Self-portait

My self-portrait was difficult to pursue. I didn’t know how to go about expressing myself on paper. I tried two different techniques but I did not execute them properly. So finally I got an idea while in the dark room walking jumping around like a crazy person. I decided on 5 words that describe me and then I would translate them into photographs. The five words that I chose were: giving, ditzy, misfit, clumsy, mousy.
To describe the word giving in a photo I put myself in a box and my intent was to look surprised at the person I am giving the gift to. Like when a child gets a puppy for Christmas. The second word I choose was ditzy. To describe ditzy I sat on a chair and tried to read a book upside down. My friends always call me ditzy because I never think about what I say. Words just sometimes come out. The third word I used was misfit, and to describe it I put a pumpkin costume on and I walked around a Christmas tree lot. I choose this word because it is how I feel in my temporary home. The four word was clumsy this word was chosen for me for obvious reason. In this photo I was trying to pull on a door that you can only push. And the last word that I chose was mousy. I chose mousy because it was a word that my parents used to describe me when I was a child. As a child I was very soft-spoken and very shy. I always thought that these actions were a product of being an only child. In this photo I put mouse ears on and drew whiskers on myself and I was in the corner of an empty room.
This project definitely made me think about my feelings and myself a lot. I don’t think I would have ever thought of myself this intense otherwise. I think that is why I was having so much trouble starting this project. I didn’t have a clear idea of my intent. I am glad that our last project was a self-portrait because it was definitely our toughest project.

-annette elizalde

FINAL CRIT

Final critique is tomorrow - bring food, drinks, etc.... We will NOT be printing anymore, and your work is to be turned in at the beginning of class. All prints should be mounted, and you can matt for extra credit. No late work will be accepted. I will be in lab from 5-9 pm, if you would like to matt/mount extra prints. If no one is here by 5:30, I will be leaving. See you in critique tomorrow.

Keith Carter at HCP Saturday!

Artist Talk and Book Signing with Keith Carter
Saturday December 6, 2008, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

http://hcponline.org/calendar.asp?show=640&calid=602

http://www.keithcarterphotographs.com/images.html

Upcomming Openings

Diverse Works
Thrive

Notions of time play through the work of 16 notable artists from Houston in Thrive, an exhibition organized in conjunction with a conference at University of Houston: "Gender, Creativity and the New Longevity." The exhibit and accomanying programs are a co-presentation of DiverseWorks and Women's Studies program at University of Houston. Artists include Elia Arce, Laura Bennett, Ellen Berman, Suzanne Bloom, Joanne Brigham, Kathy Hall, Roberta Harris, Rachel Hecker, Mary Jenewein, Lauren Kelley, Charles Mary Kubricht, Lynn Randolph, Debra Rueb, Toby Topek, Kelli Vance and Dee Wolff.

http://www.diverseworks.org/?pgid=3&subid=6&cid=169

_______________________________________________________________________

Lawndale Art Center
November 21, 2008 – January 10, 2009
Opening Reception Friday, November 21, 2008, 6:30-8:30 PM
Artist talks at 6:00 PM

Pleasing Punch | AJ Liberto and Jesse Robinson
Personal Panopticon | Cory Wagner
Once Removed | Ann Marie Nafziger
Flowback | Mequitta Ahuja
To Whom It May Concern | Emily Sloan
NIMBY | Kevin Curry

http://www.lawndaleartcenter.org/events/upComing_front.html

5 print project

The photograph I chose for the five print project was taken at the metropolitan multi-service center at west gray. I was driving by on my way to camera co-op. This area caught my eye because of all the chaos happening outside the building. There were several people and signs coming from every direction. I could barely even glimpse at one sign without another one catching my eye. This is exactly how I felt as I was walking up to the building. There were several people in front of the building yelling out politicians’ names that were campaigning in this year’s election. They were talking to people about why they should vote for the politician they were representing as they were walking up to vote early. They tried there hardest to get your attention. Some people were willing to listen others would just walk but without eye contact. This picture captures exactly how I felt approaching this building, chaotic. It felt like there were several people pulling me in every direction. People are receptive to all the campaigning and others just want to run in the opposite direction. This is represented in the two people that are on the sidewalk. One person is walking in the direction of the early voting sign. The other person is running in the opposite direction. Not only that, but the signs are a representation of how politicians in this years campaign are all fighting to get your attention. Every campaign there is a battle for the publics vote but this year is an intense race. I know I have never been impressed or even interested in politics, but this elect I feel is important for everyone living in this country. Everything that has happened to us recently from the war in Iraq, to our nations economy crisis, to hurricane Ike that has happened not to long ago has really effected this election. This picture can be viewed and interpreted in several ways. It is all up to the viewer and their own personal thoughts and feelings about this years election.

-annette elizalde

project: 5 print

For my project I choose a statue that is outside my house. This statue has been outside my house since I can remember. I think my grandpa gave brought over to my house when I was younger. What I like about it is how on the statue you can see how much the paint has faded, how much the statue itself has been weathered down overtime, but it still stands. I guess you can say I kind of like the old style, old fashioned look of it. I always like the old classic look of what once was and now is. To me it just tells so much rather than having a new object that has nothing to say.
The statue has a smile on its face, like a smirk you would say, resembling a young boy. The object is sitting down on some sort of hump that the tree grew out. That has always been somewhat of an object that stand out for me. All the shadows and cracks it has creates somewhat of an imaginary object or an object that can be anything in some one’s mind. As the statue, that hump has also been weathered down which created those cracks and shadows in between it. Without all the shadows and cracks it would just be one boring plain object. All though there is just one main focus in this photograph both objects somewhat have a coexistence with one another. In some way you can say that both objects somehow come in harmony together. They both stay still, there both motionless objects, there both mindless objects but yet they say so much without even being able to.
The background of the photograph are plants ,shrubs and bushes. When I took the picture I just wanted somewhat of a background which will make the statue be the main focus and go in part with the tree. But once I look at the picture closely it kind of seems as all the green plants in the background mean in some way new life or young life. The plants are full of color bright green, very sensitive, barely even aged. They haven’t seen what the tree or the statue have seen. So you could say that this picture is somewhat telling of age and time. Everything is bound to have wrinkles, cracks and a deeper sense of age over time. The picture splits into two different situations now, of young and old. But then again the whole picture as a whole shows how nature treats its own over time. What once was and now is.

Arthur C.

5 Print

For my five print project I choose some graffiti that I pass by every day on my way home from school. Art is the eye of the beholder as some would say, well I am a person who is intrigued be the unfamiliar or indifferent objects than others. These like many other paintings/ statues are often forgotten. I however was raised in a mountain infested valley filled with nothing but our imagination. Driving by I see many interesting things that influence my everyday thoughts.
Fascinated with this pictures detail of complexity considering the process and the concentration needed to finish this art. But it also has a feeling of anger within this picture. The words pute art at the bottom meaning “to play a mean trick on somebody” brings thoughts of instigating adolescents with bad tempers. But thinking positive makes me consider what the people of this city have gone through to make them so upset with this world. Looking upon this picture makes me wonder how well others and myself could be if they just put more effort into their talents.
Truly this picture just as life is inspiring me to become more than just an indifferent being and makes me wonder about other art all over this world. Wanting to become an architect, inspiration is helpful no matter what the source. I found many pieces of art upon this somewhat uninhabited building, most where words that I could not make out clearly.
This one particular looked as though a person wanted out of that forlorn place. As I said earlier, I am intrigued by almost everything as my friends would say. So I believe this had a good demonstration of colors and complexity which will inspire others to better than just what be required of them. “Like constructive criticism”


-Alexander-