Topic: Ornament and Pattern Small works

**** photo will be uploaded shortly****

Ornamental shapes, Christine Cortes, marker on graph paper, 10x10"

I believe that this small works wasn't as strong as I allowed it to be. I can admit that

I didn't pay enough attention to the pieces, but more to playing around with shapes on graph paper.

I used graph paper because I took the grid idea literal, and I wanted to pay attention to symmetry and overlapping (negative) shapes.

In Depth Project: Pattern and Ornament -- Step 2- Wallpaper

Wallpaper (For the Dentist), Christine Cortes, Photo collage on posterboard, 24"x24"

When making the wallpaper, I chose an 8x10 background tile and repeated it 6 times and chose two symbols printed in wallpaper form (which are the same image but flipped on photoshop) to each repeat on the tile 9 times (a total of 36 symbols each)

The colors are similar, but can be differentiated because the symbol that I chose was beveled & Embossed with a very thin black border. Also, I textured the inside of the symbol so that the viewer can differentiate the soft and bumpy background with the symbol itself.

Below are the images used to create the wallpaper!

 

In Class exercise: Meta-Assignment 1

Pattern and Ornament Small Works: Quilt Copy and 50 Symbols

Quilt Copy

50 Symbols

Outside Visit: Wolfsonian

 

Visiting Tony Garnier's Une Cite' Industrielle

It was interesting to see real drawn up plans from a vision that seemed very Utopian, but also futuristic. In one plan of the Visionary Metropolis, Garnier did not include any jails or police stations. It makes the viewer wonder if his idea was that MAYBE, if everything else in his plans were of high quality and available to every citizen (such as the health systems and public health utilities), then there might not be any need for judicial control or crimes being committed because every sector of the metropolis is equal (like a socialist community) but without the need of an enforcement of law, and more with the enforcement of quality of life.

 

 

 

 

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Not pictured is the rest of the exhibit that was assigned:

I enjoyed seeing what interior decor was once considered elite vs. made for the modern American house-hold created from the masses. For example, I noticed the small incisions and ornaments created into desks that contrasted the different wooden interpretations of a functioning chair. It seems that there were different movements behind these works of art that, in their own way, were innovating and becoming "new" (either for function or for stylization).

In Depth Project 1: Folk and culture

Gevatter Tod, Christine Cortes Lynolium Cut Block Print on book paper, Appx. 11x14

UPDATE: THIS IS MY FINAL PRODUCT.

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Although I was not able to present my piece on the original critique day (Thursday, Sept. 9th) I will be presenting my piece on the following Thursday.
**After listening to other pieces receive feedback and realizing the expectations of work that can be at the level of success for the in depth project, I will be pushing this current piece further and developing it to make it stronger. I consider the piece I have now to be strong for what it is, but not strong enough for an In Depth potential.

Gevatter Tod, Christine Cortes, White Marker on Black Paper 8x11

This piece is based on an old Fable that is originated from Germany. Gervatter Tod translated to English means "GodFather Death". The storyline is the concept that I presented to the piece, which is why I chose to emphasize the flask and the cross that are held with hands that are anatomically discombobulated. The lines help direct the eye around the image and have the similar marks of old story illustrations that use black backgrounds and white marks to create an almost "print block or scratch board" type of aesthetic.
Personally, I felt like the choice of medium for this piece pushed my abilities to increase my drawing skills. The act of creating more than one draft of this same drawing in itself was my form of experimentation by developing the marks made and choice of composition in a drawing that I create whites instead of darks.

I will be further developing this piece by actually experimenting with a woodblock carving or linoleum block print this drawing in a form of a book that has the fable written next to it (in the form of a book that can help spread the message across as an old German fable both visually and in context).
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Here is the original idea made with scratchboard paper.
As it is clear, I pushed myself to increase my technical skills in drawing, Specifically with composition, scale, foreground vs. background, noise, mark making with intention, and detail.
I consider this a rough draft, or the beginning of something that can be and will be better! :)

Creative Impulse: Response to "Ornament" and the Sources of Design in the Decorative Arts."

Christine Cortes
WARP TR-AM

In reading the Ornament and Sources of Design, the reader can see how Ivins categorized each piece at the MET in a way that categorized specific historical designs found on the pieces that were exhibited. Ivins clearly describes how 15th century art has made its way to the pieces exhibited at The MET-- The passing down of generations and being able to teach others to make has become highly respected and accepted into this art institution.

It is clear that Ivins has clearly drawn analogies of music to help the reader understand the art of craft and the process of making intricate designs, or ornaments that have been passed down through generations of historical designers. The main point drawn from this article concludes the idea that traditional art can be passed down to new generations and still be considered art, because the long historical lineage of intricate symbols, ornaments, and designs have deep meanings that have transpired for 5 centuries.

Topic: Narrative, Small Works

The following is a set of 5 pieces that all draw analogies to the everyday door.
While researching this object, I realized that the door has a long list of different meanings: Religious, metaphysical, emotional, tangible, metaphorical, historical.

**I use the color purple in different pieces because The theory of purple has to do with mysticism, supernature, luxury, nobility,

1. 
   

 

'Revealed', Christine Cortes, B&W Triptych on Glossy Paper, 

8x10 each photo

^The following set of photos are a combined as a triptych that represent the raw, mental ideal of a door. The doorknob of the door is missing, exposing the human to the fullest exposure. It is said that a human can be revealed when a person looks into their eyes-- which is intentional in these set of photos.


   2.

 'Revelation 3:20', Christine Cortes,
Watercolor, Marker, and Pen on Watercolor Paper,
7x10
< The following is a watercolor based on the religious aspect of a door. Throughout the bible, the door is often left as a symbol of hope for humans to open that leads them to God-- but they will not get to the door if they don't reveal themselves to be true enough. The level of holiness is drawn from the pouring of the holy wine, or blood of Christ, that when filled allows enough validation for the House of God.













   3.

'Deteriorated', Christine Cortes, Collage,
7x10
< The following is based on the mental, psychological, and emotional state of a person who like in the photos mentioned above, becomes exposed. The intent for this collage that is different from the photos is that the person is becoming exposed from their human aspects-- being torn apart and left for defense. I layered different types of wood to identify that people experience different events in life that slowly taught them to build a defense. So when the person in the collage is being torn apart, the viewer can see the different levels of defense that was put up for protection.










The next two pieces are from the 5 wild card materials that were drawn from class.
All of the following are my first time ever using the medium from the random draw. It was fun!

4.


'Threshold: Entries and Exits', Christine Cortes,
Purple String on Polyester Quilt Fibers on Purple Tissue Paper, Appx. 15x20

^ The following is based on the Celtic Knot. The Celtic knot symbol, is also referred to as the mystic knot, or the endless knot. The more esoteric or spiritual meaning of this symbol eludes to beginnings and endings. In viewing these intricate knots, we cannot see a beginning or and end, and therefore we are reminded of the timeless nature of our spirit. This translation harkens to primal contemplations of the infinite cycles of birth and rebirth in both physical and ethereal realms. In a sense, I recreated a less intricate celtic knot because it alludes to a door -- a threshold of entering vs. exiting, beginning vs. ending, tangible vs. Mystic. A less spiritual representation is also related to the knots endless nature. Due to it's infinite path, the Celtic knot can represent an uninterrupted life cycle. Similar to a door, humans always see the door as a new part of life.

5. 

  

Doorknob, Christine Cortes, Clay Sculpted on Red Painted Wood Panel,
9x13
^ The following is my interpretation of a doorknob. Usually, we are the ones to grab the door and take hold of our actions, but there are also times where there are forces have enough power (from any source) that attract us to the door and naturally force us to open "that door".
(The panel is red because Red is a color of power)
Some people believe that shaking hands is a force of respect, opportunity. "The door of Opportunity" is a phrase I had in mind when thinking that a doorknob could be a hand, something that we have to interact with to open.

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Here are some links I used for all research on this object.

Door meanings:
http://www.biblemeanings.info/Words/Housing/Door.htm
http://www.sbrusticdoors.com/blog/symbolism-of-doors/
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/threshold
http://thoughtsonartandteaching.blogspot.com/2011/12/ten-threshold-concepts-in-fine-art.html#axzz4ITo8ukgn
http://www.chegg.com/homework-help/definitions/sensory-threshold-13
Color Meanings:
http://www.colormatters.com/the-meanings-of-colors/purple
http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-gray.html
http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html

Celtic Knot:
http://www.whats-your-sign.com/celtic-knots.html

Reference











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HERE ARE SOME PROGRESS PICS!

Creative Impulse: Outside Visit- ICA

Hello! Here I am at the ICA visiting the summer exhibitions.

I will be detailing my experience by categorizing by each artist with attatched photos.

Laura Lima: The Universe

When entering the building holding the ICA, my attention was completely taken when I first gazed at Laura Lima's : 'The Universe'. A really awesome, monumental piece. It was definitely interesting to see the meticulous tangles of the rope which she purposely placed to show the tangles of life. Life is definitely a play in this piece because of the performance angle she played using a live body to lay down to point the origin of the rope.

A question that she leaves up to interpretation is:
IS THE ROPE ENTERING OR EXITING?

Well, for me, I believe it exits her because it alludes to birth, and the life cycle. The connection to the origin is strong, and we can see that the farther the rope gets from the origin (the body), the larger (or more developed and complex) it becomes.


Ida Applebroog 

 

Ida Applebroog's Mercy Hospital pieces are probably my favorite pieces from this entire exhibit. Personally, I love seeing emotional, personal experience documented in an artists' work. It was beautiful to have the opportunity to see her personal diary while she was hospitalized in the 60's. A lot of the pieces have cursive phrases on the sides of the paintings. While the phrases make sense for her, the audience might not be able to interpret. I see that with Applebroog's work, Such simple forms from the same paper sketchbook all show a repetition of internal struggle (with identity, anxiety, medications, and depression). Even the rings from the sketchbook paper are kept with the work, even though it would not usually be kept and displayed. Amazing.

Not pictured, but also made by Applebroog is her series of booklets. I interpreted them as relationship experiences that might have impacted her. Since she is around 80 years old now, it is interesting to see her long life all exhibited.

Susan Te Kahurangi King

 King's work is another favorite of mine from this exhibit because the curation for this work has been respectively and meticulously categorized in order of the artists age, showing the audience a progression of the artists interests, communication, expression, techniques, mediums, and complexities. 

When looking at the work, it was very important to me that I saw the progression of an Autistic artist who cannot communicate in any other language except for art because I could see the methods taken to be able to express herself. There was something about the cartoons that she grew up watching that made her want to repetitively draw, especially in different warped

view, and something that made her change from that to more abstract form.

 

 








Renaud Jerez

 When looking at Renaud Jerez, I tried to interpret what location he was expressing with his work. The description of his work stated he was using the found objects as site specific.
It was interesting to see what objects could become in form. I also enjoyed being able to enter the little shacks, observing the meticulous placement of each found object.