Week 11 and a bit overwhelmed

I haven't been able to take time to update my blog....My daughter Lauren had told me that a Masters program would take a huge amount of time. She's right. I spent 6 days writing a 6 page paper. Of course that includes the amount of time I had to relearn how to read and write critically.(Thank goodness for my 3 different tutors to help me!!) My aluminum quilt took 54 hours. I had tested and prototyped up 3 of my 4 weeks to complete the project..sooooo I spent the final week building. That was the first week in a long time that I didn't paint....not good. Funny thing though....writing about art, talking about art, creatively building art is making me a better painter.

4' x 4.5' Aluminum quilt

This is my second sculpture. I wanted to see if I could make metal look like fabric. I used the traditional quilting process to cut and piece this quilt. It was very positively received by my prof and the other artists. A friend of mine asked if he can use it as a backdrop for a nude model :) I enjoyed the process so much that I'm going to build another quilt. I can see it in my mind...I can't wait to touch it!!



Print of prototype quilt
embossed with caustic residue


Having access to all of the departments at UC is the best part of being in the MFA program. I have never considered print making as an interest. I'm excited about the results and the potential...... I intend to play with the other images that I embossed...The Print prof invited me to use the print studio.....so I intend on making more proto-type structures and running prints! I was told at one critique that I need to make some ugly art LOL....I have a studio back home full of ugly art. I want to play with the emphasis on beauty at UC.



My studio after 2 months

Another bonus is to have your work critiqued by national artists. I had two studio visits from visiting artists  Joe Fig (sculpture/painter) and Kate Steciw (photographer) . I don't actually "learn" how to sculpt, paint, draw, print make.....I take studio classes to experiment. The prof and peer critics are amazing. I've learned that I'm easily distracted with learning new things and I need to be corralled at times. I was considering an Intaglio class but both my paint prof and Kate told me that I don't need to learn new skills....I need to explore deeper into the skills I have now.