on the importance of the event, place and/or people depicted to give certain pieces significance.

In viewing the gallery space the viewer will recognize a progression of how I view my experiences through my memory. Certain elements are repeated not only to show their importance, but also to show how these relationships and events I find comforting are rather unchanging because of my separation from home, while in Memphis I don’t have the same kinds of experiences, so I am left to reminisce over old ones.

My Artist Statement

I forgot to post this before class-

I make paintings about the nostalgia I feel towards my home region of Florida and my relationships by using imagery of nature, and my friends interacting within nature. When I moved to Memphis I immediately found a new appreciation for my home. I began to romanticize my memories and so I began making art focusing on my skewed recollections. By using personal photos I have a tangible reference to start from, and by abstracting the imagery I make the pieces less specific, and therefore more relatable to others beside myself. I do however leave clues of the original occasion so that they are not only recognizable to me, but the friends involved. I simplify the color palette to help exaggerate elements of the composition and to reflect how some detail are lost in memory.

I use many different techniques as each one allows me to emphasize different aspects of my work. Oil painting permits editing, texture and immediacy, while the edition of embroidery makes the work more precious and personal. Watercolor represents memory well in the way the colors can bleed together, altering the image. Printmaking and papermaking are methodical, I feel as though I create a believable falsity based off reality because of how authentic these works appear.

I work with very personal subject matter but I strive to represent it in a way that can appeal to many viewers who can find something in the works that cause them to reminisce on their own experiences. I do this through differing amounts of abstraction, an appealing color palette and by making the works an accessible size so as to not overwhelm. My location dictates my comfort, and so I represent that which I find the most reassurance in.

Happy Go Lovely

Isn't that the cutest name? Your general run of the mill 1950's comedy involving mistaken identities and dancing and cute clothes. But goodness some of the sets and outfits are phenomenal. Scientists need to hurry up and make a time machine, I think I was meant to be in that dance number.