Germain's Final Project ;-)

Hello class!

Decision Time:

I have decided to dip back into a painting that I started during the last session of summer 2 Junction. I have not touched this painting since I left campus. The odd thing is I have taken it back and forth from work and home each day since classes have started. I hoped by hanging it in the classroom that I would be forced to make a decision on what direction to go with it. Last week after talking to my uncle/mentor I came to a realization that my painting is at a stand still. I need to think outside of my comfort zone and begin to experiment with different materials and techniques to go beyond the street art/graffiti label.

My Inspiration:

This past year Jeffery Wheeler helped me realize everything around you can and should be used in your drawings/paintings. Future helped me realize that fiber art and formal crafts are detailed and consuming art forms that demand respect from the viewer. I have decided to incorporate the "softer" technique of sewing onto my abstract graffiti canvases to create a contrast between the two forms. Graffiti seen as a low-brow urban art and sewing/fiber art seen as feminine should create interesting compositions. Sewing will also be an ode to my mother who worked at a sweat shop in Los Angeles when I was a child. I have very found memories of running around the warehouse while I waited for her to clock out.

My Plan:

I would like to create acrylic paintings on un-stretched canvas then cut  and sew these images to my canvases. I will experiment with creating texture with this technique and also introduce pattern to my work via printed sheets. I will add and remove as I go with this new technique. I also will incorporate my mother's influence by having her teach me proper hand sewing techniques. My love of silkscreen and lettering will be added to the work as well.

I invite everyone in class to check on my progress through out the coming weeks. I will make sure to give updates in our weekly class blog so that you can revisit this page. Here is the painting I started and will use as my test dummy. If all goes well I will create the majority of my thesis exhibition in this direction.

The Beginning:

Adding Graphic Design Elements:

I have spent the last two week thinking about what I could paint on un-stretched canvas to later sew onto my graffiti background with no luck. I decided to focus on my graphic design background and design a bigfoot character that I could use for repetitive paintings. Here is the process that I began earlier this week.

 Here is the scanned and vectorized image that I can manipulate in illustrator. I will use this image to create various silkscreens.

 

Canvas Work:

In order to combine my love for fine art and graffiti I decided to create an acrylic painting on Un-stretched canvas. The subject for each of my un-stretched canvas artworks will be of artistic inspiration from my past and present. For this artwork I decided to create a painting of a tagger writing on the back of a public bus. When I was a small child my family did not have a car so we rode the RTD (Rought Tough and Dangerous) as my brother calls it. This was the 80's in Los Angeles, so you can imagine the things I was exposed to at a young age.

Rough Sketch:

First Layers:

Finished, Cut, Placement:

Son/Mother Time: My mother showing me how to sew properly.

Working together:

 

 Final Product:

Final Thoughts:

I truly enjoyed collaborating with my mother on this project. We sat for hours talking about my childhood and the places that she worked at. I explained that the reason for incorporating fiber into my work is to honor her work ethic. She explained to me that she worked to make sure we could have what we needed, even if that meant working for a sweat shop. My mother told me stories of the ladies she worked with and the fun they had together when they worked there. 

I love the contrast of the traditional acrylic painting against the graffiti background. I was disappointed that I could not have my bigfoot image screened before the end of class. I could not find a company willing to print a 2ft x 2ft transparency. I have now learned that you can use paper coated with oil to give you the transparency effect. I will have 4ft x 4ft paper copies of my image created shortly. 

I will also like to write short messages using tag script but I am afraid that it will take away from the images. I believe I have found the series I would like to create for my master thesis show. I hope you all enjoyed my process and even if you did not I am glad you took time to look at it. This class has been a blast!