So this week wrapped up with my finished shocking art piece. I ended up making an AK-47 out of paper and covered it in images of the Bible and placed it on some black and red wax hands. I was pretty happy with the final project, but it was not as shocking as I was hoping for. It was quite liberating destroying the Bible so I could paper mache with its contents. I go to church almost every weekend, but religion is used by people in the wrong way all too often. People use the Bible as a justification for horrible things. It is so frustrating to me and that was the point of the piece. It was not an anti-God piece, but focusing on anti-religion because they are such different things to me.
I was rather disappointed at the reaction of our pieces in general in regards to Back to School Night. I truly believe that art is a mode of commentary and expression. All of our pieces should have been displayed because students should be proud of their art. I don't mean to cause a fight, but art is intended to force discussion.
The Sarah Davis-inspired project has been fired and I decided to try a smoke firing with it because I am interested in exploring the idea.
"I just wanted to find out where the boundaries were. I've found out there aren't any. I wanted to be stopped but no one will stop me."
This is a picture of Damien Hirst's piece Virgin Mother. His portfolio is filled with shocking pieces and is a great source of inspiration.
So I've been working on coming up with my shocking art piece, but every idea I come up with becomes worn out to me. It's been really easy to help others with their ideas, but mine keep falling apart. So, honestly, I have not made good headway on that piece. My current idea is taking a platter of fake cupcakes that is inside a plastic box and putting a pad lock on it. It represents anorexia and how food seems kept in a place that you can't reach, but you can still see it. I think the sculpture has potential, but it is not that shocking. I really need to figure this one out. Some past ideas have been a playground of crack pipes (because drugs ruin childhood innocence), an iv bag made of beer bottles attached to a baby (fetal alcohol syndrome), one of my tape sculptures holding its own head (not really sure why)... there are all just feeling empty to me.
Put, anyway, here is a picture of the cupcakes that I'm learning how to make. The "cake" is made from expanding foam and the "frosting" is made from plaster.
The vase got fired. I'm not sure what to do with it now... Trash can is still looking good :)
"Hell isn't merely paved with good intentions; it's walled and roofed with them. Yes, and furnished too."
CIVIL WAR VOLLEYBALL TOMORROW NIGHT!
Here is a picture of what I am trying to finish up from the retreat. It is a vase, about 10 inches tall. I'm really liking how the whole is an organic shape instead of just a circle. No idea how to glaze this yet so hit me up if you have ideas.
I'm starting sketches on a sculpture made of denim. I saw this picure of a birdhouse and I found it really inspiring. Jeans share so much about who a person is and every pair has a story. I'm keeping the sketches incognito at the moment, but this is still a cool pic.
Well that's all folks. Gingerbread cookies in class tomorrow.
"Reason is powerless in the expression of love"
I really enjoyed the art retreat! It was a great time to reduce the stresses associated with producing art and just create. It was really fun to get to know everyone in class better and eat WAY too much :) The weekend gave me a lot of inspiration for my concentration pieces and some other works I want to create. I really enjoyed Sarah and her stories of how she got into clay... haha. At first, I was really frustrated to be working with clay because I really don't enjoy it. But the project grew on me and I am beginning to really like the vase that I am making (picture soon). The projects inspired by Andy Goldsworthy were my favorite because they are really relaxing to create because you don't have to worry about structural stability. I really wanted to do something with this creek that I found. I tried stringing bright red berries on this natural bridge over the creek, but they weren't as noticeable as I would have liked. So I took them down and floating the berries on chunks of moldy white wood instead. I wouldn't say it was my most creative work, but it was fun to create. The best part was watching it all float down the stream at the end.
And thanks to everyone who participated in such a great game of ten fingers. Clap. Clap. Clap.
"Art is what you can get away with"
