Chronicles of an MFA

Alyssa Enriquez is in the Master of Fine Arts program @ The University of Alaska Fairbanks

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Sea Ice

In February I traveled to Nome, Alaska as part of Arctic Science Summit Week art-science collaborative show titled, Arctic Perspectives.

Crab Pots March 2014,  Nome, Alaska 

I was initially interested in using materials found in and around Nome in relation to subsistence and the effects of climate change on the Bering Straits region. After meeting with my collaborator Dr. Andy Mahoney, my interests shifted. 

Sea Ice June 2013,  Nome, Alaska 

Dr. Mahoney’s eyes lit up when I discussed the observations I have made throughout last four years. In 2013 the shore fast ice reminded until mid-June, while 2014 the ice retreated early closing the spring marine mammal hunt early, and in 2015 the ice broke early and was completely gone when I arrived in Mid-May. He then discussed his area of expertise and how local traditional knowledge of sea ice changes is vital to understanding sea mammals such as walrus and other subsistence organisms and the affects of changing ice conditions on hunters and fisherman. 

When I arrived in Nome, I was met with friendly hellos and hugs before I even left the small terminal. A friend and local Nomite laughed, ‘Oh now you’re really Alaskan ah,’ two plastic totes stacked next to me. I grinned in agreement. Much of my week was spent exploring shore fast ice by snowmachine about a mile out onto the Bering Sea, or blazing across the tundra to and from town, making my own trail.  

The ice was rough this year, having gone out and come back, jumbled and difficult to traverse.Late into the week I received a call from a friend, Casey Menadelook. His voice clear and full of excitement, ‘Want to set some crab pots?!’ I had yet to set a pot and eagerly agreed. We met just beyond the causeway--machines rumbling loudly. The smell of two stroke exhaust seeped into my hair, I revved up and hit the throttle hard to meet Casey who sped ahead of me about a quarter mile even with a sled in tow. We rode along West Beach for about 2 miles, came along Penny and rode another mile or so onto the sea ice. 

Bering Sea Ice February 2016

Casey found a spot on the ice that suited him, struggling to get the auger going ripped the string right off. I usually carry a bit of string with me, we made it work and I grabbed ahold as we made a series of holes in the ice. 

Casey grinned my way until he saw my camera pointed at him. I agreed not to include any images of his face and he agreed to share the bounty if we snagged any crab before I headed back to Fairbanks. 

Casey Menadelook at 20

He stood there with the sun behind him holding an auger and lit cigarette pressed between his lips. I couldn’t help but put my eye to the viewfinder and snap away. I was reminded in that moment the beauty of youth, the eager want to prove something to the world, and to provide. After setting a couple of pots we both leaned against our machines and sighed heavily, the sun was lingering low on the horizon. Casey reached out with a tired high-five my way. I thanked him and we rode back into town. 

I returned to Fairbanks and looked through my files. There it was, the shot. 

Dr. Mahoney was excited as I showed him some of the photographs I had taken, and agreed with my decision to present two large images at the Arctic Perspectives show. 

‘This photo is great, all of my work begins with an auger, getting ice samples’ 

I was thrilled to show my work at that point, I wasn’t sure how I was going to tie in such broad topic as climate change and subsistence without being blatant. The show went up without a hitch,  I overheard great discussions about sea ice as folks lingered near my work at the opening reception. 

That’s all I could ever ask for. 

Special thanks to Dr, Andy Mahoney, Annie Duffy, Olivia Lee and my dear friend Casey Menadelook. 

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This week.

I do not have words– I am both humbled and elated. 

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I forget that sometimes we do things that mean more then we ever intended. I have met so many folks who stop me and say thank you. I have can only thank them for taking the time to listen, and sharing that we are not alone. 

I often have to remind myself, this is collective. 

https://www.uaf.edu/inspiring/2016/enriquez/

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Grants and Calls- February 2016

REVIEW SANTA FE PHOTO FESTIVAL

PROJECT LAUNCH GRANT

DRAWN 2016- Deadline Extended

#NAILEDIT

Lines and Curves

NIGHT with Juror Sean Corcoran

CHROMA

On the Wall: A National Juried Exhibition

2016 Month of Photography Los Angeles 

Call for Proposals

2016 FotoVisura Grant

Fridge Show, with juror Karen Haas

Allegany National Photography Competition and Exhibition

PLAYA 2016 Fall Residency

LensCulture Portrait Awards 2016

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Grants and Calls- January 2016

Alexia Foundation

http://www.alexiafoundation.org/grants

http://www.alexiafoundation.org/grants/student_rules

CENTER

http://visitcenter.org/call-for-entries/

Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation 

http://mrofoundation.org/programs/photography-grants/

Magenta Foundation 

http://www.magentafoundation.org/flash-forward/

[paccarik]

KQED’s Art School interviewed me about my process and work in the Bay Area and Peru. Much thanks to Joel Wanek and Rayko Photo Center!

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I had the opportunity to study along side Paccarik Orue in undergrad at AAU many moons ago. 

Check out more of his work here 

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Alas!

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On Risk

As the semester draws to a close and the whirlwind of productivity slows, a welcome break is just on the horizon with this I find myself reflecting on my time  in Alaska and beyond that my time at UAF. Opportunities and failures alike have presented challenges. For every attempt at a new project there are inherent risks; be it new materials, processes, or concept. Without risk is new work really worth creating? As I have explored historic photographic processes and new materials this past year, I have an idea of what I would like the work to be. I leave room for ‘happy accidents’ or what I like to call moments to learn from. I had no clue how I would go about printing on antler this spring. I researched and scoured resources and folks who have ventured into the wonderful world of alternative photographic processes. I attended APIS- there I had an opportunity to connect with other likeminded alternative photographers 

A week after, I went straight to another workshop at Carmel Visual Arts with Kerik Kouklis to explore QTR/ Digital Negatives and Platinum/Palladium 

Such wonderful opportunities to create outside of the vacuum that Alaska often becomes, small groupings of artists and the inherent geological/geographical boundaries distance the artist from profitable markets. These opportunities also allow me to explore other artists work and bounce ideas and techniques. 

All in all, I am so very fortunate to have traveled and even more so to have met others who are willing to mentor and be a resource, it’s made all the difference. 

Onward!

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Patience

I was beaming from ear to ear after being introduced to the wonder of the Foredom tool in the Native Arts studio. I worked away at the spoon I was carving with perhaps too much vigor. The small spoon began to take shape as I worked a knot in the wood. As I thinned the sides I looked down and before I knew it I worked a small hole in the spoon. I hung my head and could not help but laugh in exasperation. It was my third attempt at a spoon-- at least one I was proud of. I had such lofty plans. I thought I would paint a beautiful formline design and shape the handle into a masterpiece of sorts. This experience has been one of patience and perseverance. I have come to terms with the beginner mistakes, learning to feel how the depth of the wood as I carve it away. Subtractive art such as carving, is very new to me. It is unlike anything I have ever explored. There is something meditative about carving, maintaining a keen eye and ‘feeling’ the piece. While a spoon design is often considered utilitarian, due to the general functionality of the object; a hand carved wooden spoon is much more than a functional tool. From a hand drawn design to sanding each spoon I’ve created is an art form and perhaps this is what I have learned from my spoon with a hole. I will still paint a design, and shape the handle and it will serve as a reminder to be patient, to know that not all accidents are failures, to see beauty in the imperfect and know that sometimes we need a spoon with a hole in it that offers a bit of perspective.   

Onward! 

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Teaching

Looking back at teaching Advanced Photography for the first time in the spring of this year I wasn’t sure what to expect; what I did know was I wanted my students to master the skill of printing in a traditional wet darkroom. Wet darkrooms are becoming a thing of the past with the introduction of digital photography, inkjet printing and the ‘digital darkroom.’ I feel very fortunate to teach at a university that not only still has darkroom facilities but also the mentorship of knowledgeable faculty both in the department and outside the department. Working in the darkroom teaches you to slow down, to be methodical and keep great notes. There is merit in learning to slow down & understand the process from shooting film to development to print making. I tell my students in the first few weeks of class that this isn’t an ‘easy’ course, it will take a fair amount of money for film, paper, framing supplies etc., but more importantly it will take a great amount of dedication and time spent in the darkroom to successfully complete the course.  I find great value in mastering the art of fine photographic print making and ultimately preparing students to hang a show.

 I encourage students to write about their work and other creatives on a weekly basis. This provides a forum of ongoing discussion and analyzation that leads to students writing an artist statement. I challenge my students early on, I task them with creating the best work they’ve ever produced while encouraging students to explore new formats and to have fun. I teach with three clear objectives for my students in mind: To understand and employ pre-visualization from exposure to print, to learn how to work on a cohesive photographic series and lastly to learn how to produce quality prints, presenting a portfolio through advanced darkroom techniques. As an undergraduate student I found I learned the most from the most challenging courses as well as the courses that encouraged exploration, to play and have fun. I strive to strike a balance between both styles of teaching. I want my students to complete Advanced Photography with a great portfolio, a solid artist statement and the ability to constructively critique and analyze not only their own work but others. I look forward to teaching next semester! Onward!

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Growth

‘To keep growing, silently and earnestly, through your whole development; you couldn't disturb it any more violently than by looking outside and waiting for outside answers to questions that only your innermost feeling, in your quietest hour, can perhaps answer.’ - Rilke

I am currently in the process of a rough edit of 200+ photographs to about 25-- taken in and around Nome/Seward Peninsula.

In seeking input from colleagues and mentors I found that while the critique and opinion of others is important to consider, ultimately the photographs that have the most meaning to me, the thread that ties this ongoing series is what will help me whittle down the work into a tighter cohesive body of work. I find to be with my work, to pin it on the wall to look closely and analyze it is the best way to edit. 

One of my undergraduate professors once said, ‘If you aren’t intimate with the work you create, if you don’t know why you’re making than be with your work, put it up on your walls and force yourself to think about it.’

And so while I feel quite intimate with the Nome project I am putting the prints on the wall, at home and in the studio. I am moved by some photographs and seek to articulate just what is tugging at me, what makes one photograph more powerful than the other. 

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On History

“Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from - it’s where you take them to." [MovieMaker Magazine #53 - Winter, January 22, 2004 ]” ― Jim Jarmusch

Mrs. Fujimura was my second grade teacher. I was 7 and was assigned to recreate a Vincent Van Gogh painting of my choice. I chose paint  Portrait of the Postman Joseph Roulin. I could not tell you why 7 year old Alyssa did not choose to paint Starry Night like more than half of the class did. 

 What I can tell you is Mrs. Fujimura left a profound mark on my life. After completing my rendition of ‘The Postman’ I became immersed in painting, and learning about artists. I begged my mother every weekend to take me to any museum. Thankfully my mother often obliged and I spent a great deal of my childhood roaming LACMA and the Getty.

I was a ferocious reader as a child, I read anything I could get my hands on. Reading took me on adventures, and provided me an opportunity to be creative. I used my imagination to see beyond the written word. What I didn’t know was I was learning to visualize. I kept journals of my daily coming and goings and as I moved towards adolescence the journals exploded with poetry and sketches. I was introduced to my first darkroom when I was 15 years old. I joined photo club in high school which led to an opportunity to attend Photo LA. Much like my second grade experience, this introduction to a new medium was life changing. I wanted to make pictures. I wanted to tell stories. I wanted to take my visions, trapped in my mind and make them pictures. 

Photo LA 2005

A year later I was enrolled in my first formal photography class, a year after that I was attending Academy of Art University in San Francisco. As time passed I didn’t realize I was picking up pieces of the past. Each photographer, writer, scientist, cinematographer, journalist, and even new friends  I learned about changed how I viewed the world. 

Memphis, William Eggleston 

San Luis Obispo, 2007

I began to explore myself as a subject in 2007.(I regret that I have lost 2 very important self portrait series when a hard drive was stolen in a burglary in early 2012.) 

19 with a broken foot, 2007

22, 2010

24, 2012

On Being an Angel, Francesca Woodman

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Whirlwind of Opportunity

Time is flying by this semester! It seems like just yesterday I was settling back into the studios and getting set to work. This semester a series of wonderful opportunities to present my work and connect with like-minded creatives and educators have been presented to me. Earlier this month I traveled to Anchorage to present both a poster and oral presentation at the Arctic Science Conference  at the University of Alaska Anchorage. The title of my presentation was Alternative Photographic Processes Encompassing Cultural Alaskan Substrates. This presentation explored my process as well as influences and site-specific art. 

Last week I traveled to Nome, Alaska to attend the Norton Sound Education Summit. I engaged in active dialogue concerning education in the greater Norton Sound Region. This dialogue touched on cultural relevancy, growing local teachers, addressing issues in education beyond the scope of teaching. I was moved while listening to the keynote speakers whose speeches touched on overcoming poverty and the power of community. I came away from this conference with a newfound sense of place. I was welcomed with hugs and smiles, Nome truly has become home and I am better for it. Beyond that, the community of Nome has come to support me in ways I never thought not just through providing scholarship and opportunity to thrive but through the people I have come to know and care for. This support has made all the difference in my art making. I have returned from Nome renewed, realigned and with a a greater sense of purpose. 

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On Process and Technique

Currently I am engaged in multiple projects. While these projects differ and each requires a fairly different technical approach they are rooted in my interest in exploring historic and alternative photographic processes and the importance of utilizing place-specific materials. These materials are usually organic-- antler, skin, bark and incorporate some synthetic materials. The photographic processes I work with are platinum printing, Van Dyke Brown, image transfer and inkjet printing.

Van Dyke Brown photographic process on caribou antler from Nome, Alaska 

Platinum/Palladium print on Arches paper using digital negative 

Hand sewn birch bark, artificial sinew, photographic gel medium transfer 

My process begins with a photograph, usually taken digitally with a Canon 40D camera or most recently with the Canon 6D. When I get a chance to shoot film I enjoy shooting with Ilford Delta 100 4x5 film with a Century field camera circa 190 and I process the film myself. 

I have been working on  an ongoing photographic series that explores the idea of place and identity and landscape. This series is based out of Nome, Alaska. While I travel there frequently working on a photographic series outside of Fairbanks has presented challenges-- at times it is financially difficult to travel or the weather does not comply and it’s impossible to land in Nome (this generally happens in the summer). The duality of living and working for part of the year in Fairbanks and the other part in Nome has proven to be both rewarding and at times very stressful.

 From this ongoing series other projects have developed-- based on the experience of living and working in rural alaska and more specifically in Nome and surrounding villages I became interested in the subsistence way of living. I’ve come to embrace this lifestyle through harvesting of fish and other animals and seasonally berry picking. I began to explore the use of materials specific to the Norton Sound region, and was always stuck by the sight of a giant moose or caribou rack found here or there around town. As I explored the tundra surrounding Nome, I often came across shed caribou antler and one day it occurred to me with camera at hand I had a eureka! moment and asked myself-- ‘I wonder if I could photographically print on antler!’ 

After a bit of internet research I found only one person who attempted to photographically print on antler, although I was not interested in the photographic process he was applying to the antler. John Dearing was using the Cyanotype processes on antler while this alone is pioneering I found the use of the color blue on antler to be overtly indicative of death. I was also not keen on the imagery he placed flowers on the antler as Cyanotype is a contact printing process. 

Thus I set out to find out if I could print on caribou antler myself. I chose to work with the historic/alternative process called Van Dyke Brown. In the 19th century the Van Dyke Process or Van Dyke Brown was known as Brown or Sepia Paper. It is a contact printing method, in which the negative is the same size the print. An emulsion of ammonium ferric citrate and silver nitrate are mixed with a small amount of tartaric acid. This emulsion is then coated on the caribou antler. A liquid polymer is also coated on the antler to ensure it is evenly impregnated with the emulsion. After drying thoroughly, a ‘digital negative’ is placed directly on the antler and exposed to UV light and fixed with sodium thiosulfate. 

Screenshots of the process from previous posts 

I am currently working out the kinks, only after much trial and error did I create a process that was reproducible although not quite streamlined yet! Therein lies the excitement of exploring the unknown! Onward! 

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Filling in the spaces. 

I have been exploring past work recently partly to gage my progress and partly to revisit themes within my work. I find that it is important to visit older work, to revisit past assignments and blog posts. My approach to photography has shifted from a documentarian’s eye to much more of a personal narrative centered around introspection. I begin to fill in the spaces, to shoot more, to explore other art forms and it is exciting! Exploring ‘alternative’ substrates like antler and skin connect me to the land, utilizing all parts of a harvested animal is important to me. Moreover, finding beauty and inspiration in the daily tasks, in subsistence, in being is something I strive to achieve daily. Taking time to fill in the spaces and just be. 

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Creating

"Eminent creators choose and become passionately involved in challenging, risky problems that provide a powerful sense of power from the ability to use their talents," writes M.A. Collins and T.M. Amabile in The Handbook of Creativity.

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Success!!

Exposure time: 20 minutes under UV light 

Caribou antler from Nome, Alaska

Van Dyke Brown emulsion coated on antler 

Contact print of White Alice Towers found in Nome, Alaska 

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First successful print on antler using Van Dyke Brown emulsion combined with gel medium coated on cut caribou antler from Nome, Alaska!

15 minute exposure using a UV light.

Photo is of antler in clearing bath.