Amelia Marlatt

 09/17/24

Plans for the semester:

So as I discussed earlier I am working on sculptures for my honors capstone project. I need to make a few more maquettes for some ideas but I have other ideas more flushed out.

The first idea I've been working on is a piece I am going to the title, 'Anguish Pushing Through My Skin'. This work is mainly about how stress and anxiety physically manifest itself within the body. For me in particular I get a lot of pain in my back and shoulders which is why I chose this body part. This piece will be flush against the wall and I would like to use the chicken wire and plaster method to make the body. For the 'spikes' coming out of the skin I am deciding what material I want to do I was thinking fabric or possibly some form of casting, but I am open to any ideas.

        

Then for the creepy figure coming out of the box, I am currently working on making a plaster mold for the body so I can pour it in wax and then add the details afterwards. I feel that making it out of iron or aluminum is the best possible option to complete it in time while also keeping the details. 

I also would like to make a piece focused on the negative thoughts we target toward ourselves. I want this piece to look like this entity coming out of a hole in the wall. These tentacles of sorts reach out and stick to the wall in different positions. Along each 'tentacle' pasted on our negative thoughts that tend to push through and consume a person's thoughts. I would like to make this 'interactive' in a sense. First by asking others who I know to share possible negative thoughts they had had to add to the piece, and then throughout my exhibition I would like to have a place where people can write down their own thoughts, and then throughout the time I can add them to the piece. Regarding materials I am thinking about using fabric for this piece and possibly a found object for the 'hole' that it is coming out of. (The second image is my original maquette when I was experimenting that led to this idea)

Then I posted my ideas for my final two pieces last time (below), but I still need to work on my maquette for the 'spiral' and need to start experimenting with latex for the other one.

Ideas from the summer:

For this independent study, I am mainly hoping to use the time to create pieces I will put in my This & That exhibition this December. This exhibition will be specifically for my Honors Capstone which I will be presenting on in the spring.

For this exhibition, I am focusing on the struggles of mental illness, specifically anxiety and ADHD. I would like to make a series of abstract sculptures representing the physical and mental effects these disorders have on someone. 

My Previous Work:

                                                                            The Forged Path

                       Steel, crepe paper, acrylic paint, cardboard, tissue paper, & spray paint

                                                                                    Spring 2024

While creating this piece I felt I got to expand my skills in working with steel. I also enjoy the process of learning how to marry opposing materials such as paper and steel. I feel like this has been one of my most successful works yet.

                                                                             Every Story Matters

                                                           Chicken wire, plaster gauze, newspaper, & roving

                                                                                           Spring 2024

This piece was very enjoyable to make. I got to use previous knowledge from sculptural practices to create the bear. The meaning behind this piece also led to the process being more cathartic.

   

                                                                            Abandonment

Sculpey, acrylic paint, roving, dirt, & flocking on a wood panel

                                                                                Spring 2022

This is an older piece I created. I really enjoyed the process of this, especially the mixing of materials. I would like to further explore the themes that are found within this work.

                                    Jolie - Razor Redesign

                                                            Fall 2023

This is one of my graphic design works that I would throw in since it fits within the themes I will be continuing to explore.

Materials/Processes/Tools:

    I am having a hard time choosing just three as I think I will be exploring 5 to 6 of these materials/processes considering the ideas I have for my upcoming sculptures. However, I think I would like to mostly explore would be casting (bronze/iron), steel, and plaster. There are other materials I would like to work with such as fiber and fabric. I would also like to learn a bit more about plastic, but this is regarding a specific idea I have for a sculpture, so I think it might be best to work individually with Ashley to find time to learn more about it and the process.

Iron Pour:

I am looking forward to the new learning experiences as well as opportunities to work and meet with other artists at the San Diego Western Cast Iron Conference. I want to make the most of both of these opportunities and make as much as possible for me. I would like to explore contrasting ideas of soft and hard (i.e. an object that appears soft and fragile but is yet hard and rigid). I am also going to be thinking of if I could make any pieces to incorporate into my sculptures for my exhibition this December and/or for my BFA capstone.

Thematic Interests:

I am interested in exploring themes surrounding environmental issues/sustainability, mental health, and humanism/ethics. All three of these ideas are intertwined with the profound connections individuals create and develop with themselves, their environment, and the people who come into their lives. I want to further explore creating work that leads me through my own self-discovery while possibly leading others to a discovery of their own.

Artist Inspiration:

Nicola Turner

Artist Website Link

Instagram Link

The Meddling Fiend
2024

The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife
2023

Anxiety of Influence
2023

Olga Ziemska

Artist Website

Artist Instagram

Listen...
2003

Stillness in Motion
2002

Breathe
2002

Diana Orving

Artist Website

Artist Instagram

Becoming
2022

Posture
2024

Inhale
2024

Brianna Evelo - Project Ideas

This semester, I have had issues finding designs and subject matter for my projects. I tried to base most of my thoughts around the materials I am most interested in working with to figure out where to start. I was able to come up with some ideas based on my thematic threads from the last post as well as some others that incorporate some of the non-school-related thoughts and feelings I've been having recently. However, some feedback on my ideas would be much appreciated. 

Research on Women's Healthcare: 

• very misinformed
• maternal and menstrual health is not very good
• more likely to have major health issues and poor treatment that are totally preventable
• AFAB people have the highest rates of death from avoidable causes
• scarcity of clinical research/patriarchal-focused research
• 70% of those suffering from chronic pain are female while 80% of pain research is male-oriented
• the standard towards women's pain is to know and expect something is very painful but not do anything about it
• AFAB people experience adverse effects from medications at twice the rate as AMAB

(My one problem with this topic is figuring out how it can combine with my aesthetic)

Ideas: 

1) Female figure to express what hidden pains or illnesses women face

2) Snake wall piece; representation of how the medical field treats women's problems

3) Bronze Crocodile

4) Dragonfly

5) Metal turtle; feeling torn apart and exposed

6) Monster Flowers; human traits in odd plants

7) Humanoid flowers; women's disgust and anger

Brianna Evelo

Sept. 16th Post: 

This semester, I have had issues finding designs and subject matter for my projects. I tried to base most of my thoughts around the materials I am most interested in working with to figure out where to start. I was able to come up with some ideas based on my thematic threads from the last post as well as some others that incorporate some of the non-school-related thoughts and feelings I've been having recently. However, some feedback on my ideas would be much appreciated. 

Research on Women's Healthcare: 

• very misinformed
• maternal and menstrual health is not very good
• more likely to have major health issues and poor treatment that are totally preventable
• AFAB people have the highest rates of death from avoidable causes
• scarcity of clinical research/patriarchal-focused research
• 70% of those suffering from chronic pain are female while 80% of pain research is male-oriented
• the standard towards women's pain is to know and expect something is very painful but not do anything about it
• AFAB people experience adverse effects from medications at twice the rate as AMAB

(My one problem with this topic is figuring out how it can combine with my aesthetic)

Ideas: 

1) Female figure to express what hidden pains or illnesses women face

2) Snake wall piece; representation of how the medical field treats women's problems

3) Bronze Crocodile

4) Dragonfly

5) Metal turtle; feeling torn apart and exposed

6) Monster Flowers; human traits in odd plants

7) Humanoid flowers; women's disgust and anger

Sep. 1st Post:

Previous Work:

Homes

Felt, cardboard, wire paint

Summer 2024

    

    This was the color piece I made for portfolio review. I wanted to continue expanding my techniques with cardboard while also further understanding the limits of needle felting. Through this project and experiments prior, I have found a liking for needle felting which I would like to use in later projects. I wish to improve on the surface decoration to further push my message and add more visual interest/emphasis on the moccasins. 

Evelo Family Tree

Steel, paper, watercolor

Summer 2024

    This is the 3D project I made for portfolio review. I enjoyed playing with the steel and making organic, flowing curves with it. The owls are my favorite part because I enjoy using paper to make 3-dimensional forms. It's a material I've been drawn to recently and want to improve and learn more techniques with. One thing I would like to improve is the connection points of the leaves. I like the texture that the wire makes but it does have the tendency to stick out and it shows how my leaves are attached to the steel.

Invitation to Play

Steel, faux fur, faux leather, wire

Spring 2024

    I liked combining hard and soft materials together to make these large-scale headphones. I think the fur was a good addition to the piece because it draws the eyes to the headphone ear pads and invites you to look closer. I would like to improve on how the leather is attached to the steel because some of the holes have ripped due to the tension. I also would like to expand on the message (positive factors can be hidden in something unfamiliar if you only look) because I feel like it isn't easy to understand. 

Truth Lies Beneath the Surface

Bristol, Paint, Clay, Found objects, resin

Spring 2023

    This is a diorama that I made to highlight how our modern conveniences have destroyed environments and polluted water supplies. The diorama is inside of a tiny mini fridge. I wanted the fridge to look very small and whimsical while the inside displayed a destroyed village and ecosystem. This project was rather rushed so there are still some details I would like to include in the piece that would fill some of the empty space of the outside of the fridge as well as the inside with the empty dock. 

Materials: 

    The top 3 materials I want to focus on this semester are bronze, steel, and paper/fiber. I enjoyed learning how to cast bronze from wax last semester and would love to play with what forms I can make with the material and how to combine it with other materials. I'd also like to further my knowledge of welding to make structures for larger sculptures. 

Iron Pour:

    I have very little experience with casting metals so I'd love to experiment with what I can do with different molds and forms and how they work with iron vs bronze. I want to play with juxtapositions between the rigidity of the material and the forms I decide to create. 

Thematic Threads:

    In general, I would like to purposely convey themes within my pieces. This is one of my weaker points since I have always been more interested in aesthetics. One theme I want to focus on is the lack of quality in women's healthcare, especially reproductive care/rights. As I mentioned before, it could be fun to play with juxtapositions between material and content to emphasize themes in my work. 

Artist Inspirations:

1. Beth Cavener: 

    

    I am drawn to Beth Cavener's work because of her style of sculpture. She uses various animals to represent human emotions in their most basic, beastly form I love how she embraces the clay by using it to make fur-like texture. She doesn't sculpt every hair but rather the tuft of hair as they curl around the body which creates a fluid sense of movement. She also uses color in her pieces to help portray the emotion she associates with each sculpture. 

Trapped 

Stoneware, paint, 18k gold, rope, wood

2015

Beloved

Stoneware, paint, bone, rope, steel

2017

Tangled Up In You 

Stoneware, ink, paint, rope

2014

2. Lisa Lloyd:

Lisa has been a big inspiration for my paper projects. I like how she recreates fur, feathers, and scales with paper to make relatively naturalistic forms. I also like how in her newer pieces, she shapes the paper into curved, organic shapes that mimic the movements of being in water or manipulated by airflow. I would like to try to make more paper animal sculptures like hers to hone and practice my skills in creating textures with paper. 

Ovule

paper, card

2023

Yellow Eyelash Viper

Paper, card

2021

Flux

Foil block printed paper, card

2023

Types of Deadlines:

I think the type of deadline I prefer is having everything due at the end of the semester. However, having check-ins or even maybe partial progress deadlines would help (even if I have to make my own). That way there is plenty of time if something takes longer than expected but there are progress expectations to keep me on track.