Studies- Spring 2013

Just finished my first year of graduate school, wow!!! Let me tell ya, it was difficult, BUT certainly the most exciting experience yet! I highly recommend it :)

The first year is all about experimenting and just developing new ideas. Here are some studies that I had done. Most of it is just having a better understanding of color and composition and others is just experimenting with the medium. Enjoy!

Telephone
Charcoal on paper
4 1/2 ft by 9 ft (top three)
4 ft by 9 ft (bottom four)

Sensational Decomposition

Oil on Canvas

30 in by 40 in

The Sensational Illusionist

Oil on Panel

18 in by 22 in

 

Sensational Manifestation 

Oil on Panel

12 in by 16 in

 The big paintings are in the process of being photographed. Those will posted shortly!

First Experience in Graduate School...

            Being accepted to graduate school is one of the most exciting moments one can experience. After a very long wait and 4 letters later, the fourth being the letter of acceptance, a huge wait had been lifted off my shoulders. The real world can wait 3 more years...

           My first semester had many failed, good, great, and meh ideas for paintings. I realize that this is grad school and it is time for a change in style, in concepts and a new level of thinking. No more Carravaggio, no more strong lighting, no more one figure compositions. It is time for the extreme, environments.

       I was asked at the beginning of the semester what the figure meant to me. Why was it so important? How can it be used differently within my compositions? So I did the extreme, I started my rendering interiors.
Such a difficult thing to do! The lighting is reflected from everywhere, the color is different from every surface!! AHH! the easiest part was the line drawing! Alright, alright it wasn't too bad but it was a great   new route to explore.

I figure that the best place to start would be my kitchen. Initially I wanted to talk about different roles that are played within a small environment. I wanted to use the viewer as my figure and the environment as the figure. 
 This painting is not a finished one. I took the opportunity to experiment with different techniques and brush strokes and basically just see what happens..

Since I work at a bakery, it would be more interesting to use different stations and figure out the identity of the person according to the the place that they work in and what that meant.

 Adding a pastry was certainly a big question.  Desserts are normally linked to sexuality and that was not the intended route to take. In order to avoid that, representing the process of making it would take that notion away. In this case, the dessert represented the status and level of education that was acquired.

   Finally, after exploring different ways of how to represent the idea of what the figure is and how it can be represented, I decided to take a little break and just make a painting with a figure for fun.

This semester has been a true eye opener. It was a great start to a knew adventure! One successful painting is certainly a sign that it'll only get better from here...

Happy New Year everyone!!! 

A Great Finish from a Long Journey...

Hello! Hello!


       It has been a long time since I have posted anything at all. This year had been busy and filled with surprises and great achievements for not only myself but for my best friends as well! WE FINALLY GRADUATED! Hugs and kisses all around! Congratulations everyone, we finally made it through... our first obstacle...
      For some it is now time to enter the real world and for others grad school. Before I continue, here are the paintings that I have finished with at SUVA...

30*30

Oil on Panel

Happy Beginning I

30*30

Oil on Panel

Happy Beginning II

Oil on Panel 

24*48

The Black Sheep of the Family 

 

Both of these paints are 18*24, Oil (top:Canvas, Bottom: Panel) 

    

This is my best friend Dena. She has been my perfect model for a very long time now. I hope that she continues being one of my characters for future paintings.... hint!!!! DENA, HINNNTT!










And las but not least... My Thesis:

 Una Nocion Ideal

Oil on Panel

24*24

Self Portrait

Oil on Panel

36*36

Top Hat

Oil on Canvas

30*40

Stocks

Oil on Metal

36*36

An Ideal Notion
Oil on Panel
24*24

So there you have it! I graduated with this portfolio in May of this year (2012). Congratulations to all of my classmates who made it.  Now on to bigger and better things!

...

Finally, a better photo...

Sketch book stuff....

In search for the insperation...

T'was an interesting summer term. Like a great painter said... "The truth is that there is no answer. Only communicating an existence of sensation. When you close your eyes and dream... that's your sensation... Capture it!"

Here is what I have been working on for 10 weeks straight!

36*36 oil on wood panel

30*30 Oil on Panel

36*36 Oil on Wood panel

I apologize for the photo quality.. I promise I will take another photo of this one. As one can see, I am quite the photographer... BLUSH!
Any who, I wanted you to notice the brush strokes and and at this angle it was the only way to do it...

30*30 Oil on panel

My concept for this series was the manifestation of an idea, through mental struggles, that leads to the inspiration. 

To be continued....

From 7 layers to 3...

Here is the last assignment I did for the term:

This painting is a combination of the notion of traditional still life with some contemporary elements. I fell inlove with this 7 layer technique! It gives the painting a much better quality and at the same time, because of the layering, it gives it beautiful depth.