Bon jour

Greetings, everyone.
It has been an extremely inspiring, productive spring - and I thank you for your enthusiasm and energy in the mixed media studio and blog. I am settling in here nicely with ups and downs that can be expected when one schleps their life across the water.

My flight was amazingly stress free but soon after I arrived here my laptop ancien began to fail. Perhaps it doesn't like the time difference or the 240 current? Regardless, it has complicated tying up all the loose ends one needs to complete at the end of an academic year. I managed to turn in my grades in a timely fashion - actually early than I wanted to - but I had to do it when I had access to a laptop. My iphone has been my connection to the world - and it has allowed me to post my photos and such - but I am not a great typist in the first place - texting comments on an iphone is something for the next generation of academics.

With luck, my dear husband will bring me a replacement of some sort very soon and I will be able to send each one of you my comments and suggestions regarding your creative evolution and the work you produced this term. In the meantime, KEEP AT IT!! Please continue to post on the blog, particularly if you haven' sent us your final images or links.

In the meantime please visit my flickr is you'd like to catch a glimpse of the city that time forgot:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/amieo2/

A bientot...
Amie

Linda's Media Studies

I was having trouble with creating a new blog so I decided just to post on my normal website.  Here is the link:

http://www.lmkphotography.net/LMKphotography/Mixed_Media_Artwork/Pages/Liquid_Circle_Series.html

also... here the link to my original media studies again:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/50286735@N02/5471243367/

Thanks for a great class!

revised artist's statement. Lynne

My paintings are inspired by my travels.  I try to convey dramatic light and shadow in complex arrangements.  Caravaggio's work is an inspiration to me because of the luminous quality he was able to achieve in his paintings.  I like to show the essence of a painting, eliminating decorative elements and concentrating on light , shadow, and color to evoke  purity of composition.  Whether I am painting landscapes, flowers, or still life work of vegetables, I want the viewer to linger for awhile and hopefully wonder how it was done.  I recently began to use acrylics and oils in multiple layers to achieve this.  I consider myself a life-long learner and continue to try new techniques .  Inspiration is everywhere!
                                           Lynne Mulhern

revised artist statement-Christine

I sent this to the wrong address, I think. If you've already gotten it, I apologize. Like he says: "I don't know what I think til I read what I wrote." Somehow, that works. C

 

Rauschenberg, Klimt, Ernst, Vuillard, Kandinsky, Matisse. These men inspire me. I love color, pattern, texture, collage, atmospheric mixed media. These are the buttons that push me to work. When I paint reality, it's because natural colors are much more complex and sophisticated than any I can imagine, so I use reality to create layers of complex color. I'm not really a realist at all.  I love mastering techniques that are a challenge, creating surfaces that are tactile and deep in their look, and sometimes even their feel. I enjoy experimenting, and since I'm about the process more than the product, I never get so attached to a work in progress that I'm afraid to try something for fear it will be ruined. As I tell my students, "faint heart never won fair maid."                    

 I love it when people love my work, but I don't really do it for anyone but myself. It satisfies something intrinsic to me, and I know this because I chose, for a short time, not to do art, and ended up painting rocks with shoe polish. It's something I have to do, that's all.   

Christine Long                                                                                        

 

The book of my first exercises-Christine

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This is the book I made of my wall exercises. The photos are not in the order I took them. Weird.  It's roughly 6"x8", and the cover's like the wallpaper, except that I combed the tempera paint before I printed on it, and then I shellacked the whole thing so it would be sturdier (and shiny;o)) It's not all of the pages, because you've all seen them. I just did ones I liked. I sent my new artist statement to Amie's email, and don't know if it ever got to the blog. I'll look, and send it there if it isn't there already. See you all. Soon, I hope. Christine

the leather wraps around and is buttoned to hold it closed.

this is the front. The leather tucks into the carrier sewn in blue silk.

this is the back

This is just the front untied. There's a stick holding the silk yarn to the cover that's stitching the pages.

this is an exposed binding. The sticks hold the sewn yarn to the covers.

The explanation of the book is on the front end sheet...

and continues onto the first page or so.

After that, each transfer just has an explanation of the media used and the ground on the artwork above it.

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Richard's work : My last few images

Richard has sent you a link to a blog:

Here is a link to my last few posts on my blog. Take care all

Blog: Richard's work
Post: My last few images
Link: http://richardswork.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-last-few-images.html

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Sarah-final artist statement and my movie

My movie can be found on my blog-http://sarahsartjourney.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-final-movie.html

I would like to draw your attention to a book I have been studying-Acrylics the watercolor alternative, by Charles Harrington. Trying to break away from watercolors to acrylics has been a real challenge for me, but his book has made the process a bit easier. Here is a link to a demonstration he gives on youtube- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kYsaWA6qkU

My updated artist statement:

 

I remember the first watercolor painting I ever saw. It was a wedding gift, presented to friends of my family. The image was a rendering of the couple's home. I was astonished at the contrast between the colors of the building and landscape and the whiteness of the paper around it. My greatest desire as a 12 year old child was to figure out how to capture the feeling of sunlight as that artist did.  I love to begin a piece and see where the materials take me. I think that I am drawn to watercolors for the reason that others seem to be repelled: the material is unpredictable, difficult to control and unforgiving. Experimenting does not mean that I do not plan, a watercolor (or acrylic treated as watercolor) has to be planned ahead so that the whites can be reserved. Colors can be scrubbed away if mistakes are made, as proven so successfully by Winslow Homer, but as the pigment stains the ground, the paper looses its pristine whiteness, and will never be the same. I feel that the negative space in a composition invites me to play with color variations, cool against warm, red against green, with the colors mingling then separating.  

I thoroughly enjoyed working with you all this semester!

Sarah

update on the orb (Norma)

I've started adding another layer to the one large painting. People suggested that I should. Somehow this is turning into a political painting. As I was searching for text to add, every article that had the right words about anger, also tended to be about Bin Laden. So, that's what's gonna happen.

Betsy's revised Artist Statement

"A bird does not sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song."  Chinese proverb

 

    Flowers, my primary subject, stimulate me to search for fresh and original ways to transform my mystical connection with them into fine art, my song.  They are also a vehicle to explore my love of color and playfulness.  My early art studies with the founders of the Washington Color School, Kenneth Noland and Gene Davis opened my artistic sensibilities to an appreciation of technical experimentation and intellectual possibility.  Innately, I respond to the lyricism, painterliness and joy of color as mastered by Monet, Matisse and Bonnard.  The challenge to integrate the formalities of these opposing influences intrigues me.

Directions to Christine's and Nita's studio (reprise)

You can also map it from this link if you are a foreigner like me!


Nita's and my studio is upstairs at Liberty Town in Fredericksburg. There are two easy ways to get there. If you take route 1 north from points below Fred'burg, you turn right onto Princess Ann street just before you get to the Falmouth bridge. From above Fred'burg, turn left on Princess Ann just AFTER going over the bridge. Go down Princess Ann street until you get into town and pass the intersection with William Street. The next light is George street. Turn right onto George street, and continue until you get to Liberty Place (or street - I don't know which)and turn right. Liberty Town is just up a few hundred feet on the left. It's a very dull mid-dark neutral purple. You can park in front, or across the street - wherever. Go all the way to the back of the main floor and follow the bare footprints to the hallway and stairs. Go up the stairs, through the door, and on your right you will see Betsy's studio. diagonally across from her studio is ours. Welcome, after such an arduous journey.

The other easy way to get there is if you are coming from I95. Get off at rte 3 east to Fredericksburg, and stay on it. You will go under rte 1, and get into the left-most lane to turn left at the next light. That takes you onto William Street, past the Catholic Church, UMW, and a couple of lights. At the top of the hill, past the confederate cemetery (which is on your left) you will see the back of a dull purple building on the right - turn right at that street (I have no idea what it's name is). Go to the stop sign, which will tell you you can't turn left. Well, you have to go left, so you head down to the next opportunity to turn left, which is just past the monument to our fallen heroes. Turn left, and then left again - there will be a sign that says "to Liberty Street (or Place)". As soon as you complete the full two left turns, you will see Liberty Place on your right. Turn into it, and Liberty Town will be on your left. Continue as explained in the first set of directions. There are other ways to get there, but I'm sure you agree those are more than sufficient. See ya. Bring food. Were we going to figure out who would bring what, and how are we going to do that ?, which you all know and I'm sure I missed. Will we tell each other on the blog? I'll bring Texas Caviar, cups for it, spoons, and are we each bringing our own drinks, or are we having wine? Am I being a pest? So shoot me.

Christine

Retta - potato salad with gorganzola

I will bring potato salad with gorganzola..

Tuesday / FINAL CRIT

I look forward to seeing everyone and your work tomorrow. Please bring your final body of work with you and perhaps two or three pivotal pieces from your media experiments - the ones that showed you the way... or led to the body of work we'll be discussing. There is no need to bring ALL of the media experiments as everything has been documented.

You may also choose read your artist statement if you would like more feedback on it before you post it.

Please feel free to email me or post a comment here if you have any questions.

Amie

final critiquie

I'll bring brownies.

 

Richard

final critique on Tuesday

I will bring a cheese ball and crackers to the critique. Looking forward to seeing everyone!

Sarah

FW: Emailing: art class pictures 009f.jpg, art class pictures 008b.jpg, art class pictures 006zt.jpg, art class pictures 007c.jpg

 

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From: mrisavenger@hotmail.com
To: lynnemulhern8@msn.com
Subject: Emailing: art class pictures 009f.jpg, art class pictures 008b.jpg, art class pictures 006zt.jpg, art class pictures 007c.jpg
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:37:15 -0400

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I started with three layers of acrylic for the background, then added two layers of gel medium. From there I added several layers of oil glazes. This will have more detail as I add the final layers.

This was a previous oil painting that I didn't like because there wasn't enough contrast. I will add more glazes to this painting also, to see if this technique will work.

Same process as painting number one. I was especially pleased with the backqround alizarin crimson layers.

Using the same process I decided to add more layers of leaves over the original composition. This gave me the result I was looking for. I am, at heart, a mannerist a la Caravaggio!

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Retta - Cardboard figures - works in progress

 

Retta - "Assemblage - Face"

 

Retta - "SE"

 

Retta - "Us/Them"

 

 

Retta - "Whyyy"

 

 

 

FW: Retta - test image

One final attempt...

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From: Retta Robbins [mailto:retrob@verizon.net]
Sent: Sunday, May 01, 2011 4:15 PM
To: 'amieok.mixedmediafred@blogger.com'
Subject: Retta - test image

At least 2 of these images successfully posted to the blog before, so perhaps the total message size was an issue.  Here is "Liberty" by itself. If this works, I'll send the others.

 

Retta - test image

At least 2 of these images successfully posted to the blog before, so perhaps the total message size was an issue.  Here is "Liberty" by itself. If this works, I'll send the others.

 

Retta - Artist's Statement and Portfolio

Hope the table of thumbnails comes through on the blog properly.

 

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Artist’s Statement

 

Retta Robbins

 

For me, art is making marks on a surface. I delight both in the play of colors as they modulate or activate one another in in lines actual or inferred.

 

Painting is an active dance with the canvas.  As Paul Klee observed “Art does not reproduce the visible; rather, it makes visible.”

 

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RE: Mixed Media Studio Practice

 

My inadvertent choice of photos of the Statue of Liberty influenced my work, which led to a commentary on the iconic nature of the statue itself.

 

The initial 24 media studies, using a variety of materials and supports, was very satisfying for me, and out of the many variations I was influenced by Picasso’s collage and cardboard structures.

 

For my final works, the supports were recycled from political posters, using cut/torn paper, cardboard forms, printed words, and paint to complete the compositions.

 

My works question liberty, freedom, and opportunity for all people.

 

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Final Portfolio – Mixed Media Studio Practice (Drawing and Mixed Media 14576)

 

Retta Robbins

 

1.	“Liberty”	26 x 36	collage, paint, xerox images
2.	“Whyyy”	27 x 25	collage, paint
3.	“Us/Them”	20 x 20	collage, print, paint
4.	“SE”	20 x 14	collage
5.	“Assemblage - Face”	8 x 16	wood, styrofoam, paper
6.	Cardboard figures		works in progress

 

Richard's work : Finished African Daisy

Richard has sent you a link to a blog:

Not sure if it will fit in the vehicle so please take a look.

Blog: Richard's work
Post: Finished African Daisy
Link: http://richardswork.blogspot.com/2011/05/finished-african-daisy.html

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