Classmates Critiques

Jason
Since I'm the newbie here, I had no idea what to expect when you said your work involved sound and technology. When you showed the short clip of 'Critique Machine' I can honestly say that it took my breath away for a moment. Your work is smart, edgy, clean and beautiful. I know that's a lot of adjectives, but to say I loved it wouldn't be enough.

I liked hearing the story behind how you got to this point. I would like to see what happens if you consider how your work would live outside of the gallery. To me, a big part of your work I was attracted to was the wires and tangles, so would that still be apparent outside of the gallery? I can imagine some sort of lost and found/hide and seek, where you hear the audio aspect then search out and find what it is that creates it.

Lock
He who shall not talk about his day job.

Slow down, memory, metaphor, destructive beauty. I hear you, and I think I "get it" with your art. Any artist can begin creating with one idea in mind (or NO idea in mind) and when the work is finished it has become about something else that may or may not be related to where you started. PLUS, as people view your art and they project their own thoughts and feelings onto your art as well, so that also becomes part of your art. If you take a while to create a piece there are a billion things that go through your mind as you create them.

I would suggest you play a little. Get your sketchbook and your pallet. Throw down a few backgrounds then go outside and look at a cloud or some smoke and make a mark that represents that moment, memory and/or emotion, and do it quick! Do 25, times. Do it 250 times. Then, look at them all together. What does that become? How would that translate into your larger more realistic work?

 I personally tend to over-kill things when I work them too much, are you over-killing your work? I think the sample that you showed look very technically well made and beautiful. Are you getting across your message?

 Katie
 The girl with the best laugh, ever.

I like that you are making a stand that you are working in the book format. I really enjoy your honest and relatable messages. I am also glad that you are working on the overall presentation; box or envelope.

As far as imagery is concerned, I am much more attracted to your portraits than the images in the book. I'm pretty sure it's the outline and lack of line thickness and depth. I don't have to guess or wonder about most of the images in your books - they are outlined nice and neat for me.

Ginger 
 
I'm even more intrigued by your work now that I've seen more of it. My first path down the creative line was with black and white photography, so that is naturally what I am drawn too. I can just smell the chemicals in your alternative process work.

Your graduate work is startlingly honest, and some of it has that creepy weird factor that I am really drawn to. So, a few questions for you. On Self portrait 2010 and Ugly Me1 I'm left wondering why you covered yourself at all? Does it tie into your theme and what you are exposing with your art (because I could see how it would)? If I am viewing these photos alone I'm not going to get that over all theme and I need to ask if this is a full nude shot or not? If it is, then do it - if not then put some clothes on! (Does humor come across in this post?) I'm interested to hear your reasoning for this.

I think the presentation of your work is smart. You know what you are competing against in the market, and you present yourself accordingly. When you stated that you aren't taken seriously as a competitor on sight, I wanted to argue with  you.. but I had to think about my first response. 'Oh, here is your friendly neighbor type lady who is bringing cake to class.. how nice. I'm glad someone is friendly! Get ready to see flowers in her art somewhere...' And then when I saw your work it was BAM! I WAS SO WRONG, AND I AM SO GLAD!  I am SO excited to see what is next!

Debbie

I love that your work is performance based, I guess I didn't pick up on that this summer. I like the suggestions about the professional actors/dancers performing your work, AND more interaction.

You did shock me some with your statements about how the 'fly in' film was about how long you could keep your audiences attention. Would you say that your now is much more towards the study of people, and not about what it is you actually create? If so, then why these big pieces? How big of a role do these forms actually have if your focus is mainly on the viewer?

Paul

To make an informed critique I really need to see more of your work! I really enjoyed the prints that I have seen, and look forward to seeing how that transforms into your movies.

I'm not sure I agree with the suggestion about the phone video camera. When I think about it I can't think past 'yeah, but a 12 year old could do that'. How would that turn into art? I'm not really sure. I guess it would be worth a try!

I had actually read the story of Jericho  in Joshua on Tuesday or Wednesday. I couldn't help but wondering what the people inside the city walls were thinking. Did it go something like 'What? These are the people we have been fearing? Their God is supposed to be all powerful and all they have been doing is walking around the walls of this city for SIX days like idiots blowing their little horns..'  

I have to amuse myself sometimes.

I'm looking forward to seeing what's coming of  your work this semester!