"Found Photo" Series...

I found these old photo's of my parents and there is something extremely beautiful about them for me. On a 3x3ft panel, I think I'm almost with this top one...In the mean time, I've started another.

Blind contour+landscape+oil=extreme excitement

I tried to start a previous painting with the same process, blind line contour drawing (not looking at what i'm drawing just drawing) and then painting with those lines and I ended up losing the whole thing. I'm going slower this time and after the second day started establishing some depth. This is on a 4x5 foot panel, it is by far the best panel we've built. No nails or screws are visible and when hung on the wall it comes off about 3 inches. Very beautiful in my opinion. Anyways, FINI! Titled Sausolito

Burnt Toast Mess

I have my burnt toast board ready to do more damage. But the cat's love to lay on it and then they're covered in charcoal. I have two big hairy and now dirty balls of cat running around the apartment! I'm going to 'fix' my 30 drawings and then photograph them ASAP. I'm going to post my thirty-that's right 30! drawings of burnt toast on my website, mirandafry.com. Afterwards I'm going to start on some standing burnt toasts with colored light behind them. Let's get some color into these babies!

Ready for an UPDATE?

So this is my first portrait that I've been working on over the last couple of weeks. There have only been two painting sessions but as soon as the rain lets up.... This is one panel of over 40 8x4 foot panels commissioned by the Student Center of San Jose State. The Student Center is being re-designed over the next couple of years and the panels were initially blue. The Dirty Brushes, Pictorial Art club wanted to participate in creating a more interesting 'blue wall' in which the community and student body would be able to learn about the 'Masters of Painting'. The whole spectrum of artists was chosen by the Art History student body and ranges through all periods of history. My 'Master Painter' is Jean-Etienne Liotard, a Swiss-French painter (1702-1789). He was a very versatile artist, he is famous for his pastels, paintings, enamels, copperplate engravings, and glass painting. I like this guy because he is inspiration for me to stick to multiple mediums instead of just one.

Painting like a Fiend

I have been non-stop painting since 1 o'clock this afternoon and my living room/studio is full of wet oils! I am finally starting to feel the painters 'burn!' However, in all of this painting, I have begun a new project titled "Found Red Binder" - sounds a little boring, I'll look into it soon. Anyways, I found some old 80's photo's of my parents on their many adventures that I want to paint on 3 x 3' panels. The best part is that these are going to look even better painted than their current state..... I hope. I haven't taken a figure painting class before, so consider this project 100% self-taught. I scanned, enlarged, and re-printed the best 10 photo's that are in the moment and interesting. I tried to choose non-poser pictures. If anything comes out of this than just a mess, it will be better skills in painting from pictures. Already I can see how I am trying to be precise, I gotta stop that right now! This will be a good challenge since I haven't painted from a picture in 4 years.

Success in the virtual world!

So, I have successfully created a website that shares my art across the net! Still photographing my work that is living in all the nook and crannies of my apartment, but I think I should have all the worth-whiles on soon. If there is anything this process has really taught me, it is how I look and describe my art to you, the viewer. It is really hard to look at your body of work when it is all over the place and be able to create a strong statement about it. Luckily I have it all organized now on this site and have been progressing quickly in my development of an overall artist statement. I hope that my writing is not too informal and too wordy, one of my writing flaws. Reading other artist statements really helps me develop a better vocabulary and stronger sense of how to structure my statement.

Which way to go?

Even though I am not in graduate school yet, I am slightly lost and confused about which direction I want to point my art. I know this is something that everyone goes through and for artists if you aren't struggling you're not working hard enough. But here it is: I am stuck between drawing and painting expressively and staying closed lipped about my activist ideas verses expressing myself whole heartedly. Now, what is the difference? Ehh, this is where it gets very complicated. For as long as I have been in the Pictorial arts program (4 years), I have always tried to be as expressive as possible. I mean, drawing loose and not illustrative. Letting my instincts take over and allowing my intuitive nature to assess the productivity of the art piece. Since it is my 5th year and I am in the BFA program, I want to let loose and be free. But I am so afraid that if I try something different it is going to be shit, whether it is or not. Who determines it would rightfully be my two favorite professors but should I really just give them all the attention? No, I shouldn't because when it comes down to it, its all about how the community relates to it and reacts to it. I guess I'll just have to grow some balls and test those boundaries. Worst case scenario: I learn that it works or it doesn't and I take a step forward. And Worst worst case scenario: it turns out to be the worst BFA show in the Fall. I hope my Professors won't let me ruin my BFA!