Extra Post: Image Update

I finally have a new image to post for this semester! I'm very excited about it (read about my awesome meeting with Tom here) and happy with the way it turned out.

The Bath, 2010, Paper Collage, approximately 3x5'

Lecture: Hank Willis Thomas

Hank Willis Thomas' lecture this afternoon was difficult at times - particularly the short film Winter in America from which I'm posting stills below - but he was clever and his work was interesting/thought provoking overall.

Thomas' work commonly deals with issues of race, discrimination, and violence through unconventional methods. I was most moved and saddened by Winter in America - a stop-animation film depicting the last five minutes of his cousin's life before being murdered. In collaboration with another artist - Kambui Olujimi - Thomas used GIJoe action figures to re-create the scene of Songha Thomas Willis' tragic death. Of his decision to use toys for this work, Thomas said he hoped it would be a "goofy, disarming" way to comment on our desensitization to violence, particularly through our toy choice for young boys. He said "In child's play, death isn't concerning - you can always pick them back up."

Though their content is depressing, I find the photographs from Winter in America to be beautiful in their own way - through composition, color, and prevalence of gorgeous lens flares - so I'm posting them below. I'm also including a video interview with Hank Willis Thomas that I found online tonight. Definitely watch it; he's a smart guy and an interesting speaker.

Hank Willis Thomas in collaboration with Kambui Olujimi
Lawrence Watching, 2005, lightjet print

Hank Willis Thomas in collaboration with Kambui Olujimi
Down in the Snow, 2005, lightjet print

Hank Willis Thomas in collaboration with Kambui Olujimi
Here they Come, 2005, lightjet print

Unfortunately, I had to leave the lecture early to take a quiz in another class today, so I was not present when he showed Along the Way, a beautiful photo/video mosaic. I'm glad Arlie told me about it; it's interesting to see how his work seems to be taking a turn towards happier things. Check it out here.

Artist: Thomas Allen

In Alternative Processes and Techniques on Thursday, Tom gave us a few artists to look to for inspiration. As a result, I fell in love with Thomas Allen. I adore the way he cuts out figures from book covers and constructs - often sultry - scenes around them. What makes them so brilliant and beautiful is the way he lights and photographs them, which is something that I am starting to play with in my own work (hoping to post images of photographed collages soon!) Naturally, I was sitting in that class brimming with inspiration for Senior Portfolio.

I checked out Allen's blog and I was sorry that I could not find out more about him. I'd love to read a statement about his work - if anyone knows where to find one, please let me know. In the meantime, I'm posting some of my favorite images below, and I'm debating over ordering Uncovered - the book of this series - from amazon right now. Check out how amazing these are:

Research: GLUE!

In light of what happened with my collage before my last meeting with Tom (the glue wasn't flexible and it fell apart when I rolled it up), I thought types of glue would be a good thing to research this week. I mentioned in my post on the class blog that I may not be using glue anymore. However, nothing is certain at this point, so I want to know which kind would be best if I do decide to stick with a more permanent application of myself and Henry on the plane of my images.

Tom suggested checking out Gac by Golden. I searched the Golden website and found that a gel (basically acrylic paint minus the pigment) would likely be the best. The website says: "Soft Gels - Thinner than GOLDEN Heavy Body Acrylic colors, Soft Gels are moderately pourable. Hold only slight peaks. The recommended acrylic to function as a glue for collaging. "

Through my own research, I stumbled upon Yes! Paste by Gane Brothers & Lane. This one sounds too good to be true. According to the Gane website, Yes! Paste is water soluble, non-toxic (very important for lots of reasons, but most importantly because of Henry), and dries clear and permanently flexible. The description even says "It is slow-setting, allowing crafters to reposition and adjust their crafting materials. In addition, is is 100% acid free, making it perfect for archival work, such as scrapbooking. Clean-up is a breeze with Yes! Paste; simply dilute excess glue with warm water." It also claims that it will not wrinkle or curl even delicate materials. And, it's available at Michael's if not Plaza.

Armed with this information, I'm heading out to Plaza and Michael's later today or early tomorrow. It's time to tackle a new collage and (hopefully) head to my next meeting tear-free.

Artist: William Steinman

I struggled to find someone to blog about this week. I seem to spend every weekend searching for a new collage artist, when I should probably look at more than that. This week I decided to go for a more general criteria - mixed media - rather than strictly collage. After all, mixed media often involves collage, and I'm considering allowing Henry to draw and paint on my collages, which would throw them into that category as well.

This week, I found William Steinman. It's funny that I'm drawn to his work, because it all seems to stem from things I'm not interested in - like graffiti and comic books. However, his Comic Flesh series caught my eye and held it. I'm particularly interested in the function of color in this work, and how all of the various elements mesh on the plane. If I hadn't read the titles, it would have taken me a very long time to realize that these works include images of comic book heroes and villains (look close - they do!)

Steinman explains his process and the origins of his work in his statement:

I have always been addicted to street culture. When I was young, I would take my skateboard out all day and ride around downtown Phoenix. As I explored the city, I began noticing the incredible array of graffiti around me, and seeing all of this sparked something in me. Soon I merged right into the world of graffiti art. I focused on nothing but painting and photographing graffiti. Eventually I began to feel that graffiti was becoming increasingly dangerous and redundant, and then I started studying painting.

Given my early obsession with graffiti, I made a natural progression to the bold lines and appropriated images of Pop art. I found myself more attracted to Warhol’s prints of fatalities and Lichtenstein’s blown up comic images, than to the Keith Harring and Basquiat pieces that my high school art teachers were always pushing on me. Moving to New York after college got me very interested in the work of artists like Richard Prince and Christopher Wool, as well as the everyday art I see on the streets.

I call my work the dark side of Pop. I employ blown up images, modern store bought objects, found materials, lots of comic books, and combine it all together with industrial glue. My work relies on my reaction to the images I find, and my intention is to make each image louder and not so easily overlooked. Just like as with the ready-mades, I let anyone do the work of manufacturing the image, but my work begins in observing and altering it. These newer images can make me nauseous, while at the same time conjuring a feeling of nostalgia—I want to present them this way.

A few of my favorites from Comic Flesh are posted below. Please see Steinman's website for more images and information.

William Steinman, Comic Flesh E
mixed media on acrylic sheet, 26.5x19.5 inches

William Steinman, Comic Flesh D
mixed media on acrylic sheet, 26.5x19.5 inches

William Steinman, Comic Flesh B
mixed media on acrylic sheet, 26.5x19.5 inches

Idea Post: Escapism

Is escapism bad, or is it a healthy option for a single mother and her child?

Yes, this is my idea topic! I have been thinking about my collages a lot recently (especially because I am working on some of the biggest ones I've ever made for my upcoming meeting with Tom) and I can't help but think of them as a means of escape. Within the confines of a 2-dimensional image, I can play out any scenario my heart desires. I can climb out of the window, run away, eat my child, be tiny, be huge, be lazy, be ... whatever. So, all of this leads me to the question: Is it wrong for me to search for a means of escape, and does it make me less of a super-mom? That question leads to a million more, but I am going to try to stick to the one.

I LOVE being a mommy, even though it is the hardest job I've ever had. However, there are times when I do want to fantasize for a few seconds that I do not have this immense responsibility - at least not all to myself. So, I take these collages as my chance to play out that fantasy. I struggle with this. I don't want people to think that I am looking for a way out or anything like that; I feel bad for even admitting that I look for an escape. But what if it isn't bad? I started researching this question, and I think I have come to the conclusion that it isn't. Maybe I'm just trying to make myself feel better, but I can't help but believe that without an occasional break, we would all lose our minds.

"Retreating to fantasy helps people gather strength to face the real world. It keeps the spirit alive and kicking—and inspires us to confront our problems." - Ethan Gilsdorf from Is Escapism Bad for Us? No. In addition to this very comforting quote, I found the definition of escapism to be encouraging as well. Although escapism is largely considered to be a negative thing, it is also mostly thought of as escape to a technological otherworld, but I am immersing myself and Henry in a real, tactile activity. Through making these collages, I am not zoning Henry out while staring at a glowing screen, but rather involving him in a thought-provoking process, largely made of thinking of our relationship to each other.

Conclusion: I don't have to feel guilty for escaping through my work, especially when I'm taking Henry with me. The process is therapeutic and rejuvenating, and helps me to work through all of the rollercoaster thoughts and feelings that come along with single motherhood. Now, to think of a better word than "escape"...

Artist: Lena Wolff

I was first drawn to Lena Wolff's paper works because I thought they were gorgeous, somewhat whimsical, and made with impeccable craft. On closer inspection, I have become very interested in the process and meaning behind her collages. I have been toying with the idea of piecing together small collages to make something much larger, and I love that she has done exactly that, to create what she calls "paper quilts." Please read an excerpt from her statement below:

"As an artist I'm informed by an interest in folk art, anthropomorphic fables, allegory, organic abstraction and veneration for the natural world. Working with mixed mediums on paper, I draw from philosophies of the Arts and Crafts Movement and the re-contextualization of textile traditions as much as by contemporary drawing and painting practice.

Using paper-cut, collage and pinpricks on paper, I work to construct textured and layered images that appear otherworldly and fantastic. The pieces with darker backgrounds can appear black in reproductions but are actually a dark metallic gray that is affected by light. These surfaces are made by building up thin layers of dark gray paint on paper which is then rubbed with powdered graphite. The paper is punctured with a needle to create pinpricks and finally hand-painted cut and pasted collage pieces, along with various minute sizes of hole-punched paper are laid on top. By working on the front and back-side of the paper, the surface is handled by hand like fabric as much as paper itself, and often multiple panels are joined in a single piece to make paper quilts. "

I'm posting a few of my favorites from her portfolio below. I highly recommend checking out her website to view them larger, as well as to learn more about her.

Lena Wolff, Twilight Gathering, 2006
Paper quilt: acrylic, graphite, pinprick and collage on rag paper, 84x70 inches

Lena Wolff, Blue Peacock, 2006
acrylic, graphite, pinpricks and collage on paper, 30x22 inches

Lena Wolff, Night Mountain, 2007
Paper quilt: acrylic, graphite, pinpricks, and collage on paper, 44x48 inches, nine panels

Lena Wolff, Untitled (Five Bird Gathering), 2007
collage on paper, 44x44 inches