Progress Report

This was spent finalizing designs for my sculptures, making models of the interiors of the sculptures and beginning construction on the first one. I learned a lot about acoustics of spaces, and am trying my best to duplicate those in my work. For next week I'd like to have sculpture one nearly finished, and to do some serious editing of sound. If possible I'd like to record some more sound as well.

Excitement In The Air!

Wow, what an incredible week! I am all cued up and ready for a fulfilling weekend of progress on my IP project. This week I started out by recording some absolutely stunning ambient music with the help of my good friend and talented musician Shawn. I will be working with him on some other sounds for my project as well. These will be layered with sounds found in nature, voice, and other musical sounds made from all kinds of things. The sounds Shawn and I recorded in this first session were made for the most calming and subdued sculpture of the three I plan to make, based on the ebb and flow of ocean waves. Take a listen to the sample below and let me know if you can feel an "ocean-like" sensation! Next I made a huge vat of clay to make my sculptures with. Using clay reclaim and a mixture of grog, minerals, clay powder, I came up with a consistency that should offer plenty of strength and just the right amount of control. The rest of my time was spent reading and solidifying my sketches for the interiors of my forms. I rediscovered the beauty of collaboration this week, and it was extremely rewarding. I can't wait to mix my collaborations together in the studio, and produce something really special. For next week, here's to hoping that I have a lot of progress on my sculptures, and a good idea of what they will sound like.

Reflection & Projection

Over the course of the semester, I learned a lot about myself and my approach to creativity. I realized that more often than not, I will create a piece of artwork because I can't get something off of my mind. This may seem like an obvious chain of events, but I feel it has sometimes hindered my creativity rather than helped it along. Being able to separate my emotions and thoughts from my artistic interests has been an invaluable lesson for me. Realizing that things I need to address in my own life don't necessarily need to be actualized through a creative outlet, but might be better suited for other means of psychological analysis is important. I think making art to help one through a life situation is wonderful, and is in fact the reason I pursued art so long. But for IP, I let my need for that outlet prevent me from creating what I really wanted to make. In the end I wound up limiting myself from all of the tools I was craving. This year, I am turning over a new leaf in my IP. I am taking the advice from my review and putting my best foot forward. What resonated with me the most from the feedback I received was to ask myself how I will approach my project having lifted all limitations. After reflecting on this all of break, I've come to the conclusion that the limitations will present themselves as I go along. I will have to make sound and sculpture act as one, work within a repertoire of sounds and voices, and tie everything in with contextual relevance. the difference now is that these limitations are natural, whereas before I was boxing myself in with the materials I had forced myself to comply with. This year I am free, and excited to face each new challenge as it presents itself.