It's Already Tuesday

Hi All,

This week has all the benefits and shortcomings of a holiday week.  On the one hand, most people around me talk about how wonderful it is that it's already Tuesday, but I really make an attempt to live my life minute to minute, second to second, so being surrounded by people that think it's wonderful that time is passing FASTER frustrates me.  I want time to be slower.  I want to live Monday again.  I want it to be Tuesday forever.

With that in mind, I spent the day cutting mat board.  I started a new shape and did a lot of copper etching, but nothing final, so no photos tonight.

Well, ok here is one of me working because someone once told me that when teaching online classes, students want to know what you loo like:

I cannot wait to see your photo assignments and read your final papers!

Monika

Altered Drawing Using Jennifer's Items and Drawing

By Nabieha Miqbel

More News From Nowhere

Hi all,

I hope all of you are having a great memorial day, full of family and bbq and really nice nectar.

I have finally recovered from my trip to New York City on Saturday and am ready to report.

Let's start with the most important part of the trip...the coffee.  Now, I don't want to offend anyone, but Starbucks is not my preferred cup of joe, so when I'm in a big city, I'm looking for the PERFECT cup of coffee, because once I find that, my day is pretty much set.  So, I headed to Cafe Grumpy in Chelsea (the main gallery district of NYC) and got a cappuccino.  This was so good, I could almost convince myself it never happened, except that I have this photo:

Being a total snooty coffee snob (and proud of it), I would say this rivaled the cappuccino's I drank daily while living in Rome a couple years ago.  One of the keys to a good cappuccino for me is that the transition between the steamy milk and espresso should be seamless on your tongue, not jarring and this went down like, well like nothing else.  That's the other key to a good cappuccino:  there are no words, there may be sounds, but that would be a bit embarrassing.  

Cafe Grumpy also didn't disappoint in the art category.  The walls were lined with these really curious portraits that were made of thread.  It was the perfect atmosphere.  Here is a photo of those portraits:

Sufficiently caffeinated, I headed over to the galleries.  Now a lot happened to be closed due to the holiday today, but I did see these amazing colorful digital prints:

I am normally not a sucker for landscape painting, but these huge landscapes did it for me.  I think it was because the artist found this beautiful balance between revealing and concealing.  These weren't about the landscape as much as they were about painting the landscape.  I loved them.  I also loved how the artist negotiated the composition.  Some of his compositions were open, and appeared to extend into the viewers space and other compositions would have this large horizontal line at the bottom that really blocked the viewer out of the space.  It was wonderful.

And I also ventured into the Marlborough gallery, where I saw this exhibit of contemporary Cuban art, which was wonderful.  I loved these huge, rough drawings on canvas.  They were really emotional in a way.  The artist used these certain, broad marks on the canvas.  It was exactly the kind of drawing I love:

This exhibit also had several interactive sculptures, where the viewers could crank something or touch a part and make the piece move:

And then there was some really nice Greek food, Koreatown, Brooklyn, Soho, and a whole lot of walking with an evening and following day of much deserved rest.

I will edit this post eventually with the names of the artists, but for now, you get the idea....

I hope your final projects are coming along splendidly!

Monika

Color color color!

Hi All,

I lied and here I am posting in the morning...GOOD MORNING!

I just found this color experiment that I has to share.

When I teach color, the mantra I repeat over and over again is: Color is relative to the color surrounding it.  So, if you are not happy with a color in your piece of art, think about changing the colors around it.

You MUST go to this link:

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/06/24/the-blue-and-the-green/

Now off to NYC!

Have a great day.

Monika

Update

Hi All,

Well, my search for the perfect pizza slice might just be over because I just went out for pizza in Rosendale and it was great, but I still have many many adventures that await me in New York City tomorrow.  I leave at 9 am for NYC and will not be back in Rosendale until 11 pm.  Although this time in Rosendale has been really important in getting work done, I must admit that I am looking forward to getting away for a day.

By no, you should be aware that I uploaded the final assignment to SAKAI, as well as the exhibit review that you have to do.  Please let me know if you have any questions on these assignments.

Here are some photos of what I have been working on:

Today I woke up and was (quite frankly) a bit tired of the printmaking grind, so I spent the morning drawing birds in my sketchbook.  I am not sure why I really wanted to draw birds, but I had a really great time doing it.  Here is one example of a drawing I made:

I also worked on my etching, which is the project I proposed to complete during my residency.  I proposed to do these etchings based on the Slavic tale of the Baba Jaga, who is this witch that appears in a lot of Slavic folklore.  She is super scary and lives in a house that moves around on chicken legs.  Here is my etching of her house.  I still have to making it darker, but I really like where it is going:

And, of course, I am continuing my abstract work, which is something it seems I cannot live without these days:

This isn't the best photo, but I cannot put this print on a wall yet to photograph it because it is wet.

I hope all of you are doing well.  I will probably not blog tomorrow because of my trip, but I will tell you all about it when I get back.

Also, check out what Jess did with Nabieha's drawing.  She took a 2D object and transformed it into a 3D object.  That's pretty impressive!

Monika

Altered Drawing

Jessica

Nabieha's drawing and 3 items

Drawing

Coffee, Gum, and Movie Ticket.

Nabieha, are you Italian or like Italian food? Because I can think of a ton of recipes from the fresh veggies in your mom's garden. A nice hand-made spinach ricotta ravioli with tomato marinara and.....I'll stop there.

Well, I'm going to get to work. It won't look the same when I'm done. ;)

Jessica 

Nothing much to say

Hi all,

I just sent out your week 2 evaluations, which includes a grade for your book project. Please review that and let me know if you have any questions.

I lok forward to seeing a photo of Jess' and Nabieha's re-worked drawings.  I see that Jennifer posted hers on here.

I have been working hard all day and will post photos of my new work tomorrow.  I am finally getting excited about it. Maybe I'm more equal parts excited and nervous about the work...always happens!

Hope all is well.  Keep blogging!

Monika

Rework of Jessica drawing & 3 items. ~Jennifer Modica

Hair art ~ Jennifer Modica

Its amazing how many different types of art forms there are! Its not just the traditional paper, paint, etc... art can be in tattoo work, landscaping, hair, makeup, photography and so much more! I have always liked to braid hair, but got in to it much more after meeting my husband. And now, my 5 year old boy has extremely long, very curly hair. I have been braiding his hair for the past few years...

I am amazed at what people can do with braids! It is not just a hair style, but also an expression of art. It takes great skill, talent and time to create these works of art. A sample of So Yoon Lyms work is below. These are acrylic on paper paintings and are based on photos she had taken of students and strangers in New Jersey. Although she does not braid these herself, there are many people out there with incredible skills... braiding is not easy.

http://myloveforyou.typepad.com/my_love_for_you/2011/04/so-yoon-lym-the-dreamtime.html

Tattoos -Jennifer Modica

My husband and I love tattoos. He has alot more than I do, but I would like to get more at some point. Tattoos are one of the many versions of art and expression. People choose them to express themselves and how they feel at different points in their lives. I love dragons, always have, so I spent time trying to find a dragon to put on my thigh and was having a really hard time! So I took numerous different dragons and combined them to make my own. I love this tattoo...

I am in the process of working on another tattoo, or set of tattoos, involving my children, their names &/or birth signs. I only tattoo places that can be covered, because I plan to be a pharmacist and need to look professional. I have a good friend that does all my tattoos. He is far away, but I have found that not all tattoo 'artists' are ARTISTS. They just trace what you bring them and are not skilled at all. Tattoos are for life, so I take alot of time and thought before deciding to get one.
I also love snakes. I have a 5foot ball python and drew this 'tribal' cobra for my foot.

Update on the future/A blog about pizza

Hello all,

First and foremost, I will send out your evaluations for the altered book project tomorrow afternoon.

Also, please be aware that the drawing you received from a classmate should be altered by tomorrow.  In the meantime, do not forget to upload a photo of the drawing as it is with your description of it and fill out the critique form I sent you and send it back to me via email.

Also, tomorrow, the next assignment will be available on SAKAI.  This one will be quite different and will not require any drawing!!!!

So, what is going on here?  Well, tonight, I am giving an artist talk.  This usually happens when you do a residency.  An artist talk can take many forms, but mine will be a traditional power point presentation, where I talk about some of the work I have made in the past.  I am excited about it and hope that people come to see me.  Another resident artist from Chicago, Kristina Paabus, is also speaking tonight.  See her work here:

http://kristinapaabus.com/home.html

I really love her work. Here, she is mostly working on screen prints, but if you look at her website, you will see that she also makes 3D work.  EXCITING!

Also, this Saturday, I will venture out to New York City for 2 things: 1. The best slice of pizza and 2. art.  Yes, in that order, I'm not going to lie.  (NYC is only about 2 hours from here).

Now, this best slice of pizza thing may be a bit elusive, so I may have to try more than 1.  Just kidding, but seriously, I know that people in NYC take a great deal of pride in their pizza, but I have never had a slice there that lived up to the hype.  Nevertheless, all is not lost and I am still willing to try and try and try.....

Also, while there, I will forgo the usual museum thing I do and visit galleries instead.  This is mostly due to the fact that there are actual prints I want to see in galleries.  I am especially referring to the Robert Motherwell: Prints from the 1970's exhibit that is talking place at Marlborough Gallery.  Here is a link to that gallery site:

http://www.marlboroughgallery.com/exhibitions/robert-motherwell-prints-from-the-1970s

Now, the gallery scene in NYC always lives up to the hype.  No other city has this kind of scene, with what appear to be warehouses  full of galleries.  Really, I do go to New York City for the pizza and art, but mostly, the energy of this huge metropolis captures my soul every time.

Pictures will follow this adventure.

Monika

Jessicas drawing and 3 objects ~jennifer modica

The drawing by Jessica uses mixed media, one looks like a chalky paint with lines textured into it. She used numerous different colors in a very unique way. The lines etched into the colors are all of different patterns that are subtle in the background.
The flowers are outlined in marker with no color making them stand out. This shows emphasis of her love for flowers. She probably has a beautiful garden outside her window.

Just to remind you

Hi all,

Today, I shall use the blog space for a summary of the things I have been asking for via email:

1. Upload the sketches you did for your book.
2. Upload a picture of the drawing you got from a classmate.
3. Make sure to fill out the critique sheet I sent out via email.  This should be a critique of the classmate's drawing as it exists, before you alter it.
4. See and complete assignment #4 (emailed to you and posted on SAKAI)

Thanks!

Monika

Nabieha's Altered Book

 I titled my altered book A Few of My Favorite Things. I wanted to show representations of family, friends and good times, because they all represent me and what makes me happy. These are my favorites things.

Coffee is My Art and Addiction

I made this Caramel Macchiatto at work

This is my first attempt at latte art

Hi everyone,
So in my postcards I revealed my interest in Starbucks. I also sent one of my Starbucks gift cards to Jessica for the 2nd assignment. My Starbucks gift card is always with me, just in case I need a quick fix. But what I haven't told you guys yet is that I am a Starbucks Barista. I not only drink coffee, I make coffee too. I consider my work at Starbucks as art. As a barista we must entice customers by making drinks appetizing to the eye. Anything that looks good will taste good.
Latte art started in the United States in Seattle in the 1980s and 1990s. Latte art is a style of art, consisting of pouring steamed milk into a shot of espresso that creates a pattern or design on the surface of the resulting latte. It can also be created or embellished by simply "drawing" in the top layer of foam. Latte art is particularly difficult to create consistently, due to the demanding conditions required of both the espresso shot and milk. I heard the secret to great latte art is dense velvety foam and great wrist action. I am nowhere near David Schomer's latte art, but I am determined to get better. This past week I took my first whack at latte art and it is a lot harder than it looks, but I am still determined. I want to keep photos of my progress with this hobby and I hope to show more professional looking latte art by the end of this class.

By Nabieha Miqbel

This is PROFESSIONAL cup of  latte art

What's in Jennifer's Pocket and That Outside Her Window?

Hi everyone,
I received  Jennifer's package and she keeps some fun things in her pockets! I have to confess I LOVE dark chocolate and I was so excited to find this in your package that I had to go out and buy some chocolate. I love that you included a temporary tattoo. Tattoos can be great representations of art. Tattoos in the past have been more tribal and ritualistic and I would say that contemporary tattoos are about self expression. Tattoos can also tell a story about a person and that is what I find to be the most interesting thong about tattoos. Paper clips are so handy and useful. I also noticed how your items were so brightly colored. I think these items show that Jennifer is a creative, resourceful, and fun. If I ever I need something sweet I know who's pockets to check ;)

Jennifer's portrait of her view outside her window is beautiful and carefully drawn. I love all the shading and its a way she brings light to the picture. Jennifer includes a lot of detail in her drawing. The detail is in the rooftop, windows, grass, trees, and patio. I think you have a wonderful view outside your window.


By Nabieha Miqbel

Things You Will Find in Jennifer's Pockets

Jennifer's View From Her Window

3-Part Art Week: Criticism, Design, and Studio

This week has been a busy productive one. Finally! keyword being "productive". :D

Viewing Art-
I went to San Francisco on Thursday night for an art preview of the San Francisco Fine Art Fair. Facebook can be awesome sometimes besides the outrageous amount to spam. I "like"d a gallery on Facebook and this week they offered free patron tickets to the event- an awesome find that saved my friend and I $110 a piece. We saw works (originals and a few copies) by Picasso, Warhol, Rauschenberg, Indiana, Dine, Neri, Oliveira, Livingston, De Kooning, Voulkos, Homada, Ferguson, Eugene Smith, Dorthea Lange, Lichtenstien, Francis Bacon, Braque, Dubuffet, Damien Hirst, Kandisky, Kelly, Renior, Ruscha, Thiebaud....this list goes on. We saw the Life Time Achievement Award for the Director of the SFMoMA, Richard L. Greene (from a distance). Also, this event was selling all of the work (starting at $1000 to $1 million!) Because people were buying, you could stand 4 inches away from the work and security didn't jump you. Some people even touched the sculpture!! oh my!
 We stopped for dinner at this cool little artsy neighborhood for food. Try Napolito if you are ever on Oak St.

Advertising Art-
Comp 25 is pulling through again. We have been studying code, html, css, and javascript this week. All of those are tools to make a website. I'm using the opportunity to make a website for Pacific's 3D art club, Studio 1091. It has been a project I have wanted to do for a couple months but no desire to mess with Dreamweaver again after my personal website. This site will act almost like a gallery/ etsy for the participating artists. I'm excited. So here is what I have so far.
http://www1.pacific.edu/~jfong11/

Making the Art-
I spend 50% of my art time in the ceramics studio. This week I had a goal to get several molds prepared so I can start the clay process next week and bisque and fire by the next. I do not know if any of you have made any ceramics but just an fyi: you can't make a square bowl on a wheel. So this is where the mold comes in. The mold looks like this bowl filled with plaster so when I lay plaster on the mold I get a bowl. Kind of cool and a quick way to make a lot of things. I have not tested it yet but I can't wait. I'll post final pictures next week.





Jessica

Watching CA Natives

I, too, love photography. I wish I could do a more completed project/ portfolio of photography but I just haven't found the right subject or timing. Most recently, I have been thinking about combining printmaking, photography, and ceramics. But I'll wait another day to talk about that.

I like the photography of Edward Weston, Ruth Berhard, and Dorthea Lange. I was able to see a few originals at the San Francisco Fine Art too. These photos also were influenced by the two books I'm reading right now: "Letters to a Young Poet" by Rilke and "Into the Wild" by Krakauer. Both books discuss nature and taking time to notice the ordinary small things in life.

So here are some photos of the plants I was watering; they happen to be California Natives. They are particular little plants (meaning they could die if they don't get water but CA natives don't need much water...and if there is an ounce too much water they die too.)


One of the main things I try to accomplish with photography is having a good composition.
Sometimes cropping the image and altering it from the usually 3:5 ratio creates a different dynamic. I've noticed a square composition is nice for detailed images and elongated frames help subtract unnecessary information.
Well these are just things I have been thinking about,
Jessica

The Work of Paul Hayes

 

 I went to the San Francisco Fine Art Fair last night for the preview show. I saw hundreds works of art. This is the work of Paul Hayes. (The first image was the work that was installed at the fair). 

When I saw his work in SF, I thought it was interesting and decorative but it wasn't until I later looked up the artist that I noticed the mastery of space, repetition, and form. The abstract objects connect to make an abstract overall shape. Hayes uses repetitive objects to create lines. His methods are backwards to what most people think of art; you use lines to make an object.

 

His other work I looked up creates an interior space for the audience to walk in, making the audience a part of the piece also. Hayes also has a fluidity about the work even thought the work is stationary. The sense of movement resembles the passing of time as well. 

 

The viewpoint of the work is also interesting compared to viewing a painting on the wall. From a distance, the viewer sees a mass of white hanging. When the viewer is under the installations, the light about the work shines through creating something like a kaleidoscope. 

 

If you get a chance to run down to SF, you might be able to see his work still on display. 

 

Jessica