Black Lives Matter

Keith Haring’s father was an amateur cartoon artist, this set the foundation for Haring’s love for art. Haring attended The Ivy School of Professional Art (Pittsburgh) and the School of Visual Arts in New York.

Keith Haring realized that there were blank chalk boards in the subways of New york City and decided to start drawing on them making the statement that he was there. Drawing on these boards without permission was of course considered graffiti resulting in many of Haring’s arrest. Even though his messages were often positive they were still unappreciated until Haring gained more recognition for his work eventually leading to a successful art career.

When more people started to acknowledge Haring’s subway drawings he quickly rose to fame. Haring eventually became close friends with celebrities and artist such as Madonna, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Andy Warhol. Warhol basically took Haring under his wing with the pop art scene leading to pieces such as the Absolut Vodka ad.

Haring opened a store called the “Pop Shop” which sold merchandise with prints of Haring’s work on it. In the documentary it is explained that critics are the gatekeepers of the art world, they decide what is in, what is great, and what is acceptable. Critics claimed that Haring was selling out by creating the Pop Shop when in reality the store was a part of his work. The way his customers and fans interacted with the art and merchandise is what unified the store and his portfolio.

One of the first drawings that appeared on the chalkboards was the “Radiant Baby” this became the postmark that distinguished his work throughout the subway. Haring’s art work shed light on different movements prevalent in the 80’s such as Apartheid in South Africa, the crack cocaine epidemic, and the AIDS epidemic.

Haring was invited to Checkpoint Charlie to do an art piece on the Berlin wall that later contributed to the breakthrough of his art career. Haring also painted art pieces pertaining to the apartheid in South Africa that was active from 1948 to 1994. He felt it was his duty as an artist with such an influence to speak out about events like this even if it were happening in another part of the world.

Whilst shedding light on global issues Haring was also involved heavily in his community. He did several projects involving children, one involving children painting a dedication mural to the Statue of Liberty. Haring sometimes got too involved resulting in legal issues, for example his Crack is Wack piece was done on without permission. Haring felt so strong about the crack epidemic that was happening United States at the time that he risked an excessive fine and jail time to get his point across. Fortunately the piece received tremendous feedback from the community, saving him from both consequences.

Keith Haring was openly gay and explored sexuality throughout his artwork. In the documentary he states that sexuality is apart of his artwork because it is a part of his life. Unfortunately Haring died of AIDS related complications but towards the end of his life he devoted more time to spreading awareness of his illness and what people could do to prevent it.

25
Nov
2015

Blog Post #12

categories: Uncategorized

Kim Garza

She is the assistant professor of the graphic design department. She loves design because the endless opportunities that comes with technology used for it. Eventurist is a project she worked on as an user experience designer which required her to survey and step into users shoes on what was needed for a travel app.She showed us a music & film collaboration she has been working on for the last 6 years with her husband. It is an edited version of the bio-pic Till Clouds Roll By that gives you a haunted dreamy feeling which I personally love.

Tammie Rubin

Ceramic sculptor that also works in the art department at St. Ed’s. Tammy explained that growing up in Chicago, a very structured planned city, influences the work she produces. Her sculptures are repurposed items that are generally over looked like sandwich containers. I like how odd the objects she uses together are. The juxtaposition of each item she adds forces the viewer to analyze each part of the sculpture.

James Sheran

Photographer that teaches at UT. James like to photograph unintentional human actions such as throwing trash away or moving pillows. The foundation of his photos have a surrealist concept of tapping into subconscious. I like that he feels photography conveys importance- it frames a moment in time instead of gazing over it.

Course Review

I loved how this class didn’t sugar coat the reality of being an art major while actually introducing opportunities for us to make it in the industry. The humor from Bill, Hollis, and Tuan is definitely a plus the only thing I didn’t favor were the blog post but its part of the curriculum and I can’t complain. I truly enjoyed the seminar.

16
Nov
2015

Blog Post #11

categories: Uncategorized

Five Year Plan

During college is the time I plan to do most of the foundation work for my career of course. This means always on the lookout for internships and any job opportunities that will help me gain experience. Since I major in art and minor in psychology one of the many things I want to do with my degrees is become an art therapist specifically for children. In order to achieve this in 5 years I’m going to get involved in organizations that focus on child development and perception. I have already applied for an internship at the Contemporary that has a workshop connecting to my career path. To accomplish my goal in 5 years I just have to stay motivated, diligent, and ambitious making sure I am meeting all criteria needed for art therapy.

Tuan Phan

Hollis Hammonds

Bill Kennedy

12
Nov
2015

Blog Post #10

categories: Uncategorized

Recently in our Visual Studies class we were assigned to design a book using sequence. I’ve decided to create a book centered around evoking the uncomfortableness around certain social issues such as sex trafficking. The title is Dadaism because I plan to use a collage pattern to shed light on the sex work industry.

10
Nov
2015

Shelter

categories: Uncategorized

DIY Greenhouse structure made with PVC pipe and plastic. This shelter can be scaled up to size to house 3 people, altered to fold accordion style for easy transportation and sturdiness.

Bus stop shelter made out of old house materials. This same idea can be reciprocated also using weighted wheels, PVC pipes, and tarp for light travel.

02
Nov
2015

Blog #9

categories: Uncategorized

Alumni

Miranda Petiosky majored in graphic design and graduated in 2013 with a minor in art. She delivered her presentation through sections of her career that flowed into each other setting the foundation for the next stage. For example, she was a student worker who designed and coded websites for professors, eventually got an internship, became a junior designer, and is currently and interactive designer. She explained in order to be successful you must find a skill that you’re really good at and master it. By doing this you will be distinguished to future employers.

Dustin Myer is a professional wedding photographer. He expressed the difficulties of working with clients and the factors that impact their decisions. The advice he gave to us on starting a visual art portfolio is to take initiative and “just go out and do it!” By photographing weddings for free at the start of his career Dustin was able to improve his portfolio with the experience he gained. Experience can be more valuable than money because it is beneficial to any career path.

Lynne Browman graduated in 2009 also majoring in photography. The passion she had when she spoke about her experience in China is encouraging me to study abroad in Thailand this summer. She interned for Dustin Myer which shows the importance of networking with your classmates. Out of the photos she presented the spreads I liked the most were the Zombie Models and the Classic Cars (2007). Both have a retro, classic, pop art aesthetic to them that reminded me of Nadia Lee Cohen’s work.

http://nadialeecohen.com

Internships

All Alumni who present in our seminar stress the importance of getting internships as early as possible. Here are some that fit my agenda perfectly:

In High School I created a workshop that introduced children to careers, hobbies, and events in the STEM and fine arts industry. I feel that my past experience will be very beneficial to these internships at the AndersonRanch Arts Center and the Contemporary.
http://theartschool.amoa.org/index.cfm?method=templates.CustomTemplatePreview&ContentID=116

http://www.andersonranch.org/programs/internships/summer-internships/

An interesting aspect of my love for art is my fascination with tattoos. A strong belief that I have is that the human body is a blank canvas waiting to be painted with ink. This is an apprenticeship at a tattoo parlor that I have applied for: http://www.shamanmodificationsatx.com/apprentices.html

25
Oct
2015

Blog Post #3

categories: Uncategorized

I stumbled upon Alyssa Monks, a painter who specializes in photorealism, four years ago. Her oil paintings are absolutely captivating not just because they are beautiful, but because of the skepticism that surrounds them. Monks said that her intention is to “transfer the intimacy and vulnerability of my human experience into a painted surface”. In my opinion she successfully conveys her objective. Still today the human body (especially the female anatomy),sex, and emotion are taboo subjects and I think Alyssa’s art brings us to terms with them in a comfortable way. The clarity of Monk’s work immediately makes the viewing an intimate encounter.

Alyssa Monks attended Boston College, Lorenzo de’ Medici (Florence, Italy), the New York Academy of Art, and the Graduate School of Figurative Art. She lectures and teaches at institutions like these including the New York Academy of Art. Of course her academic background is just an addition to the lifetime experience that influences her artwork. Like most artist Monks shares a deep connection with each piece she creates. To get a more in depth account, you can listen to Alyssa Monks explain her passion here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQg4RfjBqqs

Smirk 48″x64″, oil on linen, 2009

Laughing Girl 40″x60″, oil on linen, 2009

Thank You 30″x30″, oil on linen, 2013

Evolve 32″x48″, oil on linen, 2012

Deference 66x56in. oil on linen. 2015

Link to Alyssa’s website:
http://www.alyssamonks.com/?auth_sid=88b8e688790f6b3c1ec5204e6185b4d1#333_AlyssaMonks_Deference.jpg#home

18
Oct
2015

Visu Midterm

categories: Uncategorized

When registering for classes my counselor suggested I take this course. I thought that it was just another art class that analyzed how colors and structure worked visually. The second week of school the class exceeded my expectations. I never worked with photoshop, advanced color technology, or an inkjet printer, so starting off I was intimidated but I didn’t let my ignorance discourage me, instead I proceeded with the class and got out of my comfort zone.
Our first assignment was to explore south congress through photography. Going into this without any prior knowledge I tried my best to convey a theme. As an artist you have to be open to all feedback but when applying it to your work you still want to express the core values of your art. As our weekly critiques passed each time I’d take notes on not only the feedback I received but on others prints as well. I thought critically about what my professors and classmates had to say about my work and how I can apply their input to my work while still making the piece my own. Using their feedback I would try to get more complex with my work by putting in extra hours into my projects.
One of my biggest challenges I faced was balancing my other classes with the practice I needed for this class. Even though I wanted to make excellent grades, I didn’t want to sacrifice the quality of my work for deadlines so I came up with a schedule that incorporated the available lab times. Taking the extra time to practice in the lab I noticed I received more positive feedback on my prints. The feedback allowed me to gain a new perspective that wasn’t strictly studio art based but influenced by graphic design and technology. Using my new set of eyes and the knowledge I have acquired I have been making prints of my physical art work outside of class as practice.
The reason I chose to go to Saint Edward’s is because it is located in Austin, a social hub. In order to be successful an artist you have to network, make mistakes, use feedback, and improve. I have been trying to explore all of these aspects through this visual studies course.

Victoria