September Review?

Hello all.
Its been an interesting past four months for me. I've traveled, transitioned, and all the changes I've endured has led my art to an interesting place:

 

Traditional Media!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, the diva of video and installation has been recently exploring the world of traditional media; drawing, in pencil and charcoal; block printing; layering images; and even painting. Its been interesting to say the least. I've enjoyed my journey, and have been longing to make new work! Here is a review of what I've been working on:

 

This work is white in on black canvas with gold accents and India ink drawings layered on top. The abstract narrative conjured by the supposed images is mysterious, but hints at a monetary concern. For this piece I used a wonderful Kafka scriptliner brush, which is more precious to me than a child, and Copic opaque white ink applied both as a wash and in its pure form. Good stuff. 

 

This relatively small piece (8"x12" or so) utilizes some familiar media from about as well as the use of colored pencil behind the white ink wash. The posture, expression, and gender neutrality of the subject get to the root of the matter at hand. As I've been working on these pieces of become rather preoccupied with speech bubbles (like, from comic books) and a visual representation of speech itself; the way the bubble is drawn can perhaps say more than whats inside? The way an expression or posture can communicate the inner turmoil of this subject. 

This was a very fun piece to work on. The background is a combination of Krink marker, spray paint, gesso, and watercolor pencil. The piece of larger (2'x4') and I created an 18" long stamp to create the wallpaper effect in the background. I created the image of the digitized Victorian wallpaper as a reference to Foucault's writing on 'The New Victorians', a piece mainly about the way culture changes very little over time and the chaste values of the Victorian era are still markedly present in today modern culture; hence, the blending of digital representation with classical patterning. The figure rests on top, at once the pattern and at the same time separate, their speech bubble empty but for the same iteration of what is contained within their body. This is another reference to culture, in this case the way cultural idioms become so internalized they become our personalities even though we as people strive so hard to stand outside them. Again, a very fun piece to work on. 

The figure has been very prominent in my recent work as well, though I am working on some compositions using just speech bubbles. There are certain figures that are not only attractive, but make an attractive subject for drawing. The above image is a charcoal study on a ground I prepared using acrylic paint on black Stonehenge paper, giving the colors an ethereal richness that compliments the rich volumes of the form. Perhaps just lately I've been preoccupied with beauty?

I've also been doing some web comic type stuff, hosted on Tom Ulch's art collective website, the Hive (www.thehiveannarbor.com). The about piece you can find on the site with an accompanying article discussing the similarities between fan fiction and revisionist history. Be sure to check out the Hive; tons of great articles by many talented people!

These panels are from another web comic that should be hosted on the Hive; unfortunately, because of my crazy schedule it's been difficult for me to keep up with that particular project, though as the semester begins and things settle down I know I will have more time to contribute. You may view them here for you pleasure (heehee). The therapists dialogue was taken from a men's rights website I accidentally went on; I was disturbed and needed to visualize a response. P.S. don't go to men's rights websites and not expect to be pissed off.

In a hilarious anecdote, my MFA installation was blogged about by Yuppie Traveler Lisa, the Link is below:
"It's really interesting"

That's it for now! Sketches and images will be forthcoming <3 br="">