Reminders!

Please note the following requirements and post them accordingly if you haven't already...

 Email the best 4 media experiments to blog and include a short proposal regarding your goals, based on the outcomes of the experiments. Include media, size, theme and goals.

Watch Creativity and the Brain video (link on the right) and post your response on the course blog.

Field trip responses! Continue studio research and create a post(s) for this blog which explores a work of art relevant to your research, and one that you experienced on our field trip today - be specific. Include a jpg of the work if possible. All commentary on curriculum, field trips, etc should be emailed to this blog.

 Email me a revised draft of your artist statement

Post work in progress on course blog Comment on workshop and other other's creative progress on blog

Monday August 1: Studio Work and Research / 

Feedback on each others responses due! 10am working crit!

Tuesday August 2: FINAL CRITIQUE Change 1:00pm Select one final pieces to include on the course blog. Include a link to your own blog. Your blog should include: Documentation of media experiments, final series that grows from your experiments, your artist statement and research links which reveal artists, exhibitions and techniques you find relevant and inspiring to your work. Also include materials, title and size for each artwork posted.

Friday August 5: Due: ARTIST BLOG /DOCUMENTATION / 10 links, media experiments / final series / artist statement / document titles, materials and size of each of the final pieces - also good idea to include a description / listing of medi for the media experiments.

Mixed media Highlights: Calhoun

Mixed Media Highlights: Julie

Mixed Media Highlights: Lise

Mixed media highlights: Sherogan

Mixed Media Highlights: Buchanan

DRAFT-almost final pending approval

Human ecology is the study of the interaction of people with their environment. Individual distinctions are usually not common points of reference. It is often our mutual afflictions that create meaningful relationships and visible change.

Working on either paper or fabric I create a ground using iconographic silhouettes of the human form. I use direct and offset printing, stenciling and masking to begin building the duplicate shapes. After creating this surface I start to include other forms as well as texture, line and color. The information accumulates and informs both the subject and the viewer. The content I address is often intimate in origination but public in its context within art. Symbolism can be as direct as a capitol "A", a walker, hand tools, or the human head or more understated as a mood conveyed by tone, rugged texture, translucency or quality of line. 

 

Julie Withers Fisher - Images : Works In Progress

Julie Fisher has sent you a link to a blog:

Work in Progress

Blog: Julie Withers Fisher - Images
Post: Works In Progress
Link: http://jwfisherimages.blogspot.com/2011/07/works-in-progress.html

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TUESDAY REMINDERS / MIS Mixed Media Course Blog / Syllabus

1:30pm PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES lecture / Sally Bowring

Please note: all comments and responses to class curriculum should be posted on

the course blog!

Thursdays Fieldtrip thoughts

Field Trip Thursday July 20th

Page Bond Gallery
works by Reni Gower
Pivot. 10 2010
Acrylic & Paper on Canvas covered panel
38 1/2 by 27 inches

This cool color scheme geometric image recalls the quilts my mother creates for her loved ones.  The piece is sectioned off in geometric circles with a line boarder.  The repeated shapes connect in shape, color and pattern.  They relate with my mothers quilts in their organic theme with organized pattern.  The artist uses cool colors in a harmony which creates comfort and unifies the composition.  The surface has some texture and layering of the circles which emulates the surface of quilted fabric.  The connection of the artist work and my mothers quilts create a connection to the work I am going to produce.  Harmony, comfort, color and shape are the themes in this piece and the quilts in our family which all will relate to my work in this class.


Linden Row Exhibit
Lhasa with Love by Andre Liew
Mixed Media and Hair

This sculptural work reminds me of women and their connections to themselves along with their inner strength which they use to complete all that is asked of them.  The females hair style becomes their "signature" and the connection to the inner person.  In this piece, the softness and length show the tenderness and power that woman possess.  As on a clothes line, Black hair hangs in graduated lengths from left to right, longer in the middle and shorter towards the end of the line.  There is shorter and less hair hanging from the left side and it gradually becomes longer and thicker towards the middle then tapering off at the end in a symmetrical progression.  White silk cloth hangs at both ends of the composition flanking the length of hair.  Woven silk with the ends somewhat frayed reminds me of the life we as women carry on each day. 

Yesterday's Gallery Hopping

Comments on Wednesday's Gallery Hopping

 

 

Even with the ungodly heat raging outside yesterday, I thoroughly enjoyed lunching with my VCU Mixed Media class, going into many of the Main Street art spaces and then the downtown ones along Broad Street and in Linden Row.

 

Unfortunately, it is too easy for me to suffer from "art overload" during these excursions since I go for way too long with out visiting a gallery or museum and then see 7 spaces in the course of just a few hours.  (Remember the term "aesthetic seizure"?  I guess I am trying to avoid one of those.)  In fact I must admit that is why I skipped to VMFA yesterday. Not only had I just taken two groups there while teaching last week, I didn't want to forget some of the more memorable art I had just seen, particularly at the Visual Arts Center.   Thursdays evenings do sound like a great event at the VMFA however, just might force some culture into my husband and go there next time it works into our schedule.

 

Which works seem to be the most relevant to the work I am producing in this class?

 

From the Visual Arts Instructor's Show….

 

J.C. Gilmore-Bryan

La Victorie de Samothrace, 2011

Painting with mixed media on paper

 

It was like this artist was working along side me in this class and we were sharing the same materials.  The ground seems to be prepared with many painterly surfaces.  Creating a sense of visual texture that I also strive for in my work.  The figure of Victory is done with a quick heavy contour line that reminded me of the line quality I used in some of my studies earlier this week to depict roots and stones.  The main differences are this figure rests solidly on top of the prepared surface and also, Victory is front  and center on the ground.  My figures are obscured to the various levels in my work with many of them being completely hidden from the viewer. 

 

 

Okay really this is not a crass attempt to kiss up but I felt that Amie's collection, in the same show also has a bit of relevance to my work this summer with the loose application and dripping/running of paint as the first layer.

 

Amie Oliver

Heaven and Earth 2007-2011

Acrylic, paint, ink, and charcoal

 

 

 

 

Finally the show at 1708, Liz Miller's Illusive Insurgency, at first blush does not seem to have anything remotely similar to my work.  Her sculptural works are colossally huge with crisp forms, while mine are small, flat, and gestural.  It is in her use and then abandonment of repetition that I find some common ground.  I truly enjoy seeing a pattern set up and then deteriorate either suddenly or subtly.  Also while it has absolutely nothing to do with my work.  I love the way the installation reads as a high relief upon entering the gallery and then transforms as the into an interactive space that the viewer can walk into.

 

Liz Miller

Illusive Insurgency 2011

Stiffened felt, and other mixed media

 

A long, long time ago far, far away I once was a Bed and Breakfast waitress.  The restaurant/inn was in a Victorian Home which displayed really bad watercolors done by local wanna-be impressionists.  Given that awful aesthetic experience, I can only say it was a tremendous delight to see the contemporary art on display in Linden Row and thrilled that it is an ongoing project. 

Have a great weekend and stay cool...

Kathy

 

 

 

 

Gallery Visits

Cindy Neuschwander's marks are both cryptic and beautiful. Creating a duality that is edgy and aesthetically pleasing is a difficult balance to strike. I admire authenticity in line and hope to work through my own artistic processes to reveal marks that are unique and create impact with the viewer.

The formal design elements in Sabour's work make this piece very interesting. The rowboat is positioned within the front most center of the composition. The context is a luminous field where other forms float in and out of the frame.  In the foreground, almost on top of the image, there are three rectilinear marks that appear to have been made with a brayer. The shapes serve as visual anchors in a boundless sea like composition. The way the artist used tools and techniques to create the context for his subject is a mystery. Using materials to find a unique voice is an ongoing pursuit.

The concept behind the show at Linden Row is important and inspiring. Art is a democracy and it can serve as a "social ambassador". We need global dialogue in a universal language. 

I am reminded of Rauchenburg's quote, " an artist's job is to be a witness to his time in history".  Creative cultural exchange takes this idea one step further.

Mixed Media Notes / Field Trips

Wednesday
4:30 lounge of Anderson Gallery, Franklin St, Richmond, VA

Thursday
11: 30 Baja Bean, Main Street, Richmond, VA (across the street from Main Art Gallery / Main Art Supply)
visit
Visual Arts Center of Richmond
Reynolds Gallery
Page Bond Gallery
Main Art Gallery
Red Door Gallery
Studio School / VMFA
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

3pm:
1708 Gallery
Quirk Gallery
Linden Row Inn
I'll talk about the show at the Linden Row Inn!

Week One: Mixed Media Notes

Victory of Samothrace (hand)

Wednesday July 20: Bring materials to begin larger work based on proposal.

Familiarize yourself with the artists who are in the Anderson Gallery Show. (catalogue on my desk - links to the right.

I will do a Blogger Demo today as we lost track of time yesterday!

4:00pm Anderson Gallery Exhibition

Homework: Watch Creativity and the Brain video (link on the right) and post your response on the comment link here.

If you've already seen this video please choose another video relevant to your research.

Summer 2011 Course Syllabus

PAPR 621 C93

Drawing and Mixed Media 14576

Masters of Interdisciplinary Studies
Course blog: http://mixedmediastudiopractice.blogspot.com
Professor Amie Oliver

aoliver2_at_vcu.edu / http://amieoliver.net

Mixed Media and Drawing

This course emphasizes the role of drawing and experimentation in developing a body of artwork. Participants will begin their research with a warm up exercise which consists of a series of small mixed-media drawings that build a theme or motif relevant to their studio practice. Collage, assemblage, drawing on experimental grounds and painting on nontraditional surfaces often result from this process and can function as a springboard for work created during the course.

The curriculum will also consist of artist and media resources presented on-line, during field trips and interaction on the course blog. Students should bring samples and/or digital images of their current work to the first class meeting as well as materials for beginning your media experiments. Plan to be present for all studio days, field trips and all scheduled critiques, be able to document your work digitially and have regular internet access to fully benefit from this course.

Please visit www.amieoliver.net for more information regarding my research, artwork and teaching experience

COURSE OBJECTIVES

* Extend the possibilities of your expressing your art through focusing on mixed media in pursuit of form and subject matter.

* Maintain a visual journal / notebook that communicates your creative process, assignments, ideas and creative musings through drawing, collage, and water media experiments.

* Active participation in dialogue regarding your work and your peers’ work by participating in class critiques and discussion of course content, blog commentary, exploring blog links, field trips, etc.

* Creation of a series of completed works that expand upon the discoveries of the media exercises and demonstrate a stylistic consistency that evolves through your experimentation and focus on watermedia.

COURSE CALENDAR:

The course calendar posted on this blog is subject to change depending on weather conditions, unknown opportunities, availability of resources, etc!

MEDIA EXERCISE
Each artist enrolled in the Drawing/ Mixed Media class is required complete the media exercise outlined below.

This warm up exercise outlined below is designed to be a spring board for your artistic goals, studio practice and classroom concepts. Experimentation and discovery are the primary to its success. I recommend that you start with materials that you know and focus on personal vision as it progresses.

REQUIRED FIELD TRIPS:
Gallery and Museum exhibitions will be noted on the course calendar posted on the blog. A few galleries of interest:

The Virginia Museum of Fine Art: Grove Ave
Main Art Gallery: Main and Lombardy Streets
Reynold's Gallery: near Main and Lombardy Streets
1708 Gallery: near Broad and Adams Streets
ADA Gallery: near Broad and Adams Streets
The Visual Arts Center of Richmond: Main and Allen Streets
Page Bond Gallery: near Main and Vine Streets

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
All work submitted in class must be created expressly for this course. This includes artwork, responses to reading material, journal entries, etc. Please refer to the VCU honor code if you have any questions.

Your final grade will be based on the following:

25% class participation (in crits, journal, blog, field trips, progress in the studio)
25% media series (small works created at beginning of course)
50% Final Portfolio / Body of Work
____________
100%

Please email me if you have any questions about the syllabus posted above or anytime you cannot be in class!

SUGGEST SUPPLIES

this list should vary based on your current research and studio practice
charcoal, hard, soft, black, white, conte, vine
chalk pastels / oil sticks

sketchbook
spray bottle for water
water containers
sponge brushes (from Lowe's)
xacto knife/pencil sharpender
blades
tape
kneaded eraser
hard eraser
pencils (hard and soft)
india ink
brushes
gesso (small)
transparent medium (matt recommended)
water based paint such as acrylic or gouache
collage materials, lost and found stuff
old drawings to be ripped up of painted over
digital prints
water soluable colored pencils

glue stick

yes paste

MATERIALS NOT ALLOWED IN ANY CLASSROOMS / STUDIOS

no solvents or aerosols, fixatives or any material that off gasses or creates a toxic fume. Please note a few that are common but not to be used in class.
NO RUBBER CEMENT
NO SPRAY FIXATIVES ALLOWED in CLASS or BEFORE CLASS!

You will receive a student discount when shopping locally in many Richmond and DC art supply stores. Please refer to several mentioned below. There are also a number of good mail order suppliers we can discuss in class.

I highly recommend Main Art Supply at Lombardy and Main
or Plaza Art.

NOTE: ACCESS TO COURSE CONTENT CAN BE CHALLENGING

Please note - some of you are listed with your school teaching address and YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE to access some of the content of the blog and/or blog links due to the filtering protocols used by most public school systems today. Please use your home email or create another email address for accessing course content.

Please send me your preferred email address or new email IMMEDIATELY if you can't access the course blog or its content. Thanks!

Mixed Media Studio Notes / Class Calendar / Spring 2012

Visit this link to read Course Calendar for SPRING 2012




Summer 2011
Monday, July 18: Course Orientation / Begin Media Experiments / Review proposals / Watch video / Be prepared to list the names of two artists you discovered on the link list relevant to your studio practice / research. Homework: Continue to develop media experiments

Tuesday, July 19: 9:00am - 1:00 continue work on media experiments
1:30 Slide presentation with other class on New Media / Installation art
2:30 Demo: how to create a slide show or jpg sequence of your media experiments.

Homework: Email the best 4 media experiments to blog and include a short proposal regarding your goals, based on the outcomes of the experiments. Include media, size, theme and goals regarding number in sequence
3:30 Show and Tell of Media Experiments, discuss goals / proposals

Wednesday July 20: Bring materials to begin larger work based on proposal. Studio Day. Homework: Watch Creativity and the Brain video (link on the right) and post your response on the comment link. If you've already seen this video please choose another video relevant to your research.
5:00pm Anderson Gallery Exhibition

Thursday, July 21: Field trip: 11:30 meet at Baja Bean at Lombardy and Main.
We will visit VMFA, Virginia Center for Architecture, Reynolds Gallery and the Visual Arts Center, etcHomework: Continue studio research and create a post for this blog which explores a work of art relevant to your research, and one that you experienced on our field trip today - be specific. Include a jpg of the work if possible

Monday July 25: Working Critique: 1:30am. Discuss the creation of your own studio blog. Continue studio work afterwards. Homework: Email me a draft of your artist statement

Tuesday, July 26: ART / PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES PRESENTATION 1:30
review relevant videos in the Studio, continue studio work and research. Homework: Post work in progress on course blog.

Wednesday July 27: 9:30 am KIRSTEN KINDLER ARTIST TALK / Virginia Center for Architecture (Monument Ave) Studio work and research.

5-7pm FELTING DEMONSTRATION at ANDERSON GALLERY

Thursday, July 21: Post work in progress on course blog Comment on workshop and other other's creative progress on blog (FLEXIBLE STUDIO TIME / SEE ME REGARDING YOUR PREFERENCES)

Monday August 1: Studio Work and Research / Feedback

Tuesday August 2: FINAL CRITIQUE 11:00am Select one final pieces to include on the course blog. Include a link to your own blog. Your blog should include: Documentation of media experiments, final series that grows from your experiments, your artist statement and research links which reveal artists, exhibitions and techniques you find relevant and inspiring to your work. Also include materials, title and size for each artwork posted.

Friday August 5: Due: ARTIST BLOG /DOCUMENTATION / 10 links, media experiments / final series / artist statement / document titles, materials and size of each of the final pieces - also good idea to include a description / listing of medi for the media experiments.

Labels: class calendar