Week 15: The semester draws to a close.

We've worked the past few weeks on our printed portfolios, 

which we just received today. I'll be uploading a digital version shortly, but for now, 

I wanted to share a piece of art that I made for my Graphic Novel course here at SXU. 

Our assignment was to create a 10-12 panel piece that transitioned in some way 

through time or space. I chose to focus on the changes that have taken place in my faith 

over the past few years by contrasting my current state of unrest with a time of certainty 

in my youth. My baptism.

I drew the comic using a blue pencil, and did 90% of the line work with a #2 Shader brush 

and Speedball Indigo Blue & Super Black ink. Some of the fine face work and 

all of the lettering were done in watercolor marker.

The comic measures 18x24 and is on Strathmore sketching paper.

I call it, "The heat from the lamps."

The heat from the lamps. Blue graphite and ink on sketch paper.

Special Edition Blog Post #6: Chicago Art Institute Tour, Guided by Professor Nathan Peck, November 5, 2016

On November 5, we toured the Art Institute with the express purpose of learning 

to give our own tour. By focusing on key works that interested us, we moved from 

room to room, chronologically working our way through the three major periods of art; 

classical, modern, and contemporary.

Professor Peck had some fun and unique ways of processing the differences 

between the movements. One key example was to focus on toenails & bowls of fruit. 

In classical art, the goal of the artist was to demonstrate their mastery of craft, 

so details like toenails, even though unnecessary for transmitting the message of the piece, 

were included in minute detail. Bowls of fruit were meticulously copied to demonstrate 

the photo-realistic capacity of the artist.

Modern art, spawned after the invention of the camera, changed the intention of the 

artist to communicating not skill, but technique. Different methods of painting & sculpting 

emerged with a focus on the materials and methods used produced pieces that saw little need 

for details like toenails. The modern bowls of fruit created by Picasso, Monet and other masters 

were vibrant expressions of bowls of fruit, challenging traditional ways of thinking, 

and inspiring the viewer to see the world differently.

In contemporary art, the idea takes precedence, with technique and skill serving only 

the purpose of communicating an idea. The artist invites you to see the world through their eyes,

using mixed mediums, techniques ranging from advanced craftsmanship to passionate 

expressions of emotion worked out through paint thrown or dropped on canvas. 

Bowls of fruit may be actual bowls of rotting fruit, and a sculpture made out of 

toenails is entirely likely... if it conveys an idea.

Here are pictures from our tour.

In the entry staircase to the museum.

"Monochromapeck" Nathan begins the tour.

Welcome.

Look! A bowl of fruit.

These are beautiful in the same room. Love the rust colored walls.

Peck feeding a horse.

That is also a train thing.

Sarah Surreal 

My favorite picture of the day. Super weird framing.

My favorite piece of the day was "Untitled" (Portrait of Ross in L.A.), 1991. 

"Untitled" (Portrait of Ross in L.A.), 1991

Created by Felix Gonzalez-Torres, this pile of candy, wrapped in colorful cellophane 

was a touching tribute to "Ross," a lover who died of AIDS. 

While the dimensions vary with each installation, the ideal weight of the candy is 

Ross' weight of 175 lbs. Viewers are invited to eat the candy, participating in an unusual communion,

and diminishing the pile of candy to demonstrate the wasting nature of Ross' demise. 

The museum is instructed to at intervals of their own choosing, 

bring the pile back up to ideal weight.

I chose a lime candy, and it was a truly moving experience.

While this wasn't my first time to the Art Institute, it was the first of many trips to the museum since I've joined the art program at Saint Xavier. Sarah and I bought a family membership, and will be putting it to good use. If you are visiting Chicago, hit me up, and we'll pay a visit together! 

My treat.

Special Edition Blog Post #5: Carlos Barberena's "Promised Land"

This week, we attended the gallery exhibit of self-taught Nicaraguan

printmaker Carlos Barberena, who is currently based in Oak Park, IL.

His collection of linocuts and woodcuts was an incredible example of

politically & socially charged artwork executed in a traditional or cultural medium.

While Mr. Barberena had moments of incredible detail that occasionally

lost my attention, he was a captivating speaker and had wonderful insights

into his craft and the circumstances that helped sculpt him into the artist he is today.

As a refugee that moved throughout central and north America,

Carlos moved through multiple mediums, and it wasn't until his move

to Oak Park that he stumbled across a print shop and learned the art of printmaking.

I spoke with him following the show, and was interested to hear

his take on working simply in black and white. I am very interested

in print making, and specifically I'm very excited about working in spot colors.

He felt that the message he was communicating, and the detail that he applies

to each piece are best seen in a single color.

All in all, I felt that this was the best of the 3 exhibitions we've attended

this year at SXU's gallery. Mr. Barberena was approachable like Michael Hedges

(I didn't feel that Tatjana was particularly so) but was engaging to both teachers,

students and visitors, something I did not feel about Hedges.

His artwork was easy to appreciate from a stylistic standpoint,

and also due to his message. Mr. Hedges, and Ms. Jovancevic both focused

on abstraction, and their art required more context for the viewer to appreciate.

(something only Ms. Jovancevic delivered on)

I will definitely be following Carlos' work in the future, and hope to visit

his Oak Park print shop someday. Here are a few examples of his work.

Carlos Barberena

A modern take on the four horsemen of the apocolypse

A piece on Abu Ghraib

A piece about the surveillance in Chicago.

"Flor de Cana"

"Monsanto"

"Dignity"

Week 10: Halloween Edition Blog Post

This week, I went back to graphite and drew a still life of a skull suspended on tapestry. 
I used an H6 pencil to sketch the skull, and an HB & 9B to shade. 
I focused on producing 5 different shades, from deep black to white, and used my finger to smudge the graphite into the paper.

"Blind Man" graphite on paper 

I spent 3.5 to 4 hours on the drawing, then scanned it into photoshop for some photo editing.

After balancing the black/white levels, I applied hue saturation layers to create a 
realistic looking color piece with a teal background.

"Blind Man, Teal." Graphite on paper, Adobe Photoshop

I went back to the original scan and rebalanced the levels for a less dramatic depth to the black areas in the drawing, and applied a bright red hue to the skull. I set that on a green backdrop for contrast, aiming for a halloween mix of slime and blood.

"Blind Man, Slime and Blood" Graphite on paper, Adobe Photoshop

Happy Halloween.

Week 9: Mid-semester Portfolio Presentation

We are now at the mid-point of the semester, and are demonstrating the 10 best works 

we've made during this time.

"The Gardener's Home"

"Jesus died when he was 33"

"Speaker"

"Blood in the sand"

"War of the Worlds"

"David Bazan Triptic"

"Worlds collide" taken at Covert Beach, Michigan

"Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots - diorama" in felted wool, canvas and acrylic.

"The ocean doesn't want me today."

"Beoplay H8"

Week 8: David Bazan Triptic

I was driving home from work at night on an abandoned country road the first time I heard David Bazan.

I remember pulling the car over to listen.

His music, his lyrics and his journey still captivate me.

I've taken inspiration from a senior project I saw at the senior seminar mid-term critique 
where an artist created portraits of artists that inspired her.
This week, I have created a triptic of portraits of my favorite musician.

Entitled "David Bazan Triptic," I've portrayed him at age 18, 28 and 38.

In 1996, David formed the band Pedro the Lion and signed to the christian music label 
Tooth & Nail records. I was a fan of T&N's catalogue and was intrigued by his raw, un-coached sound.

David had grown up in a Pentecostal church with very fundamentalist leanings.
He channeled that upbringing into his music by pushing established boundaries with his lyrics more than with his indy rock sound. 
An example of that boundary-pushing is his first album, "The Whole EP" which dedicates 6 songs to a comparison of Christianity to heroin abuse.

---------

The first image of Bazan is a simple line drawing to highlight his youth, the minimalism of his lyrics, 
and the simplistic nature of his early musical style.

"It never goes to stay" - Bazan @ 18

By 28, David was still fronting Pedro the Lion, but had developed a serious alcohol  
problem and while his music was still pushing bounderies, it was clear that things were falling apart. His faith seemed to be causing him more pain than comfort, 
and he began openly questioning the church and right wing politics in his music. 
He gained weight, grew a big beard and worked with a rotating cast of characters 
that served as a band with very few exceptions. 

I saw him several times during this period in his life, and he was a mess. 
He forgot lyrics, drank on stage and seemed miserable... 

I used graphite for my second drawing, portraying Bazan as doughy and disheveled.

"The poison" - Bazan @ 28

After 11 years, 4 full length albums and 5 EP's, Bazan broke up the band and quit the bottle. 
He worked on several small projects and in 2009 came out with his best album to date. 
"Curse your branches" is a seeringly beautiful work, in which he turned his standard
storytelling style inward & described in detail 
the loss of his belief in god and the path he took to that decision. 

The songs detail the fallout of his choice to become agnostic, 
and are essentially "directions" on how to dismantle one's faith.

Since then, he has become a dramatically happier, healthier person and is producing great music and is participating in excellent collaborations.
He has recorded albums as a lead singer or member of the Headphones, the Soft Drugs, Undertow Orchestra, Crystal Skulls, and is a current member of Overseas.

I used graphite and watercolor pencil to portray him as colorful, mature, and happy.

"Hello again, oblivion" - Bazan @ 38

"Bazan Triptic"

Week 7: Lake Michigan Shoreline

This week's assignment was to create something inspired by the work of one of the artists 

featured in the Bishop Quarter Room of the Saint Xavier library. I chose Andrew Wyeth.

I've seen some of his paintings over the years, but was inspired by several of 

his stark watercolor, ink and charcoal drawings, like the ones seen here.

Taking from the stark color pallete, and the crosshatch pen lines, I decided to complete a charcoal drawing of the Lake Michigan shoreline while tent camping this last weekend.
Our first day there, we experienced 30-40 mph winds, and drawing was impossible,
but by day four, the wind had completely subsided, and I was able to set up my easel on
the dunes and complete my drawing.

My setup, using my portable easel.

The Shoreline of Covert Park, Lake Michigan, Michigan.

After finishing the drawing, I made a brush from the grass on the dune, and whipped the drawing for several minutes, creating a large crosshatch pattern in the charcoal.

"Lake Michigan Shoreline"