And Once Again…

Friday, September 24^th

After visiting Muriel’s Doll House and Treasure Mart I came away with images of toys and started to narrow down the types of toys I wanted to focus on in my project.  I determined that I was more interested in handcrafted toys then mass-produced toys such as Barbie. 

(3 hours)

Sunday, September 26^th

I came to studio and continued to work on my woodblock of a dollhouse.  I was also able to transfer another dollhouse onto a piece of wood and start carving that as well. 

(4 hours)

Tuesday, September 28^th

Continued to work on my woodblocks…

(3 hours)

Thursday, September 30^th

Continued to work on my woodblocks and had an important conversation with Seth that changed my image ideas.  From now on I will choose images that engage the viewer from a child’s perspective.  For example, instead of a full outsiders view of a dollhouse I will show the interior spaces so it mimics the perspective of a child better.  I also searched for other images online and plan to buy and take more interactive photos of toys this weekend.  Hopefully, my new images will help to push me more towards the thinking and imagination of a child instead of an adult’s perspective.

(3 hours)

For this week…

I plan to search for toys this weekend that I can photograph from a child’s perspective rather than my perspective.  Hopefully, I will be able to run a proof of one of my woodblocks and continue to cut into my blocks more for next week. 

- Woodblock - 

Treasured Toys

My trip to Treasure Mart in photos...

My trip to Plymouth (in one picture).

My attempt at visiting Muriel's Doll House in Plymouth, but to my disappointment it was closed. 

In My Studio This Week…

In My Studio This Week…

Monday/Wednesday

Worked on woodblock image and transfer during print class.  Transferred image of dollhouse using graphite paper onto MDF board that was shellacked twice.  I then reinforced image by drawing over transferred image with sharpie and shading in certain areas. 

(4 hours)

Tuesday

Researched dollhouses online, searching for nearby dollhouse manufactures and actually found one in Plymouth.  I plan on visiting this store along with Treasure Mart in Kerrytown on Friday.  Hopefully, I will be able to compile a good group of images and possible old toys that I can use for future prints in my series.  I also wrote and drew in my sketchbook outlining possibly images of dollhouses for another woodcut.

(3 hours)

Thursday

Began to cut into my MDF board, forgetting how time-consuming woodcutting actually is as a process.  Made progress and plan on working on my block this weekend.  I will hopefully transfer another image of a dollhouse on to a smaller block of wood that I have also shellacked. 

(3 hours)

Friday

I plan to visit Muriel's Doll House in Plymouth and Treasure Mart in Kerrytown.

Posted a piece of paper on my wall to brainstorm my ideas so that I can better articulate my project idea.

Wood Block so far…

For this coming week:

Hope to continue cutting into my dollhouse image

Possible transfer and start to cut another woodblock

Visit dollhouse manufacturer in Plymouth and Treasure Mart in Kerrytown

Look into volunteering for Detroit Connections or SOS Community

Try and pin down solid ideas for my project proposal 

Artist Presentation: Tom Huck

Detail of Tom Huck's Print

          

           Tom Huck, the owner of Evil Prints, is a woodcut artist who works with large-scale print media.  He is based in St. Louis Missouri, but originally grew up in Potosi, Missouri and uses this town’s history as a basis for many of his prints.  His series called Two Weeks in August explores the different folktales from his hometown in surprisingly graphic detail.  These absurd and gruesome images are what originally drew me to Tom Huck’s work.

            Tom Huck is associated with the recent print movement called outlaw printmaking, which explores the odd dichotomy of disgust and intrigue, which I really admire.  Before I began experimenting with wood my projects seemed safe and uncontroversial.  However, the physical act of carving into the wood is a kind of therapy for me, and as a result woodcuts have led me to express emotions and images that I otherwise would have strayed away from conveying.

            It is important to note the major influence behind Tom Huck’s work because it directly relates to his prints, as well as my own.  Apocalypse with Pictures (Apocalypsis cum Figuris) is a series of fifteen woodcuts created by Albercht Durer in 1498.  The fifteen woodblocks tell stories from the Book of Revelation and gave Durer, a German printmaker, huge fame and led him to be called one of the greatest artists of the Northern Renaissance.  He revolutionized the way in which print media was viewed and showed the great potential of the medium.

Albercht Durer Print

            Albercht Durer is a huge influence for Tom Huck and Tom Huck is a huge influence for me.  He is fully invested in his work and unafraid of his medium, which inspires me to push aside and worries I may have and just dive in.  I saw his prints originally in 2008 during Endi Poskovic’s print class and his image entitled The Annual NRA Squirrel Hunt and BBQ has haunted me every since.  His attention to detail is also something to admire and is overwhelming.  His use of the entire block and intricate cuts pushed me to be unafraid of using the entire surface of my medium and has led me to create much more exciting prints. 

            The images and stories that Tom Huck is able to illustrate are amusing and hard to digest.  I admire his storytelling, his ability to reflect on past memories and stories, and I feel this is a very important part of any piece of art.  I strive to be able to tell a complete story and history as well as Tom Huck and I hope that I will be able to come close in my IP project for this coming year.   

                        Go Visit his site!! http://www.evilprints.com/gallery.html

My Print

Detail of Tom Huck's Print

Week 1

My Studio (Again)…

Friday, September 10, 2010

Drove to Ypsilanti with Lauren to discuss my project idea with Mr. Guillen the principle of Estabrook.  After spending ten minutes trying to get into the building, we finally made our way to the main office.  Although we were unable to meet with Mr. Guillen we left my contact information and I was hopeful that he would reach out soon.  It is now Thursday and I have yet to hear from him or the school so I may try and meet with him tomorrow. 

(1 hour)

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

It was my 21^st birthday today, but work still goes on in the IP studios.  I worked today on my first project, completing my infograph about the school closings in Ypsilanti.  I also made a project plan for a toilet paper roll racecar.  I continued to think about the unavoidable question of WHY? and was able to come up with a reason for my want to work with children.

(3 hours)

Thursday, September 16, 2010

After moving my new table and pillow into my studio, I finally put up artwork on my walls and am excited to start working in my studio.  Today was devoted to thinking of the different ‘layers’ of my actual project.  However, halfway through my brainstorming Erica and I had a discussion that really changed my ideas.  The outcome of the conversation was that I have decided to change my project completely.

I realized that working with children is something that I need to do for personal reasons and I am working too hard to fit it into my final project.  I don’t necessarily want to rule out the before/after school program, but it doesn’t necessarily have to relate to my IP project, it can just be a personal experience. 

So…. New project ideal…. I am very interested in printmaking and I believe that I want to do something in relation to possibly my childhood or maybe my “lost” childhood.  I would like to start a woodcut of a dollhouse soon to see if it something that I want to explore.  I also spent a little time in the print studio today completing a mono-print of a baby picture of myself.

(4 hours)

Sketched, planned ideas in my sketchbook throughout the entire week

(2 hours)

Accomplishments/Discovered...

Changed my project, possibly

Completed a mono-print of a baby picture

Discovered a dollhouse photo that I would like to use for my new woodcut

For this week…

Start a woodcut of the dollhouse photograph

Think of more ideas, ways to integrate my love of printmaking and childhood

Talk with Janie about possibly volunteering for Detroit Connections

Learn/research more about SOS Community Services

Possibly contact Mr.Guillen once again.. 

Trip to Estabrook

Friday September 10th Lauren and I travelled the twelve minute car ride to Estabrook Elementary school in  hopes of meeting with Principal Guillen.  Although our plans did not pan out as well as we hoped, I was able to leave my contact information with the secretary and she promised to have Mr. Guillen call me as soon as possible.  We did get some great pictures though!

My new studio...

It's not finished quite yet, but I thought I'd give a little preview of my little studio...

As always I will start with...

Welcome to my first ever blog! As I always do in my sketchbooks, I will start off with one of my favorite quotes from Neil Leach, "And each one of its nooks and corners was a resting-place for daydreams."  And so begins my senior year...