Portfolio Theme Development
3 Ideas:
Community- forest, micorrhizal networks, salmon streams, village, human connections
Recipes/ Chemical Reactions- ingredients for a cake/ ingredients for a happy life. Neuroscience
Artificial Intelligence (AI)- What is real? What is creativity?
These are the notes I made. After discussion in class I have decided to choose Eco-Systems as my theme for this term.
Artist Research:
Sandra Vásquez de la Horra uses a technique that interests me where she stiffens her drawings with wax in order to allow them to be sculpted into free-standing shapes. I would be interested to try this.
https://www.vasquezdelahorra.com
Ed Pien has a series called ‘Invasive Species’ that explores the beauty of several plants with green line drawings in a wide format. I like the repetition of the colour from piece to piece while each invasive species design clearly is unique. The wide format is also appealing.
He also has a series called ‘Ocean Drawing’ where he used ocean water mixed with white ink as part of his process. This gives me the idea to use creek water for a pen and ink drawing inspired by my local salmon stream.
https://www.edpien.com/invasivespecies
Elizabeth Cross has a series of tree drawings rendered in pencil on paper. I am interested to see how she creates value to convey the contours of the bark as she focuses mainly on the trunks and branches.
https://alexandrasasse.com/artwork-category/elizabeth-cross
Eco-Systems
The inspiration for my theme comes largely from the forests around Cumberland. I walk here every day and am constantly amazed by the beauty and diversity of life I witness.
I have been very influenced by the work of Robin Wall Kimmerer and Suzanne Simard both of whom describe the interdependence of life in the natural world. I am intrigued by the presence of micorrhizal networks that connect trees in the forest through a symbiotic relationship with funghi.
The presence of Mother Trees in the forest is also of great interest to me. These are the trees that co-ordinate the delivery of resources to smaller (often related) trees. The understanding of these systems is vital to maintaining healthy forests and informing forestry practises.
One way I envisage the theme developing is through a drawing of a powerful Mother Tree bathed in sunlight. I will use a multitude of greens to convey the richness of the forest eco-system. It’s possible that the tree will take on spirit form, with a face subtly incorporated into the bark. This speaks of my connection with the eco-system.
The roots will be reaching down and the branches will be be reaching up- connecting earth to sky. This is a concept that came to me with some visual information but that I know will become richer through the drawing process.
I also imagine creating a pen and ink drawing of the salmon stream (Perseverance Creek). Possibly from an underwater perspective and perhaps made to be free standing by coating it in wax and shaping it. For this project, I would use water from the stream as part of the process.
The greenery of the forest is amazing and I see an exploration of the many shades of green as something I will enjoy.
To translate this theme to a human level, I am wondering about creating a piece where humans are in tension or conflict with AI- wondering with what’s real and what’s not and what AI even is. The idea of moving further away from nature into a digital world of tech – with its pros and cons- would also be pertinent. To show digital networks, I might try to do an under-drawing of a motherboard or even have part of the drawing ripped away to reveal something else beneath. The notion of virtual reality and actual/physical reality comes to mind.