Initial meeting with Thesis Mentor Kurt Hollomon
Summer was great this year. I got a lot of my own work done. I learned to paint and draw better thanks to Adam and Leslie. Bound a few blank journals to use while in school and sold some wedding and sketch books as well. If you would like to see the books I make go to Handbound
During the next nine months I get to flesh out and finish a thesis project to receive my BFA from the Pacific Northwest School of Art (PNCA). I'm finally ready to begin the process. While I have mulled over several ideas over the past couple of years, visualizing a sort of preparation of how I imagine the project to look, I believe I've finally hit on something; with the help of a couple of friends and *Kurt's suggestions; that I can do well. A project that will involve many of the skill sets I've learned up to now. A project that won't have me only in craft and production mode, but instead a project that will allow me to delve more deeply into several disciplines of fine art. I'm studying a discipline called "Intermedia" at PNCA. What does that mean? Essentially, mixed media. My focus is on printmaking and painting with a little bookbinding on the side.
We started out our meeting with an assessment of my current skill sets. Before I re-entered school I was a working Graphic Designer. While at PNCA I've learned how to work with wood, oxygen and acetylene welding on metal, drawing, printmaking (copper plate etching, lithography and silk screening as well as woodblock printing techniques), bookbinding and finally, painting. While there has been a great deal to learn at the school, I've also taken it upon myself to learn more about the disciplines that have interested me like lamp-work with glass. While I may be slightly more competent in one or two areas, I think that my abilities in each skill set is at a similar level. I haven't delved deeply enough into any one thing to really know and understand some of the complications involved in becoming an expert at that particular discipline.
At first, I wanted to do a project based on an artificial and imagined alphabet. I've been interested in language ever since I can remember. As a young person, I often invented my own language, enticing friends to join in speaking gibberish in public. As I grew older, I thought that by the time I turned 35 I would be speaking at least four language fluently. Instead, what happened is I went to Japan when I was 26 and stayed for three years. I learned to speak, read and write in Japanese. At one point, my personality, the words I chose to use were the same as if I were to speak in my native tongue. Now at 41, I'm proud to express that I still speak Japanese, can read some and write it every now and again. I keep up with it so I don't lose that ability. It took so long to build a decent vocabulary. I would very much like to return to Japan one day. This time as a working artist rather than an English instructor. Although, I must admit, if being a teacher of English is the way to get myself back to Japan initially, I wouldn't hesitate to accept such a position. However, right now I have to focus my thoughts on being in Portland, OR, which isn't such a bad thing.
I planned to make 26 small sculptures from wood and metal. Each sculpture would represent a letter from A-Z. Based on those sculptures, the look of 'A' 'a' would change respectively. I would provide a key (just a small postcard) based on the shapes of the sculptures to create a new look for our current alphabet. While I do enjoy text and alphabets, I think that project would have lead me down the path of doing a lot of production work to pass the time. I wouldn't learn as much as I could if I were to choose painting or printmaking instead.
I spoke with a friend about some of my ideas, and she helped me realize that I was just "wanting to get this project done" but wouldn't have a significant learning outcome. Out of the many ideas I shared with her, she was most enthusiastic about the one I finally presented to Kurt.
Fables. Grim tales told.
After getting my alphabet idea out of my system, I went on to talk about an idea that has intrigued me for quite some time. I've kept it locked up in my imagination. It's time the idea was released into reality. The idea started out very big. I thought I would create between seven and 10 paintings based on characters from fables. I would use people from the school as models for these characters. I would create paintings, 16" x 20" or so depicting a portrait sitting, in the clothing of the time the story took place. There would be a slight twist. It would be a, "what comes after happily ever after" idea. The problem that I encountered with this idea is that I was thinking too literally. I was developing ideas for each painting and the subject matter was real and wasn't pretty. Not that all paintings have to be pretty. After reviewing the idea with Kurt, we agreed instead to concentrate on one of the Fables instead. LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD. I first imagined Little Red Riding Hood sitting down at the kitchen table reading a letter, by candlelight, from the Wolf, who wrote from the State Penitentiary while her grandmother was yelling at her. I visualize this painting as a Flemish styled piece.
Some words from Kurt:
"The story has to reinforce the copy," "A painting that supports the story."
Here is a suggestion based on our discussion. Kurt is great with me. He is able to refine my thoughts, my words, our discussion and mirror back to me exactly, more clearly what I am attempting to spell out as a project.
One aspect of the final thesis piece to present will be:
A small tome (limited edition) book that helps support the work on the walls and describes the symbols involved in the work.
Another is my research work. A vehicle for the illustrations that explore my Little Red Riding Hood. This can be in the form of books that have notes and sketches in them, maps, drawings, ads, postcards... anything I create to understand the character I would like to express. My explorations in book and card form.
He also warned me that he would like to see something he hasn't seen before. Now that is a tall order. He knows just about everyone and is an avid researcher himself. Kurt used to be a comp man. You can view some of Kurt's work here.
To begin my explorations of the characters in LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD, Kurt suggested I start out with Islands of thought. No continents in particular, yet certain bodies of land may join together. He showed me an example of one he had done in his personal sketchbook. It was contained in the book, and attached was an extension of paper to create a fold-out map. I will get his permission and show a picture of what I am writing about.
Now, all of our discussion is about HOW I can go about exploring LITTLE RED and what she may look like as well as making her more current. A title that he just blurted out was, "History of Temptation." I was immediately attracted to the idea of creating a book, dedicated to explorations of Red using the idea of temptation in the mix.
He also suggested I draw up an advertisement she may place. That seems really challenging, especially since I'm in the beginnings of this process. Kurt is a master of creating stories on paper. He writes and draws beautifully. I need to catch up and become more versed in this language. Some words and segways and set-ups he suggests are: "You Asked," "By the way," "And therefore." These are phrases to intrude on what Little Red is thinking. Assumptive words, linking words, and transitional words. By doing this exercise, by exploring what Little Red is for me, there will come a time when I will slow down, look, draw, see, pull-back even further and draw some more. Then I will take a spot from the illustration and enlarge it to see what is there... and expand upon those lines. There is potential to see much more than I am accustomed to looking at. My expectation will have to leave and my awareness will have to grow. I think my expectations can limit the way I think and what I look for.
My world of working with the Little Red Riding Hood theme will involve going to the woods, drawing, seeing, going to the desert, the city and to book stores and libraries. I will explore drawings that express what Little Red Riding Hood looks like, what her parents look like, the house, the wolf, the area. The list goes on and on. I am building her environment partially from scratch. I am using a tale that is known of world-wide and putting a twist on the story based on my research and imagination. The predictability of the story is good because it will allow me to launch ideas that could be interesting in other ways. Kurt is asking me to look at Red Riding Hood from as many different angles as I can possibly think of. Then he will also be able to push me to look at things I hadn't thought of.
So... in the following weeks, I will be creating maps, walkways, character interpretations clued in from real people, a twist, diagramatic drawings, forms, charts, comments about the relationships in the story. I will explore what language Little Red spoke as well as what her favorite color or food might have been. I need to spend more time exploring linking of thoughts, shapes, icons, clichés, prototypes, flow and tangle of words as well as maps. I will activate Little Red on my terms, based on my research of her.
Kurt shared something that a PNCA instructor, Barry P. once said. "Every space a shape and every shape activated."
Artists work he asked me to look at:
Ben Katchor
Jeffrey Decoster
During the next nine months I get to flesh out and finish a thesis project to receive my BFA from the Pacific Northwest School of Art (PNCA). I'm finally ready to begin the process. While I have mulled over several ideas over the past couple of years, visualizing a sort of preparation of how I imagine the project to look, I believe I've finally hit on something; with the help of a couple of friends and *Kurt's suggestions; that I can do well. A project that will involve many of the skill sets I've learned up to now. A project that won't have me only in craft and production mode, but instead a project that will allow me to delve more deeply into several disciplines of fine art. I'm studying a discipline called "Intermedia" at PNCA. What does that mean? Essentially, mixed media. My focus is on printmaking and painting with a little bookbinding on the side.
We started out our meeting with an assessment of my current skill sets. Before I re-entered school I was a working Graphic Designer. While at PNCA I've learned how to work with wood, oxygen and acetylene welding on metal, drawing, printmaking (copper plate etching, lithography and silk screening as well as woodblock printing techniques), bookbinding and finally, painting. While there has been a great deal to learn at the school, I've also taken it upon myself to learn more about the disciplines that have interested me like lamp-work with glass. While I may be slightly more competent in one or two areas, I think that my abilities in each skill set is at a similar level. I haven't delved deeply enough into any one thing to really know and understand some of the complications involved in becoming an expert at that particular discipline.
At first, I wanted to do a project based on an artificial and imagined alphabet. I've been interested in language ever since I can remember. As a young person, I often invented my own language, enticing friends to join in speaking gibberish in public. As I grew older, I thought that by the time I turned 35 I would be speaking at least four language fluently. Instead, what happened is I went to Japan when I was 26 and stayed for three years. I learned to speak, read and write in Japanese. At one point, my personality, the words I chose to use were the same as if I were to speak in my native tongue. Now at 41, I'm proud to express that I still speak Japanese, can read some and write it every now and again. I keep up with it so I don't lose that ability. It took so long to build a decent vocabulary. I would very much like to return to Japan one day. This time as a working artist rather than an English instructor. Although, I must admit, if being a teacher of English is the way to get myself back to Japan initially, I wouldn't hesitate to accept such a position. However, right now I have to focus my thoughts on being in Portland, OR, which isn't such a bad thing.
I planned to make 26 small sculptures from wood and metal. Each sculpture would represent a letter from A-Z. Based on those sculptures, the look of 'A' 'a' would change respectively. I would provide a key (just a small postcard) based on the shapes of the sculptures to create a new look for our current alphabet. While I do enjoy text and alphabets, I think that project would have lead me down the path of doing a lot of production work to pass the time. I wouldn't learn as much as I could if I were to choose painting or printmaking instead.
I spoke with a friend about some of my ideas, and she helped me realize that I was just "wanting to get this project done" but wouldn't have a significant learning outcome. Out of the many ideas I shared with her, she was most enthusiastic about the one I finally presented to Kurt.
Fables. Grim tales told.
After getting my alphabet idea out of my system, I went on to talk about an idea that has intrigued me for quite some time. I've kept it locked up in my imagination. It's time the idea was released into reality. The idea started out very big. I thought I would create between seven and 10 paintings based on characters from fables. I would use people from the school as models for these characters. I would create paintings, 16" x 20" or so depicting a portrait sitting, in the clothing of the time the story took place. There would be a slight twist. It would be a, "what comes after happily ever after" idea. The problem that I encountered with this idea is that I was thinking too literally. I was developing ideas for each painting and the subject matter was real and wasn't pretty. Not that all paintings have to be pretty. After reviewing the idea with Kurt, we agreed instead to concentrate on one of the Fables instead. LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD. I first imagined Little Red Riding Hood sitting down at the kitchen table reading a letter, by candlelight, from the Wolf, who wrote from the State Penitentiary while her grandmother was yelling at her. I visualize this painting as a Flemish styled piece.
Some words from Kurt:
"The story has to reinforce the copy," "A painting that supports the story."
Here is a suggestion based on our discussion. Kurt is great with me. He is able to refine my thoughts, my words, our discussion and mirror back to me exactly, more clearly what I am attempting to spell out as a project.
One aspect of the final thesis piece to present will be:
A small tome (limited edition) book that helps support the work on the walls and describes the symbols involved in the work.
Another is my research work. A vehicle for the illustrations that explore my Little Red Riding Hood. This can be in the form of books that have notes and sketches in them, maps, drawings, ads, postcards... anything I create to understand the character I would like to express. My explorations in book and card form.
He also warned me that he would like to see something he hasn't seen before. Now that is a tall order. He knows just about everyone and is an avid researcher himself. Kurt used to be a comp man. You can view some of Kurt's work here.
To begin my explorations of the characters in LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD, Kurt suggested I start out with Islands of thought. No continents in particular, yet certain bodies of land may join together. He showed me an example of one he had done in his personal sketchbook. It was contained in the book, and attached was an extension of paper to create a fold-out map. I will get his permission and show a picture of what I am writing about.
Now, all of our discussion is about HOW I can go about exploring LITTLE RED and what she may look like as well as making her more current. A title that he just blurted out was, "History of Temptation." I was immediately attracted to the idea of creating a book, dedicated to explorations of Red using the idea of temptation in the mix.
He also suggested I draw up an advertisement she may place. That seems really challenging, especially since I'm in the beginnings of this process. Kurt is a master of creating stories on paper. He writes and draws beautifully. I need to catch up and become more versed in this language. Some words and segways and set-ups he suggests are: "You Asked," "By the way," "And therefore." These are phrases to intrude on what Little Red is thinking. Assumptive words, linking words, and transitional words. By doing this exercise, by exploring what Little Red is for me, there will come a time when I will slow down, look, draw, see, pull-back even further and draw some more. Then I will take a spot from the illustration and enlarge it to see what is there... and expand upon those lines. There is potential to see much more than I am accustomed to looking at. My expectation will have to leave and my awareness will have to grow. I think my expectations can limit the way I think and what I look for.
My world of working with the Little Red Riding Hood theme will involve going to the woods, drawing, seeing, going to the desert, the city and to book stores and libraries. I will explore drawings that express what Little Red Riding Hood looks like, what her parents look like, the house, the wolf, the area. The list goes on and on. I am building her environment partially from scratch. I am using a tale that is known of world-wide and putting a twist on the story based on my research and imagination. The predictability of the story is good because it will allow me to launch ideas that could be interesting in other ways. Kurt is asking me to look at Red Riding Hood from as many different angles as I can possibly think of. Then he will also be able to push me to look at things I hadn't thought of.
So... in the following weeks, I will be creating maps, walkways, character interpretations clued in from real people, a twist, diagramatic drawings, forms, charts, comments about the relationships in the story. I will explore what language Little Red spoke as well as what her favorite color or food might have been. I need to spend more time exploring linking of thoughts, shapes, icons, clichés, prototypes, flow and tangle of words as well as maps. I will activate Little Red on my terms, based on my research of her.
Kurt shared something that a PNCA instructor, Barry P. once said. "Every space a shape and every shape activated."
Artists work he asked me to look at:
