Follow these steps to post artsXpose materials on the class website

  1. Log on to the site by going to: https://sculpture2.blogs.bucknell.edu/wp-admin/
  2. Create a new post by clicking at the top of the page on the “+ New” button
  3. Once the post screen comes up, check the “artsXpose” box to the right to put the post in the right category
  4. Upload photos by clicking on the “upload/insert” button above the text field (remember to click the “insert into post” button while you’re on the upload screen)
  5. * So that I can give you credit for your work, don’t forget to put your name in the title of the post

Click here to see an example of how to post using the FORM option

Click here to see an example of how to post using the PHOTO option

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::::IMPULSE::::: weekend research assignments

*** Mark your calendars!  ***  We will stage a live presentation of your projects on April 27th*** Your attendance at this event is part of your grade for this project, and you MUST MUST MUST be at the event! ***

 

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENTS

Step 1: Write about the two impulses you’ve chosen to work with.

Describe each of the impulses and tell how they currently impact your life.

> For the impulse you’ve chosen to FEED, tell why it’s important to make this impulse more pronounced in your life.

> For the impulse you’ve chosen to CONTROL, tell why this impulse is something you’d like to curtail in your life.

 

Step 2: Borrow a strategy

One great way of improving your artwork is to borrow strategies from other works of art.  There are a variety of attributes that you could borrow from a work of art, it could be an aesthetic quality, a compositional arrangement, the subject matter, a means of presentation, a sensibility, a construction technique, a sense of humor… anything at all.

For this step, you are to:

  1. Find an image of a particular work of art that you find compelling. (The artwork you choose could even come from the artist that you recently presented on in class.)
  2. Print this image out or post it to the class website.
  3. In your printout or your web post, include the name of the artist and the work’s title.
  4. Write just one sentence that specifies the attribute or strategy that you intend to borrow from the piece.

 

Step 3 : Visual research

Find 5 images that relate to each of the impulses that you’ve chosen to work with (for a total of 10), and print these out—you will use these images as visual references while working on your project.

 

Step 4 : Create sketches

Draw up plans for 2 three-dimensional forms that would affix to your body — one to FEED an impulse, and one to CONTROL an impulse.

As you create these sketches, please remember/do the following:

> One’s final product can be improved when, at the beginning of a project, one considers a variety of possible end results.  For each of the impulses you’ve chosen, create at least three detailed sketches of three distinctly different project ideas.

> As sources of inspiration, refer back to the associative lists you created in class.

> These projects can be fairly large–up to even 6 or 10 feet in length, but keep in mind that you will need to surface your metal structure with a fabric or plastic, so consider your own limitations of time and energy as you draw up your sketches.


Why we write about our ideas

Every decision that you make in the planning and execution of a work of art has meaningful implications.  When one begins a project by thinking about what they want to accomplish in the end, this enables them to have more control over the final meaning in their work, AND it provides one with a useful tool for editing their work during the process of creating.  While one could employ many methods for thinking critically, writing is especially helpful for developing this skill because it forces one to be precise and clarify ideas.

Why we conduct visual research

Our artwork is in a dialogue with the outside world—this is unavoidable, and conducting visual research enables us to knowledgably position our work in relationship with phenomena from the world.  Images are the currency of the visual arts, images are the beginning and end of artistic endeavors; we must conduct visual research in order to tap into this vital resource.  Additionally, images can help accelerate our creative thinking and give us raw “material” to work with and respond to.  So, collecting images/objects and other source material can practically inform your design, and it can also enlighten your thinking.

Why we create sketches

Preparatory sketches can help you plan your project on a small scale before you commit the time and energy to create the project on a larger scale.  Sketches are a very fast means of “testing” possibilities.  Sketching enhances creative thinking, and this frequently helps one find innovative and novel solutions to problems.  This component is important because the quality of our ideas will have a dramatic impact on the quality we are able to produce in our finished product.  When we generate ideas, our first idea is usually not the best idea that we could possibly conceive.  Most often, our ideas will continue to improve as we consider a variety of possibilities and think about things from a range of perspectives with a flexible and open attitude.  Creative insight does not typically hit a person like a thunderbolt; it usually emerges gradually, through the persistent, patient, tenacious mulling over of an idea or question.

Sample Artist Presentation

Here is a pdf of my artist presentation: Carsten Höller.

If you open it in adobe reader there will be a little word bubbled in the top left corner. That is where you can see my slide notes. Don’t pay attention the spelling and grammar of my notes.

The way that I first put this together was by gathering lots of images of the work, even more than I needed. Then once I figured out what I was going to say about the work I organized it in a cohesive manner and cut out the pieces that I wasn’t going to talk about. You also might notice that some of the works I chose not to talk about are hidden at the end of the presentation.

Happy presenting,

Aaron

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I am for an art … by Claes Oldenburg

I am for an art that is political-erotical-mystical, that does something other than sit on its ass in a museum.

I am for an art that grows up not knowing it is art at all, an art given the chance of having a staring point of zero.

I am for an art that embroils itself with the everyday crap & still comes out on top.

I am for an art that imitates the human, that is comic, if necessary, or violent, or whatever is necessary.

I am for an art that takes its form from the lines of life itself, that twists and extends and accumulates and spits and drips, and is heavy and coarse and blunt and sweet and stupid as life itself.

I am for an artist who vanishes, turning up in a white cap painting signs or hallways.

I am for an art that comes out of a chimney like black hair and scatters in the sky.

I am for an art that spills out of an old man’s purse when he is bounced off a passing fender

I am for the art out of a doggy’s mouth, falling five stories from the roof.

I am for the art that a kid licks, after peeling away the wrapper.

I am for an art that joggles like everyones knees, when the bus traverses an excavation.

I am for art that is smoked, like a cigarette, smells, like a pair of shoes.

I am for art that flaps like a flag or helps blow noses, like a handkerchief.

I am for art that is put on and taken off, like pants, which develops holes, like socks, which is eaten, like a piece of pie, or abandoned with great contempt, like a piece of shit.

I am for art covered with bandages, I am for art that limps and rolls and runs and jumps. I am for art comes in a can or washes up on the shore.

I am for art that coils and grunts like a wrestler. I am for art that sheds hair.

I am for art you can sit on. I am for art you can pick your nose with or stub your toes on.

I am for art from a pocket, from deep channels of the ear, from the edge of a knife, from the corners of the mouth, stuck in the eye or worn on the wrist.

I am for art under the skirts, and the art of pinching cockroaches.

I am for the art of conversation between the sidewalk and a blind mans metal stick.

I am for the art that grows in a pot, that comes down out of the skies at night, like lightning, that hides in the clouds and growls. I am for art that is flipped on and off with a switch.

I am for art that unfolds like a map, that you can squeeze, like your sweetys arm, or kiss, like a pet dog. Which expands and squeaks, like an accordion, which you can spill your dinner on, like an old tablecloth.

I am for an art that you can hammer with, stitch with, sew with, paste with, file with.

I am for an art that tells you the time of day, or where such and such a street is.

I am for an art that helps old ladies across the street.

I am for the art of the washing machine. I am for the art of a government check. I am for the art of last wars raincoat.

I am for the art that comes up in fogs from sewer-holes in winter. I am for the art that splits when you step on a frozen puddle. I am for the worms art inside the apple. I am for the art of sweat that develops between crossed legs.

I am for the art of neck-hair and caked tea-cups, for the art between the tines of restaurant forks, for odor of boiling dishwater.

I am for the art of sailing on Sunday, and the art of red and white gasoline pumps.

I am for the art of bright blue factory columns and blinking biscuit signs.

I am for the art of cheap plaster and enamel. I am for the art of worn marble and smashed slate. I am for the art of rolling cobblestones and sliding sand. I am for the art of slag and black coal. I am for the art of dead birds.

I am for the art of scratchings in the asphalt, daubing at the walls. I am for the art of bending and kicking metal and breaking glass, and pulling at things to make them fall down.

I am for the art of punching and skinned knees and sat-on bananas. I am for the art of kids’ smells. I am for the art of mama-babble.

I am for the art of bar-babble, tooth-picking, beerdrinking, egg-salting, in-sulting. I am for the art of falling off a bartstool.

I am for the art of underwear and the art of taxicabs. I am for the art of ice-cream cones dropped on concrete. I am for the majestic art of dog-turds, rising like cathedrals.

I am for the blinking arts, lighting up the night. I am for art falling, splashing, wiggling, jumping, going on and off.

I am for the art of fat truck-tires and black eyes.

I am for Kool-art, 7-UP art, Pepsi-art, Sunshine art, 39 cents art, 15 cents art, Vatronol Art, Dro-bomb art, Vam art, Menthol art, L & M art Ex-lax art, Venida art, Heaven Hill art, Pamryl art, San-o-med art, Rx art, 9.99 art, Now art, New ar, How art, Fire sale art, Last Chance art, Only art, Diamond art, Tomorrow art, Franks art, Ducks art, Meat-o-rama art.

I am for the art of bread wet by rain. I am for the rat’s dance between floors. I am for the art of flies walking on a slick pear in the electric light. I am for the art of soggy onions and firm green shoots. I am for the art of clicking among the nuts when the roaches come and go. I am for the brown sad art of rotting apples.

I am for the art of meowls and clatter of cats and for the art of their dumb electric eyes.

I am for the white art of refigerators and their muscular openings and closing.

I am for the art of rust and mold. I am for the art of hearts, funeral hearts or sweetheart hearts, full of nougat. I am for the art of worn meathooks and singing barrels of red, white, blue and yellow meat.

I am for the art of things lost or thrown away, coming home from school. I am for the art of cock-and-ball trees and flying cows and the noise of rectangles and squares. I am for for the art of crayons and weak grey pencil-lead, and grainy wash and sticky oil paint, and the art of windshield wipers and the art of the finger on a cold window, on dusty steel or in the bubbles on the sides of a bathtub.

I am for the art of teddy-bears and guns and decapitated rabbits, explodes umbrellas, raped beds, chairs with their brown bones broken, burning trees, firecracker ends, chicken bones, pigeon bones, and boxes with men sleeping in them

I am for the art of slightly rotten funeral flowers, hung bloody rabbits and wrinkly yellow chickens, bass drums & tambourines, and plastic phonographs.

I am for the art of abandoned boxes, tied like pharohs. I am for an art of watertanks and speeding clouds and flapping shades

I am for U.S. Government Inspected Art, Grade A art, Regular Price art, Yellow Ripe art, Extra Fancy art, Ready-to-eat art, Best-for-less art, Ready-to-cook art, Fully cleaned art, Spend Less art, Eat Better art, Ham art, Pork art, chicken art, tomato art, bana art, apple art, turkey art, cake art, cookie art.

 

add:

I am for an art that is combed down, that is hung from each ear, that is laid on the lips and under the eyes, that is shaved from the legs, that is burshed on the teeth, that is fixed on the thighs, that is slipped on the foot.

square which becomes blobby

 

May 1961

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5 Collage, Eric L.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

because i don’t have enough ink

Aaron Meyers artXpose #2 (example)

Example of how to submit artsXpose with the PHOTO option

For each artsXpose you complete, you may submit either a form OR a photo–it is not necessary to submit both.  Included below is an example of how you may submit artsXpose using the PHOTO option.  For the sake of efficiency, you may want to cut-and-paste the text below directly into your post and then appropriately revise the information.  

Your photograph should depict you at the event with some distinctive features.  This will make it obvious that you attended.

– – –

Title of Event: Joe Meiser Artist Lecture
Date & Time of Event: Friday February 3rd 7 pm
Location of Event: Samek Art Gallery
Type of event: Artist lecture and reception

 

artsxpose-785x523

 

Aaron Meyers ArtsXpose #1 (example)

Example of how to submit artsXpose with the FORM option

For each artsXpose you complete, you may submit either a form OR a photo–it is not necessary to submit both.  Included below is an example of how you may submit artsXpose using the FORM option.  For the sake of efficiency, you may want to cut-and-paste the text below directly into your post and then appropriately revise the information.

– – –

 

Title of Event: Bill T. Jones Lecture

Date and time of event: Monday January 30th 7:30 pm

Location of Event: Harvey Powers Theater

Type of Event: Guest Artist Lecture

1.) Provide a brief detail-oriented technical description or summary of the event you attended. (This section should remain journalistic and should not be reflective of your opinion.)

Bill T. Jones gave an hour lecture with almost a full half hour of questioning. During the lecture he spoke from memory and showed a 15 minutes video of one of his dances being performed by different dancers. He also showed brief examples of his movement throughout the lecture.

2.) Use the section below to write a well-structured paragraph focusing on your personal criticalinsight / response to the event. How did you interpret or react to what was presented to you?

It was clear that Jones was a stage performer. Even in a lecture he had an amazing presence and was very confident. I enjoyed seeing him show bits of his dance moves. He also told a lot of very interesting stories about both his dad and his long time partner. One thing that I found interesting was at the beginning of the lecture he talked a lot about being a part of a counter culture and pushing against society. He described how fruitful it was for him to live in an artist colony that had no concern for material success. However at the end of the lecture he was described some of his current financial realities and the trouble of maintaining a dance company.

3.) What information, ideas, images, etc. most impressed you and why?

I was most impressed by his presence, story telling, and his brief dance moves. They were all very clear but also very unique.

4.) Overall, how would you rate this event (10 being the most worthwhile)?
(10 / 9 / 8 / 7 / 6 / 5 / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1 )

eight
5.) Justify your rating in the question above:

I think for he was a really articulate speaker and was also entertaining. He also gave me two really valuable messages: don’t let yourself get in the way of the work, and why does it have to be anyone in particulars body?

 

 

5 Collages IDEATION assignment

Assignment summary: Create five different collages that demonstrate five distinctly different ways of bringing your cast objects together to create a finished work that is visually and intellectually compelling. 

Please return to the research assignment that you completed at the start of this project and reflect on the particular type of ACCUMULATION that you set out to explore.  Then, think about the best way to arrange the objects you’re casting in order to address this type of accumulation in a way that is also visually compelling.  Be inventive, and consider incorporating found objects and/or building some additional elements to produce a more dynamic finished product.  In sculptural projects, ideas are often developed slowly over time through a process of making, reflecting, making, experimenting, reflecting, making, experimenting, etc.  This exercise is one final step of reflecting and experimenting that will help you create a stronger finished project.

While sketching is generally a good method of working through ideas, since you’re working with multiples in this project, it would take too much time to actually sketch out five detailed drawings of different solutions.  However, on the computer you can easily create a number of images of whatever object(s) you’re molding, and then print these out.  This is easy to do even with Microsoft Word by just cutting a pasting a small image over and over again.  Then, by printing and then cutting these images out and arranging them in various configurations, you can quickly visualize some possible end products.

The playfulness and easy experimentation of the collage process is highly conducive to the consideration of various possibilities.  Writing will always have a place in the clarification of ideas, but the collage approach is valuable because it is a visual method for working through a visual problem. Collaging will allow you to quickly and vividly SEE what your end product will be, and I think you’ll find it quite useful.

Feel free to simply bring hard copies of your collages, or if you prefer, then you may submit your work digitally via the class website on the “news” page.

New York City Bus Trip!!! – Saturday – March 3, 2012

The Department of Art & Art History is taking a bus trip to New York City and students are strongly encouraged to attend this trip as it will be a great opportunity to observe cutting edge contemporary artwork.  Attending this trip will count as two artsXpose assignments, and students in attendance will not be required to submit any documentation.   Talk with Joe if you’d like to attend.

$30 BU ID, cash or check payable to Bucknell University

  • The bus leaves Bucknell at 7:00 a.m. – 7th Street Parking Lot (Across from Smith Hall).
  • One-way trips are not encouraged, but if you are NOT planning to return on the bus please notify the Art History faculty in charge before getting off the bus in New York City.
  • The bus will drop passengers off at the Metropolitan Museum, 5th Avenue at 82nd Street.  Upon arrival at Metropolitan Museum, enter the ground level 81st Street entrance.  Use their coat check and ticket desk to avoid the crowds at main entrance.  No suitcases are allowed in the museum.
  • The second bus stop is the Chelsea Art Gallery at 9th Avenue and 24th Street.
  • The bus will depart from New York City at 7:00 p.m. at 6th Avenue between 54th and 55th Streets – east side of the street (one block north of Hilton Hotel). Passengers should plan on arriving at the re-boarding location at least 15 minutes early
  • Bucknell University and the Department of Art and Art History are not responsible for passengers left in the city. If a passenger misses the bus because s/he was not on time for the departure or at the wrong pick-up location, s/he is responsible for finding alternative means of transportation to Bucknell.
  • If you miss the bus for departure, contact the Bucknell Switchboard at 570-577-2000 to let them know how you plan on getting back to Lewisburg.
  • No refunds will be given after noon on Monday, February 27, 2012.

NOTE: Alcohol and tobacco product use is prohibited on the bus.

Bus Company Name: Susquehanna Trailways___Bus No.____________

           Phone number 800-692-6314 from 6:00 AM – 4:00 PM

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GOALS

Joe recently asked the Sculpture 3 students about their long term goals.

Students wrote their responses to the following questions:

  • As an artist, what is your definition of success? What do you want to achieve long term?
  • What are the 3 most important things you can do now to reach your goal(s).

We watched the two videos included below — laughing, of course at how extremely macho the first video is, and at the outrageous contrast between the first and second video:

Some students then asserted that long term goals are not really so important.  We had a lively debate.  Joe then asked the students to contact some people that they respect and ask the following questions: “How important do you think it is for a person to have long term goals?  Why or why not? …and, if long term goals are NOT important, then what IS?”

Students were asked to type a brief summary of their discussions and email them to Joe before the start of the next class meeting.  Results to follow.

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