Degree Project
Artist's Statement
I created my degree project during an extremely difficult time in my life. While my grandfather was dying of cancer, a close friend left my life, and my beloved dog Belle passed away. I asked myself how I could best get through this difficult time and be productive. What if I focused my work on these struggles? No, I tried it and it did not help.
So instead, I had to go back to the basics. I felt as though I could no longer do anything, and perhaps returning to the most elementary could stir me into action.
Mark making.
In the simplest of marks, could I convey my complexities? Could I share what I had lost? What I had reluctantly gained? Could I bear/bare to show those around me the marks of my insecurity? Paintings, drawings, prints, writing, (and so much more) – they’re all just marks. But each series of marks are capable of conveying such vastly different voices. So I relied on my mark making.
This has been my way of conveying simplicity and complexity. A way for me to express my paralysis and progress. Together. All of it.
I feel much better now.
Design
exploration
My exploration into basic mark making was derived from the dash marks I'd absentmindedly make in notebooks. I scaled the doodles up with a brush, India ink, and an 18 x 24 watercolor pad. I was interested in how the ink would slowly fade from the brush. To me, the fading represented the losses I had been experiencing, and how eventually everything runs out. I explored the different simple marks I could make, and I began to explore color by using watercolors. At this stage I also tried to let go of my obsession with order and perfection.
Writing was also a way I explored marks. On a legal pad, I used a brush and watercolor to write various thoughts to get them out of my head.
The above gallery show some of the pieces I created during the beginning stages.
CAD
After I had created the basic designs I took what I created to the computer. Using Ned Graphics, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator, I began to create more fluid repeats that broke out of the rectangle I had drawn in. In the above gallery, you can see the CAD versions of some sketches.
I decided to design a jacquard from the text I wrote. Using Adobe Photoshop, I carefully aligned all lines, and removed any flaws in the paper. I decided to trim some of the extra blank lined paper to create a more interesting stripe. Below is the final CAD design in repeat.