object INTERACTION
Object Interaction: Assignment 1
Generally, when we think of butterflies, we
think of this creature that is free and gets to fly around and go where it
pleases. So, for this piece, I decided to have a butterfly that was trying to
escape entrapment. I wanted my piece to contrast what really is; to have a
butterfly fighting for its freedom, rather than putting it in its own unrestricted
environment.
My initial idea for this project was to have my
object, the butterfly, trapped between a person’s hands, trying to escape.
However, after some talking and more brainstorming, I decided to get rid of the
hands, but still have the butterfly trying to escape. This time, however, I
decided to have the butterfly be a part of an art project, and the butterfly would
then be attempting to escape that project. I chose to create a vase, and have
it look like the butterfly was ripping itself apart from it, leaving behind
only the indentures of its presence.
To do this, I created a mold for a simple vase, and
filled it with plaster. After a few minor accidents, I was finally able to
start to add details to the vase. To show evidence that the butterfly had once
been a part of the vase, I started to carve the butterfly in to it. To make
sure I was carving it in accurately, I created a stencil out of the butterfly,
and traced it on to the vase. Once that was completed, I attached the butterfly
to a different part of the vase, so that the indentures would still be visible.
This was a learning experience for me, but I also had
fun with it. It was something I had never done before, and so it was new and
exciting to me. I encountered some problems while working with the material,
but I think that in the end, they were a good thing, because now I will know
how to avoid and work around those problems if I encounter them in future
projects.
DESIGN FROM LINE
Push
pins are common household objects. Everyone has at least one of them just
laying around in their home. But often
they go unnoticed. And, while I was trying to decide what object to choose for
this piece, I thought about how push pins are so small, and are easily lost and
replaced. I then thought that it would be pretty cool to take a push pin, and
make one that was way bigger than the original, to emphasize it, since push
pins are so small, and somewhat insignificant.
Personally, I had never actually used a push pin until I moved in to my little dorm and had a space on the wall to pin stuff to. I purchased a little box of push pins and went crazy pinning unimportant things on my wall. However, as the months passed, I found that I would drop one and just leave it on the floor, or kick it under the heater vents so I wouldn’t step on it. Now, a whole year later, I only have about five of the push pins that I bought at the beginning of last year.
So what I decided to do with this piece, was to take a push pin and “magnify” it. I measured every little part of my tiny push pin, and increased its size by twenty. The push pin I created is twenty times bigger than the usual push pin. I thought that this would create contrast between the two push pins, not only visually, but also conceptually because push pins actually have a use, and or often lost, but this giant push pin would be pretty hard to lose, and really has no use besides decoration.
While regular push pins are small and easily disposed of, my push pin is large and takes up a lot of space, and while regular push pins actually have a purpose, mine does not.
Personally, I had never actually used a push pin until I moved in to my little dorm and had a space on the wall to pin stuff to. I purchased a little box of push pins and went crazy pinning unimportant things on my wall. However, as the months passed, I found that I would drop one and just leave it on the floor, or kick it under the heater vents so I wouldn’t step on it. Now, a whole year later, I only have about five of the push pins that I bought at the beginning of last year.
So what I decided to do with this piece, was to take a push pin and “magnify” it. I measured every little part of my tiny push pin, and increased its size by twenty. The push pin I created is twenty times bigger than the usual push pin. I thought that this would create contrast between the two push pins, not only visually, but also conceptually because push pins actually have a use, and or often lost, but this giant push pin would be pretty hard to lose, and really has no use besides decoration.
While regular push pins are small and easily disposed of, my push pin is large and takes up a lot of space, and while regular push pins actually have a purpose, mine does not.
The Public Art Project
My piece is about unity, diversity, and students’ interaction with one another within the university. To help understand my piece, I will describe what each part of it represents.
Before starting to sketch my ideas, I took a look at Northern Illinois University’s Statement of Vision and Mission. One of the things that stood out to me was the phrase “In pursuing our vision and fulfilling our mission, the University values: A community of diverse people, ideas, services, and scholarly endeavors in a climate of respect for the intrinsic dignity of each individual.” After reading this, I decided that I wanted my piece to be about unity, and community, and how we all work together within the university.
After deciding what I wanted my piece to be about, I started thinking about what could represent unity, and after some research, I decided that the shape of a circle would best accomplish that. Next, I checked to see how many colleges/schools were within the university. For example; the College of Business, College of Education, and College of Law. In total there are seven, so I decided that I should include seven circles in my piece. However, once I started working, I realized that perfect circles might not be completely representative of the schools or the individual students, and that is because all circles are the same. But each one of us is different, and each school is its own little community. So I started making some of the circles kind of rugged, some with pointy edges. The difference in each of the circles represents how many different types of people we have at the university, it represents diversity. To represent interaction among the students and the schools, I decided that I wanted to have the circles stacked upon each other, to where they really are interacting with one another, and to where they are supporting their weight. This represents how we all work together and complete the university.
The piece shows how we are all different, but we are all united and are one big community, And that within this one big community, there are multiple smaller communities that work together to form the larger community.
Before starting to sketch my ideas, I took a look at Northern Illinois University’s Statement of Vision and Mission. One of the things that stood out to me was the phrase “In pursuing our vision and fulfilling our mission, the University values: A community of diverse people, ideas, services, and scholarly endeavors in a climate of respect for the intrinsic dignity of each individual.” After reading this, I decided that I wanted my piece to be about unity, and community, and how we all work together within the university.
After deciding what I wanted my piece to be about, I started thinking about what could represent unity, and after some research, I decided that the shape of a circle would best accomplish that. Next, I checked to see how many colleges/schools were within the university. For example; the College of Business, College of Education, and College of Law. In total there are seven, so I decided that I should include seven circles in my piece. However, once I started working, I realized that perfect circles might not be completely representative of the schools or the individual students, and that is because all circles are the same. But each one of us is different, and each school is its own little community. So I started making some of the circles kind of rugged, some with pointy edges. The difference in each of the circles represents how many different types of people we have at the university, it represents diversity. To represent interaction among the students and the schools, I decided that I wanted to have the circles stacked upon each other, to where they really are interacting with one another, and to where they are supporting their weight. This represents how we all work together and complete the university.
The piece shows how we are all different, but we are all united and are one big community, And that within this one big community, there are multiple smaller communities that work together to form the larger community.
TECHNO BLING
For each of my designs, I tried to do something where if
someone that knew me well saw them, they could say “Jesenia did that.”
The first two designs I created were the squirrels. If someone that knows me from high school, or if a family member saw these, they’d know that they are mine. I have this little squirrel doodle that I draw everywhere, since like my sophomore year in high school. I would go into old teachers’ classrooms and draw them all over their boards. People know me for my squirrel doodle back home. So for this project, I decided that I wanted to make my squirrel three dimensional. I had fun creating the first larger one. That one is supposed to be attached to a key chain or maybe used as a charm for a bracelet. It could really be attached to anything. The second squirrel is pretty much the same, but has a different purpose. I’ve had my tragus piercing since May, and I haven’t found a cool enough tragus ring. So I decided to make one. It’s the same squirrel, but I added a 16 gauge bar that is 8 mm in length, as well as the piece that screws on. I did the research for the measurements, so everything should be correct in case this piece was actually printed.
My third design is the ring with the word DECENT. I decided to make a ring with this particular word because I use the word decent for a lot of things. For example, if someone asks how my day was I’ll say decent because it usually isn’t bad, but it also isn’t amazing. It’s simply satisfactory. And because I’m usually too lazy to try to look good to go out, I settle for a hoodie and jeans and ask my mom if I at least look decent.
My fourth design is a red sphere with a gold ring around it. It’s supposed to be a remembrall, from one of the Harry Potter movies. They’re actually supposed to be clear with red smokey stuff inside. But the idea behind this design, is that I am an extremely unorganized and forgetful person. I forget everything. I lock myself out my dorm on a regular basis, and I lose things all the time. The remembrall is supposed to help me remember things every time I look at it. It could be used as a pendant as well.
My fifth design is supposed to be a happy little pencil topper. I tried to make it look like the sun. It’s bright and yellow. It’s supposed to make me happy because people usually use pencils at school and I have been hating school since kindergarten.
All of my designs are supposed to reveal something about me. My obsession with squirrels, my excessive use of the word decent, my forgetfulness, and my attempt to make school just a tiny bit more tolerable.
The first two designs I created were the squirrels. If someone that knows me from high school, or if a family member saw these, they’d know that they are mine. I have this little squirrel doodle that I draw everywhere, since like my sophomore year in high school. I would go into old teachers’ classrooms and draw them all over their boards. People know me for my squirrel doodle back home. So for this project, I decided that I wanted to make my squirrel three dimensional. I had fun creating the first larger one. That one is supposed to be attached to a key chain or maybe used as a charm for a bracelet. It could really be attached to anything. The second squirrel is pretty much the same, but has a different purpose. I’ve had my tragus piercing since May, and I haven’t found a cool enough tragus ring. So I decided to make one. It’s the same squirrel, but I added a 16 gauge bar that is 8 mm in length, as well as the piece that screws on. I did the research for the measurements, so everything should be correct in case this piece was actually printed.
My third design is the ring with the word DECENT. I decided to make a ring with this particular word because I use the word decent for a lot of things. For example, if someone asks how my day was I’ll say decent because it usually isn’t bad, but it also isn’t amazing. It’s simply satisfactory. And because I’m usually too lazy to try to look good to go out, I settle for a hoodie and jeans and ask my mom if I at least look decent.
My fourth design is a red sphere with a gold ring around it. It’s supposed to be a remembrall, from one of the Harry Potter movies. They’re actually supposed to be clear with red smokey stuff inside. But the idea behind this design, is that I am an extremely unorganized and forgetful person. I forget everything. I lock myself out my dorm on a regular basis, and I lose things all the time. The remembrall is supposed to help me remember things every time I look at it. It could be used as a pendant as well.
My fifth design is supposed to be a happy little pencil topper. I tried to make it look like the sun. It’s bright and yellow. It’s supposed to make me happy because people usually use pencils at school and I have been hating school since kindergarten.
All of my designs are supposed to reveal something about me. My obsession with squirrels, my excessive use of the word decent, my forgetfulness, and my attempt to make school just a tiny bit more tolerable.
CLUTTER BOX.
The purpose of my box is to hold objects that are cluttering my room but are very important to me. These objects don’t really belong anywhere, and they range from photographs, to birthday cards, to little things that I have laying around that are useless, but have sentimental value for me.
My box is composed of the big 8 x 12 x 8 box with a lid, and three smaller trays inside. Each tray is supposed to hold a different type of object; photographs, birthday cards or other types of cards, and small objects that have been given to me as gifts or that are very special to me. I bought a small lock to close it because it is a box that will be filled with special items that I don’t want anyone else to touch.
I made the inside trays using 7” by 11” pieces of 1/2” thick wood. These pieces were actually just a bit too small, but I did not have any wood left, so I had to use them. I proceeded to cut 11” by 2” pieces for the two longer sides, and 6” by 2” pieces for the shorter sides. In total, each tray was 2 1/2” tall. According to my measurements, all of the trays were supposed to fit in the box perfectly, but in the end, they did not. My dad helped me cut off the top of the last one using a weird tool that I had never seen before. So one of the trays is actually not the same size as the rest.
Although I had multiple problems, I had fun with this project. I had never touched any wood cutting tools in my life, and I have always been scared of them. I still am, but now I’m interested in being able to use them.
It's Flying, It's Free!
Birds
are generally flying and free. They are not confined to life in only one place,
or to stay within a certain area. They have the ability to travel to different
states and countries without giving much thought to it. While watching the
video Put a Bird On It, what stood out to me was when the lady put a bird on
the tote bag and said “it’s flying, it’s free.” Birds are so obviously free that I don’t give
much thought to it. So, for this project, I thought it would be interesting to
create multiple wire birds and place them by windows, so that they are looking
out but cannot get out. They see what they want, but they cannot attain it. By
placing them in different locations, they will be seen multiple times, and
people will be forced to think about why they are there. People will be able to
reflect on their lives and their own goals. The birds will hopefully evoke
thought about whether there is anything in one’s way, keeping them from what they
really want to do or keeping them from reaching their goals.
In the bird’s case, what is keeping it from what it really wants is a window. The window is a physical barrier for the birds. Just like that, sometimes we have things in our lives that keep us from doing what we really want to. But just like the bird could eventually find its way back to freedom by searching for a way out, instead of just standing around moping because it cannot get what it wants, so can we. If we just stand there, thinking about how unattainable our dreams and goals are, we’ll never reach them. But if we get up and do something about it, by maybe finding another way out, a way that may be complicated and may require a thought out plan, then we too could find our way out to freedom.
The birds will allow people who feel trapped to reflect on what is making them feel that way, and to evoke thought about finding a way out.
In the bird’s case, what is keeping it from what it really wants is a window. The window is a physical barrier for the birds. Just like that, sometimes we have things in our lives that keep us from doing what we really want to. But just like the bird could eventually find its way back to freedom by searching for a way out, instead of just standing around moping because it cannot get what it wants, so can we. If we just stand there, thinking about how unattainable our dreams and goals are, we’ll never reach them. But if we get up and do something about it, by maybe finding another way out, a way that may be complicated and may require a thought out plan, then we too could find our way out to freedom.
The birds will allow people who feel trapped to reflect on what is making them feel that way, and to evoke thought about finding a way out.
Interview with jillian allen
- What did you like most about the put a
bird on it project? I most enjoyed the conceptual
push of this assignment. I always have a well thought out and deep concept
in my work, especially in this class this year, and was excited not only
to present something that was almost purely just my own thoughts as the
piece, but also to see everyone else’s thoughts. To be honest, it was
this latter anticipation that led me to be disappointed in some of the
projects that were turned in. I really wanted to see what brilliant
thoughts my peers were having, and unfortunately I felt that many took
this project to only a shallow level of concept. The pieces that were
strong though definitely stood out, and I thoroughly appreciated them. I
think my favorite piece overall was Erin’s—it was quickly and gutturally
executed, and with this came a strong concept and great symbolism and
interpretation within the piece, which is what this assignment was truly
about.
- How did the video influence your
project? The
video led me to a huge variety of thoughts and tangents, and my ideas
ranged from defining art and craft as elements within a spectrum rather
than opposing entities, to assessing what is trendy right now in design
and fashion, to having a great introspection on my identity, and how much
of it is me and how much of it is the influence of trends. I first wanted
to mock the trends, but then I realized I would be a hypocrite if I
exuded the mockery that was seen in the video. I wonder if the actress
herself has bird-emblazoned articles of clothing or design elements in
her home. It is okay to laugh at ourselves though, so I kept some of this
vibe in my presentation.
- Do
you feel like you were challenged to come up with an idea for this project
since we weren't really told what to do? I
appreciated feeling challenged with an open assignment. As the two previous
questions summed up, I wanted to see how everyone developed through this
challenge and I really appreciated the introspection that it led to on my part.
This assignment made me grow more than anything else I’ve done in this class I
feel.
- Why did you choose the materials that
you chose? My original idea was to make a
stool from the post and a scrap stool top that had been lying around the
art room all year, but when it came time to do this project the stool top
could not be found and I didn’t have time to make one. I was developing
this concept where the stool would represent current trends, and would be
decorated in the style of my final project anyway, and it would represent
how brands lean on trends to sell products, but also literally put these
trends behind them once their time is gone. I still really wanted to work
with the post, as it would be a quick project to refinish it and decorate
it, and I already had so much concept built up around it. So I turned it
into a “pillar of current design” and made myself part of the piece as well
after incorporating my introspection.
- Do you feel that you have improved as
an artist throughout this semester? If so, how? As previously stated, I do
feel that through this assignment in particular I have grown. In all my
pieces this year, I have felt validated as an artist and a 3D Studio Arts
major to be more precise, as all my pieces have received really positive
feedback. I feel that I am on the right track with my career path and
major, and have gained technical skills—such as working with plaster and
wood—that I did not have prior to this class.
- What inspired you to become an artist
and pursue an education in art? As a young child (as most
artists’ stories begin) I had a passion for drawing, and also for
paleontology and other biological sciences. As I grew older, both of
these loves I retained. It wasn’t until my teenage years that I really
began exploring three dimensional art however, and I hit a dilemma in
high school over what I wanted to do with my life. If I chose art, I felt
that my career choice would be both selfish and fruitless. If I chose
science, I felt that I would be giving back to the world and utilizing my
intelligence, but I wouldn’t feel satisfied without art as a major part
of my life. After many web searches on careers that incorporated both, I
stumbled upon the perfect career option: a fossil preparator and
reconstructive model artist.
- How would you describe your work
outside of class? Outside of class, my art
exploration is varied, but it largely consists of jewelry making and
refinishing furniture, as well as other endeavors on the “craftier” end
of the art spectrum. I like to make things that I can use or sell. I keep
up a small business of designing and creating corsages and boutonnieres
on and off again.
- What are your plans for once you
graduate? Once I graduate, I may go on
to grad school ideally at the University of Chicago for a Masters in
Paleontology. I am not sure how or if I want to further pursue my art
education. I recognize my talent and don’t want it to take a backseat to
my scientific pursuits, but I don’t currently know why I would need grad
school for art. Regardless, I plan on having internships under my belt by
that time, making for an easier transition and increased chance of being
hired to a museum position in my dream career. I would love to move to
the Northwest Pacific or to the Minneapolis region, or even England.
There are some really stellar natural history museums in Oxford and
London.
- What is your dream job? My dream job is that of a fossil preparator and reconstructive model artist, working for a natural history museum in a fossil lab to help bring new understanding to what humanity knows about life before us by developing accurate and interpretative models of prehistoric life for museum displays and other commissioned work.
- What is art to you? Art to me is art to me. I
dabble in crafts but I consider it art. I write and I consider it art. I
get dressed each morning and I consider it art. I cook and it is art. Everything
fabricated by me can be interpreted as an art. It doesn’t have to be
pretty or profound. Art is choice, and the conscious effort we make
around choice. Art is the approach we take and the interpretations we
make.
fINAL: chaos
Jesenia Perez
We are constantly experiencing new things. My piece started out being about just this. I wanted to create something that represented how we are constantly experiencing, thinking, and changing. However, as I worked on my piece, I started to think about how we are always doing something. We are always busy.
My piece consists of a plaster head with braided wires going through it and around it. The bust represents us (people), while the wires represent everything we do, think, experience, etc. I wanted to make it look somewhat chaotic to represent how every once in a while, we are scrambling to get things done. I was influenced by how busy I have been lately, but also by seeing how busy and stressed the people around me have been. With finals going on and the excitement of break in a few days, we have a lot going on.
Some of the wires go through the head, while others are wrapped through those. The ones that go through the head represent the more permanent things in our lives such as things that have influenced us and shape who we are, and our normal routines. The other wires that aren’t permanently attached represent temporary phases where we feel overwhelmed and stressed. These can be removed and I chose to leave the ends sticking out to give the piece a more unorganized look that could represent how we feel during these busy times. I also created little tracks around the head that go from wire to wire. These are meant to express how we might have a path planned out in our lives, but that things are always changing. For example, starting college knowing that you really want to do one thing, only to try it out and decide that you absolutely hate it, and then end up having to change your plan completely.
I wanted my piece to represent our busy action packed lives, and how our experiences and ideas shape who we are.
We are constantly experiencing new things. My piece started out being about just this. I wanted to create something that represented how we are constantly experiencing, thinking, and changing. However, as I worked on my piece, I started to think about how we are always doing something. We are always busy.
My piece consists of a plaster head with braided wires going through it and around it. The bust represents us (people), while the wires represent everything we do, think, experience, etc. I wanted to make it look somewhat chaotic to represent how every once in a while, we are scrambling to get things done. I was influenced by how busy I have been lately, but also by seeing how busy and stressed the people around me have been. With finals going on and the excitement of break in a few days, we have a lot going on.
Some of the wires go through the head, while others are wrapped through those. The ones that go through the head represent the more permanent things in our lives such as things that have influenced us and shape who we are, and our normal routines. The other wires that aren’t permanently attached represent temporary phases where we feel overwhelmed and stressed. These can be removed and I chose to leave the ends sticking out to give the piece a more unorganized look that could represent how we feel during these busy times. I also created little tracks around the head that go from wire to wire. These are meant to express how we might have a path planned out in our lives, but that things are always changing. For example, starting college knowing that you really want to do one thing, only to try it out and decide that you absolutely hate it, and then end up having to change your plan completely.
I wanted my piece to represent our busy action packed lives, and how our experiences and ideas shape who we are.