art

[bricecborchers]

What role does art play in our society? What role does art play in the church? How do you want people to remember your work?

I think that art is at the heart of our society. We are entertained by art and so it is one of our main focuses. I think it plays less of a role in the church. I think it the art does not explicitly depict a theme or story out of the Bible, it is not that important to the Church. 

To be honest I don’t really care if people remember my work. I think I just want people to feel something positive when they see it. 

[bricecborchers]

Megan Whitmarsh

This is the exhibit OURCHETYPES. 

https://hammer.ucla.edu/exhibitions/2018/made-in-la-2018/jade-gordon-megan-whitmarsh The Hammer Museum in LA, showing Whitmarsh’s OURCHETYPES. 

https://www.meganwhitmarsh.com/ Whitmarsh’s website

http://www.newimageartgallery.com/megan-whitmarsh-here-comes-purple New Image Art Gallery, where Whitmarsh showed some work.

[bricecborchers]

How have the tools and materials of artists changed over time? What impact do you think commercialism and the media have had on your work? Is this good or bad?

Tools and materials of artists have changed drastically. In sculpture specifically it has changed so much. It somewhat started with marble and has now evolved to be anything people want it to be. 

I think commercialism has had somewhat of an effect on my work. Since I am really not looking to sell my art, I do not really care that people like it enough to buy it. I think that is a place that a lot of professional artists are in. I do however want people to like my art. I think that keeps me in a place of making things that might not necessarily be the most exciting things. I think I also want to impress people with skill so that is a fault as well.

[bricecborchers]

What do you do to keep yourself motivated and interested in your work? Can art provoke change or transform our way of thinking? How?

Something that I find that helps me keep motivated is looking at designs online. I used to use Pinterest a lot but now I use a site called dribbble. This website has all sorts of graphic design and it really inspires me. 

Art can definitely transform our way of thinking. It can open our eyes to new things. I think in a general sense, the more we look at art the more observant and aware we are. I think it teaches us to think deeper than what we can easily see. 

[bricecborchers]

How does the location or context of a work of art affect its meaning? Are there any particular activities you do everyday as an artist?

I think that location is a huge influence of art work. A couple months ago I went to a punk show and beforehand the venue’s gallery was open. This was super interesting as I had never been to a punk show that also had a gallery. The work was all rugs that illustrated super dark themes which was very interesting paired with punk music. 

As an artist, specifically as I get more interested in graphic design and web design, I am very aware of fonts that I enjoy. I have extensions on chrome that show me the websites css and the fonts that websites use. I find this super helpful. I think over all I am just more observant of aesthetics. 

[bricecborchers]

[bricecborchers]

What are the most important skills an artist can have? What risks have you taken in your work and what has been at stake?

The most important skill for an artist to have is determination and motivation. I know personally the downfall to my art making process is when I am lacking motivation. It is super helpful to keep working so that your skills improve. 

A risk I took on a piece was color washing the entire canvas to make it match some elements I had added on. I watered down some acrylic paint and put it over the cool toned canvas. However this did not work and I essentially ruined the piece

[bricecborchers]

Do you see your work as autobiographical at all? How do history and the passage of time affect the meaning of an artwork?

I definitely think that my work is autobiographical. My art has changed a lot over time. As I get more comfortable being myself, my art reflects that and shows my personality. 

I think that the historical context of art is very important. If you se Picasso’s the Guernica, knowing the historical context gives the piece a whole new meaning. I also think that it is interesting how different movements of art are seen in specific ways.  

[bricecborchers]

How would you describe your subject matter or the content of your work? How do the materials used to make art influence the meaning of the work?

I think that my subject matter is really varied. Honestly I just create what I would want on my walls at home. 

Materials hugely influence a work. I created a painting using extremely textual shiny white paint, matte black paint, and gold leaf. I used all of these because of how they contrast each other. This added an element to the work that I hoped it would. 

[bricecborchers]

Has there been a person or experience that has steered your work in new or significant directions? What distinguishes visual art from craft?

I think that one major thing that has changed my work is going through ArtQuest, my highschool’s art program. I was taught many techniques in visual art that I still reflect on today. 

I think that visual art and craft are very similar. Honestly the line between the two is so blurred its not even there. I think its something along the lines of all craft is art, but not all art is craft. I think it really depends on the creators intention for the work. 

[bricecborchers]

What shifts have occurred in your work? How do the social identities of the artist relate to the work of art they create?

My work over time has changed a lot. When I started taking art more seriously I went after realism. I would do very traditional mediums of graphite, colored pencil, acrylic, etc. Eventually I started integrating digital media into my art practice. I then started straying away from realism and into more graphic design. That is pretty much where I am as of now. 

I think people will make a lot of art that shows who they are. Many artists do this blatantly, like Kehinde Wiley. I think in a way my art has reflected who I am and what I think but not so blatantly. 

[bricecborchers]

What is the role of the viewer of an artwork? Which other artists might your work be in conversation with?

The role of my viewer is to think about what they know about me and how that would affect them. I think all people who view art should take a few extra steps to let the art they look at affect them. 

Recently I started designing my own deck of cards. I found a graphic designer on Instagram who was also creating her own deck of cards. I had some questions so I reached out to her. Artists like that who do graphic design but also enjoy creating functional art are artists I want to be in conversation with. 

[bricecborchers]

Where do you draw inspiration from? Does a work of art need to be beautiful? Why or why not?

I draw a lot of my inspiration from midcentury modern graphic design and the Bauhaus movement. Does my artwork reflect that at all? Probably not but looking at these movements makes me want to create. 

Art does not need to be beautiful. Really I don’t think art *needs* to be anything. There are definite things that art is not. I personally don’t really know where to draw the lines because right now I look at certain chairs and see them as art. 

[bricecborchers]

Magnifying Glass

I did my magnifying glass research in my dorm room. It is so small I could barely even take the 10 steps I was allowed. I spend the majority of my time in this room so I focused on the places I don’t look. I spent a fair amount of time under my bed using a flashlight looking at the various hair ties, receipts, loose socks and clumps of hair hidden away. Overall this process made me realize I need a better vacuum. But it also revealed to me all the little things I miss throughout my busy days and how little I take time to just observe.

[bricecborchers]

Artist Research

I am unsure of the title or medium of this piece but I absolutely love Whitmarsh’s work. I love how she takes an everyday item and remakes it. I really enjoy how soft everything is. I think her work reminds me of the harshness of everyday life. I think with that sentiment it reminds us that we choose how soft we are. I love her work so much and she is my number one pick. 

Hello, Xu Zhen, 2019.

This artist’s work is really interesting because it blends ancient Greek architecture with Chinese themes. I think these works take on an almost aggressive feel. Especially the image I chose for this post seem aggressive. 

Two Cheeseburgers, with Everything (Dual Hamburgers)

1962

Claes Oldenburg is a very neat artist. He, like Whitmarsh, also creates real life objects. 

[bricecborchers]

Who is the primary or original audience for your work? How can we learn about people through the things they create?

The primary audience for my work is the people close to me. My art is generally somewhat personal. It is not so personal that anyone who looks at it wont understand, but someone who knows me closely will understand it more. I want people to also think my art is entertaining, sometimes even funny. 

People reveal a lot about themselves through their art. They reveal what they are interested in and look at most. It also reveals what they think about themselves, and their confidence. 

[bricecborchers]

portrait by August Lamm