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Studio Journal

Fall 2022 (Final Critique)

12/13/2022

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(Click images for larger view)
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New Glory, 2022, Commerce, TX

2nd Class (2D), 2022, Commerce, TX

To Be...(2D), 2022, Commerce, TX

Street Dancer, wood with Black 3.0 paint, 2022, Commerce, TX
Street Dancer, lead and brass, 2022, Commerce, TX

Street Dancer, urethane epoxy with powdered bronze, 2022, Commerce, TX
The Playing Field, 2022, Commerce, TX
Ingrata Persona, 2022, Commerce, TX



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Summer 2022...

8/2/2022

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A lot going on this summer. While recovering from my hand injury was top priority, I have continued my endeavor to grow as an artist. The injury left me unable to effectively grip anything with my left hand.  However, functionality is at about 95% now, and I'll return to completing those pieces beginning the 8th of August,

I've been reviewing a bunch of artist, including John Edmark and Leonardo Drew.  Applying for fellowships, residencies, and prepping to submit work for a couple of exhibitions.  Also, been spending time with other contacts I have in the art community.  I am expecting to have access to a gallery in Plano, TX this upcoming February and would like to have that be the exhibition that is part of my MFA requirement for such.
I have, also, enjoyed listening to a podcasts called The Artful Painter while I do my own work,

The interviews are quite interesting, providing many (sometimes conflicting) points of view on the art of being an artist. One very general episode I enjoyed is this one featuring Michael Chamberlain.
While that interview was not extraordinary, it included some key takeaways that were  points echoed by my art professors ad nauseum throughout my art education (and my therapist). One particularly impactful, yet challenging to adopt, axiom is that failure is an intrinsic part of the process that creates growth.
 On the other hand, one rather interesting interview is the Virgil Elliott interview.

Many of the interviewees, and perhaps artists in general, are quite something in character (sometimes leaning toward a common type of arrogance).  Mr. Elliott may be one case for my point, but, he made some very good points as to how confidence is linked to quality sometimes.
However, I have had plenty to turn to.  I've developed my engagement with the Dallas Makerspace organization, and begun developing relationships that will become quite meaningful with regard to my ongoing art making.  Also, I had been planning to investigate some 2D executions of ideas that I had created sketch studies of.  I've come up with an interim name for the form that I am using as the focal main character represented in my current work.  I am hoping that inpyha and empyha will work.  I have to do some writing and test this out.   A pyramidic geometric form is a mathematical or technical description for the form that is a core component of my artwork, however, I feel that I need to create more of an identity for it.  The name will aid in that process, and ultimately aid in the story/message that it supports.

My summer's investigation into how I can expand a 2D concept I had, culminates with these studies which include a video titled To Be Black, and,a series of print studies, exampled below.  Getting the levels right for the current audio is proving to be quite tricky even with my extensive audio recording engineering experience. I no longer enjoy sharing unfinished work, however, this post is for the benefit of my MFA committee, in order to facilitate some summer's end discussion.

My next rendition of the video will be landscape in orientation and audio-wise will most likely feature the current audio track adjusted  to sound like it is deep in the background, and I will record a flattened narration of my voice up front in the audio track.  I am writing the narration text as soon as I complete this post.

Also, as I work toward resolving some of the problems that I see, I will favor the higher resolution example (bottom row left two images), Modifying the images to be 16:9 or 4:3, have to test print.  Also, still working on better result for the text version of an inpyha form (the red background image).
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Spring 2022

3/11/2022

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During this semester, I'll be doing my best to detail the processes I apply to the works I am making currently.  I will be aiming to complete some of these works before the spring critique, and some are ongoing.  I will be making updates within this blogpost for each of the projects that I am actively working on. 

Multiple projects, each with sequential updates within its own project titled subsections below.

Whispers 2.0
books, wood, steel, bronze, urethane
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Whispers was created FA2020. It is a sculptural self-portrait.  The piece was papier-mache' clay, tape, expanding foam, wood, digital screens with video, and projection video.  I did not feel that the piece was successful itself, however, the experience of making it gave me a more refined sense of what it was I was wanting to make.  Here we are at version 2.0 of the concept.

12/30/21 - This is my primary focus this semester timeframe.   I began over the winter break welding the inner support for the pyramid, and trying different molding methods & materials for the arms.
Initially, I wanted to make a very refined steel inverted pyramid, building on my experience.  This being grad school...that was not to be.

01/15/22 - After a conversation with a few of the faculty, I have been urged to push myself, and apply deeper consideration with regard to the material aspect of my works. Hence, I've become inspired to use books as a material for the pyramid, as this is a self-portrait. So, I intend to construct it using books and hope to construct it balanced without a plinth or formal base other than the bottom book.

02/02/22 - Began exploring the method for stacking the books in a fashion that will hold them together, and remain balanced if not touched.

02/07/22 - No successful methodology discovered yet.  Tried books connected by wire, but could only get to 3 layers before collapse could not be avoided.

02/14/22 - Tried various stacking arrangements, with a goal of using the weight of the center books to hold the edge books in place.
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02/21/22 - I have acquired some of the materials that I need in order to work exploring a wider variety of methods for creating a stable inverted pyramidical stack of the books.
My desire is to have an inverted form that appears or is actually free standing.  The appearance of instability  is an important part of what I am trying to communicate, however, I do not wish for the piece to be unstable.

02/22/22 - Decided an armature is needed, much to my chagrin.  While there is a possibility that I could successfully create a free-standing stacking, if it were to fall over, or get knocked over, well...There is no benefit in that. First I am going to try an armature of 1/2" plywood with a metal base.
Using an armature still doesn't solve how the books would be secured.   Trying a method using roofing flashing.  So far this appears to be working, and it still leaves room for an organic placement of the remaining books.  I am using a variety of book sizes for a more loose feeling arrangement, as opposed to trying to create a very tight formal look.

02/28/22 - This week I will be fabricating the armature.   2" steel tubing skeleton, inside 1/2" plywood.

03/08/22 - A little behind schedule due to the need to acquire materials I could not transport. I've finally begun work on the armature for the books pyramid.  Might have to remake this...there goes a perfectly good sheet of plywood.


03/10/22 - Completed the cast of the face mold for this piece. Completed preparation for making the silicone mold. 

03/16-18/22 - Supply run, purchased armature wire for the arms, alumalloy rods for New Glory, and some other miscellaneous, including Rebound 25 for creating the mold of the face, Smooth-Cast 326, for the face itself.

04/06/22 - I've decided to hold off on this piece because I have to rework the design and armature?  This armature has too wide a vertical angle (15 degrees), it will be better at about 7 or 8 degrees.  This makes a big difference because of the number of books that it would take, and how wide the top of the pyramid will be if I leave it at the current angle.  I'm going to focus on New Glory.

the American Spirit Awards
These pieces shown below are collectively a series...​
New Glory
steel, polyester-cotton, raw cotton, raw sugar, tobacco leaves
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New Glory is one of three flag based physical (non-video) pieces that I plan to make.

01/17/22 - Finally got and learned enough about using the software needed to produce embroidered designs using the Singer SP400.  And now it begins. 

01/20/22 - Finished a design for the inverted black pyramids that will replace the stars on the USA flag.  Its an interesting challenge, as the new shape needs to completely cover a star, but not touch the pyramids surrounding it.

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03/01/22 - The design of the patch is more difficult than seems at first.  Stitch direction affects this entry level machine and causes it to jam.  Exploring with different stitching angles and densities.



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03/08/22 - Investigating embroidery design and production, I have produced a variety of test 'patches' and made some design decisions that now have to be explored using a fabric I have chosen to host the patches, and then next will be digging into attaching them to my US flag.




03/15/22 - Working on the table frame, 2" square steel, welding with low temp Alumalloy rods.

​04/15/22 - Allumalloy doesnt work.  Not bonding with this steel.

04/18/22 - Decided to weld normally,


04/22/22 - Table frame, legs, and glass supports completed.







04/23/22 - Add chains....






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04/23/22 - Grind all rust and other stains off, and smooth all welds.







04/23/22 -  Rust the steel.

the Ingrata Persona Award
wood, imitation gold leaf, oil-based paint
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03/08/22 - Completed loose sketches for two casted pieces. One glass, inverted pyramid standing on white soapstone.  Roughly 6x8x10" overall. The other is a bronze casting of an inverted pyramid standing on a cylindrical form   Expecting to cast these one day during the last two weeks of March. These are also explorations into casting bronze and glass, later adding components that will enable embedding video display units.

03/18/22 - Tighter, not better, sketch of one of the pieces.  The piece is a somewhat abstracted and gestural formation recalling the form of a trophy or award.

03/25/22 - Began making molds for one of the three pieces.  The "Playing Field Award" is an inverted black pyramid, cast in glass, placed on a white field made of wood.   Using a lost wax process, I have cast some wax into a silica flour and plaster mold.





​04/13-15/22 - Began shaping the 3-piece laminated block.





04/27/22 - Work stopped due to accident.
the Playing Field's Fool Award
kiln melted glass, wood
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03/28/22 - Inverted black pyramid standing on a white field. 

04/01/22 - Created a form using melted wax in a 3D printed mold. Removed the wax and did not like the mold. Created a 2nd form using clay with more gestural texture.




04/15/22 - Used new form to create this mold, however, this mold failed due to too many holes to hold molten glass.






04/15/22 - Poured a new mold using roof tar paper, gaff tape, and plaster.










04/19/22 - Preparing the glass for the kiln.​








​04/24/22 - Pyramid has completed annealing.







04/27/22 - Work stopped due to accident.
the Bullet Dodger Award
pigment colored urethane
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Three inverted pyramids balanced on a vertically flat, horizontally narrow width sinusoidal form.








04/17/22 - Create molds for pigmented urethane pyramids.








04/18/22 - Began creating form for the base mold.







04/20/22 - Covered with joint compound.










04/23/22 - Creating the piece in wood as well as urethane.

Ideas and designs...

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Deferred Hopes (continued)...

9/17/2021

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Creating pyramids...

More of a challenge than most, including myself, would expect.   There are many types of pyramids, and for this project I have chosen the triangular right pyramid.  Mainly to minimize the weight, as they are made of sheet steel, but for fabrication simplification as well.

The steel pieces will be suspended as invisibly as possible, and will have a window that has a material capable of catching some projection video.  The design includes downward projected video, being projected onto a dome-like surface with the suspended inverted pyramids suspended over that surface..  .
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Investigating Acrylic Painting

9/3/2021

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The summer concluded with my brief investigation of blending clay with acrylic painting.

The fall semester begins with my remaining questions about that investigation.  Understanding the medium enough to be able to work with it effectively, regarding expressing an idea, is like with anything going to be difficult because my vision exceeds my skill at working with the medium.

Even though I've sat through a number of classes with Professor Wascovich, whose favorite thing to say or talk about (it seemed sometimes) was the fact that one really needed to make 10,000 instances of a thing in order to master it.  Whether or not he meant that literally is beside the point.   I agree that one cannot effectively decide whether they should continue to work with a method or material with only a few attempts.  At least, perhaps not on the basis of whether their initial studies were successful or not.   The results are not likely to be adequate for making such a decision.

However, this being grad school, I think I have to bring something else into the decision making process (or perhaps a few additional factors for the purpose of decision making).  For me at least one thing is a certain resonance.   I'm looking for a resonance at a meta-physical level.   To some degree lack of familiarity is a barrier to that resonance; a barrier that might become more permeable if I gave it some time...but again, this is grad school and I do not have a couple of years to give over to pure exploration. 

I'm looking at materials and methodologies that I connect with more immediately.  I am looking for a medium that my hands and mind seem to want to work with, and my heart almost immediately feels inclined to want to continue to experience.    At this point, acrylic is not it.    However, I am not leaving it behind.  I want to see what the blending of a 3-D form, and the 2-D painting look like and what kind of emotion comes from the initial pieces that I produce.   Perhaps over winter break.

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    Rob J Phillips

    Artist
    Graduate Student
    ​Teaching Assistant

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