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The blog is closed for the rest of Spring semester 2011.

Jessica Chappell Assignment #4

The Senior Exit Show is getting better every semester. I think not only are the students becoming more aware of how and what to install, but also the whole department is solidifying the experiences as a professional "send off". I am myself in the show, and initially was upset that the gallery talk was a requirement, new to the event, but now as I reflect on the matter it really is a valuable opportunity to not just share your ideas behind the work but practice on nerve-racking future endeavors such as public speaking. My only request for future thought and consideration is more time for installing. If students had a week to plan and install, the movement between each piece of work and overall cohesion of the show will only benefit and give a more professional experience to those involved; it was very rushed during the most inopportune time of the semester.

The work is very versatile, with so many concentrations intermingling, there is a new media and aesthetics in every corner which allowed the audience to keep enthusiasm throughout the exhibit. I was really eager to see other work outside my studio, that is in mediums such as photography and the digital lab. It is rewarding to see the art of my fellow peers, and know everyone is growing together and putting so much of themselves toward our mutual goal. So therefore I will close my final blog in Bloomsburg University's printmaking department with a hybrid quote from the old irish blessing and the delicious Johnny Depp in the film BLOW...

"May the wind always be at your back and the sun upon your face and may the winds of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars."

Jessica Chappell Assignment #3

Lenore Thomas was the shit! I really appreciated her playfulness throughout the demo with her emphasis on process and experimentation. Not letting any piece of the expensive plate or paper go to waste is something all college students/artists can appreciate. I was flattered when she asked me to help ink her plates up; therefore I was able to feel the rectangular aquatinted plates and admire her color choices. The thought of white ink has never occurred to me as something visually stimulating, especially not as a base layer. Watching the white turn to a delicate dirty gray really surprised me and has inspired me to try this with my own plates (also rolling white overtop before putting it through the press).

Lenore gave me a lot of pointers on graduate schools, which at this point in my life I literally cannot get enough information about! The use of the aquatinted plates, repeated several times with basic shades of pink and white is something I am beginning to understand when going to graduate school. Not saying that everyone is to work with pink and white "bricks", but the slowing down and really taking time to work intuitively and cohesively with a common concept, subject, and images is portrayed in the work she is revisiting from her graduate days.

The easy going nature of the demo and lecture allowed myself, and I'm sure many others, to feel comfortable through her approachable demeanor and dialogue. She wasn't an art snob coming to brag about herself, she was coming to print and hopefully share some inspirations with students and peers on why printmaking is awesome! Yet still completely crediting and noting the other mediums she uses to achieve her desired effects.

Tommaso di Folco Portinari and Maria Portinari by Hans Memling

While I was on the art trip to New York I had the opportunity to visit the Met. It was by far my favorite museum that I had the chance to see that day. There was a lot to see from many different periods, but my favorite period that I had the chance to see was the paintings from the Italian Renaissance. I loved the style, and that there were many portraits. Two portraits I was especially fond of was Tommaso di Folco Portinari and Maria Portinari, is by Hans Memling. They were simple but something about them caught my eye.

Tommaso di Folco Portinari and Maria Portinari, is by Hans Memling. Hans Memling was of Netherlandish decent and was active during the 1460’s and died in 1494. The pieces displayed were painted in an Italian mercantile community in Bruges during the Early Renaissance in Italy. They are two oil paintings, painted on wood; about twenty four inches by twenty four inches in size. The painting was thought to have been commissioned for the Potinari’s wedding. It was part of a triptych that had a devotional image of the Virgin and Child depicted in the center.

The paintings portray two figures facing towards each other, with their hands folded in front of them. The figures shown are of Tommaso di Folco Portinari, and Maria Portinari, formerly Maria Maddalena Baroncelli. They are both clothed in mostly black clothing, but have accents such as jewelry and a headdress to show their wealth. They are both positioned at a three quarter angle and are staring ahead, focused on something in front of them. In addition both are simple paintings, with plain colored backgrounds, and little detail and adornment. They are plainly framed, and the main focus is not extravagance, but the simplicity of the composition itself.

Some of the features that are characteristic of the time period that these were made are the three quarter view, the facial features, and the poses of the two subjects. Most subjects of this time period focused on being reverent by clasping their hands in front of them and looking demure. The clothing style in Memling’s paintings also mimics common clothing for the period it was painted. Another similarity of his works compared to those of the period is the mediums used. Painting was a very popular pastime during the Early Renaissance in Italy, so it is not surprising that his paintings are done with oil paints on wood, a common type of method for the period. In addition these two paintings used to be part of a triptych, which was a common kind of painting seen during this particular period.

Even though these two paintings aren’t very busy, the facial expressions caught my attention. I learned that when these paintings were commissioned for the wedding she was fourteen and he was forty. Though this was common during the time, I got to wondering if her expression was more dread about her wedding than trying to look pious. Her expression to me seems sour more than anything else. Overall her facial expression just got me wondering.

All in all I had a great time in the Met and in New York, I got to see some really awesome pieces of art and around every corner there was something new to look at. I definitely would go back again to see things that I missed and experience more of what the Met has to offer.

NYC Trip--- Jill Suda

The trip to NYC was just like any other though this time I had an adventure in the city on my own, viewing more of the city than I had in the past and power walking all of it on my own, especially when it came to the museums so i could see what i wanted and see the other parts of the city take some snazzy shots like that seen to the left. I liked seeing the city though the trees. It was the only time i had seen trees in the city next to a building in the center of the city compared to that of central park, which is an entirely different subject (poor horses). The places I went to see are more the classic NYC stops, that of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art.

The first pieces that struck me was the exhibition of the works by Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Steichen and Paul Strand. I was amazed by the few people who were in the exhibit possibly due to it being the last week for the exhibit but the lack of following struck me. The major piece within the work the amazed me was the photograph entitled Georgia O'Keeffe: Hands and Skull by Alfred Stieglitz, possibly due to the docile and calm nature of the work compared to the other pieces in the Georgia O'Keeffe series by Stieglitz. The piece shows the way the hand can be utilized in art but also Georgia O'Keeffe's future love of the skeletal figure in her works. The series is said to not be in Georgia O'Keeffe's interest thought she loved Alfred Stieglitz but because of him idealizing her and using her for her body and her bodily structure in his pieces it is said that he used her in a way, not against her will though. But I enjoy this piece due to its artist point of view and the way the piece was printed for the time frame is very well executed.

The other piece that struck me in the Metropolitian Museum of Art was that of Chuck Close's Mark which is a gigantic acrylic painting that was almost uncomfortable to be next to. The size of the piece is absolutely massive and equally as detailed as any other piece the size of the shine in his eye is about the size of my thumb if not the center of my thumb. The first time I had seen the piece I was like okay large face, but the image stuck with me and i was kind of surprised about how that happened. The engaging detail and undisturbed flatness yet 3D image was shocking and definitely original.


From the Met I walked to the Museum of Modern Art which was about 20-30 blocks away, kinda going through a not so safe feeling part of the city when by yourself but I blasted my music and kinda ran. When I arrived I was fascinated by the place being as it had been my first time there. I saw the eco-planters that the had in the lobby created by a modern artist and I really wish I had taken images of them because they were spectacular.

Within the Museum, I saw the one piece by Van Gogh's Starry Night, I know this piece is discussed to death but it is one of my favorite images and it really helped me continue with art though my family (other than my mom) doesn't truly believe in me as an artist and my mom even kind of thinks its a phase. The way he used his strokes to show his emotion and the color and everything about this piece rings true to me and my mind, though yes, Van Gogh chose a very negative outcome his works still hold a very sentiment and beauty that still does not show in many other works by other artists. He used such a unique and untouched way of working that his pieces are still very prominent in the art world.

The other work that I enjoyed highly at the Museum of Modern Art was that of The Piece entitled Untitled By Louise Bourgeois. I regrettably did not get an image on my camera by on my currently misplaced cellular device that is somewhere in my home, but the piece consisted of red swirls in a circular form. The piece was very designer-ish and I enjoyed the way the piece had a flow to it. I have recently become more interested in these forms and started attempting to work those design like pieces into my personal work. Though they are not always met with the same sort of welcome.

But yes all in all it was a basic day in NYC in the art museums... nothing special... Now to write 2 more of these.

NYC Trip

I found a way to squeeze myself on to this years packed bus trip to NYC, It was a day of long walks and high art. I managed to wander the Chelsea district with some mighty fine people, Professor Salvator, Professor Godeke, Nemi Moyer, Mike Iannatto and special guest and resident awesome artist/tour guide Rebecca Morgan (RebeccaMorganArt.com).

The bus ride wasn't so bad but still travel is never fun when packed into a metal can like sardines, yet I digress. Once in NYC we took the subway to Chelsea and began our Gallery entering and exiting.

I saw so much it was a little hard to keep track. I do have some photo's below that will help explain somethings. The majority of what I saw I felt to be pompous high art that made me stuff up in the somewhat cold and windy streets. However there were a few shows that made me feel welcome to view.. I saw this because a lot of the art seemed extremely unapproachable thus leading me to believe that the artists were as arrogant as their art. There were even a few shows that made me question who the artist had to sleep with to even get their work seen in such a hub of fine art.

I'll admit, a lot of the work bummed me out, not because it wasn't well done, not because it was hung badly not even because I didn't like it, but because it was so .. high art... If that makes any sense.

I did learn some things about what I want from my art like how people should be comfortable to look at it even if they get uncomfortable after standing there for a while.. They should never get worried about how close they are to it.

After a long day of gallery hopping we sat down and had some korean food and good beer.. part of me would have rather gone to a few galleries and then got drunk, but All in all I was quite happy with the trip.



Rebecca Morgan had a collaborative show which I found somewhat interesting, however her art blows my mind and makes me amped to make more gruesome and awesome art. Her lifelike drawings are incredible but her more recent push into these somewhat disgusting cartoons really pumps me up. I got a chance to see some of her works in the galleries flat files and holy shit were they awesome.. too awesome for the public.



Jose Parla had a really nice show that displayed some killer work. His work is derivative of graffiti aesthetics. He brings the street into the gallery with striking textures and scale. The context change makes these seemingly gross images very beautiful.




Tara Donovan did this epic installation at the pace gallery, it's made entirely with mylar and hot glue (what a daunting task). This thing is enormous and quite beautiful. The effects of light hitting off it gives it a lot of texture but when you get closer to it you can tell it is all very smooth. This thing really wow'd me and made me question the idea of space.

Blog # 3

The Met


The first place I went when I was in New York was the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was absolutely fantastic inside. Being my first time in the Met, I didn't realize how big it was until I was inside the building. There was so much to look at, and explore. One of the really cool things was the different kinds of armor they had on display from different time periods. Usually I really like looking at the medieval armor and weapons, but this time I happened a crossed some oriental armor. The thing I liked best about this type of armor is that some of the helmets had built in mustaches. I guess it was to try to be i intimidating, but thought it was really funny.

Another thing that I loved about the Met was the rooms they had set up from different time periods. I really wanted to get a closer look at some of them but they were roped off. They just looked so relaxing and luxurious to sit in. My absolute favorite room in the entire museum though, was all blues and golds with gilded mirrors and plush chairs to sit on. It also had a huge blue canopy bed in the middle of the room. It was like stepping into a bedroom from the Palace of Versailles. I would love to have a bed like that. It looked so comfy, but again it was roped off so we could only get so close, but I could still wish.

My favorite part of the entire museum though, was the paintings. I loved the styles they displayed, especially the ones from the renaissance. I really enjoy portraits, so I spent a lot of time perusing the portraits of different time periods. There were numerous religious paintings, but I liked the non-denominational ones best. I also liked the paintings that portrayed a lot of action or emotion. One particular painting that caught my eye was of a well-dressed woman, holding a sword, with the head of a decapitated man in front of her. It caught me off guard at first because most of the paintings portrayed males being dominant, and heroic, but this one was the portrait of a woman. She looked brazen and strong willed, and I really liked that. It was a great painting to see in person.

The Guggenheim

Another place that I ventured to was the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum. I had taken an art history class last semester and during one of the lectures we looked at the Guggenheim's architecture. It looked really unique in the photo, but I didn't realize I would have a chance to experience it in person until I went on the New York trip. In person it's a mostly white building inside and out, and when you're looking at it the different floors of the spiral look like layers of a cake almost. It's a really one of a kind building, that's hard not to stare at if you walk past.

The inside of the Guggenheim was also just as impressive as the outside. When you walk through the glass doors you're met with a huge open area full of people from all different backgrounds. Just walking into the Guggenheim is a cultural experience in itself. The best part about this huge space, I think, is the ceiling. Looking up at the light coming in just makes you feel in awe. It's such a pleasing thing to look at. You can also see the different floors of the spiral of the museum and people milling about, taking in the art and atmosphere.

My favorite part when I actually got into the Guggenheim was looking at the different art, especially Andy Warhol. I love his work so to actually see it in person was surreal. His compositions are colorful and abstract and getting to experience them in person was great. I especially loved his piece 'Electric Chair'. It's shows ten different silk screen prints of varying color. Some are bright and clearly visible, while others are washed out, or look like negatives of an actual print. I love the variety he shows within the same subject matter, and it was a great experience to see it first hand.

NYC Bus Trip

For this blog assignment, we needed to go to two different galleries/museums in the city. I chose the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum. The thing that struck me the most about these two museums were how different they were from each other just in the type of building each one was. The Met was very traditional while the Guggenheim was not.

The first place I visited was the Met. I had never been to this museum, so I was kind of excited to see what it had in store. It was very big with a bunch of different types of work. I didn't get to see all of the museum, because it would take me days to go through the whole thing and actually be able to enjoy all of the art in it. I was mostly interested in the armor and musical instrument displays that they had there. It was very awesome to see how different instruments started out, and evolved to what they look like today. Being interested in music, this obviously held my attention. I also got to see some of the European works ranging from 1300-1600. For me, this was less exciting. every single painting seemed to be done in the same way, and I could count on one hand the amount of paintings that DIDNT have the Madonna and Child in it. It just seemed repetitive and boring.

The thing I liked the best about the Met was the 'Guitar Heroes' exhibition that they had going on. It showed a documentary of how local italian guitar makers made semi hollow guitars. They were all made by hand, which I think adds beauty to the pieces because most things nowadays are machine made. Also, along with the documentary they had a bunch of guitars on display, ranging in size, type, and color. I thought is was nice, being a music addict and all, to see all the crazy things people do with guitars, and also see such a wide variety of the instrument. I also liked the idea of viewing an instrument as a visual art rather then an auditory art.

Over all the Met wasn't as awesome as I had hope it would be. Mostly because what I did get to see was only mildly interesting to me. Also, I think the nastiness of the staff members also took away from my experience there. They all seemed to be quite rude.

The second museum I went to was the Guggenheim. I was happy to see it, just for the architecture. We have learned about the museum multiple times in various art history classes, so it was nice to actually see it in person. This museum, unlike the Met seemed to be a lot more open and friendly. It had less art in it then the Met, but I thought it was more interesting in content and in display.

Another thing the museum had going for it was the simplicity of it. In the Met I felt lost multiple times, and wasn't really sure where I was headed. In the Guggenheim, there is only one direction. You take an elevator up, start at the top and walk down the spiral. I didn't really get to see much of the art in the museum as I would have liked however, because of time constraints.

Overall I was glad I got to see both places, because like I said I have never been to them before. If I would get the chance to go back, I would like the check out the Guggenheim some more, but I would probably bypass the Met. Also, I think it would be interesting to go find some smaller galleries in the city and see how the art differs from the places i've seen.

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Personal Adornment Day

For this blog assignment I chose to attend the Personal Adornment Day show. Over all I usually enjoy this event a lot. This year was my 3rd year attending. I enjoy seeing all the different things people can turn into art, and not just art but wearable art. I also enjoy the varying styles of music people find to put with their art. I think it adds a nice element and ties the show together to make it enjoyable all the way around. I think without sound it would be a little less exciting.

One thing that was different this year was the use of performance pieces. The show started out with 2 performance pieces. The second one even included the audience as a part of the piece, because they had to throw tomatoes at the artist. I feel like as an art major, performance pieces are often talked about but not seen quite as often. It was a nice way to change up the runway show from previous years, and also allow us to see a new type of art.

I also really enjoy the different ways people use wearable art. Some take it literally and make hand dyed fabric dresses. These are usually elegant and show a nice display of fiber art. There are also the pieces that use political messages to fuel their idea for a wearable piece. Just the range of objects used in the show to create pieces is interesting. I also find it interesting that every year their seems to be repeats of previous years pieces. For example someone always uses cards for a dress, or bottle caps and beer cans.