Ready Or Not! First Thesis Presentation~

With just a few weeks left of the semester Jesse, Cathy and I had to do our first thesis presentation. Our instructions were to share something of what we were doing, and to keep it to about 10 minutes. For the few days before I tore through all the art portfolios that stored my own work work and then went through the boxes and portfolios that I  had collected from my family. I needed to figure out which pieces were the most important. I kept changing ideas. I knew for any part of this, keeping it to 10 minutes would be difficult. After a few late nights’ practicing run throughs, I decided to share the internal and external influences that created an environment that lead me to become the photographer and artist that I am. Here are my written notes. I used them to help stay on track.

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Notes: Part 1: Presentation

Notes: Part 2: Presentation

Notes: Part 3: Presentation

The Interviews and The 3D White Tree

I have received back a couple of the family interviews. My grandmother, mother and father have sent me theirs. Mom printed hers out, and hand wrote her responses to each of the questions. Grandma and Dad’s are typed. I had thought the week before I’d received someone else’s, however it was a letter letting me know they would get to it, and send it along. There is one member I would love to hear from, so I can’t wait to see if it happens!

As I’m waiting for these to come in, I’m continuing to work on painting the 3D tree. It is finally looking like a tree!

Tree base with basic white paint.

Tree trunk/limbs painted white.

All Three Parts with paints lined up.

A Pat On The Back

Tonight we had our thesis meeting. I was armed with a list to take with me up to the podium. Those things by themselves scare me! BUT I tried to remember that Jesse, Cathy and Monica (Barbara couldn’t be there) were there for my support, willing me on! So, the assignment was to share a list of thesis “jobs” we had completed or had nearly completed, and a list of “jobs” we still had left to do. Monica said to think about, “breaking this enormous project into workable chunks and share” with the others. Jesse who brought his adorable 6-month old, with him went first. I went after Jesse, and after me was Cathy. Here is what I came up with:

Completed:  Paper mache tree; sent out interview questions; read 2 books and completed 1 annotated bibliography; attend art therapy each week and produce one piece of new artwork.

Nearly Completed: mixing paints for 3D tree; collection of collage stuff for the 2D tree; follow-up phone calls;

Still To Do: Continue blogging; continue reading books; go to mom’s to collect my old artwork, grandpa’s photos, grandpa’s coffee table, pictures and etc; paint 3D tree, create 2D and finish.

I also must figure out a few other things, but these are the ones I shared in class. Time is clocking down fast. Very fast….

The Mediums We Work In: Part One

As part of the 3D tree, I am looking at the different mediums my family members (and I) work in. Some of us have varied interests (i.e. My grandmother Peggy, mother, aunt Barbara, and aunt Robin all sew). I am going to hang from this tree an item that represents for each type of medium. Here is the list I have come up with:

Paint Palette = acrylic/oil painter

Polaroid Film Sheet = photographer

Rubber Stamp = For those who created a rubber stamp.

A Beaded Bracelet = For those who make jewelry

Drawing Pad/Pen = For those who draw

A Mini-Handmade book = For those who do altered books/projects

Fabric on a Hoop = For those who quilt, and/or do embroidery

Something wooden = For those into woodworking

Fabrics/Needle = For those who sew

My intent is to have each person represented by the different work they do. So, say I’m putting my mediums on the tree, I would be represented in several ways, with several items. I am an artist, photographer, sewer, altered artist as well as a jewelry maker. I would get all of those hung from the tree. My purpose in doing this is to show that we are all multi-talented artists. I plan to make all of the items be painted in gold. The tree itself is in the tertiary  colors.

Branches

The days are going by quickly. And, the growth of this tree is becoming quite clearly a larger than perhaps I thought tree… which by the way I’m absolutely loving! I just cannot work fast enough on this to get the colors on! I’ve dreamed of this tree for many nights… I’m trying to come up with the way the colors will play into it. I know I don’t want them too blended like sunsets, and not absolute horizontal rainbow stripes… like the socks I love that Robyn bought me…. I do adore them- they are like Rainbow Brite!

Blooming Branches 01

Blooming Branches 02

Blooming Branches 03

 

Family Letter and Interview Questions

I will be interviewing many of my family members who are within the artistic spectrum. I will enclose a short concise note letting them know what and how I will be using their answers to my questions. I want them to feel comfortable enough to give me honest answers.

**EDIT: Feb 23, 2013

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Dear (Insert Name),

I am currently in the process of writing and creating my masters thesis. I will be taking a look at our family genealogy, specifically the artists on both sides of the family tree. And then figure out what types of artwork and photography our family has created. I will then critique my own ethnographic authority within the art fields, and once I have done that, I will look at how my ethnographic subjectivity has been changed by the influences of my family. I will also be looking into how mental health plays a role within the family of artists, as well as my own. I hope to use interviews, a blog, family artwork and my own as well. I haven’t decided on my end project. It may be a photographic book with words, or perhaps a gallery showing, a digital gallery online along with this blog, or maybe something else all together.

I would like to know more about you! Even though each of you are my family, there is so much for me to learn from you! From being an art therapist, a rubber stamp maker, a pen and ink artist, an altered art book and doll creators, photographers, stained glass workers, woodworkers and seamstresses, our family seems to run the gamut of the types of art. ! I have come up with my own selection of questions, but I would love for you to share anything you like at the end!

This questionnaire will be used either whole or in part for this thesis. I hope to display some of your work (art work, a published piece of work, clothing you made, dolls created) if this turns into a gallery showing at the end. I hope to use quotes, your personal reflections of your art and your history of art. I believe at this point the thesis will turn into a gallery showing, with a small book to either hand out/purchase.

Please answer the questions honestly and openly, as I believe this is something the entire family will be interested in learning about.

I’d love for you to follow along with me on my journey. My blog name is mindfullyartistic.wordpress.com I will be updating as often as I can with both words, and pictures of what I am creating.

If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to email or call me. I need these back as soon as you can, with a deadline of April 3, 2013. I will follow-up again on Tuesday.

Love, Stacey

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Basic Demographic Questions:

1- First Name

2- Birth Place/Birth Year

3- Currently Living (Please give largest nearest City)

4- Relationship with Stacey?

5- I am filling out this questionnaire on (what is the date?)

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The Interview Questions:

1- Who/What inspires your creative thoughts and artwork?

2- Do you have a favorite medium to work in?

3- How old were you when you first thought of yourself as an artist? Do you consider yourself to be an artist today?

4- Is there a type of artwork that you would like to learn?

5- Are you a published artist? Where are you published?

6- Do (did) you have a favorite art teacher? Why? What did you learn from them?

7- Did you have an art teacher that you did not like? Why? In the end, what did you learn from them?

8- What do you think about the ‘Artistic DNA’ in our family? Do you know of other families with so many being artistic?

9- Is there anything else you would like to share with me? Any ideas that have sprung to mind as you were going through these questions, or after having checked out my blog?

 

I am in search of “artifacts” of those alive and those who have passed. I’m specifically seeking one or two items for each of those who fall into the “artistic spectrum.” Do you have a book I can purchase? A catalog I can keep?

If you have other thoughts, impressions, concepts, and ideas, please do share them with me. Over the next six weeks I will be putting all this together. For this next set of time I will likely be posting every day.

*One last thought, if you have a few moments to spare, I’d love to have your responses in your handwriting on paper. You could write it, scan it in, and email it to me, or send it surface mail. Either one would be fine, though I believe our handwriting can show a lot about us.