Reflections

I always find reflections to be extremely fascinating. There are multiple kinds of reflections around us and they can all hold multiple meanings. I am interested in objects that reflect because they introduce something unexpected to the viewer. Often times, art that contains a reflection is asking for a double-take or a further, deeper look at something. I enjoy seeing all that I can out of something and reflections often times remind me how to view myself and my surroundings. 

M.C. Escher

Painted by my cousin, Lesha

http://www.studiolo.org/PhotoGallery/PG001.htm

http://www.photosfan.com/2010-02/

Chihuly

A few years back I went with my family to a Chihuly exhibit and the art I saw has been imprinted in my mind ever since. Dale Chihuly is a well-known glass artist who creates pieces for gardens, museums, hotels, and many other places. His installations are unique in many ways; many of the pieces are incorporated into their environment rather than just put into a museum. I posted of few pictures of his work, but if you have not heard of Chihuly I encourage you to view the website and learn more. 

http://www.chihuly.com/installations.aspx

Reuse

The following photographs are ones that I had taken at a local reuse center in Minneapolis. I think that these centers are a great place for inspiration and finding unique materials. I have always enjoyed the process of recycling. I think its exciting to find something with history and use it in a new way. A great place for an abstract art project.

Guthrie Theatre Costume and Properties Storage

Last semester I went on a visit with my Scenic Design class to one of the storage houses for the Guthrie Theatre. The experience was quite interesting, but also inspiring. I observed countless, intricate garments from all centuries and a variety of unique props that are just waiting to be used again in a performance. I wanted to share a few photographs to convey my experience.

"Hedgehog in the Fog"

I stumbled upon this short movie, "Hedgehog in the Fog", about a year ago and immediately fell in love with it. This short, Russian film was directed by Yuriy Norshteyn and was produced by Soyuzmultfilm studio in Moscow. The film follows a small hedgehog who is traveling through the fog to meet his friend bear cub. I am fascinated by this film because it is unlike anything I have ever seen. I highly recommend viewing it through the link below:

<http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3dsdg_hedgehog-in-the-fog_shortfilms>

Paint Folding

The following was a small craft project I did mostly to pass the time. The project is more about the process; I used drops of acrylic paint and then folded the paper in half. It's always surprising to see what the final result is. 

Origami

The art of folding paper has been around for a very long time. This past summer I folded these paper cranes with pieces of beautiful paper that I found at a local craft store. I still have them packed away in my room, unsure of what exactly I want to do with them. I have always been amazed at the art of origami because each kind of finished piece holds so many intricate folds. I feel as though each crane holds its own meaning within the folds, which is why I enjoy this practice so much. I plan to make a few more cranes to put together some sort of mobile, but I am not sure what exactly the finished product will look like. It's not even close to being finished. 

Escape

I think my artistic obsession with fire escapes, particularly those in the city, began after viewing Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window. I am fascinated by the differences among fire escapes, the buildings they appear on, who occupies them, etc. Two of the photographs below are from my portfolio and the others appeared online from various photographers. I would go further into detail, but I think the photos speak for themselves and can be interpreted differently for whoever views them. That's the beauty of fire escapes. 

http://www.doctormacro.com/Movie%20Summaries/R/Rear%20Window.htm

http://www.tysto.com/articles05/q1/cincinnati.shtml

http://www.bernadette-k.com/photography/photo-carnegie.html

Simple Expression

The art piece below is something that I painted last summer. Making this was quite simple, actually. I dispersed drops of acrylic paint on canvas and used pieces of card board to drag the paint across the canvas. The process was fun and simple and I recommend this method if you are looking for an easy way to make some quick art. 

Images

I enjoy art. I enjoy finding art in each day. I have always loved making collages, either temporary or permanent. Below is a picture of one of my temporary collages that I seem to acquire with each new year. The concept is simple; I collect images that I like and pin them on my bulletin board. The project will never be finished and I will most likely throw these images away soon, but having this project always makes me happy. 

Second Chance

While rummaging through my belongings a few days ago, I stumbled upon a sand dollar that I had acquired a few years ago. Immediately upon picking it up, it crumbled in my hand. At first, I was a little disappointed that something so beautiful had to be so delicate. I could not bear to throw the sand dollar away, so I used it as inspiration for a quick art project. I enjoyed making this small piece and I can continue to enjoy the beauty in the small sand dollar. 

Destinations

This past summer I went on a road trip to Tucson, Arizona with my sister and two friends. We drove 3,500 miles from Wisconsin with very few stops, except to spend the night in Oklahoma, I believe. The scenery that can be observed throughout the road trip is not particularly thrilling. The drive can be exhausting and boring if one doesn't stay optimistic about the destination. The first photograph below was taken while passing through Kansas. The scenery in Kansas was, admittedly, not the most beautiful point of the drive. In fact, the most we saw were open fields and telephone wires. Occasionally, we would pass through abandoned towns that were teeming with junk, as illustrated by the photo below:

I have this photo on my bulletin board adjacent to the next photograph on this page. The second photo was taken after a two hour hike in Ventana Canyon. A beautiful spot in Tucson. I loved being immersed in that moment. It's indescribable. I like to view these pictures together because it reminds me that sometimes we have to get through all that junk to reach that one moment. 

Capturing Cacti in Photography: 

Walking in Someone Else's Shoes

Passing by the "Shoe Tree" while crossing the Washington Avenue Bridge may not be striking to a University of Minnesota student, but to a pair of new eyes it is something memorable.

I have always found this tree to be full of meaning with every passing and I continue to be inspired by it. Shoes strike me as being extremely intimate. Through their mere, tattered existence on this tree, they provoke the audience to ponder where they have been. Not only do the hundreds of pairs of shoes hold great meaning, but their location in a natural environment is quite interesting as well. I have taken the following photographs with the ever-present idea of the relationship between space and time that so often intrigues those with an artistic lifestyle. 

New Perspectives

Even though this chandelier is a work of art in itself, I wanted to view it in a new way. I thought the contrasting shapes of the blinds and light fixture made for an interesting photograph. The gray tones of the winter's day viewed through the intricacies of the chandelier translates into something quite relatable. 

Throughout the winter, I can feel disconnected from the outside world. I understand the chandelier as a personification of seasonal affective disorder because I often times find myself looking out the window hoping for a ray of light. The following photographs exhibit how seeing beauty in something that seems insignificant can actually remind us to remain hopeful for what is to come. Life is all about perspective.