Project update

So my Digital project is on its way! I've been going through all of the 10 images i've selected for the series and tweaking them on photoshop until I'm satisfied and ready to print. I think I'm ready to print them out, though I thought I'd run them by a couple more people just in case they have some good suggestions. Throughout this editing process I've been experimenting with amplifying the colors and values to create serial or even a graphic like feel to emphasis the emotional value of the images instead of documentation feel to them, or if keeping them more true will be more successful. As of now, I feel like i've made decisions that are right in between, which I feel pretty good about. Though, I've very tempted to get intense with the color so we'll see what I end up with. :)

Here are some of my photos so far...

Also, here are some photography from some of the photographers who most inspire my work and as an artist. I love how they capture the human spirit. :)

So, shout out to Ann Brigman and Joyce Tenneson!!!!

Ann Brigmans Work.

Joyce Tenneson's Work...

Are we all Alone together? or is it just me?

This week I read a few readings on new media development in the book "The New Media Reader" as well as an exert from the book "Alone Together" chapter Growing up Tethered. All of these readings approached the subject matter slightly differently, but all dealing with the same issues of the controversial subject of the growth of technology. How is technology changing the way our society interacts? Everyone is wondering this, we know that its drastically changing the way humans interact, but we are all worried about where it will go from here...

I found the chapter: growing up tethered particularly interesting. Its about a study done in a east coast high school about the interactions students have with each other and text messaging. A "text" has become so main stream that lots of people prefer to "text" versus a phone call or face to face interactions. This section also brings up the questioning of the change in adolescents development of "independence". If one is always capable of getting hold of a parent or another important individual then do they ever learn to depend on themselves? I thought this was a particularly interesting section which made me really wonder. Is anyone truly independent anymore? I can really sympathize with both parts of the argument, its really valuable to always be able to connect with someone at any given time, though, being able to truly depend on yourself is a human instant thats so primal it should be put as more of a priority for human development than it seems to be in our current society. At least, I personally have a desire to trust that I could depend on myself for survival if I really needed to, but the scary thing is in a lot of circumstances, I probably couldn't.

All of these readings file down to be all about the change in human interaction. This relates to my project in a very interesting light. In my series, I'm trying bring back the human interaction thats only experiences when individuals are in the same place and sensitive enough to really notice the nuances of the other individual's presence. Well, i'm trying to translate what one would feel internally about another individual's energy or presence into something you can visually notice in a photograph. At least more of a dramatic expression of their presence.

I've been working on crafting my 10 images in photoshop to clear up any odd lighting/ color problems and such, but overall staying pretty true to the original scene. I can't wait to print them!

Ray Johnson and me?!

Ray Johnson is a contemporary artist from the 60s and 70s (died in 1995) who is most well known for his collages sent through snail mail to individuals all over the world. His connections through people, facts, and images have a multi-layering of meanings, and he has kept a large group of fans with his work- such as the Depere resident: Steven Perkins.

Steven Perkins is the gallery director and a prof. of art history at UWGB. In his home, he has a small gallery in his WC of Ray Johnson works. He has operated this small WC gallery in his home for over 8 years bringing in many different artists to show work there.

I thought traveling over to his home in Depere was SO WORTH THE TRIP! He has such a lovely home with his wife and daughter, full of worldly art as well as the funky gallery. Listening to him speak about Ray Johnson was also quite interesting. Steven was one of his correspondents which made Ray Johnson so much more "alive" to me, hearing directly from someone who actually interacted with him. Also, hearing about his opinions about setting up a gallery space and really using any space available to you (like a bathroom) to show someone's art. It was very inspiring and creative, and I want to go back!

Mary Jane Jacob Convocation

The Convocation today at Lawrence University was given by Mary Jane Jacob, an art curator in museums and public art. After reading a handout about her thoughts on public art and curating then hearing her speak a few main aspects came to mind after the talk, reflecting upon the event.

First of all, her concepts with the connection to buddhist philosophy and contemporary art. The idea that we should have more in our minds the purpose for our actions to create art versus the overall goal is very moving to me. It makes sense, you want to be very aware and in the present moment for the pure creative process to develop but you also want to be open to other collaborators and inspirations to come in an evolve your work even more.

The other aspect of her speech that I was reflecting on after the convocation was her presentation itself. I thought many of her examples of her going into communities to do public art was interesting, but the way she presented it could have been a little bit more colorful. For instance, she used this diagram to explain the public art process with collaborating with other artists and individuals but I did not feel she fully explained this enough for the majority of the audience to really follow the steps she was taking. She brought up some really interesting theories, but skimmed over them to a point where if I had not read a small article she wrote where she talked about these theories some, I would have been completely lost and uninterested. Honestly, I think the information she was presenting was really cool, she just needed to consider her audience a little better and realize that the majority of spectators knew nothing of art curating and needed to see it from a little larger picture.

Happenings - Allan June Paik & me?

I looked into the famous Artist Allan Kaprow with his connection to "Happenings" this last week and found some interesting connections I never would have thought I would have with this artist works.

The idea of "Happenings" which as far as I remember something Allan Kaprow started with his work. Happenings are performances of life so to speak, and the artists organizes the event but the outcome is controlled based on all the participants. It seems to be considering life as art but only when lived completely the present moment, sense the artists are also against repeating any of these "happenings" at least with the same interpretation or recorded in any way. So its the art of the present, physically - doing the action or somehow engaging with the happening and intellectually- by dealing with the situation based on instinct instead of having time to analyze the situation.

In my art work I don't exactly do "Happenings", but I like to think about the immediate reaction an individual has to certain environmental changes based on instinct instead of purely societal. For instance, in my photography series i want to capture the physical changes with the models postures based on the environment they are set in. I feel as though it captures an essence of the human spirit, which is very fragile but extremely powerful if noticed with enough light.

It would have been awesome participating in one of the "happenings". A real self discovering moment.