Bootleg Screening...

Lately I have been feeling really crafty, so I decided to make some fairly really simple screen prints- on top of all the other stuff I've been doing!

I miss printing, and never really had a chance to learn how to make a silk screen, so I decided a ghetto screen would work.

By using a needle-point frame, you can stretch some extra stockings over the frame to create a screen!

Start off with a simple design

Trace it onto the stocking

Then with Modge-Podge paint over the area
 you do not want the paint/ink to come through
and let it dry

Press the color throught the screen with an old
credit card, cardboard or squeegy

and....tada!!! You have a screen printed design!!

This is the easiest way to design your own cards and have fun mass producing them, lol!

-blessed-

I was fortunate a couple weeks ago to receive a text message from my old high school teacher about a commission for a fellow alumni.

Her and her husband are expecting a baby this August and wanted a "fairy tale" tree painted in the nursery. Below is the cute couple- and the sketch they have chosen for the room!

El Paso, Texas

I was asked by my Aunt and Uncle from El Paso to create a sunset design for a T-shirt. They own a printing company over there and I suppose it's for a neighborhood event or something.

This is what I have so far:

Pancakes & Booze

     Last Friday I had a really great opportunity to be part of a traveling show. Pancakes and Booze was established May 2009 an is a traveling show that was created by Tom Kirlin from Los Angeles. Since 2009 local artists from over 10 cities have been able to participate, show and sell (i.e. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Portland, Austin, Dallas, Atlanta....). 

What started out as a show in a warehouse became and annual round up of talent, pancakes and BOOZE! Thanks Tom for letting me be apart of this show!

Hot-n-Sweaty

I had two of my works exhibited at the 500X Gallery in Dallas, Texas back in June. Of course I forgot to take pictures of the event! BUT! Here was the flyer!

-studio 1110-

New Supplies!

Since mid-March this year, I have had space in downtown which I've been calling my studio; I need to go in re-arrange the entire space and definitely work harder at creating and showing. I have been in a couple of shows, and will upload info about them soon!

Travel Seaside

     This last May I've taken a trip to Seattle; to relax to get away from work and to TRAVEL. I love to travel, and have taken it upon myself to see the world as little or as much as I can afford... Which isn't often. So here are some photos of my adventure.

Pikes Place Market: 1st Day

Shy Giant Ice Cream: Pikes Place

Space Needle: 7am Jog

Cruise photo, Museum of Science, Underground Tour 2012

Jimi Hendrix Memorial

Downtown Seattle

Downtown Seattle at Night

I didn't want to leave- the weather was so gorgeous! But, I was ready to get back to my studio and refresh what I had left off doing since I left school.

-prayer flag-

I've been invited to join an adult print group here in Dallas by my old high school printmaking teacher Eva Kutscheid!

First assignment for myself; a prayer flag. I've never had the honor of participating in this activity- but I understood that they are meant to send a positive message into the world! And my message was one about grace.

"be pretty if you can, witty if you must, but be gracious if it kills you"

I heard this once- and in the end we are all just flesh and bones.... The central image is my skull stylized and based off of one of my X-rays. The text "Danos Gracia" is Spanish for "give us grace," which is essential in order for us to remain humble and thankful for what we have.

STEPS:
After my image was drawn I went over it with sharpie. I used a wash of color to help differentiate highlighted and darkened areas. I began to carve- once carved I inked my woodcut, test printed and the last image is the result!

Where I am- Where I'm From

So, I've been back in Texas for a while now; Dallas, Texas, for about 6 months now. Getting situated, figuring things out, and getting a grasp on life after college. It's challenging and frustrating. Aside from doing small commission, and working 2 jobs I am waiting for a studio space! I need some space to spread out and get dirty, the space I was using is no longer available- if you know of a place/ space please- LET ME KNOW!!!!

GEM Hotel- NYC Exhibition

Here are some of the photos of the NYC show posted by my friend Zack!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/art_zach/sets/72157626798413959/

NYC

2 of my paintings were chosen to be exhibited in New York City this June for Alfred University's Profile 2011 at the Gem Hotel. If your out around there, check it out!!!!

http://www.alfred.edu/pressreleases/viewrelease.cfm?ID=6791

cup, cups...MUGS!!!

These are a few image of a series of 30 mugs that I had gotten into the groove of making, simply because my friend Justin had an extra handle and I had some extra coils... <3

I chose to consistently use different line designs because I was simply exploring the intensity of the black slip against the white porcelain clay body through inlay (all cone 10 electric or soda fired)

Its like a baby...

gotta take care of this thing....*sigh* it's like a nonstop ride from start to finish- caught up in the thrill and process of making now coming to an abrupt stop. The end is near; i can feel it...smell it. Here are a couple of images of works that have been mentioned previously.

-this was a transitional piece done during winter 2010 exploring spatial and figure ground relationships

-still exploring paint and its characteristics/ properties while cohesively adding dialog with the paper modules

This piece offered me a very pivotal moment in my color studies and how they build relationships within the planes and the crumpled paper.

after focusing solely on color relationships- I brought attention to the negative space. trying to address the background and activating it so that it stood on its own as understandable space although its ambiguous.

These are sketches for me- to explore how more organic shapes are formed and how the black line can work around or behind these shapes. I was also taking a break from painting- but still searching on how minimal the forms and lines could become while they still stood on their own. Below is where I actually began to put these organic bold black lines in action.

- There are more paintings but I chose not to spoil my upcoming senior show! :D

In the Groove

So this is where I came back this spring semester and really started creating. Still focusing heavily on line. Better pictures are on the way, along with a more in depth description of what I am exploring and what these studies have taught me about my studio work ethic.

Everything Illuminated

Towards the end of last semester I recognized that my methods of working ceramics and painting had been so divided. The way I though about ceramics has always been to have an idea established and then produce whereas my paintings are studies that I follow through on blindly and paint as I go. However, there were certain elements that could be crossed over and transitioned: line, layers and form to name a few. Taking that into account and still working with creating an environment for these forms to be viewed I continued working with porcelain paper clay and coils.

This is what happened.

What Matters

Visiting family that I have not seen in almost 10 years: my Grandmas and Grandpa-in the mountains- where I can breathe.

Guillermo and Carmen Ayala

Luz Maria de Roa Avendano: 1917- 2002

Location: El Paso, Texas

Painting Progression

Beginning Fall 2010:
     What I have been working on since late August- early September. And this is where I have left off on my exploration- I have a larger painting still in progress along with another one of these...I plan to work over break in experimenting with color further: this has been a grasping of concept, content and color for me...I am still working on it. But this is what I have.

1.

2.

3. with detail

4.

5. with details

6. with details

7.