Metaphorical Project Final Photos

more photos to come...

Life Map Project

For my life map project, I chose to focus on the story in my write up revolving around my younger brother and I getting in a car wreck and my mother injuring herself attempting to save us. I chose this story because it is one of my most earliest and most vivid memories of my life. Throughout working on this project, I was heavily influenced by Tony Shipp's portfolio. I attended the faculty show where there was an art piece deep inside some extensive framing lit up by a lamp, making the art work the frame and lighting affects entirely. The method made the actual piece of art in the center pop out and I wanted to get close to achieving this effect. First I drew my mother using conte crayon on black artagain paper. Representationally, I drew my mother, conceptually speaking, I drew my mother distraught and with exaggerated features. I did this because I wanted the piece to give off a similar feel of what happened that day and a fearful emotion. I wanted the intensity felt when you leaned in close and looked into the eyes. The rest of the piece is more simple to explain the creating process. I built a frame using the same method I would use to build a frame for stretching a canvas over before painting. Next I painted the frame black. I kept the nails and screws visible intentionally when constructing. I copied black and white maps of Salado, Texas, where this event took place. I scattered the maps on a piece of masonite board attached with ModPodge, then I added another layer of maps followed by a second layer of ModPodge for a glazed effect over the maps. I also used ModPodge because I wanted the maps to be somewhat 3 dimensional from the masonite giving the effect of actual paper maps as if they were sitting in the seat of a car then tossed around in the air if that car were to wreck. Next I placed the drawing inside a glass and wood frame, cutting out the silhouette of my mother's head and leaving the background transparent so the maps behind would then be visible. I attached this frame with the drawing on top of the masonite and larger black frame by using long black screws, placing it in the center of the maps and sitting about 2 inches from the background. To light the piece and continue the black and white color theme so that it would seem apart of the piece as a whole, I placed a black and white lamp above the whole piece. Then, to continue the melancholy mood behind the art work, I used a red light bulb to light up the whole piece.

Metaphorical Proposal #2 PHOTOS

Metaphorical Proposal #3

My third proposal is based around nothing because I don't have one. I decided to go for my second proposal with the wood carving. End.

Metaphorical Proposal #2

This proposal is based around my second "crossing the line" write up, revolving around death, fear, and the afterlife. Unlike the first proposal, this piece will not have so many parts to it, it will basically be a 2 in one sculpture with a couple found objects but the mass of the entire piece can fit on a single pedestal. Half of this will be a subtractive sculpture (from wood) of myself or a human figure, the other half will be a skull, and on top of our joined heads will be a crown, symbolizing a prolonged search for a higher power. A couple found or acquired objects included, one having to do with a light source. I don't want to give all the details away because I want the finished piece to speak for itself. The metaphor is death in the presence of a being, and all things that can be associated with it. I'll explain more after the piece is finished.

Metaphorical Proposal #1

My project could be considered completely self sufficient as far as being based upon metaphors and memories. I am drawing my inspiration from my life map occurrences in place of the short story. I have one general, overall theme, created by combing multiple metaphors. It revolves around the metaphor of art saving my life.  Even though my proposal is based around a single, vague metaphor, visually multiple works of art will represent it. All of which, relating to memories within my life map list. I will also create a high representation of contrast within the assemblage of metaphors combined with very literal based objects and an overall metaphor that is more conceptual. In the first step to achieve this, I will develop multiple sculptures or three-dimensional objects to symbolize negative social practices and influences that in some way can relate to my past experiences. For example:

Consider the following broken down into three categories: memories/experiences, literal metaphors, and the process of creating each. 

Early collegiate party category--"shit faced"--Sculpt a head or a bust out of plaster or clay w / simulated waste on  the face. --"smoke a roach"--Collect or sculpt an actual roach bug and place it between a clip or tweezers. --"cancer stick"--Wooden sticks or tree branches in a cigarette package. --"skunk beer"--A beer bottle w/ a picture of a skunk as the label. 

Past relationship(s) category--"devil in disguise"--Sculpt a seemingly attractive girl w/half of her head resembling the devil

Depression, aftermath of a failed relationship, negative lifestyle category--"losing control", "losing my mind"--Acquire or create a section of a tree trunk, stapled upon it, a sign resembling a lost pet flyer with a picture of text reading control and sanity, both with dog collars 

 

(note, all metaphors are created in a very literal sense for a purpose)

Along with the pieces above, also placed in the same space will be other paraphernalia symbolizing this type of lifestyle, not necessarily relating to my past involvement but more to describe this genre. Such as, an empty condom box representing multiple sexual exploits, a broken piggy bank representing a malpractice in responsible budgeting, and empty pill bottles, further representing drug use.

All of these objects will then be enclosed inside a cage made up of paint brushes, sketching pencils, and other artistic mark making utensils. The cage or cell will also have chains and locks attached. This cell locking away all the negatively portrayed objects will represent how art stepped into my life and muted the extremities of past habits and influences, separating them from personal interaction. However, this cell will not be completely solid, the gaps between the utensils will make this personal separation porous, symbolizing the fact that the negative attributes are not completely shut off from existence and memory. Therefore, annoyingly they have the ability to leak through and contaminate my current self or cause influence. In which way I choose for these memories to influence me however, as an artist, fortunately is now up to me. I now have the ability to take these influences and channel them as sources for content in my artwork, therefore possibly considered a positive outcome.

Next to the cage will be a first aid kit. Only this first aid kit will not contain medical supplies but instead art supplies. I will create packages that will closely resemble actual medical ones filled with things like a tube of paint in place for antibacterial cream, a roll of a canvas strip in place for gauze, paint brushes, pencils, strips of paper, charcoal, etc.

Each setting will be displayed close together on multiple podiums and I will incorporate different lighting into each scenario.  

Mark Making Project

For my final mark making project I found scraps of rusted steel and assembled them with the principles of gestalt in mind. Selecting pieces that I thought when set next to each other, still with a gap in between each piece, seemed to be apart of a whole. I wanted to show one of two emotions, either anger or fear. The dark,  red/brown rust color of the metal I thought would go well with a monochromatic orange/red paint and would also go along with an anger or fear theme. To bring it all together, make the piece seem complete and professional, and to make it all pop out even further from the wall when displayed, I coated each piece with a thick polyurethane. When installing the piece, I wanted it to set off of the wall so shadows from the edgy metal would be apparent. I installed it using black screws and keeping the pieces 2-3 inches off the wall. I then experimented with different types of lighting for the final touch.