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WEEK 12 - Nov. 22nd

Scholarly Research

Research about the presence of outside cultures and 'heretics' within Sicily who were forced to leave or were burned in ceremonies of the Spanish Inquisition called Auto-da-fé in the town square of many Sicilian city squares.

WEEK 12 - Nov. 22nd

Creative Research...

I ran out to a local fabric store in Union City to pick up more muslin and buttons for my suit prototype. I went home for thanksgiving and had some help from my grandmother, she showed me some hand sewing tips to make the process go quicker and some techniques when cutting and repairing seams. This advice helped me so much. I sized the suit to a dress form I could find closest to my body type, sewed some of my grandmother's quilt patches to each section to represent the type of color I would want that section to be in the final garment. After that I distressed the suit using sandpaper, tea, and coffee.

I decided to try to make a mask out of plastic and nail polish. I used thermoplastic beads to mold and shape the head. I started by boiling water, soaking the beads and molding them with my hands. When it was dry, I painted it with four different color nail polishes.

Overall, this prototype was a great test of materials. I found out that I want to use printed cotton textiles with a design similar to that of Majolica ceramics. I am going to move forward with using domestic materials, as I feel like it fits best with my concept and narrative.

When I went home, my family and I made Cucitadi, Sicilian Christmas fig cookies, as a tradition we make these every year since I was a child.

WEEK 11 - Nov. 15th

Scholarly Research

Researching about the history of craft and Womanhouse.

Looking to rent this book Craft by Tanya Harrod, and this article about Craftivism by NVC.

A picture of me and my siblings in suits and masks for Halloween. Circa. 2002

WEEK 11 - Nov. 15th

Creative Research

I met with SVA professor Jeff Wasson who is an armor-smith, to get a better idea of what the process might be for making a mask out of metal. He had me cut 18 gauge sheet metal into two disks, sand them, and then shape and planish them. These will eventually be shoulder pads on a set of armor. This was a great learning experience, since the general shape of my mask is rounded.

I went home for the weekend to be with family and took my siblings measurements for their suits.

WEEK 10 - Nov. 8th

Scholarly Research

I discovered where certain Sicilian patterns originated. Many of the colorful and symbolic patters came from the Moors in Spain from island of Mallorca, and were originally crafted into ceramics via tin-glazing, often restricted to only five colors, cobalt blue, antimony yellow, iron red, copper green, and manganese purple.

I did some research on what would be the most practical hand stitching when dealing with particular sections of a suit while sewing by hand.

WEEK 10 - Nov. 8th

Creative Research

I went to the Garment District in Manhattan to find materials to start working with, and realized I don't know anything about materials, or how much I need of each, or different accessories/embellishments I need. Basically, I realized I needed to do way more research. Instead of buying materials, I bought a common prototyping material called Muslin, to work with.

I used a large sweater and loose pants to use as patterns to cut out the pieces for my jumpsuit prototype. I began to hand sew the seams using a full back stitch. Once I am finished sewing my prototype I will continue to distress it and simulate repair.

WEEK 9 - Nov. 1st

Scholarly Research

Digging deeper into the history of tradition, finding out that many Sicilian traditions are iterations of traditions of adjacent overthrowing empires and colonizers.

Textile research

Dolezalek, Isabelle. "Chapter I. Shaping Perceptions: Reading and Interpreting the Norman Arabic Textile Inscriptions". Arabic Script on Christian Kings: Textile Inscriptions on Royal Garments from Norman Sicily, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 2017, pp. 1-72. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110533873-006

Heavy islamic influence on traditional Sicilian textiles. Many patterns even include design elements of Arabic writing, which probably was influenced by islamic pattern with writing on it.

Thinking about where to source my materials before I begin working on my garments is important, Intentionally choosing materials that are only accessible to me is significant in its meaning.

WEEK 9 - Nov. 1st

Creative Research

I had a lesson with my Blacksmithing teacher about Repoussé and Chasing, we started out with a simple Celtic Knot, and carved it out with a hammer and two different types of chisels. When everything was finished, we torched the copper to set it, and change it's color. Thinking about material and technique when considering my second and third masks of the Demons.

I visited Stella Dallas Living, a vintage, global and furnishing textiles shoppe in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

I aim to do both creative and scholarly research pertaining specifically to textiles, I believe since my sculptures are cultural pieces, this type of research is essential when attempting to represent tradition.

WEEK 7 - Oct. 18th

Scholarly Research

My encounter with a gunman on my evening commute led to nightmares and depression. Art helped me recover from post-traumatic stress, and it

New York Times Article about using art to work through trauma

The concept of Masks in Contemporary art. What do masks represent culturally, and personally? These were important questions I wanted answers to, in order to understand my own place within cultural rituals and the the meaning of masks in terms of identity.

MoMA | The Body in Art

MoMa article about what it means to incorporate the body into your work. The usage of bodies, specifically our own bodies in our work is extremely intimate and is used to express the artists point of view.

WEEK 7 - Oct. 18th

Creative Research...

I spent the weekend with my family, having conversations and thinking about how each member of my family fits into my work. We spent the weekend in Cape May, on a quaint island called Avalon for a family friend's wedding. During the day I explored textures of both materials on the land juxtaposed to textures of our bodies, like my mother's hand.

On my way home from Avalon, I listened to a podcast from This American Life and discovered a poem that inspired me incorporating both of my siblings into my work.

WEEK 6 - October 11th.

Scholarly Research...

Learning how to sew different stitches and each stitch's purpose

This website provided step by step instructions and storyboarding on making a Lucha mask that was helpful in my process.

Started an audiobook recommended by my therapist about generational trauma.

Summary

Most of this weeks scholarly research was based on technical aspects of my work, focusing on the process of making.

#Youtube

WEEK 6 - Oct. 11th

Creative Research...

I fixed the measurements from my last pattern, expanding the top pieces by 3 inches each and the sides by 2. I used a three-prong leather fork to punch holes into leather scraps and hand-sewed them into pieces that would fit the pattern using invisible stitching. I used running stitches along the main seams for decoration with waxed thread and used more textured leather scraps for the facial details, such as the eye and mouth embellishments. Stained cloth was used for the teeth, using a catch stitch to sew them into long cones.

Continuing metalworking, I will be working with an armor-smith discussing my second mask, and how I can forge copper and work with a new material (other than steel).

Summary

This weeks creative research helped me realize the scope of my project, and how I need to start working on other pieces soon since hand making takes a lot of time, and everything I will be doing will be hand done as craft.

WEEK 5 - Oct. 4th

Scholarly Research

Jeffrey Gibsons work definitely speaks to my work both visually and conceptually. Looking back at older traditional craft, textiles, color, and personal meaning.

Trying to learn leather working techniques, thinking about creating a mask prototype.

My therapist suggest I watch this video visualizing the difference between Empathy and Sympathy. We spoke about having compassion for our own past experiences and what it feels like to be invalidated, and the long term effects of that.

Scholarly Research summary

The research i'm currently doing consists of three elements that my project is covering, physical, conceptual and emotional. Thinking about my project this week has brought up a lot of emotions, and I am realizing that perusing my topic is my way of working through some personal problems.

#Youtube

WEEK 5, Oct. 4th

Creative Research

Looking at fabrics at a thrift store and using old jeans, I tried making a pattern, referencing patterns online of latin Lucha Masks (fabric wrestling masks), manipulating measurements to get an idea of the stitching techniques and general shape of the mask I would like to make, but in leather.

The sizing was off, so I realized that I need to make the cuts a bit larger and more even, or use a different pattern entirely.

I created keychains in my apprenticeship, learning certain forging techniques and practicing the basics over and over.

Creative Research Summary

In my research I am trying to understand form, and using handiwork and my body trying to explore craft and physical labor. I want to put this type of work into my project because it is important that my work shows the labor I am trying to connect with.

WEEK 4 - Sept. 27th

Creative Research

Visited the Isamu Noguchi Museum in Queens to look at sculpture art using metal as a medium.

Trying new techniques with metalworking, such as forging a ring with a "Mandrel Cone" in the Hardy Hole of the Anvil.

Creative Research Summary...

Through researching different artists working with metal as a medium, I want to start thinking about the materials I will be using to create the garments I would like to make, and their masks. Leather and metal are two materials I am interested in working with for my final project, along with fabrics and textiles for the rest of the design.

WEEK 4 - Sept. 27

Scholarly Research

Claes Oldenberg's early work definitely spoke to me, the chaotic gestures and use of unwanted, cheap materials such as experimentation with garbage were a stark contrast to previous 'elevated' artworks.

Gopnik, B. (2013, April 12). Dark roots of a pop master's sunshine. The New York Times. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/14/arts/design/claes-oldenburg-gives-context-to-his-moma-show.html

Scopa rules! See You in Italy. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://www.seeyouinitaly.com/italian-card-games/scopa/

I have been trying to learn this game, yet putting it off. My grandfather used to play it and I believe learning and playing can give me some form of clarity.

Summary

Through my research I am still attempting to connect with some of the culture of my family, and looking at more formal breakdowns of contemporary art in the 60's and 70's. Looking to others may help me gain a better idea of form and concept.

WEEK 3 - Sept. 20

Creative Research...

Visiting Dia Beacon: I. Richard Serra, Torqued Elipses II. Louise Bourgeois, Crouching Spider III. Louise Bourgeois, Avenza Revisited II IV. John Chamberlain Exhibition

Forms with metal on hike in Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve

Reflection

Seeing physical structures made of metal helped me contemplate new ways of looking at form. Studying technique and texture inspired me to want to try new things in metalworking.

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