Artist's Presentations

Crystal Fenner 2009

Tomorrow, Monday, Nov. 23rd, members of the Fine Art Seminar fall 2009 class will give digital presentations on their work, inspiration, progress, and influences.

Presentations will take place in the Art Dept. Mac Lab. 4th Floor, Room 4078, Knight Campus.

The 2nd round of presentations will take place on Mon. Dec. 7th in the same location.

All members of the art department, faculty and students, are invited to attend.

Hope to see some of you there!

Jay Ryan

Cover of the book "animals and objects in
and out of water" by Jay Ryan

I was scouting for some new artist's books for my library and ran across Jay Ryan, a Chicago artist working in screenprinted posters. I was really drawn to his work and thought you might like to take a look. He works with traditional hand screenprinting techniques. He also has some information under "questions" about how he first got started in posters. The image above links to one of many portfolios on his site, The Bird Machine.

Tomorrow, Monday, Nov. 2nd we have guest speaker Richard Whitten, from Rhode Island College, in to speak about the portfolio requirements involved in transferring to RIC.

Afterwards there will be ample time to work at the computers on your artist's statements or Powerpoint presentations. I will open the equipment cabinet for anyone who needs to photograph work. Work can be shot in either the computer lab or one of the open spaces in room 4060, in the art dept.

Steven Mardo, 2D-The Illusion of Depth

This coming Monday, Oct. 19th we have a guest speaker, Steven Mardo. We have other business to take care of as well. Be sure to check your email for specific details and other announcements.

National Portfolio Day

Student work from the School of the Museum Arts Boston

Huge portfolio review day taking place tomorrow in Boston sponsored by SFMA and the National Portfolio Days Assoc. There will be representatives of art programs from all over the country ready to look at your work. Grab 10-15 pieces and head up to Boston for the afternoon.

Here's the link for details.

Sunday, October 4
12 to 4 pm
Hynes Convention Center
900 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02115

This Monday we begin shooting work for portfolio development.

If you have your own camera bring it along. I'm bringing a small digital point and shoot if anyone needs to use it. Or, you might find people willing to trade you some camera time for help with their set-ups. Whatever works. There are also some card readers available. Be sure to bring a flash drive so you can save and transport your images.

We will have on hand a small tripod, and 3 halogen lights, along with backdrop paper for shooting 3-d objects.

I suggest we start with no more than 3-4 items each for this first round. After that we can pull the equipment out as needed.

Class blogs

Links to your individual blog sites are now up so click on over and see what some members have going so far. I enjoyed the comments on our classroom adventures in technology!

Use your blog to start putting down some thoughts about your work, examples of work, and those things that influence it. At this stage it's a conversation between yourself and the rest of the class. It doesn't have to be perfect.

To get started check out Mike Collington's amazing photographs.



If you didn't give me your URL last class you can email the address to me when you're ready.

Reviews and blogs

Our next class, Mon. 9/28th, is reserved for individual portfolio reviews. I will be sending an email out to the class to your ccri.edu address reminding everyone of their time slots. From the work I've seen so far it looks like a great group.

Fall 2009

Gearing up for the new semester. Updates in progress. See you soon!


Linda Grausgruber, Spring 2009

Fine Arts Seminar Exhibition

Reception: Thursday, May 7, 2009
Food, Treats, and Refreshments
4:00pm to 7:00pm

Room 4078 and Balcony,
4th Floor, Main Building

The Finish Line

Kudos to all who spoke last Wednesday wrapping up the last of our source and image presentations. Many thanks to Art. Dept. Chair. Prof. Natalie Coletta for attending and offering commentary on the presentations.

The exhibition and reception this Thursday, May 7th, marks our last event together as a class. Check your campus email over the next couple of days to make sure we're all on the same page as to set-up for this event.

Don't forget your completed CD compilations are due this week no later than Thurs. You can leave them in my mailbox in the office or give them to me at the reception.

Good job everyone!

Congratulations to all who completed their artists presentations today. Everyone was remarkably poised and articulate in discussing their work and sources of inspiration.

I think I join the class in extending a very big Thank You to artist and CCRI Prof. Emeritus Sherrill Hunnibell for joining us today for the first round of presentations. Prof. Hunnibell's comments and feedback were most appreciated.

On to the next round!

Monday

Y.Leonard 2002

I thought the practice presentations last Weds. went well.

Monday I'm sticking my head out with the rest and giving a short talk on my own work in printingmaking and drawing.

There will also be time to polish up presentations, work on resumes, and discuss any other items. You can stay past 1 o'clock both Mondays if you need more individual help.

Fine Arts Seminar Exhibition Postcard

Good work Jennifer!

Work this week

Tomorrow we'll be working at the computers on either your PPTs or your statements. While you work I'd like to talk to some of you individually about your progress, statements, etc. so far.

On Weds. I'll be going over some templates for making a resume and talk to more of you about statements and progress. I'll bring in the camera equipment if anyone wants to shoot work that day.

Be ready to make hay in class this week. The end of class will be here before we know it.

Exhibition text

The Fine Arts Seminar Students,
Knight Campus, present their:

Keystone Exhibition

artwork and digital presentations
by members
of the spring 2009 class-

Jennifer Blake, Haley Cotton, De'rein Daniel,
Sarah Gibbs, Linda Grausgruber, Lucas Klein,
Jacob Smith. Esteban Tiguila, Matt Ruppert,
Brooke Waldron, Lynn Wirth

Reception:
Food, Treats, and Refreshments
Thursday, May 7, 2009
4:00pm to 7:00pm

Room 4078 and Balcony,

4th Floor, Main Building

Front: design by Jennifer Blake
with artwork by class members

Mark Your Calendars

CCRI alum Michelle Bourgois-BFA candidate,
UMassD Communications

The Fine Arts Seminar Student Exhibition is Thurs. May 7th.

The dates for Seminar Presentations are scheduled for Weds. April 22nd, and Weds. April 29th. We will have a guest faculty member at each.

Over the next two weeks, the first 2 weeks of April, focus will be on completing artist's statements, photographing work, and building up presentations. Mid April we will have individual progress reviews.

Check Your Mail!

Check your student email for the template I've sent you to use for Powerpoint presentations. I've also resent a copy of the questions to you on the article assigned last week. After we have discussed everyone's responses on Monday your final document can be emailed to me for review and evaluation.

Student Financial Aid

Financial Aid deadlines are fast approaching. Have you filled out your financial aid forms? If not go here immediately- FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

Federal deadlines are June 30th, 2009
But- Many state deadlines are much earlier!

You must fill out a FAFSA form in order to be eligible for Pell grants, Stafford loans, Perkins loans, work-study programs and state aid packages. You can select up to ten schools at a time to receive your application information. When filling out the form don't forget to check the box for work-study. Many schools offer job opportunities through the work-study program such as lab monitors, gallery sitters, clay mixing, studio assistant, the list is endless; but not if you forget to check the work-study box.

The Rhode Island State Grant Program has a March 1 priority deadline. CCRI has a priority date of May 1. You can find lots of information online from the CCRI Office of Financial Aid.

Check the Financial Aid office on your projected college's web-site to determine the priority dates for the college/s you are hoping to attend.

Here is a recent article in the NY Times on FAFSA and student financial aid for college.
The Big Test Before College? The Financial Aid Form

Otaku Culture

Takishi Murakami

Take an audio tour of Tokyo's Shibuya district and consider the origins and global cultural effect of artists such as filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, author Ryu Murakami, and painter/sculptor Takashi Murakami.

Tracking Transience

An airline meal from Tracking Transience.
photo-Hasan Elahi

Multimedia artist Hasan Elahi posts every detail of his life in a project called "Tracking Transience". Read the artist's statement to learn about Mr. Elahi's interest in art and science and the motivation behind his use of technology to realize the many forms of work he creates.

You can also listen to an interview with the artist at Studio 360 in the episode "We See Your Every Move".

"Return to Sender", James Lawton
Ceramic-cast earthenware, 18" x 18" x 3"

In early March Jim Lawton, who creates ceramic vessels, sculptural forms,
and installations, will speak about his experience as both a student and an
instructor in artist's residency programs, and about the opportunities these
programs can provide to young artists.

Secret Door Projects

Jean Cozzens, 2008
I was really interested in the work of artist Jean Cozzens linked from one of the sites on Lynn Wirth's journal. Cozzens makes prints and posters, many chronicling the buildings and architectural spaces found in the city of Providence; beautiful drawings rendered in the screenprint process. The writing that accompanies the artwork is richly descriptive of the thought behind the image. If you're wondering what/how people write about their own work take a look at her website "Secret Door Projects".

Graciela Iturbide

at the Getty Center

Gallos, Juchitán, Oaxaca (Roosters, Juchitán, Oaxaca), 1985
© Graciela Iturbide

What do skateboard artists,

Andre the Giant, and Barack Obama have in common?
Shepard Fairey:Supply and Demand, at the Institute
of Contemporary Art/Boston. Feb. 6th-August 16th 2009

Welcome to the start of the spring term.

Here's to a creative and productive semester. Collected here are
the web journals of fellow class members where you can share
resources, interests, and your own take on the art world. The
journals are works in progress so check back often.

As the semester unfolds you'll find more information and links to
upcoming class activities and events, including guest speakers.