MFA Thesis Exhibition
Canzani Center Gallery
60 Cleveland Ave.
Columbus, OH 43215
Slideshow
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Large-scale Installation
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| The wall that separates us from our working space. |
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| Preliminary work: getting the stretcher bars, drywall, and equipment over the 15' wall. |
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| We installed "handicapped shower rails" for easier mobility. |
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| Setting up all of the lighting. |
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| Mirrored plexi cut-outs. Perfectly executed by the laser cutter. |
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Objects in Motion
The April 12th deadline to install our MFA Thesis Exhibition is fast approaching, so staying on task is paramount at this stage in the game. I've been busy constructing the supports for all nine of the pieces being exhibited in the south end of the Canzani Gallery. I'm also attempting to build a moving sculpture that acts as a painting installation hanging directly across from this series of work. The object in motion will be back-lit from a hidden room behind the wall, giving the appearance that the form inside the canvas is actually transforming. In order for this to work, I've designed a "mack wall" with a hole in it. The canvas will be stretched with a material called muslin, which is generally used in theater productions or back-drops to set designs. I will then hang the stretched canvas over the hole, allowing the light from the other room to project on to the moving shape, causing the form to project into the canvas. I've created the object from colored plexiglass using the laser cutter, ensuring a pristine, transparent contour that mimics my painted forms inside the composition.
I have exactly 2 months to pull this off, one month being February, the shortest month of the year. As long as I adhere to the timeline I've created, I might just be able to formalize the concept of movement. This body of work is an exciting departure from what I've created in the past. Blending traditional painting techniques with a sculptural, installation-based object will set this exhibit apart from anything typical or ordinary. I feel confident, that if executed correctly, that this work will translate better than any other previous attempts I've made in two-dimensional media.
I have exactly 2 months to pull this off, one month being February, the shortest month of the year. As long as I adhere to the timeline I've created, I might just be able to formalize the concept of movement. This body of work is an exciting departure from what I've created in the past. Blending traditional painting techniques with a sculptural, installation-based object will set this exhibit apart from anything typical or ordinary. I feel confident, that if executed correctly, that this work will translate better than any other previous attempts I've made in two-dimensional media.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
First Week, Second Year
The time has come where we are beginning our first week of our second and final year in the MFA program. I am very excited to announce that I will be teaching the Design: Projects and Strategies class while formalizing and developing my final thesis proposal. In the midst of a busy summer, I managed to sort out some of the preliminary details for my thesis project, present a solo exhibition and gallery talk to the community, and secure a position as an Adjunct Professor here at CCAD. I am really looking forward to the challenges and new endeavors that await me for the upcoming semester as I move further into my career as both a teacher, and as a studio artist. I would like to thank the entire faculty and staff at CCAD for giving me such a warm welcome and allowing me to transition so easily into your community.
Design: Projects and Strategies is a required Freshman Foundations course that is designed to act as a "central hub" for all incoming Freshman. In this course, we will cover everything from the Principles of Design to all 3 on-line eLearning courses that students must complete to gain access to future upper-level courses. This course basically acts as an introduction to the fundamental principles of organization, 2-D, 3-D and 4-D design. Challenging projects emphasize concept research, development, and actuation. Students will acquire communication skills through written work and oral presentations. As we get further involved in the concepts of design, students will move through progressively more complex methods of composition, visual storytelling, and creative problem solving. Digital media applications, safe studio practices, and competency with various 2 -D and 3-D materials will be developed and expected by the end of each semester.
For the past 2 months I have been working diligently on developing a challenging and exciting curriculum for the upcoming semester. Chris Yates, who has mentored me throughout the summer, has put together a cohesive project list and set of objectives that he has graciously allowed me to adopt for my own class. Equipped with Chris's syllabus and shadowing John Kortlander last semester as a teaching assistant in what essentially was the same class, I feel completely prepared for a successful school year.
I will continue to update my progress and any new developments made throughout the year concerning my thesis project. John Kortlander and I have scheduled a meeting where I will then begin to lay out my preliminary plans on the execution of my project ideas. It's certainly going to be a busy semester, but with the help of people like Chris Yates and John Kortlander, I anticipate a successful and rewarding outcome to this year's thesis.
Design: Projects and Strategies is a required Freshman Foundations course that is designed to act as a "central hub" for all incoming Freshman. In this course, we will cover everything from the Principles of Design to all 3 on-line eLearning courses that students must complete to gain access to future upper-level courses. This course basically acts as an introduction to the fundamental principles of organization, 2-D, 3-D and 4-D design. Challenging projects emphasize concept research, development, and actuation. Students will acquire communication skills through written work and oral presentations. As we get further involved in the concepts of design, students will move through progressively more complex methods of composition, visual storytelling, and creative problem solving. Digital media applications, safe studio practices, and competency with various 2 -D and 3-D materials will be developed and expected by the end of each semester.
For the past 2 months I have been working diligently on developing a challenging and exciting curriculum for the upcoming semester. Chris Yates, who has mentored me throughout the summer, has put together a cohesive project list and set of objectives that he has graciously allowed me to adopt for my own class. Equipped with Chris's syllabus and shadowing John Kortlander last semester as a teaching assistant in what essentially was the same class, I feel completely prepared for a successful school year.
I will continue to update my progress and any new developments made throughout the year concerning my thesis project. John Kortlander and I have scheduled a meeting where I will then begin to lay out my preliminary plans on the execution of my project ideas. It's certainly going to be a busy semester, but with the help of people like Chris Yates and John Kortlander, I anticipate a successful and rewarding outcome to this year's thesis.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Preliminary Research, June, 2012
The next 3 months are crucial in figuring out a timeline for developing the research I need to start my final thesis project. I have begun the initial sketches for the exhibition that include laying out the preliminary mock-ups in Google SketchUp. My plan includes 2 installations and a series of paintings that are enhanced by a set of lights and projections. I will be manipulating light sources while casting shapes and shadows onto a series of constructed surfaces. I will also explore the notion of shadow, sustaining itself as it's own medium as I incorporate light onto a two-dimensional surface.
I first started working with Google SketchUp during an assistantship with my mentor, John Kortlander. SketchUp is just one of the many programs recently added to CCAD's design curriculum. We're encouraged, as instructors, to implement different design projects involving SketchUp with the hope that students will learn a sense of planning while familiarizing themselves with technology. Last semester, John and I had the students design and build a version of their own "dream house" using SketchUp. It not only allows the students to work with a two-dimensional drawing within a three-dimensional space, but it teaches them to think about a project in stages while visualizing each step from beginning to end. I think I have a better grasp of Google SketchUp just from working with the students and seeing how their projects have developed throughout the semester.
Lynda.com is a software program I have been working with that essentially acts as a personal training device. It has become one of my biggest assets while school is out because I am able to log on at any given time and learn any program at my own pace. Besides SketchUp, I am also brushing up on Motion 5 and the Photoshop 6 Suite. I'll be using all 3 of these programs when it comes time to exhibit my thesis.
Community activism, curriculum development and thesis research are the three main priorities on my schedule for this summer. I will be busy but I am completely determined in making next years thesis and my design class a complete success. I feel that I've finally reached a point in my life where I am making a difference on a larger scale and I am ready to use my knowledge of contemporary art to influence and impact the lives of my students next semester.
I first started working with Google SketchUp during an assistantship with my mentor, John Kortlander. SketchUp is just one of the many programs recently added to CCAD's design curriculum. We're encouraged, as instructors, to implement different design projects involving SketchUp with the hope that students will learn a sense of planning while familiarizing themselves with technology. Last semester, John and I had the students design and build a version of their own "dream house" using SketchUp. It not only allows the students to work with a two-dimensional drawing within a three-dimensional space, but it teaches them to think about a project in stages while visualizing each step from beginning to end. I think I have a better grasp of Google SketchUp just from working with the students and seeing how their projects have developed throughout the semester.
Lynda.com is a software program I have been working with that essentially acts as a personal training device. It has become one of my biggest assets while school is out because I am able to log on at any given time and learn any program at my own pace. Besides SketchUp, I am also brushing up on Motion 5 and the Photoshop 6 Suite. I'll be using all 3 of these programs when it comes time to exhibit my thesis.
Community activism, curriculum development and thesis research are the three main priorities on my schedule for this summer. I will be busy but I am completely determined in making next years thesis and my design class a complete success. I feel that I've finally reached a point in my life where I am making a difference on a larger scale and I am ready to use my knowledge of contemporary art to influence and impact the lives of my students next semester.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Round 2.2?
Our end of the semester MFA show was held in the Acock Gallery in the Canzani Center along with CCAD's 133rd Annual Student Exhibition on Friday, May 11th. With absolutely no publicity about the event, the turn out on opening night was sparse, to say the least. After a full year of hierarchies and class titles like "1st years" and "2nd years," I am ready to dedicate myself to the success of next year's thesis project.
Although I've had about a week to reflect on our thesis exhibition, I am still confused as to why the show was entitled "Round 2.2." I suppose that after spending the last 3 months completely focused on the inaugural class, one could lose sight, or even minimize the importance of a "first year" exhibition. Rather than pontificating on the fact that our end of the year show was overshadowed and even shared with a class reunion from 1982, I have come to the conclusion that a more focused and driven approach must be taken by each one of us when it comes to organizing an event such as this. Not only was our opening a lifeless display of mediocrity, it showed a true lack of commitment, daringness and originality. I will attempt to play devil's advocate and say that this semester was, by far, time consuming, challenging and at times, overwhelming. But, an MFA is the highest collegiate degree a visual artist can earn, so for that reason, I would expect the highest level of competitive and avant-guarde work being exhibited. I myself, for that reason, am guilty of playing it too safe when it comes to producing an experimental, cutting edge product. Now that summer is here, I will gather my thoughts, conduct the extensive research needed for my thesis and reflect on what I'm actually capable of doing. I will create an experience that challenges the perception of my audience while pushing the boundaries of contemporary art. Next year will prove to be challenging, but as long as I stay honest and committed to my work, my thesis will be a success.
Although I've had about a week to reflect on our thesis exhibition, I am still confused as to why the show was entitled "Round 2.2." I suppose that after spending the last 3 months completely focused on the inaugural class, one could lose sight, or even minimize the importance of a "first year" exhibition. Rather than pontificating on the fact that our end of the year show was overshadowed and even shared with a class reunion from 1982, I have come to the conclusion that a more focused and driven approach must be taken by each one of us when it comes to organizing an event such as this. Not only was our opening a lifeless display of mediocrity, it showed a true lack of commitment, daringness and originality. I will attempt to play devil's advocate and say that this semester was, by far, time consuming, challenging and at times, overwhelming. But, an MFA is the highest collegiate degree a visual artist can earn, so for that reason, I would expect the highest level of competitive and avant-guarde work being exhibited. I myself, for that reason, am guilty of playing it too safe when it comes to producing an experimental, cutting edge product. Now that summer is here, I will gather my thoughts, conduct the extensive research needed for my thesis and reflect on what I'm actually capable of doing. I will create an experience that challenges the perception of my audience while pushing the boundaries of contemporary art. Next year will prove to be challenging, but as long as I stay honest and committed to my work, my thesis will be a success.
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