lookee!

So I ended up deciding against creating an entire business package because I'm never going to have to send out invoices or anything because I'll require payment beforehand.  And even if I ever do, as soon as I decide which business card to use, letterhead would be super easy to create from there.  Anyhow, I designed a bunch of business cards and can't decide which one I like best... so I'm posting all my favorites!  bah-haha!!  

I did a couple variations of each one, perhaps posting them and seeing them outside of illustrator will help change my perspective so I can decide which I like best.  If anyone feels strongly for or against any of them let me know.  the name tag ones.. well, I just can't decide if they're too cheesy. hmm. 

I'm writing my thesis...

...and I don't like it.

But I did notice that I hadn't posted the back of the card thingy for my BFA show.  Silly me.  Here it is:

Artist Statements

Oh yea, and here's my artists statement, since i know people never read them anyways... maybe if i post it more people will notice it. I also thought it might be relevant the effort I put into making it not look cheesy like most shows do... meaning not on white paper, essay format, name on the paper (I mean come'on! Your name's on the damn wall! does it really need to be on the statement sitting directly underneath it?! Geeezus.), avoided New Times Roman font (yes I actually used Helvetica b/c it's been discussed as a domineering font and I think it kinda goes with my work), didn't put it in that crappy plastic whatever-you-call-it to hold it up on the pedestal, didn't include "Artists Statement" as the title. Wow, yea I just ripped 85% of the statements that go up at this school. Someone had to do it. Not that I'm saying mine is the bestest there ever was or anything like that, I just can't stand the way they're usually presented here and I wanted to switch it up a bit.

the show is up and done, wooo hooo!

pics to prove it heh heh hehh... It is hard to describe the relief I feel after the insane amount of time I spent on this (I'm exceptionally proud of the Ding Dong Tower haha..). Perhaps I will elaborate later. Brain not working now.
bye

lookee what I did!

It may seem a small feat to you, but it was a battle for me... Bahhh-ha-ha-ha-haaa! I made me disappear! I used the middle one for my show b/c you can't really tell it's me anyways. I was pretty stoked I was able to edit my face out of the last image...

Deciding how to hang my show

While planning for my show I was trying to figure out how I could put my ideas for how to hang it into a visual form in which I could show my peers and get their opinions. I finally got the idea that I should make to-scale models of my work within the space of the Meyer Memorial Gallery. I think it was pretty effective in conveying my ideas, as much as it could be. With such a large scale (hundreds of images) I wasn't able to hang the work in a way that conveyed these ideas. The three concepts I was trying to decide between are above, if you can make any sense of it all. I ultimately opted for the last one. (images of the actual installation to come)....

Poladroid

I don't really have anything important to say... I'm stressing about getting everything done by the end of the term. I just found out I'm 4 units short of graduating.. kinda p.o.'d about that. So in my aggravation I cleaned my apartment. I have a habit of doing that, when I'm stressed about school, I clean. Doesn't make sense though, I should just put my energy towards getting studying and stuff done. I never said I was a rational person.

Anywho, I finally got Poladroid to work (this was on my timeline), I initially had a hard time getting it to download, so here's a couple old pics I converted to Poladroid. I think they turned out pretty cool :)  And I'm going to use them for my show, well at least on the cards for the show because, well, I want to.

pretty neato

I like these :) A lot.

I designed a few business cards

but i can't figure out how to upload the damn things! Illustrator won't let me save as a .png and that's how I was getting the photoshop images up here. grrr.

Am I done yet?

I'm having a hard time getting back into the swing of things, I don't want to work on my art. It's the worst feeling. I think it's senoritis. It's almost done... one more month! ahhh!

Yea, and I never got around to bugging Miles in his office about the photoshop thing. I've been busy. But it will happen. I swear.

Meanwhile, I have been doing some research about business card design and whatnot. Trying to decide if I should have a really fun, obnoxious one or a reserved professional type. I should probably just design both, and decide afterwards. I really dig this one (above) can I copy it? Or is that infringement? I'll change it.. I promise. By at least 10%. haha.

I'd better start working on this blog thing a little more regularly

Meanwhile, last weekend I did some head shots for a theater student, during which, I realized I really need to get to know the functions of my camera waaay better. I kind felt like a doof cursing at my camera because I couldn't get it to do what I wanted (and yes I forgot the manual, argh). But I got a few good shots out of it. I also realized I need to start charging more for this stuff.

video, painting, etc

I'm super duper excited to finally be done with this crazy photo project. I feel like I've been working on it for eternity!!! I have a couple ideas for a video and some paintings that I'd like to do, as I haven't been able to do anything outside of photography for so long. The video idea is AMAZING but I can't discuss it here because it is in fact so amazing, that you all would be tempted to steal my idea and really, I just don't want to put you in that position. haha. but really...

i hate this, this sucks, i want some ice cream

See miles, I pay attention in class. And I don't actually hate this, I hate titles. So I stole yours. But yea, so I found some business cards I thought were pretty cool.. for inspiration and stuff.

i still hate titles...

...because really, it's kinda hard to figure out how to summarize your work aesthetically as well as the concept behind it in just a few words. I'm trying to figure out what to title my show that will be going up at the end of the month and I really, really don't like it.

i hate titles

I don't like titling my work.  And with my BFA show coming up, I need to think of one fast.  But first I need to sit down and decide exactly what the work means to me, what exactly it is about. I think I know at this point, it's just a matter of putting it into words, words that others will understand and ensure that the work actually reflects the statement I'm trying to make.  I'm not particularly good at articulating my thoughts, so perhaps this will be a good exercise for me.  So I'm going to make a meager attempt at explaining my work..

I utilize Polaroid and Photobooth as the format for a majority of my work, not necessarily because of the immediacy they provide, but more because they quickly take on a tangible form. As digital is becoming more and more popular, people are printing images less and relying on computers, the Internet, etc.  I feel that the photograph as an object gives it an entirely different quality. People collect images as memorabilia of events and people in their lives, a way of remembering.  My photographs could be considered mundane or banal, but that is entirely dependent upon the viewer. To the people they involve they are priceless, to others, they are just another collection of snapshots.  The use of Xerox in my work, being easily reproducible, is intended to reveal that to many the photos mean nothing, they are virtually the same images that fill the pages of so many family photo albums. The repetition of Xerox images is meant to reflect on this.  Whether or not it works, I don't know. Yet.

bang bang

I've been trying to think of ways to incorporate various memorabilia/mementos into my photographic work since most of my work is about the photograph as an object, or more specifically, the photograph as an object that records events/people/things. The photograph is increasingly being used by the masses as a way of documenting events of their lives, so much so that the act of photographing an event is almost superseding the event itself. At each wedding I've photographed, I end up battling the entourage of family and friends armed with cameras. It's come to the point that people attend events such as these just to photograph them and prove that it happened and that they were indeed there, instead of appreciating the moment. That's why people hire photographers; so guests can be guests and photographers can do what photographers do.  whoa, I just went of on a tangent but maybe I'll just leave it at that.

The method to this madness

Who is my favorite artist?
I don't know, I been meaning to address this question for some time now but I'm just so indecisive. I've been really interested in Andy Warhol lately, but not in his work necessarily, more of his persona and the processes and methods with which he creates his work- the method of his madness. Before Warhol, I was interested in Duane Michals, initiated by my obsession with the image "This Photograph is my Proof," which inspired a lot of thought about my own work. Annnnd, before that was Diane Arbus. But that ceased after the 13 page research paper I wrote about her and her work- damn you ArtH 301. So I will have to work on an answer for this question.

Other random thoughts: must learn how to cut out and place a new background on an image. Yes Miles, expect me to come bang on your office door next week.
Oh, and figure out how to upload an Illustrator image on here. It's beginning to limit the content of my blogs. Grrrr...

Argh

I created a to-scale image of the gallery space (the Meyer Memorial) I will be having my BFA show in, as well as a map out of how I plan to hang my Polaroids, Photobooth strips, and xerox copies. It helped me to figure out about how many images I'll be needing by the time it opens (on March 5th- be there!!!), as well as to give me an idea of what it will look like when it's hung. I wanted to make sure it wouldn't look too chaotic and seems to work out fine :) But I'm having trouble being able to upload it on here. Argh.

Where art thou gnome?

(photo by Jack Howlett)

On the walk home the other day I saw a garden gnome on someone's porch and I really really wanted to borrow it. A generic idea most definitely but I thought about the possibilities.... I could send pics of the gnome traveling around Ashland. The post office, the beanery, very unexciting places would be ideal. Still trying to decide...

It made sense to me..

[A visual metaphor of my thoughts at one point in time]
Created in Illustrator summer 2007.

My journey towards eternal starvation

As I will soon be graduating from this fine establishment, I thought I should do some research on how to maintain my place in society.  I have been a starving college student for the last uhhh, 7 years now, and am hoping to make a smooth transition into my new role in the world as a starving artist.  Here is the best advice I was able to find through my extensive Google research:

10 ways to remain a starving artist:

1. Don't set goals.

2. Never ever think about money.

3. Keep your artwork to yourself- don't show it, don't talk about it.

4. Don't tell anybody you're an artist.

5. Spend all of your time in your studio.  Don't bother marketing - let    your art stack up.

6. If people are buggin you to buy your artwork say it's not for sale-    it's not priced- that will deter them.

7. Go at it alone- don't get any help.

8. Stay away from artists earning money.

9. Expect instant success.

10. Wait to be discovered.

This list was compiled by Martha Zlater, Art Business Consultant at the Small Business Development Center of San Francisco.  

...And this list was stolen from this blog.

Bananas & buttons

I like bananas, I like randomness, I like celebrating, I like this picture:

If you too would like to celebrate randomness, click on the link below and play with the buttons.  Oooh... fancy.   (I especially like the white button).

http://www.ihatebananas.com

I tried to make the image link to the site but I couldn't.  Damn.

Making up for lost time

While I'm physically back in school, the creative portion of my brain is still apparently in Christmas vacation mode (work, ski park, party, sleep, repeat). I think it might be back with me now but I'm not making any promises.

I fooled around with Mac Photobooth for the first time ever a few weeks ago, which is (from what I've heard) generally the one of the first things most proud Mac owners do.  I felt I may be missing out... so I gave it a whirl.  I took a picture with my Polaroid of photobooth taking a picture of me with my polaroid.  Or something like that.  It didn't turn out quite as I'd hoped, but here they are.

Visualize, summarize..

My goals for the term summarized into one semi-longwinded sentence:

I will be experimenting with photo manipulation, expanding my photographs further into the digital realm, and creating a variety of means to promote my photographic work.

Timeline

1/22   The first task I should complete is to research how much time it takes to print and mail cards for my BFA show and add that date to my timeline accordingly.

1/27   Have a couple of digitally produced photobooth strips completed.

2/05  Experiment with Poladroid software.

2/12   Have more digitally produced photos ready for critique.

Have Exhibition cards ready to mail out.

2/19  Create logo for photography business

2/26  Business card design complete

3/05  Entire business identity package completed.

  

I collect cards from most of the exhibitions I go to.  Here are a few of my favorites.

rough ideas

My goals for this term are to experiment with a few ideas I've had but haven't yet had the time to pursue.  I think this class is going to be a fantastic opportunity for me to play around with these ideas, which are to:  

1. Complete an identity package for the promotion of my photography (business cards, poster, etc.)

2. Learn (at least) the basics of Photoshop, which is remedial, I know, but I've somehow completely evaded learning anything about the program.

3. Design a card/flyer/mailer/whatever to promote my BFA show.

4. Continue my photographic work in the digital realm.  Or more specifically, work on creating a digitally produced photobooth series to include in my exhibition this March, as well as to learn basic photo editing techniques.

As far as this blog goes, it will be interesting to view my own photographic work online, mostly because my work is largely about the tactile qualities of a photograph and the photo as an object.  This is why most of my work utilizes some form of virtually instant format.  Setting aside my digital camera, I have focused on photobooth, Polaroid, Xerox, and am hoping to soon expand to the new Polaroid Pogo (which produces near-instant tangible images via the bluetooth capabilities of a camera phone or digital camera while using a new inkless technology call Zink).  Did I just sound like an ad there or what?!

what to do, what to do??

i don't know yet.