These paintings are a series from my Fall 2008 Watercolor Studio I. The theme centers around the gay contemporary culture and the cultures of one's familiar home-life/up-bringing.
The first Piece is titled "Mending". It is an abstract piece that was inspired from a poem about watching the heart mend from failed relationships. (Details Included)
The second painting is titled "Prude." The piece focuses on uncomfortable feelings derived from talking about sex in groups of friends. The discomfort links to the way one is traditionally raised not to speak openly about sex in front of others. (Details Included)
The third piece is Untitled. It was an experimental piece created to practice my watercolor skills. (Details Included)
For my early field class we were required to create a tunnel book sculpture that reflected our experiences from in the field. I had chosen to do a performing arts piece, creating a video for the project. The following is the artist statement submitted with my work:
Welcome to the World
When reflecting in my journals about my field experiences my primary focus centered on my management of the students’ behavior. Of all the challenges an early field student faces with maintaining organization, having a strong basis of the lesson, projecting their voices, and performing as a professional, behavior management was by far the most difficult challenge.
During my teaching experience there were moments where I had to raise my voice to get the student’s attentions. Nothing makes me feel guiltier then when I feel I’ve lost my temper or have lacked compassion for others. Although these moments are not my preferred behavior management technique, at times they seemed necessary but it is not something I wish to continue practicing.
My tunnel book sculpture is a dramatized reenactment of some of my most important experiences and discoveries from the field. The film explores tunnel/portals representing the different dimensions of the student and teacher experiences of behavior challenges. Title pages appear throughout the film with insights into the experience. My tunnel book sculpture is a performance piece to demonstrate my beliefs and ideas about behavior management.
Dancing by the phrase "I am". The group did dances on behalf of each individual dancer's 'I am" phrase. Will wanted the group to perform postcards, where we address them to a poet of our choice, having the letter begins with the words "if only". From Left to right (Stan, Trisha, Suzanne, Hedi, Anita, Stacy, Marlene, Michael) 7-14-08
Dancing on behalf of the phrase "I am Inspirational." 7-14-08 The dance form is Dance-Talk Dance-Talk, where one person will speak while the other dances. performed by Hedi (Left) and Anita (Right)
Dancing on behalf of the phrase "I am so happy". Poem by Hafiz for inspiration. The inner group did a contact-shmur while the group surrounding them in a circle did a sound scape.
Percussion Wall Music with plastic tubes. From Right to Left, Carol and Marlene'
Music made from these musical tubes, percussion type. Each tube creates a different note when hit against an object. In this clip (Right to Left) Stan, Michael, Anita, Trish
Patty Performing for the group her desire to dance a 3 min dance in the 'Permission slip'. The permission slip is a dress slip with the word "permission" written across the front. The group added words and phrases to it with a paint pen, and later added other items to it. The slip has traveled to other Interplay dance groups around the world.
