STUDIO
PROCESS
For my final piece, I began with some sketches in my journal. I thought about the type of cloak I wanted to make, and how I would make it. I knew I wanted the piece to be transparent, as I feel that transparency relates to the definition of cloaking. I purchased some chiffon and used a dress form to make patterns for the garment. The final piece was made of two pieces sewn together, with a neck tie and a waist sash.
CATALOG
For my catalog, I wanted to create something that captured the word cloak in it’s essence. I curated the items in the exhibition based on the topics I touched upon in the essay, plus a few more topics I thought worked with the word in terms of theme. Architecture and fashion were in both my essay and exhibition. I also added some sculptures and drawings to the exhibition because I thought that the usage of cloaking in these pieces worked cohesively with the rest of the show. The final project connects to the catalog at the end of the fashion section, being the last piece in the exhibition.
FINAL PIECE
SHIFT
“OVER THE COURSE OF THIS SEMESTER, I’VE BECOME MORE STYLIZED AS AN ARTIST. SPECIFICALLY, FOR BRIDGE TWO, THE FILM THAT I MADE SHOWS THE DIRECTION MY ART IS GOING IN. I’VE LEARNED TO THINK ABOUT ART IN A DIFFERENT MANNER AND I’VE APPLIED IT TO ALL REALMS OF MY WORK.”
Throughout the course of this class, I’ve grown as an artist and thinker. I think the experiences I’ve had in both courses have affected me for the better.
MOVING AHEAD
Moving ahead, I want to make sure I remember the things I’ve learned and use them to better my art and writing. I consider the techniques I’ve learned for researching in both art and writing invaluable. These will apply in countless areas of my work throughout the rest of my life.
SEMINAR
In Seminar, which assignments helped you to shift and in what specific ways? List at least two.
With the writing assignments in Seminar, I think our first bridge influenced me a lot. I had to think about a time in my life that meant a lot to me in order to remember the scenery of Paris I wrote about. By writing that piece, I shifted my the way I thought about my memories. Through recollection, I rekindled my feelings about the time of my life spent in Paris. This shifted me into a new period of inspiration that I carried out in all of my projects. The second assignment that really moved me was the erasure text assignment. This was a completely new concept for me and approaching it required me to shift the way I saw writing. In order to create a piece that successfully uses erasure process, I shifted into a mindset in which the words on the page were not definite, they were just waiting to reveal the erasure.
In Seminar, which assignments proved particularly challenging? Why? How did you meet that challenge?
The assignment in which we had to go through our LP posts and edit them was honestly amongst the most challenging. I met the challenge by organizing my brain and my blog at the same time. I had to remember what each assignment was, so in a way it was reviewing the syllabus after having already completed the syllabus. It took time, but I was able to sit and reflect on all of the assignments we’ve done this semester, so it was a good thing in the end.
In Seminar, which assignment(s) that you completed might you consider a kind of failure? Why? How can you learn from this failure?
I consider my first erasure text a failure. Honestly, I did it really quick before class because I almost forgot to do it. So, the finished work was not my favorite, and I knew I could do more with it. I learned from this failure because I’ve been creating erasure texts since then when I have free time– I find it rather calming to do. By doing it over and over, I think I’ve now become more poetic with my erasures and I’m really glad for that.
Throughout the semester, how has your writing ability shifted? Cite some examples to illustrate your point.
My writing ability has shifted this semester in that I’ve grown both in my creative writing skills and my analytical writing skills. At the beginning of the course, I considered myself a strong writer; I liked the way I wrote. After taking this course, I’ve realized my style of writing has changed. I think the assignments we did like the “Baldwin Visual Structure” and “I Remember” helped bolster my creative skills. They made me think in a new way and I continued thinking that way in future assignments. The work we’ve done with research has also really shifted my writing. I know how to conduct research, how to use research, and how to cite research due to the material we learned in class. The braided essay is the penultimate example of how my creative and analytical writing skills have shifted. Using my creative process with the braiding aspect, I also used my analytical process through researching.
In your writing, do you see common threads or themes? What ideas occurred to you again and again?
Some common threads in my writing are ideas of drama. When I write, I use creative writing to make the piece more interesting. By using abrupt sentence structures, I feel that I’m able to create the drama I like in my writing. This theme of drama is always on my mind when writing; my goal, in addition to informing, is to entertain.
Throughout the semester, how has your approach to reading shifted? Or how has text changed your work?
My approach to reading has shifted for the better; I’ve become more appreciative of writing as an artwork due to the volume we’ve read this semester. I think every time I read, the text I’m reading has influenced my work. By reading more, I shifted my understanding of language. Doing this has improved my writing innately, I think. Though I may not notice in the moment, I think the readings I’ve done have changed my work for the better in that it’s more stylized and refined.
