A Single Flame

A Single Flame: November & December 2011

A Single Flame

                I have always been fascinated with light in darkness.  I’ve been wanting to do a project centered around that project for a long time now, but could never figure out a specific topic that I wanted to develop with it.  The beauty of the light shining, breaking through the darkness needed to be represented in a powerful way, and I never quite accomplished that before. 

For this project I decided to experiment, and really push myself to create something using only candlelight in the darkness.  As I began to experiment, I couldn’t help but notice how when adding flames, that more and more details of the person holding it were revealed.  It was as if the light was contagious, and others were instigating the growth and beauty of the light.  I wanted to explore that more, so I added more and more people, and began experimenting with my 50mm lens.

                I wanted this piece to more than just the beauty of the light, but to showcase a greater meaning as well.  I had been inspired by the song, “Go Light Your World,” by Chris Rice which talks about every soul being a candle that can affect and change another.  As a result, if everyone when to make a difference in one person’s life, then together they can change the world.  To me, this is a wonderful way to look at our lives, because we do, whether intentional or not, affect all those around us.  It is up to us, however, how we affect them.  We could make their lives brighter, better, or we could stomp out the beauty, and it does make a difference in the world.

Artist Statement

My art is my key to my home, my water reflection, my looking glass.

For me, art is a way to see the word through different eyes.  These eyes may agree with what I see, while others are startling and show what I don’t see.  It’s a way to see not only the world around me, but myself as an individual.  In a way, my art is an extension of myself.  My artwork is directly influenced by life situations, people, events, emotions, and simply everyday life in general.  In my work, I work through and express all the emotions I feel about a particular subject.  My desire is to make it relatable to any viewer no matter what their background, culture, language, or age.  My goal is to stir with in them emotions and feelings that create them to examine their own life, and possibly even act on what they learn about their self.

I not only focus on the subject of the work of art, but I also focus on the color, composition, lighting, and cohesiveness of the work.  When creating a work of art my attention to color directly affects the tone and feeling of the piece.  I carefully choose the details of how and what to include in my artwork, because what is in the frame must be deliberate and have a reason for being present.  Color affects the tone, but composition and lighting also can affect the tone as well as the aesthetic quality.  Composition and lighting can give the art work a direct sense.  It could give the feeling of balance, direction, or conflict depending on how it’s applied.  Along with attention to the details of each individual piece, I also focus on how the pieces work together as a whole.  In my work, there is a definite reason as to why these pieces work together.   I strive for consistency throughout the work as a whole, but each individual piece must bring something new and significant to the work as a whole.    

While I use a variety of materials and processes in my projects, I primarily use digital photography.  I love being able to both document life, and also manipulate the obvious to broadcast a hidden or subdued message.  Often, I use multiple layers in Adobe Photoshop to express the subject and/or story desired.  Although I do primarily use digital photography the subject matter of each body of work can determine the materials and the forms of the work takes.

The Soul Within: October 2011

   

      

The Soul Within

            This piece, “The Soul Within” is about how people often times hide their true feelings.  They don’t outwardly show their pain, suffering, depression, or loneliness.  They simply put on a happy face, an ‘everything’s good’ expression, and a well put together appearance, despite their true feelings within.  They put on a show for others, to hide their imperfections.  Our society tells us that we need to be perfect in intelligence, relationships, everyday decisions, appearance, and so much more.  As a result, many often don’t correctly deal with their pain and depression in a healthy way, or may let it bottle us until it festers, and they become bitter.  They tend to see themselves in a different way, and when alone is when they focus on it.  Alone, in a private place is where they let their true emotions show, but because they are facing it alone, they don’t push themselves to really resolve it, but simply push it deep within.  As a result, they constantly struggle with it, and unless they open up to someone else, or ask for help, they will be constantly burdened with the pain, suffering, and depression.  Due to this constant struggle, they tend to pull away from loved ones, society, and life itself.  This pain, suffering, and depression then cultivates loneliness.  I know I’ve dealt with this in the past, and have to fight with myself to not fall back into this self-destructive pattern.        

As a result of my own feelings, I decided to create a piece to release those feelings, and open that door into the intimate space where the feelings are revealed.  I decided to focus on depression because I believe that is something every person deals with at some point in their life.  It can be a result of loneliness, failure, grief, lack of self-esteem, stress, and so many more feelings and situations.  I also wanted to make the people a variety of age and gender to make it more relatable.  I chose specific cool or flat colors to help create a specific mood, and I also chose to have the reflection be desaturated to symbolize the pull away from reality.

Shadow Project: Foster Gallery October 2011

For more information check out www.domesticityuwec.net.

      When faced with this project, initially I was quite nervous.  I had never done something like this and as a result I was quite nervous.  To my surprise, it was really fun.  We were able to really experiment with light and how to create something out of objects that don't resemble the object it creates. It took a great deal of trial and error to create this lamp, but I was part of a great team that worked well together.  

     As soon as we decided to create a lamp, we knew we wanted a light source from above, like the light a lamp gives off.  We then thought we would make a frame out of wire, but once we tried it, we realized that it wouldn't work very well.  We then though about using a sheet of glass, and put object on it to create a shadow.  We were able to use different objects to create the texture and shape of the project, and I am very excited about our results.