Graduation

 

 I did it!  

I stuck it out, I saw it through, I finished college and graduated with a BFA in Fine Art! 

I was a long morning but a fun one.  Having done my degree 100% online I felt a little lonely at times, but the energy in the room was so exciting it was easy for me to find people to talk to.  

The ceremony lasted about 2 hours.  I was so nervous and excited I was shaking! I made it across the stage and down the stairs without tripping thankfully. 

Sitting in the crowd.  Can you find me?  Hint: I have a decorated cap on :)

Outside the arena, after the ceremony

My family and me

So what now?

 That is the question, isnt it?  

The question every college graduate dreads.  

You spent x amount of years on your degree so what are you going to do now?  

My short term goals: 

I plan to work on commissions, 

build my business, 

and grow my portfolio. 

I want to be represented by at least one gallery in the next year. 

There is also a local co-op gallery I want to join and start volunteering at.

I am excited for my future and the good things that it holds :) 

Graduation Cap

9 x 9

acrylic on 100% polyester 

Painted for my graduation.  I figured 1) I am graduating from art school so why wouldnt I paint my hat and 2) I wanted to stand out in the crowd from the other 1,000 graduates who would all be in black caps and gowns.  My family said it was very helpful when they were trying to find me :)

Encaustic, A Dreamless Sleep

Encaustics

12 x 9

wax, wood, image transfer, watercolor, yarn, acrylic, pastel  

For Mixed Media.  Experiment with encaustics. Very fun to do if you never have.  Playing with different ways to use encaustics.  

A Dreamless Sleep 

8.5 x 4.5 

decorative paper, davy board, PVA, waxed linen thread, blank & lined paper

For Book Arts.  Midterm. A compilation of letters written to my grandfather in the week after his unexpected death. The letters bring the reader through the stages of grief. 

Textured Surfaces

Textured Surfaces

12 x 9

textures on wood

For Mixed Media.  Create textured surfaces.  These use stucco patch, plaster strips, crackle paste, and venetian plaster.  

Textures Book, Paste Paper

Paste Papers 

11 x 15

flour paste and acrylic on Reeves BFK

For Book Arts.  Use flour to create a paste to make a glue to create covers for future projects.  My paste was super lumpy so I found this project to be a bit difficult. I do like some of the affects I got though.  

Book of Textures

9 x 4

wood, twine, metal paint, modge podge, crackle paint, metal, acrylic

For Book Arts. Make a book without paper. To make my book I used scrap pieces of wood, decorative metal, dyed twine, metal paint, patina solution, glitter, glue, acrylic paint, & crackle paste.  It is an exploration in texture.  A book without words.  

Exploring Textures 

various sizes

wood, metal paint, crackle paint, metal, acrylic

I love when my classes inspire each other. I used the techniques in Mixed Media to inspire the book for my Book Arts class.  To create the first pieces, I taped the decorative metal onto wood and painted with metal paint and patina to create covers for my books. The second one is blue acrylic paint, crackle paste, & bronze metal paint on wood. 

11x15

watercolor on Reeves BFK

For Mixed Media, Creating surfaces and experimenting with watercolor, salt, alcohol &soap.

 Purple Moth Orchid

9 x 12

acrylic on canvas

Final for Quick Studies. Inspired by severe cropping.  I thought since I did a lot of paintings this semester using a palette knife I would do my final with a knife.  From my beautiful Home Depot orchid. Also seen here.

Ode to Spring, Longer Figure Studies

Ode to Spring

30 x 20

watercolor on illustration board

For Still Life 2.  Large format painting. Ranunculas.  I had lots of fun with this.  I let myself really explore different media.  This is watercolor, pen, and colored pencil. Costco had a big pack of fun colored pens so I was inspired to use those.  I really think I will try more pieces in this style.  

Before the splatter explosion-

Longer Figure Studies 

9 x 12

acrylic on board

For Quick Studies. 1st 2 are 30 minutes and the last 1 is 45 minutes.  More involved studies of figures in action.   

December Rose, Negative Space Quick Studies

December Rose

10 x 10

watercolor onpaper

For Still Life 2. A square composition. I like what I have done with this but I feel there is much more I can do.  I hope to go back into it and refine it a bit more. 

12 x 9

acrylic on board

For Quick Studies. 25 minutes.  Exploring negative space.  

Scotland Landscape Quick Studies

 12 x 9

watercolor on paper

For Quick Studies.  30 minute studies.  In Scotland and crazy inspired.  The architecture is beautiful.

 12 x 9

acrylic on board

45 minute studies.

More Female Nude Quick Studies

 9 x 12

acrylic on board 

For Quick Studies.  Just like last week- Female Nudes working on exaggerated color. Top 3 are 25 minute and bottom 2 are approx 60 minute. More fun with a palette knife. This week I did not use pure white.  Week after week my instructor has commented on my use of too much white.  I decided to use a mixture of white and cadmium yellow light as my lightest light.  Overall I like the result.  I think it gives my pieces more life.

Quick Studies- Female Nude

 9 x 12

acrylic on board 

For Quick Studies.  Female Nudes working on exaggerated color. Top 3 are 25 minute and bottom 2 are approx 60 minute. More fun with a palette knife.  I had such a good time on my cloud studies that I though I would try my hand and using a palette knife on nudes.  Different process but nicely challenging.