Dia de los muertos spreads

marigold

Reel Mothers: Film, Video Art and the Maternal -Curated by Dr. Andrea Liss

“Reel Mothers: Film, Video Art and the Maternal”, a multi-video installation, was exhibited at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido. This exhibition was curated by Dr. Andrea Liss, Professor of Visual and Performing Arts Program at California State University San Marcos.

Entering the room where the exhibition was displayed, we were presented with a semi-circular arrangement of t.v monitors and benches. Each television monitor had a pair of head phones to listen to each of the nine films. The time frame to view each film was limited, so I was able to see the film, “Who Does She Think She Is?” The film introduces us to the lives of the five women artists who are mothers. The film is composed as a woven narrative by each of the five artists: Angela Williams, Camille Musser, Janis Wunderlich, Maye Torres, and Mayumi Oda. One artist who stood out from the group was artist, Maye Torres. She stated that she was thirteenth generation Taosena in New Mexico. She makes two and three dimensional art from her studio.

Big Love

The CSUSM production of Big Love was interesting. The play’s theme was about love and marriage and all of its complexities. I went on Friday, April 17 at the 8 o’clock performance. The beginning of the play was quite dramatic as the stage was darkened and a single light focused on one actor wearing a wedding dress. She walked down towards the stage on the right-side steps, stepping, in tune with the notes of the music. The stage itself displayed white faux tile flooring. There were a number of vertical pillars (with the striping going horizontally, instead of vertically), and an antique styled bath tub were placed on top of the white floor. The acting was well done, considering that there were a few first time actors. Three characters that stood out form the rest, were Yolanda Catano (Thyona), Jessica Swan (Bella), Claudia E. Evans (Eleanor). These three ladies seemed to be the actors who really embodied and meant what their characters were saying. The scene where Thyona was lecturing which lead to singing the classic, Leslie Gore’s song, “You Don’t Own Me” was quite amusing. Jessica Swan’s portrayal of “Bella”, and Claudia E. Evan’s amusing portrayal of “Eleanor” were the two characters which contributed greatly to the play. All in all I thought that it was a good play there was good use of the stage and surroundings to aide the audience in imaging that all if the events happened on a large wealthy man’s terrace in Italy.

Pamela Zwehl-Burke

I found Pamela Zwehl-Burke’s artwork through Vamp &Tramp, Booksellers, LLC website. One of the spread shows the rich detail of black ink on velum. The translucent quality was most appealing. The fact that we can see through the pages and those pages add a sense of depth, mystery, and memory was quite inspirational in the creation of my own book. I loved the effect of the black ink on the velum because it gives texture to the drawing. I also love the elegant simplicity it displays with the black and white contrast of the values. I learned how to work with pen and ink in the tenth grade in high school. The intricate detail work that is made possible by the small tips of the pen is what makes it so beautiful in the end result. I went ahead and drew a marigold with the black pen and ink, added color and scanned it over a piece of old yellowing paper from a book that I wrote on as well. I think that it gave it an beautiful, antique feel to my artwork.

Marita Redondo

The work of book artist Marita Redondo has been an inspiration towards the creation of my artist book on the theme of Día de los Muertos in Oceanside, California. I especially liked the layering and use of warm colors like rich Siena Browns, Yellow Ocher, Crimson, and Burnt Umber. Those elements of layering photographed, drawn and painted images, alongside rich warm colors, and hand written and typed text brings her artist book to life. The personal touch where she incorporates journal entrees and photos of her family members strengthens the connection of the viewer and artist. We as viewers can almost feel that her book is our own because of the techniques she used.

Campus tour of UCSD Stuart Collection

It was on a cool, Sunday, afternoon in March 2009, when I went to tour the Stuart Collection at UCSD.  It was my second time walking on the campus, so I was surprised to see major changes and additions to the campus. It was initially easy to find the sculpture and installations that were there before, like the garden with the snake path to lead us through, the larger than life colorful prints of the students as one enters the library, the large lead tree, the large blue screens, and Nikki de Saint Phalle’s “Sun God”. I was surprised to have located new buildings that had large windowpanes that seemed to reflect parts of the building itself and the sky in the reflection.  I was mostly curious about the art department there, and the appeal the studio areas for the MFA program.

Dia de los Muertos book spread

These three spreads are the first few spreads that I created for a book about the “Dia de los Muertos” celebration that is held in Oceanside, California.

“Zines! (re) make history” at Mira Costa College

       The opening of “Zines! (re) make of history at Mira Costa College, on February 3, 2008, was an interactive exhibition right from the start. The “zines” or small, personal, handmade magazines were displayed hanging from strings around the perimeter of The Kruglak Gallery. We were encouraged to touch and read the hanging zines, as well as, make a page of our own to be incorporated into their compilation book.

       The exhibit seemed to be more like a party than an opening, because of its interactive nature. Two tables with glue sticks and scissors, a pile of xeroxed images, a printer, and a type writer were all setup in the middle of the gallery/workshop. The two-hour time frame flew by fast, once I began to create a page of my own.

       The gallery, cluttered with voices, calmed, when one of the artists climbed on a chair and spoke about the history and contemporary uses of the Zine.

       The full room began to dwendle down as closing hours came near, and the artists “Grrl Zines A Go-Go”, began to group, on the floor, all of the pages that were created that night by the public, CSUSM and MCC students.

       It was nice for a change to create your own art for the visiting artists.

Cai Guo-Qiang

Cai Guo-Qiang, a Chinese artist, has a definite unique technique of making his artwork. The dangerous use of gun powder has become his accomplice in his art work . Planned design on large, blank, white surfaces are instantly filled-in by the sute of the explosions. One of my favorites is a sculpture piece of cars with lights streaming from within are suspended in sequence as it is flipping.