Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Finals blog post

Blog update for the final week of Fall semester! Woo! I have everything done and now I am just going crazy thinking I have things to do while not actually having anything to do. Just wish me luck for speaking in front of people tomorrow!
I have a lot planned for the break, a whole lot of reading, and teaching myself to knit more than just scarves. Also, cementing my project direction for next semester of course. Hopefully the reading will help me with that. Going to try and get away from such a heavy subject. Thinking too much about loss, death, grief. Been having to experience a lot of that, but it's time to move away from it.

Here are some artists I have been checking out:

Henrique Oliveira
Because the work fits into specific places.
Shinichi Maruyama
Movement photography
Freya Jobbins
Recycled plastic sculpture
Anton Marrast

Dorothy Gill Barnes
A local woman who does some very cool weaving.




Wednesday, December 5, 2012

game making!

Hello world,
I can't figure out how to publish my game, so here's a screen capture:


Monday, December 3, 2012

Winter

What? Winter, right? In my mind, winter is always 67 degrees. I'm alright with all the GREY if it's warm. I know it won't last for very long though!
Started to install my work over in DSB. Still not done with the large neck pieces, but they're getting there.  They need another 5-10 hours of work, woo!
Still working on installing the other two pieces in DSB as well. It is interesting actually installing work. I haven't ever had this experience before. The work isn't quite done until it gets installed, it needed more when I got it over there. So, I am giving it more work! I am not going to post photos because I want it to be a surprise, for people who go to the opening. Plus the people that read this are in DSB every day, haha.

This doesn't so much have to do with my work, but I saw Seven Psychopaths tonight and it was a very good movie. 

So here are some artists I am looking at:
Jean Paul Gautier
This is sort of more of a revision. I'm looking at a lot of Haute Couture, or Garment sculpture.
Brandon Keehner
Shen Shaomin
Michael Grab Rely

Also I am starting to explore the subject of Anonymity for my project next semester. Potentially. We will see. 

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Living the life.

So, Digital Culture today just made me question whether all the art I like is bad art. Because, how would I know?

But, moving on, working working working, because what else can I do? So little time. Spending time with the projects, just trying to finish them up. Writing about them shouldn't be hard, it's the paper I am worried about. Not the actual writing of it, but the research and time I need to put into it. Ugh! Juggling!

Here are some artists I am looking at:
Go Pei
A Chinese haute couture designer.

 Liang Shaoji
Article about his work

Marcel Christ
A commercial photographer

Found Magazine
Because it's great

Nicolas Barrome
I just like these.

El Coro
I don't know if I have posted this before. This is my favorite one by him, but his others are good too.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Digital culture

In digital culture today we played with Aurasma. Here is a photo of what we did today:

Inside the footprints you can see my web address (creationsbycarmen.squarespace.com) and my blog address (you are here).

Other things going on:
Lots of sewing
Lots of beading
Lots of freaking out that I am going to be out of town for Thanksgiving and can I bring sewing needles on a plane or is it just wasted work time?

Artists:

Morgan Herrin
Hand carved wood sculptures
Close ups of human eyes! 
Sarah Anne Johnson
Drawings over photos


Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Edgar Oliver

I can't get enough of this guy. I want to talk to him. I want him to read me bedtime stories.

Edgar Oliver

Monday, November 5, 2012

Critique week! Again! So soon!

Hello all you cool cats and kittens.
I say this because my cat is angrily meowing at me. Human, she is saying, why is that computer in my spot? Get that silly thing off of your lap so I can take a nap.
Speaking of computers, I have had to order a new one. So that's fun. And expensive.
Also, joined the Instagram wagon. Did not think I was going to. But I did. And it's quite fun. Carmentsmith is my name on there. 
But back to art. This week has been filled with debate over what to pursue. I have all of these projects going on, but how to make them all visually congruous? Or do I need to? Is the purpose of doing this to just go with it, to be me making art instead of over-analysing what I am producing?
And I have decided yes, so I have many things going on.  I am creating another garment/necklace piece, drawing on the first one and the critique, and also just my response to both the first one and the materials. I think it's going well.
I am working with paper. We'll see how that goes, not much going forward there yet.
I am also continuing to cover the long piece with beads, which will take forever and eventually be done. I can't see the end right now, but I am sure it will arrive with some sense of accomplishment.
What else... Oh yes, heat shrink tubing... I did a test, and decided I needed it to be BIGGER and MORE and ALL ENCOMPASSING! Which means I ordered more materials and they will be here this week.
Soooooo here are some artists I am looking at, and I am looking forward to finally dragging you all over to my studio for Critique. I should probably clean up a little before then.

Kim Z Franklin
Bead sculptress. 
Monica Ramos
Funky drawings. 
Aganetha Dyck 
She gets Bees to cover things in honey, it's very neato and looks great and disgusting. Honey is such an odd substance. I do not particularly like to think about where it comes from but I do like to eat it.
Marjorie K Schick
Sculptural jewelry! Woo!
Iris Van Herpen
Technically fashion, although I think a lot of this could be classified as jewelry. I'm exploring those classifications. Tricksy.
Alex Kanevsky
I find these haunting and disjointed and I love them.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Sick day

Using this Wednesday in bed to check out artists and think about next semester. I know I have a lot of work to do to finish up the current project, but I can't help it! Interested in paper pulp sculpture, and beads of course.

Some paper artists: 

 Carol Cole
Jen Stark
Nick Georgiou
Dana Major Kanovitz
Deborah Baldizar
Peter Gentenaar


Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Squarespace and Digital culture

I am really digging squarespace! Not so sure about the template I have, will probably change it when I have time. I am in the Beta test of the e-commerce program, check out my online shop!

https://creationsbycarmen.squarespace.com/welcome/

 Word cloud of my paper on the essay Originality by Edward Said.
 Screen capture of my Orb creation in Sculptris.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Post for critique.

I have my second critique this Thursday and have considerably more to show everyone! I have been working a lot since I ordered my materials. I have also changed some paths and ideas. Kelly had suggested that I do some 1 hour projects; a drastic change from my normal 8-20 hour projects. I tried it a few times, and 1 hour always turned into 2 (or 6), but I got some good results from just going with what I was trying and not thinking too hard about it.
I also found that trusting my instincts as to how to work with the materials yielded some things that really fit into my research. Because I have done so much research, I feel like it's going to influence what I do whether I purposely apply it or not.

I have been going through a book called Jewelry Illustration by Dominique Audette. It's very interesting. I haven't started drawing along yet,  but that is my next goal. I would like to get better at expressing my jewelry ideas on paper.

I am also reading the book How We Die by Sherwin B Nuland. It is exploring the most common ways that people die in America, and how that affects their bodies and their minds. He is a very good writer and efficiently makes the clinical personal while still effectively explaining everything.

The other two books I am reading (I should really try and focus on one, haha) are about objects. One is called Berlin Childhood around 1900 by Walter Benjamin, and the other is Evocative Objects: things we think with, put together by Sherry Turkle. These books are really interesting, and explore how we think with the objects around us, and also how these objects tie us to a place and to a time in our lives.

I set up a squarespace! They are letting me beta test the e-commerce feature.

Here are some artists I have been looking at:
Lisa Nillson

Lucy and bart
Exploded View, and Grow on You are my two favorites right now.

Guerra De La Paz
Books 1, 2, 9

Arline Fisch

Some Native American bead artists (most have no personal websites):
Vanessa Paukeigope Jennings
Teri Greeves and at the Jane Sauer Gallery
Juanita Growing Thunder Fogarty and about her piece at the Smithsonian native american museum
Marcus Amerman
Martha Berry

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

updating the day away

Hello Blog world.

Work this week is slow. So slow but I know I am about to kick up a whirlwind of getting stuff done. I am waiting for my supplies to come it from Sandusky, namely all the clothing that my family has been collecting. I have gotten word that it is all on the way!
Right now I am exploring Orbs and prayer shawls, and in the midst of doing that finding lots of books and articles to read. I've started to keep a list because there are too many to keep track of. One notable one, that has nothing to do directly with my project but is good, is called This Day. It's just excerpts of diaries written by American Women.
While waiting to get going on my school projects I have not been sedentary! Rest assured, I always keep myself busy. Here is a photo of one of the pieces I have completed lately:

 Lots of fun beadwork. I have others I have completed, but no photos yet. With access to this wonderful photography room in Battelle I should have photos of everything I have ever made! With the right lighting it is so easy to get decent photographs.
Well, I am going to go get to work so I have something to show next week for critique. I will leave you with some artists I have been looking at:

Gail Gorlitzz
Gail makes amazing bead and mixed media sculptures. I am trying to get in contact with her to see if she would like to work with me this summer. 

Laura McCabe
Laura makes more edgy beaded jewelry and is often included in many of the bead magazines.

And if you like Futurama, you may find this very very creepy.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Theory

Here is the article I was talking about from this months American Craft; in rereading it it really does not have much to do with what we were talking about, but it is an interesting article all the same.

Wisconsin Death Trip

Sitting in my studio, covered in glue. Again. Time gets lost in here because there are no windows.  I'm always surprised when I leave at night and it's dark.
Still working on researching specific aspects of my project, just to make sure I can defend every small detail. Can't move on until I get my supplies. Family is hard to push to do things; I can't get people to collect clothes for me at all. I've set my most determined aunt on it, and failing that I will take a day trip to Sandusky one of these weekends.
To fuel my creativity I have been working on bead embroidery production pieces. I will post pictures later as this evening I will be familiarizing myself with the photo room in Battelle.
I am reading a book Ric suggested: Wisconsin Death Trip "by" Michael Lesy. It is basically a compilation of notices from papers published by Frank and George Cooper, newspaper men in 1890-1910, along with photos by Charles Van Schaick. These are not famous people. This book is weird. Weird and amazing. Weird and freaky and creepy and amazing. I have banished it from my house because I kept having this reoccurring dream where there were all of these people in my head telling me these stories and getting closer and closer. Very clostrophobic. So it is sitting in my studio, waiting to be read some more.

On a side note, Columbus has great libraries. I could spend all day in them.

Also, here is the first piece in a series I am working on, entitled "Pleased to Meet My Migraine".  If you know any women who get migraines regularly and they would like to talk to me, please let me know. I am trying to get a picture of how Women view/cope with their chronic migraines.


Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Prezi and some other fun things

Hello friends
Here is my Prezi presentation for Digital Culture class.
I also made this poster with my new photoshop skills. I know it's not great but it's also not terrible! I had a set text to add. I probably would have put less on it.
Just a little update on this week: my health hasn't been great this week, a lot of neck and back problems which lead quickly to headaches. Migraine today, followed by vertigo and nausea which let up about an hour ago. Hopefully after my chiropractor appointment on Friday will sort some things out.

And a little bit about studio time: Still working on materials tests. Almost done but I have to order some more heat-shrink fun time stuff. I am having a super fun time making paper balls!

And an artist for a fun minute of viewing

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Article to read

Premature article.

Came across this article somewhere, can't remember where. If it was from one of you I apologize for not remembering! Anyway, it's about making art after grad school and thought it was interesting.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Photo time!

                                           My boyfriend, Eric, hanging out in my studio
                                           We have fun in class.
                                           The jewelry lab
                                           Battelle hall, where my studio is
                                            Some materials tests I am working on.
                                             My studio
                                             More materials tests.
                         A project from this summer I have just finished that is providing a lot of visual reference for my projects this semester.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Post for Thursday critique

Blog is unlocked! For some reason that QR code made Google think that I was a robot. I showed them!
01001001 00100000 01100001 01101101 00100000 01101110 01101111 01110100 00100000 01100001 00100000 01110010 01101111 01100010 01101111 01110100

 For my critique next week I am including some links to artists:

 Loren Schwerd and her Mourning Portrait series. 

Theo Mercier, mostly his work from 2010. 

Hayden Peter's collection of Victorian mourning jewelry.

Wendy Ellsworth, a wonderful bead artist who I took a workshop with this past summer.

I am reading a lot about the personal forms of mourning connected with different religions. I am also reading a book about coping with death and accepting it as part of life. These texts are helping me to hone my ideas, and to simplify the forms that they are taking.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

QR codes

Today in Digital Culture the fabulous Charlotte Belland helped us to make a QR code. For those of you who aren't really tech savy, like myself, a QR code is something that one can scan with a smart phone, and it will direct said phone to a website, namely my blog.
Look for a photo of my QR code made in beads, coming soon!

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Job status

Blog time!
Working in the Metals studio has already proved rewarding. It's teaching practice but much more laid back because I am not the instructor. So far all of the students that have been in to work are great, fast learners and thankful to have help.
Working over here has also given me the opportunity to really get to know the studio space. It's a great space, much different from Bowling Green's. Everything is much more condensed, but I have found it makes it easier to see where and what everything is. Also, it makes it easier to monitor the students using different materials.

In relation to studio work, I am checking out some passages in Elisabeth Kubler-Ross's book, DEATH; The Final Stage of Growth. It's a great book that does a lot of over-viewing of different cultural beliefs on death, dying and what all of that stuff means.

Also, playing with new materials. Lets just say heat shrink things are super fun. 


Thursday, September 6, 2012

Some things i'm looking at

After my meeting with Kelly Malec-Kosak I have A LOT to think about. Here are some artists and web sites I am checking out while I am thinking away:
Historical Mourning Jewelry curated by Lord Hayden Peters
Peters talking about his jewelry collection
A blog about rings
Kathy Ludwig check out her "Defense Mechanisms for the Urban Being", also the "Memory Scarf"

I am trying to simplify my work. I believe that is the direction I am taking this semester. Still sticking with mourning jewelry, with trying to make mourning tangible, but just taking the concept and breaking it apart so that it is not four concepts in one piece, but rather four pieces that make one concept.
A theme I am picking up from everyone too is being pushed out of their comfort zone. This is a goal for this semester for me! I am going to explore new materials, new ways of thinking, new ways of working. Lets do this!

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Website

Hello all,
I got excited about my web presence today in class, so here's the new website!
Creations by Carmen
Thanks for checking it out. Let me know what you think!

Jan Huling

Check this lady out! Jan Huling is amazing and very very nice. She glues everything; what I would imagine is much more of a daunting task even than embroidery.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

The New Blog

Here's the first post from a new blogger! I've started moving into my studio at Columbus College of Art and Design. Enjoying all of my classes, and excited to dive into the material! Working on research and planning for my projects and anxious to get started. Included are some photos of my past work, so those of you not familiar can check it out.

Ant reliquary

Exit Reliquary; a question of choice

Flowing Reliquary

Pearls and Silver

The Game

Tree Man

Barn Reliquary; in memorium

Deco