Exhibition TextWith this piece I used recyclable materials in order to create a natural organic object. I chose to create a flower as it can be easily recognized. I didn't attempt to recreate any specific species of flower and I attempted to make the flower appear alive and thriving by keeping it perky rather than drooping or falling apart. It takes influence from the works of Michelle Stitzlein.
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Life
20cm x 10cm x 6cm Mixed Media November 2017 |
Planning
In my planning sketches I tried to look at different ways to depict death through the use of flowers and graves. What I wanted to focus on was looking at both the sad things about death, but also look at it as an end to a happy life. Focus on the good rather than the bad.
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Inspiration
Stitzlein, Michelle. "Biography". Art Grange. http://www.artgrange.com/michellebio.html
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Inspiration for this work came from the works of Michelle Stitzlein. In her artists statement she explains, "My work is created with recycled and found materials. Items such as old garden hose, electrical wire, computer cables, piano keys, mini blinds, china shards, license plates, and bottle caps are utilized to create imagery and abstractions born in my imagination." She utilizes these materials to create a holistic piece with a large focus on nature motif.
She has produced a few series including the Fynbos series and the Moth series in which she focuses on portraying nature in a more general. Rather than focusing of depicting specific breeds of plants and animals, she creates an abstract version that represents the creature and it's many forms. She likes to use recycled materials in order to exemplify the contradiction of nature and the waste of consumerism. By depicting nature she is reversing the process of production. Rather than taking nature and molding it into industrial objects, she takes industrial objects and forms them to produce a reflection of nature. I incorporated Stitzlein's work in mine by using recycled and industrial materials to depict an aspect of nature including a flower and a hand. I used a few recycled cans, duct tape, and a paper towel roll to create my work which is similar to her use of non natural materials or found objects as a medium for her art. |
Process
ReflectionThe message of the piece is relatively unclear. In reality my focus was the loss of my first dog, Chester. This not apparent in the work itself because I wanted it to be relateable to everyone. As for the flower, I believe that it is a good representation of life and has a positive mood associated with it rather than looking destroyed or falling apart which could be interpreted as a very negative thing.
CritiqueMy work has a direct reflection of my inspiration. Much like my inspiration, I used a material in order to create an organic subject. My work has less of a focus on nature and more of a focus on abstract concepts. Nevertheless, It incorporates the inspiration well without taking away from my intended focus. Another incorporated aspect is the use of a general lifeforms. I decided to not recreate a specific flower much like how Michelle Stitzlein created works with a general theme without a specified species.
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First I gathered a couple soda cans, a cardboard roll, and some duct tape. The first piece I created was the metal flower. I cut the base and the top of the soda cans leaving one large sheet of metal to work with. I then cut the metal into strips and continued to cut the strips into petals for the flower. After, I proceeded to place the petals into one of the basses to keep them rounded similar to a flower.
Some of the petals hadn't settled into place correctly so I used a lighter to heat up the metal which also heated up the glue allowing me to move the petals into the correct position. Once the petals were in place I curled the edges of the petals in order to resemble those of a flower. The last step for the petals was to add on more row closer to the center. I then used the tabs from the cans to create a central piece similar to the seeds in a flower. The next step was to create the stem. I cut one long thin strip of metal from the second can and used pliers to safely twist metal sheet and pinch it together as I twisted. This gave me a decently long stem with enough support for the head of the flower. To connect the stem and the head I punched a hole in the flower and glued the stem into the hole in order for it to hold. The final step was to create a base that could hold the flower up. I decided to create a duct tape hand and use the second bass. The duct tape hand was created be crumpling tape into the form of a hand and then wrapping layers over the mainframe. I also used the last of my metal to wrap the wrist both adding support, but also bringing the hand and the flower together for unity. I used the second base and connected it to the bottom of the stem the same way I connected the head of the flower. ACT Connection1. Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between you inspiration and its effect upon your work.
Michelle Stitzlein inspired the medium I used, and the generalized subject of the piece rather than focusing on making it in the likeness of a specific creature. 2. What is the overall approach (point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration? Stitzlein focuses on the contradiction of nature and liter and pollution by using waste to create an organic subject. 3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, ect. while you researched your inspiration? People waste so much and only damage the environment. 4. What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research? My central theme was nature and life. I wanted to create a piece with a lighter tone rather than looking at death in a negative manor. 5. What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research? Nature and people are a contradiction as we are natural, but what we do and what we've done goes against the protection of nature. |