Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Framed!

I got into the groove and totally into this project and Im finally done..... about 6 weeks early! BUT just in time to hang it at the Space this weekend for a show curated by Ashley Abel "Art in Orbit". Heres a sneak peak at my frames just cause I'm so excited to  have them done! You should still come to The Space in Hamden This sunday April 3rd from 1-6 to see them in real life as well as the art of a BUNCH of other amazing artists!

If you will remember the assignment was to use the ten words given and some how creatively include them in our photos, I decided to not only include it in the photo but to make the frame accordingly also. My theme was kids portraits, I was really attempting to blur the lines of commercial work with fine art.







Im Sure my boyfriend is happy that I'm done also.... being crafty isn't exactly the cleanest of projects!

Metal

Desk

Ball

Silverware

Black and White

Flower

Texture

Box

Silver-WEAR

Rust

Rust

The process of actually making the frames once I had all my artsy supplies really didnt take too long, only because I really enjoyed what I was doing! The most interesting part was the problem solving that went along with it, how am I going to make silverware stay glued? How will I get the glass piece back in the frame if I A) drill a metal piece into the frame. B) wrap fabric around the frame. How will I make the picture stay in what is right now a window... you know these types of questions... that more than likely not many people find them selves with problems like these multiple times in a week!

Id like to thank my boyfriend, Rob for his help with many of these, and his patience while our office was a disaster area, My Teacher Hoyer for some awesome ideas,  The parents and kids of course who made this SUCH a fun project, and my itunes playlist and everyone on it for musical inspiration and creative focus!

Monday, March 28, 2011

~Creative Natives~ Kim's Closet

Kim Ciarleglio is a very mixed media artist, and is turning her hobby into a career! Having a very artistic family, a father who is a painter, her mother does woodcrafts and paints and her brother is a photographer, Kim has always been a crafty gal. She has a gift for recycling scrap pieces that she gets from tag sales and goodwill and turning them into fun and amazing pieces of jewelry, and art. Kim makes everything, from earrings and hair clips, to decorative record album covers, to wood paintings, and paintings with REAL butterflies! While she sticks to her unique style, everything is one of a kind! As a self proclaimed "Hoarder" she is constantly envisioning what she can make out of her plethora of stuff stating, "Why throw away something thats ugly when you can make it in to something pretty!"

Yup! those are real butterflies, she sprayed them with a finishing spray to give them a glossy look and to keep them looking beautiful longer.

                    
                                  ....A MULTITUDE of Hair clips!


          And some of the coolest, unique jewelry you could ever want!

Her talents don't stop there, and her collection is ever growing! This wont be the last  you hear of her, she's working on getting a studio/gallery space in New Haven soon! She has also, and will continue to vend in New Haven at all kinds of art shows, and is looking forward to New Haven's Artwalk and City Wide open studios. But don't worry, if you want her contact info, I've got that too! KCiarleglio@yahoo.com Or check out her facebook page !

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Creative Natives~~ Andres Madariaga

Originally from Colombia, Andres grew up with strong family values and in a Catholic up bringing. Many of these values come through in his work, sometimes not the way you would think though. Despite his Catholic background he has found himself turning to a more spiritual path, one where organized religion doesn't fit in, and he incorporates it to his work in many cases. He is exploring, and explaining his "religion" with his work, exploring life and death. Andres started his art career with figure drawing, which he still explores to this day, but while in school his artistic interests branched off, he has political pieces, (one in represented in the block in monkey form as a certain former president...) he has many perspective pieces, still lifes, and so on, he has truly explored his craft! I think his passion lies with matters of the heart. His work can currently be seen at Scrawl at Artspace, as well as Bru cafe on Orange St New Haven. I really enjoyed getting to know Andres and after meeting and talking I feel as though we will stay friends, when I went to his studio/apartment I loved that he had all of his work surrounding him, as well as many pieces from other artists! He says it helps to keep him inspired and its gotta be working because in the 3 weeks i have known him now he has showed me at least 5 new things he started working on! It is so fun meeting people who love their craft!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

*Creative Natives* Scrawl at Artspace

What I love most about the New Haven Art Scene is how everyone involved works to unite the artists in the community. This weeks spotlight goes out to Martha Lewis and Artspace for literally putting 48 artists in one gallery and giving them each a wall to decorate at Scrawl. They were each given free reign creatively, however were asked not to look at what the artist next to them was doing. From February 9th to March 26th they get unlimited Sharpie Markers and get to come in and make art!  I stopped in a few times to watch the progression and got to speak with 6 of the artists about their approach. I was amazed that each of them had such different backgrounds and each a unique approach to their space. I will also be at the opening reception March 25th for the Big Reveal, and to get pictures of the artists with their final piece!

Alexis Brown grew up in New Haven and has a gardening business. She started out art school for figure drawing and made the transformation into animals, which is what she is focusing on here. She says she tends to start drawing without a plan, and sees where it takes her! In a few months Alexis will be a mommy, and then she hopes to go back to school to become a biology teacher!



I met with 2 architects, both had VERY different approaches, but the commonality seemed to be how they were both exploring their space... Frances Cooke was intrigued with drawing full scale with this project, and is exploring "breaking authority of perspective." I am excited to see the final product with this one because it really feels like you could walk into the wall. I just hope it transfers in photograph as well as it does on the wall...


While Frances took a very technical approach and was very planned out, Maegen Michael McElderry, went to art school and brought some of that background with him to Scrawl. He also wanted to explore his space, but in a more philosophical way. He uses "infinite space to emphasize the finality of death". Saying "The only thing we really own is our life and our death." Each of the falling characters has their pronoun marked next to them "Him," "Her," and in their final landing spot indicated by the X on the ground, "Here" and "There".
My enlarged photos are an attempt to show the detail in the ball point pen drawings, but keep in mind the empty space is very much a part of this piece.

The next artist is a  Painting and Drawing Professor at University of Hartford. Cat Balco is a painter, and this is her first black and white ink drawing, but she is exploring weavings that she normally does, only in large scale. Her work, as she describes is very organic, and filled with organic forms and life symbols... ( they are similar to DNA symbols) when I went back the next week it was very different and pictures of her finished product will be up soon, as well as hopefully a picture of her face!


The next group of artists are of a different medium normally but decided they needed to do this together. On a regular basis Larrissa Hall, Mike Pitassi and Michael Riley rap together, (AKA Queen Larita, MC Sausage, and Dr Box)....(unfortunately Dr. Box was out while I was hanging out with this crew, but once again, final pics will be up after the opening! ). They are from Waterbury and their work depicts all the things from Waterbury they felt needed to be represented!

Next artist up is also the next artist I will be introducing for creative Natives next week! His work at Scrawl really speaks to me and I felt I had to get to know him more. Andres Madariaga's piece invites you to "Enter and find your Center". It is a very spiritual piece, he started with a little bit of planning but not much, he had a general focus on the idea of Cyclical Life, and went from there. While he was drawing this piece is grandmother died and he realized how important this piece was to him, and also realized he needed to add death to the piece, as it is a part of life. Each pedal symbolizes a different part of life. Regret, birth, love, loss. Stay tuned and I will introduce Andres in more detail, and more of his work!

Each time I went all the artists were completely emerged in their work, and I loved to watch but I really didnt enjoy stopping them to ask questions, I talked to them when I saw a good break point, and then let them get back to work as quickly as possible. I really enjoyed watching so many artists doing what they loved, and so diligently!

I really loved watching these transformations and cannot wait to show you the final products! Be sure to Check out Scrawl's Big Reveal  at Artspace March 25th 6-8 because the next day this all gets painted over!!!!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

More fun with kids!

So I have hurtled a few more challenges this week, with children who want their pictures done, but THEIR way, infants who dont find me amusing, nor the huge camera thats shoved in their face, and toddlers that cant sit still. HOWEVER, these were all wonderful life lessons and I still got some great photos and Im so glad that I have chosen this project because I really am learning a lot that I can bring with me to future shoots. Im so excited that this project is turning out the way it is! Each child has taught me something new as well as produced at least one picture that can go in this portfolio, if not more. Here's some more pictures of kids doing what they do! 














 Lennon Gave me photos for the words Rust (motorcycle) and Metal (Spiral pole slide thing)! Hazel is just beautiful and I coudnt NOT photograph her!









I almost considered changing the word "silverware" to Silver WEAR because of this amazingly cute outfit Izzy had!








Izzy Gave me photos for the words Flowers and Texture (the one with the hat)!

And with that Im just about DONE! and can finally start constructing my frames!