Portfolio 2015

This week I have been in my studio creating more sketches to go with my topic of minimal lines. I have made some changes in my plans and material choices since last class. Instead of working with graphite on 18×24 inch white paper, I am not using ink on large sheets of brown paper. Using the ink is a better decision for my topic because it is free flowing and expandable. There are so many ways I could manipulate the ink to get the look I want. I am still practicing different styles and brush strokes but I am much happier in the material I am using now versus last week. I am not completely satisfied with how some of the sketches are coming out, but with more practice I will be able to understand the ink and paintbrush better and be able to make decisions based on aesthetics as well. I am nervous to see what the class thinks about my work because in my opinion, it does not look like the work of an art major. With more time I think I will get a better feel for my materials and the figures will look less like children’s drawings and more like thought out works.

This week I have been working on some sketches to help me get the feel for my first project. I was thinking about doing a project depicting the human figure in minimal lines. So far, I have filled three, 18×24 sized papers with sketches. These drawings are indeed sketches. I do not like most of them so far, but this is simply experimental to figure out how to draw the body with minimal lines but still be able to show the pose of the body.

In doing this, I hope to spark some type of creative flow that will lead into my first large project. Drawing multiple people and multiple poses has already helped me in figuring out how to draw different parts of the body and how to use minimal lines to represent the figure. Hopefully after our next class I will have a clear understanding of what I will spend the next week working on before the first review.

This past week I went to the MFA for a gallery visit. While there I wondered towards the contemporary art section of the museum. In one exhibition room I found a piece by Nathan Craven called Poros. This piece is actually multiple pieces together as one. The work was built to fit into the window in the museum. Around 6,000 fired clay elements were placed together to fill the window. The clay objects vary in size but their length is relatively the same throughout the piece. The centers are mostly empty to allow light to pass through. The ends of the pieces are glazed with colors of greens and blues but the insides of most of them are left uncolored. No matter what angle you are at when looking at the work, the light passes through the clay elements in front of you making it feel like you are the center of the piece. The light passing through the elements acts as a tunnel from where you stand in relation to the piece. I like this piece because it is calming and is done on a very large scale. The pieces do not appear to be attached to each other, but rather rest on each other as if they are stacked to fill the square window space. If one piece is taken out, the force from the other objects would shift to hold the weight, but they would no longer fit together in the same way and other elements around it might be damaged or broken with the absence of one single piece. This is a lot like life at MassArt in some ways. We all support each other and taking away one person can cause a shift of atmosphere. I also like the piece because it is a divide between you on the inside of the museum and the outside world. The light passing through the hollow elements makes one feel as if there is light at the end of the tunnel. Hope and inspiration is something I search for and I found it in this work.

For PhaseI I plan to explore the materials of graphite, watercolor, and charcoal. I am not sure if I will follow through with each material unless it seems fitting to my project, but using these mediums is my current plan. I intend to focus on drawing the body in different poses and through different ways. What kind of paper or object the work will be displayed on is not yet determined. Some themes I have in mind include the minimal lines need to show form or the idea of drawing on top of documents. The human figure is something that I believe to be overlooked by most people but by showing it in its simplest form or by drawing it on top of objects that hold significance might bring the human figure to light. The body can do so many amazing things. Because we are used to the actions and have our minds on other things, we cannot appreciate the beauty of the body’s physique and its ability to preform the simplest of actions such as grasp a pencil or put on a pair of socks.

Today I met with Amber. She is a sophomore art education major. She shared pictures of her work with me and I was amazed at the things she created. I was not astonished because I doubted her ability to create amazing work, but because what she showed me was so beautiful and original. She has a solid theme in her head and creates remarkable art pieces. Amber is a very talented student and I am honored she chose to share her work with me.

Amber does a lot of work that has to do with the human life and its relation to nature. One thing she mentioned was that she likes to emphasize how humans and nature are such delicate things and similar events affect both. One cannot be fully embraced without the other, yet they have both been known to degenerate the other. Amber has a very unique way of creating some of her pieces that revolve around this theme. Her photos and projects speak volume about her talents and her interests.

Some of her other works are done in watercolor and charcoal. These creations involve sound and color correspondence. Most of her work is created through emotion. Amber’s work is typically motivated by the feelings she gets from music or poetry.

Meeting with Amber today showed me a lot about whom she is. Sharing your work with an older classmate can sometimes be scary or intimidating but after seeing Amber’s work, I do not believe she has a reason to feel shy about displaying it. I very much enjoyed talking to Amber and seeing her creations and I have a strong feeling that the class will enjoy them too.

My name is Colyn Petre. My inspiration has a lot to do with the human body and things I see in my daily life. The human figure has always been interesting to me. I like to focus on the movement of the body and the natural beauty of the figure. A theme I worked from last year incorporated the idea of perfect imperfections. This is a theme I would like to look further into this semester.

I am also influenced by objects and activities that I see throughout each day. Some of the things I witness spark feelings in my body that can lead to ideas for a future art project. There is no real limit to what might draw me in, but the feeling I get when I am interested in something is a feeling worth chasing.

My work environment tends to start off clean and clear but slowly get cluttered throughout my work process. Even in this slight mess, I still know where all my materials are. I tend to spread out my work to see the large picture.

I like to work with natural light so working outside or near a window is preferable. I usually get very close to my work and step back from time to time in order to check proportions and angles in my work. I like the studio spaces provided at MassArt but sometimes I like to work alone in my room as well.

In my working process I almost always work while listening to music. Silence is not my friend. No matter what type of music or sounds available, Id rather hear something than nothing. Sometimes my working process starts off slow, but once I have my mind set to an idea, I can work for hours and it will feel like minutes.

I enjoy working with a variety of materials. I do not like to limit myself to any media. Depending on my topic and project, I will decide what medium would best express the work. I most often veer towards work with charcoal or pastel but I have experience with other mediums.

My motivation for art is similar to my inspiration. When something catches my attention or makes me feel a certain way, I chase that instinct wherever it may lead. I am also motivated by other artists and classmates. I like to look at art by other people to help spark ideas in my brain.

Most often, the image I am looking at is not in any way related to the ideas it gives me for my own work, but somehow it gets me to the next step in my creation. I might have a few rough drafts in my head before deciding what to create but I am getting better at putting ideas on paper and letting them be sketches rather than final projects each time.

Reading and research are not related topics in my head. I can understand how the two go hand-in-hand, but to me, research is more of looking up artists work through images rather than words. I am not a good reader and I do not like to read unless absolutely necessary.

Most words are seen in my head as an image rather than letters put together that make a word with a meaning. I research images and artists often, but I would rather listen to an artist talk than read about the work. This system has had its advantages and its disadvantages, but eventually I get to a point where I find the information I need.

The most inspiring person in my art career is Norman Rockwell. I do not create work or illustrations like he did, but I love looking at his creations. Norman Rockwell’s work was something I was drawn to at a very young age. When I was in elementary school I saw his work around my school. After understanding his theme and style, I began to see his work in doctors offices and stores.

Seeing his work reminds me why I became an artist and why money and fame is not the most important thing in life. Creating work and doing what you love is what will make life memorable, and I am reminded of this when I see work by Norman Rockwell.

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