Midterm - Self Evaluation:

Please make a detailed post about your progress in the class so far, using the following questions as a guideline:

1) Tell us which techniques, so far, are the most interesting and valuable to you and why. How do you see using them in your future work?

2) How have you developed your conceptual skills in this course? How do your projects reflect the ideas in your overall art practice?

3) How do you feel about your own contributions to class critiques and discussions? How have these topics helped you think more deeply about your work?

5) Tell us about what you want to accomplish during the rest of the course, including techniques you may want to practice more, and ideas you want to explore in your work.


So far I've only done 2 techniques in this course (vastly different than my first go round), the intricately cut paper heads and the large mixed media (paper, charcoal, acrylic and paper) on wood. I think the first project was more successful both conceptually and visually. It became something along the way and I like them. But I think the second project is a more important piece in the large puzzle of my graduate work. or rather, it's more closely related, in scale and process.

For the past year I've been working on trying to marry abstract expressionism with fashion illustration. I recently submitted to the notion that maybe it's not about marrying them but rather having them both, letting one be a getaway from the other. And as per my life just when I allow that to be ok, I start to feel like there is a chance to actually get to that "center core" I've been chipping away at. I do feel like this class is helpful in that I don't have to do specific assignments, it is definitely the in between point of fashion croquis rendering and abstract expressionism. I feel like I'm finally working toward some larger goal as an artist. Working big just feels right. It makes my body feel good, lots of moving around. The way I think I will proceed as I've mentioned is to keep working on the big head to get it to some place that excites me. (I'm not sure how long though as i may pass it conceptually by with a new composition, but at this point l have nothing to lose in trying to push it further.)  Next I'm going to try a single head, and I'm going to draw it on the board from a fashion mag. The ornage hair lady is so far removed from the original. I don't even know what original photos these girls were from. Then it became the cut paper, and then on the large format and marker.

As Sarah said in my crit the small pieces, created a dialogue about identity, surface, sameness and difference. This is totally true, However that was not the original conscious intent. It became that along the way. I think my intention for this next piece will be truer to the original concept of the cut paper, than even it was. I want to use the image as a tool to focus on the materials (mainly acrylic paint but some cut paper, dry media, etc). I always want my painting to be about the materials, image is secondary, it's important, and it does things to the mind, but it's just second to the actual materials. I think looking and paintings from across the room is boring.  It's weird because even though I feel like the big heads are closest to what I want to pursue in some ways it's really convoluted.

I have definitely been less verbose in here than in the past, but I feel like the feedback I give is honest, direct thorough and well-intended. I always enjoy the artist discussion topics because I'm ever hungry for new people to look at. I try to find ties to my own work in all other work. I think it's important to have an objective notion of where one's art fits, historically and in the current world.


Sarah's response below:

Hi Emily,
Thoughtful post.
1 - Yes - and I appreciate that you understand where you want to get to at this point, even if it is not obvious to those around you. Graduate school is not about doing what the teacher says, but finding your own core direction, both becuas of, and despite, the feedback you receive.
2 - I think this is a very interesting comment. And Fashion is also about materials first - the figure is just a "holder". I know I have mentioned Vivenne Westwood to you before, but this makes me think of her again. Her work is essentially about materials.
3 - Not to worry - you have been plenty verbose. And yes, finding yourself in context is one of the KEY things I want students to understand. If you don't know where you are in the ongoing art dialogue, you cannot enter the conversation meaningfully.
S