Wishful Wednesday: Dreaming of NYC!

The last week or so I've been trying to come up with what I want to wear for my art show in New York. I don't usually plan out what I'm gonna wear months in advance or buy new things for a trip/event. But I feel like this one is a big enough deal that I can if I want to (have it in my budget... yesterday I wrote about our new budget system check it out here)

So anyway, I figured I would lay out some of what I was thinking here and see what y'all think! Remember, I'm going to Rye, NY (about 30 minutes outside of NYC) for an art reception that is held from 3pm to 5pm April 5th so nothing too fancy. (and anyone from NY area help me prepare for weather too, what is it usually like up there in April??)

Hoookay! The vision that started this all is actually not on ETSY, I've found a couple look a likes but the one I love and feel the most comfortable with trying out is actually a sewing pattern. Yep, that means I would have to MAKE IT. Which is a bit scary, thats the reason why I haven't purchased yet. But I can't find anything else like it and I just keep coming back so I'm thinking I need some advice from my dear friends!! 1. do you think I could do it?? 2. Do you think a tea length version in either black or a fun pattern is fitting for what I'm doing?? Basically what I'm picturing is this awesome skirt with a simple fitted tee and probably flats. Nothing too fancy! Annnnd basically exactly how she is wearing it, dang. This Infamous Regal Maxi Skirt is just so beautiful and Mimi G has the coolest stuff!
After reading all the reviews, asking a friend who has made this, I'm pretty sure it is exactly what I'm looking for. Beautifully feminine that can be dressed up or down!! Woot woot!

I said I found some look a likes of the skirt above. This isn't one of them but it is something I found while looking for look a likes :) Annnnnd just to be honest this is a BIG contendor! I mean look at this shop (Melange Mode)!! Those prints are stunning, and each piece looks so beautifully crafted and fits each person so well! I called Reed in to show him and of course he just kinda nodded and said "mmm hmm" he never knows how to respond to anything I like. At least he has learned to keep his mouth shut :)  Basically I would love one of everything from this shop. But the one that caught my eye and that I think would be best for the look I'm going for is this African Print Midi Skirt.

I have no clue how I would pick the print but I love them all so I'm pretty sure any of them would be just fine! I mean, those wide leg pants I think I need them too!

And if I ever have a super formal event to go to I found my dress already :)

Annnnnd everyone needs a little black dress right? I mean even if I don't wear this in NY I want it :) Look at the beautiful shoulders! That neck line, uhhhh. Why do I like clothes so much and hate spending money! This lace detail knee length dress is pretty enough to go to any event. I'm ready to have one now :)

To end with another thing that I just want :) I would wear it in NY if I could convince myself to make it by then. Yep another sewing pattern! I mean, why can't I just find these pre made by someone who knows what they are doing?! This maxi cardigan is AWESOME! I love it with the hood and with out. I've shown Reed and he has given me permission to purchase the pattern if I ask for help when making it :) No wasting fabric for me!

So, basically I have no clue what I want. I kinda do but I really need some guidance. I just wanna look good!!! HELP!

PS>> we will be in NYC for the weekend so any one with suggestions on where  to stay, places to eat, things to see would be greatly appreciated! (I've been twice Reed has never been so I need to make sure I don't just show him the art museums :) ).

Think Big Fund

So I'm starting to pursue a dream I've had for a while. If you've been around the blog (or me) for any length if time you know I've got a love for furniture and art. A dream that I've had for a long time has always been to own my own business revolved around my passion for creative style in homes and everyday life. My concept for my art even revolves around the same idea to an extent. 

Now that Reed has been blessed with his dream job and God has continued to pour out his blessings and provide us with all our needs, I've decided to pursue my dreams. Reed and I are working on finding me a shop/shed that we can put in the back yard for me to use as a studio. We have a few good options that we just have to find the time to make happen. The next big step in this entire process is to gather funds to help me set up my new studio. Being a sculptor and having a desire to design and build furniture requires some pretty heavy duty tools. And heavy duty tools cost lots of money! 

So in an attempt to to raise these funds I am pursuing my Etsy shop with a new fervor! I've added multiple new items at reasonable prices in hopes to increase the number of sales. I am already planning a few items for the holidays in hopes to get more of my work in your homes!! 

I am also in the process of professionally updating my blog. I have found a beautiful designer who is helping me tie all if my "sites" (Etsy, blog, and Facebook) together. To kick this off I am planning a big giveaway featuring other small businesses on and off Etsy. So be sure to check back in to stay up to date! 

My dream is that I will have enough funds to set up shop and start selling my own creations instead of relying on pieces that just need refurbishing. 

If you are interested in being a part of this new studio let me know and I can give you more detailed information!! Also if there is a project you would like for me to tackle I am looking for more custom projects. Just leave a comment or message me with what you are looking for and we can start the process of working together! 

And thank you to everyone who has already helped me get this process started!! It has been a long time coming and I am so grateful that God has finally allowed me the ability to pursue my dreams!

Spring Studio Space

I moved in to my studio at school last week. 

I'm sure most of you saw it on instagram or facebook. 

Sorry, I'm not sorry about it!! 

I'm way to excited NOT to share :)

Having this closet size studio sure beats using my guest bedroom and having to worry about the carpet all the time. 

(Heres the picture I shared last week, I've cleaned it up a little bit but forgot to take a picture. I'm sure you will see it again soon, I'll be living in it this semester!) 

Now that I've got space to work, I've been MUCH more productive.

I even just think better!

Here is my first project for the semester. 

What I am looking to discuss with this piece is a continuation from last semester. 

And the topic that is common in many societies is tradition, and how to preserve it. In

today’s American culture we are asked to look forward more often than back, and to think

about OUR individual future rather than the collective. This is evident in the lack of interest

in heritage. Not only are people losing their personal history but many traditions are being

lost as well. Trades that were once passed down from generation to generation are now

specialties that are hard to come by. With this body of work I am using furniture to

comment on the tradition, heritage, and integrity that is seemingly loosing importance to

the younger generations.

I am really proud of this piece and am honestly stund at how well the testing worked out. 

I posted a few weeks back asking if anyone knew how stiff fabric stiffener got. 

Well, incase you where wondering what I was doing with it... I made a fabric table!

Here is how I tested it. 

First I laid out wax paper to protect the counter top and chose 2 pieces that I didn't care about messing up. (They ended up being fine and I just had to wash the glue off) 

Second I filled a large bowl with the fabric stiffener and rolled a small piece of fabric in it. 

Once the fabric was completely covered I draped it over the cup and bowl to dry. 

After about 24 hours of drying I was so surprised how well the fabric held its shape! 

Now back to my large test. 

I used the same process just on a larger scale. 

I also used Elmer's glue instead of fabric stiffener because it was cheaper. (Also had the same results). 

This took about 24hours of dry time also and was unbelievably strong when I poped it off!! 

For this particular piece there is evidence of a table set for dinner while it is no

longer in existence. The tablecloth is formed to the shape of a traditional table that a family

of four would sit down to for dinner. Nearly everyone in the American society would be

able to identify this; however, eating at the table is becoming a thing of the past. With the

high paced life that many of us are living we often find ourselves eating out, in the car, or

even just grabbing a bite in front of the TV to relax. This table, whether in the kitchen or

dinning room, is becoming something that is more metaphorical than literal, more strange

than familiar, and recognizable yet overlooked.

I am hoping to draw the viewer back in with a piece that is in an inbetween state.

Causing the viewer to prolong their engagement with the piece by questioning their own

habits, knowledge or appreciation for the past.

I really do hope that people will interact with this piece and begin to investigate it. 

I love the way the fabric drapes and billows. 

 And ending on a different note. 

Tepe and Reed have too much fun together sometimes! 

10 Week Review!!!

I might know what I'm doing!!

Finally, I feel like I have figured out where I am going with my artwork. 

I'm going to keep my writing short because I am adding my full artist statement to this post. 

I hope that this makes some sense, if not PLEASE ask me questions and leave comments below!

Really, the more I hear from you the more I can grow :) 

Artist Statement for the Stable Table:

Gracie Lathrop

Wednesday Oct, 31^st 2012 11:00 AM

Acorn Gallery

The Stable Table

For this body of work I’m using different types of furniture to draw attention to function, and integrity. I’ve been very meticulous with choosing materials and designs that each contribute to these ideas. In a few of my pieces I am taking away the integrity that the original has by duplicating it out of a material that has a shorter, less durable life span.  I am also looking at pieces that are newer and lacking in integrity and calling attention to that, specifically by making it useless right off the bat.  By playing up this integrity and lack there of, I wish to bring back the attention to detail and craftsmanship that has been seemingly lost in much of our manufactured goods today.

This pedestal table is an ideal piece of furniture for this subject. Pedestal tables have a long history dating back to the Colonial period and remaining popular today. The function of this table over the centuries has varied but is commonly used as a dining table, desk, bedside table, and more depending on the size and shape. The diversity of uses has allowed this design to grow in popularity among nearly all classes. Because of the diverse function and seemingly constant popularity this style table has a strong sense of reliability. It has become a design that is trusted and honorable. 

         However, with this piece I have taken that honor and truthfulness away from this iconic table. It still mimics the design and structure of a pedestal table but is missing the function, rendering it useless. The use of latex has allowed me to strip the table of its history and reliability. Latex is a material that can be cast in nearly any form imaginable. Once it has dried and taken on the form of the object it can then be pulled off and viewed on its own but still referencing its past. While latex is a great tool to use for reference, it degrades rather quickly. The material is something that is not consistent and is hardly reliable.

Drawing again on integrity, stability, and function I have chosen the color turquoise.  Pulling inspiration from Urs Fischers Untitled piano piece I was wanting to use a color that was neutral enough to allow the viewer to see the form while also adding to the play on the tables function. Turquoise is a high trending color amongst interior and fashion designers making it very prevalent in many of the new manufactured goods such as clothing and house wares. But despite the surface popularity turquoise has a deeper meaning in which it references stability and balance.

The many elements of this piece create a push and pull between integrity and hypocrisy of furniture. Playing with the classic designs and pieces that are universally recognizable juxtaposed with materials that do not stay true to the pieces intended function.  Similar to Bruce Naumans Untitled stairway I am interested in “subverting the function”. By undermining the materials and sabotaging the function this once reliable table has been instantly rendered useless making the viewer more aware of the functions and integrity of the mundane objects that surround us daily. 

My artist statement and table went under review Wednesday and it went swimmingly! 

Thankfully I recieved lots of positive feedback ranging from things that are successful and places I can improve. While I am SUPER excited about this table I know it isn't my final product. 

I plan on using this same idea and process later on once the weather warms up again. 

I will change a few details concerning the paint application and a few other things that will give the table a more finished, show worthy aesthetic. 

I hope that some of this art mumbo jumbo makes sense! 

And like I said earlier, PLEASE leave me responses, comments, criticism WHATEVER :)

PS. I haven't forgotten about missing Tuesdays post, you will see one later this weekend to make up for it :) 

5 week review!

*Warning! I have a cold so I feel pretty foggy. If this post doesn't make since dont judge :)

Today was my first 5 week review!

The art department is complicated  so if you missed my post explaining what a 5 week review is and how I got here, check it out over ... here because its a lot to type out again :)

As I mentioned before I decided to dissect a bankers chair.

This is what I showed in my review. 

I'll explain in a minute :)

This is a rough video that just documents my process of "dissecting" this chair. 

It took a while, but was actually quite enjoyable, and I'm pretty stoked about the out come. 

Because of my foggy-ness I'm going to upload my artist statement. 

I kept it pretty simple, I hope you can fallow along!! 

Chair Dissection

       As an artist we are called to ask questions. I have no idea what questions I want or need to be asking. So, to figure this out I have started researching my interests. This piece is a research-based work that I have tried to do in a way similar to a dissection. I figured that if I could explore my interest of furniture and learn as much as possible I would then find what exactly it is that I am trying to ask my viewers.

       At the beginning I had no intention of showing this piece, but as it progressed I began to think back on a visit from Mark Dion. His artwork is fascinating to me yet it seems so much more scientific than any art piece I had seen before. Unlike Mark I am not going deep in to some jungle or setting up a habitat I am simply interested in the chair as an object.  I soon came to find out that the simplicity of this task is just as deceiving as the mundane-ness of the chair.

         My findings from this dissection have led me to the answer that the chair is not a simple or mundane object. There is much history to be uncovered and many pieces to make it functional. Bringing the intricate details to light is something I have thoroughly enjoyed and hope to continue to do.

Now, the whole point for the 5 week review is to get feedback from your professor. 

This ^ artist statement was written before my review. 

If I wrote it now it would be completely different. 

While I enjoyed the dissection of this beautiful chair I was still left clueless. 

But of course, my professor helped me figure out a starting point with one of the simplest of questions. 

"Why did you pick that chair?"

After answering the question I realized that what draws me to furniture is its quality. 

I almost always pick antique/vintage anything over something new. 

I always assumed this was because of my mom, and the fact that she saved everything.( we have some awesome things around our house). But I realized today that while that may be a factor it really is that I appreciate the integrity of something old. 

What I mean by this is simple. 

Old chairs are awesome because they have been made to last. 

I enjoy objects that show good craftsmanship.

Figuring this out was so exciting! 

It may sound dumb, but it really was an "Ah Ha Moment"!

I've constantly referenced how society has cheapened many things that at one point had loads of meaning. I've commented on our language in this > post and how many of our words are "meaningless". 

Now, I am looking to comment on how so many products are purposefully manufactured in a way that they will need to be replaced rather quickly. 

I'm not saying that everything that is new is cheaply made and has poor craftsmanship, 

but it is pretty darn close!

So be looking for a new project soon! Hopefully I can gather my materials and start working by the end of next week!! 

PS> I'm getting a new camera this week!! My pictures are gonna be 100 times better! Hopefully... 

Senior Studio: Sculpture

I'M A SENIOR! 

It is so weird to think that this coming May, I will be graduating with my BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts).

In the art department being a senior gives you a bunch of freedom. 

But it takes a lot to get to that point. 

First, you must take 3 levels of what you intend to focus in. 

I've chosen to focus in sculpture. 

So over the past 2 years I have taken beginning, intermediate, and advanced sculpture. 

In these classes you learn the basic principles of sculpture. 

Tools, terms, processes, past/present artists, and how to give your work a meaning (context).

After you complete these courses, you then have to prepare for an interview. 

In the interview you must have 10 of your best works (not just in your focus)

and have an artist statement that talks about what you have learned, who has inspired you, and where you plan on going the next year. 

If you pass the interview you are an official senior!!

Luckily I passed mine :) 

Now that I am in senior studio I no longer have a class time to meet and I have no assignments from professors. I go in whenever I want and work on whatever I want. 

Sounds awesome right?!

Well thats what I thought, but now that I am in it, it has proven to be very difficult. 

I have my 5 week review coming up in about 2 weeks and I have yet to start a piece of work. 

I've been thinking but I haven't physically started work which makes everything harder. 

So, for my first project as a senior I am going to dissect a piece of furniture.

I haven't figured out what my fascination with furniture is.

I know it has something to do with the function and the assumptions that are associated with that known function. 

To better understand this and to answer some questions I have gone furniture shopping and found a few pieces that interest me and that I will hopefully be able to take completely apart!

I went to salvation army and got some awesome finds for this idea. 

First I got 2 bankers chairs. 

They are beautiful!

I don't really want to take them apart but that was my original intention and I don't have room in the house other wise. 

In the pictures you can see that one is already a little broken,

guess I got a head start :)

I chose these 1. because they are very aesthetically pleasing to me and 

2. They have hardware on them in addition to the wood. 

By taking this apart I will not only learn a lot of wood working practices but also the mechanics of rolling chairs!

And my other find was this pedestal table. 

Everyone knows I love tables. 

This one is pretty, but needs some help. 

It only cost $30 bucks and I'm going to take it apart anyways so I went ahead and got it. 

My thinking was the same with the chairs.
I can learn different wood working techniques and about different hardware because this table has the ability to pull out and insert a leaf . 

I think I will most likely take this apart first, but who knows!

Tomorrow I go in to talk with my professor about what he thinks and how to get started on dissecting these pieces. I have no idea where to start. 

I just hope I can get it done in 2 weeks!

I plan on documenting this process in great detail. 

Possibly even setting up a video camera to record the actual process. 

Who knows! 

I will keep you updated as it goes along!!

Final Advanced Sculpture Project

Bittersweet! 

I just finished my final project for advanced sculpture. 

I am lucky enough to have a professor that is letting me skip out on the last week of class 

so I can get married. 

I'm not really skipping out, I just had to work double time to catch up. 

Luckily this project was one that worked well with others :)

This project is pretty similar concept wise to the last one. 

Here is my artist statement:

"This piece goes hand in hand with my last project referencing stability. My exploration of stability and instability has lead me to many different explorations in materials and artists. Finding inspiration from Urs Fischers untitled work from 2009 where he cast a piano and piano bench in latex really peaked my interest in latex as a material. Knowing that I can almost completely imitate an object with latex really went well with my recent interest in assumptions. Using this material to cast a common object that we easily understand but taking away the rigid structure unearthed many questions. Leaving the viewer questioning if this limp form can really pass as a chair and support their body weight. By playing with assumptions I have created 2 pieces that work together. This one begging the question because of its unstable material yet it is actually more stable than the previous work, which is questioned because of what you cannot see. "

So, here is the process. 

I started about a week and a half ago. 

I decided I wanted to use an old chair that my parents are letting Reed and I barrow for our living room furniture. I'm pretty sure its outdoor/porch furniture from the '70s. 

So I ordered casting latex and prepped the chair to be painted!

First I took the covers off the cushions and recovered them in plastic so not to ruin them. 

 I then prepped the wooden frame with a clear spray paint to protect it from the latex. 

Finally I started the first layer of latex!

The latex paints on like normal but dries rubbery. 

It is basically the same thing as a latex medical glove, just thicker!

Here is the latex, ordered from The Engineer Guy.

(They are awesome by the way!)

And the chair with about 3 or 4 layers on it. 

Finally after about 6 or 7 layers the latex was thick enough to pull off! 

Todd came in to help me since I had never worked with this before. 

Basically you just stretch it over the chair and cover it in baby powder as you go 

so it doesn't stick to its self. 

The photo on the right is what it looks like once it was pulled completely off! 

Weird right?!

Then, I hung it on another chair in the studio so I could see the form and start sewing it back together. 

(We had to cut it in a few places to get the arms off). 

The image on the left is right side out. Very lumpy and grotesque. 

The image on the right is smoother, and shows all the details from the original chair! 

I worked in the studio for an entire weekend. Literally from about 11 am to 11 pm Friday, Saturday and  half the day sunday. I was gettin real tired of latex. But luckily I had a great friend bring me breakfast and come keep me company. Who knew she was also good at carpentry! 

She helped me TONS with building the armature that would help hold the latex up to show off the chair shape! 

Finally it was finished! After many bloody fingers from sewing and a few tears. 

Critique was AAHHHMAZING :) Everyone really was so confused about how they could sit in it and if they even wanted to try it out. Luckily they did and they also gave me so many awesome suggestions on how to improve it and even how to make a new project based off of this one.

Basically, this chair is awesome! :)

I learned so much from using this material and I really hope I can work up the funds to do it again for another piece!

Here are some of the images from the Gallery. 

This will totally be shown in my senior interview, and possibly in my senior show!! 

These are some detail shots of the stitching, back, and legs. 

And finally, the original and the latex chair! 

What a cute couple :) 

Now that I am done with school I have 5 days until the wedding! Then I will be heading back to the studio as a married woman! WHAT WHAT?!

So much to do so little time!

Sorry for the delay in postings. I have lots of excuses but I don't really wanna talk about them :) 

Basically, I'm exhausted. Who would have thought that taking an advanced class over the summer, while working wouldn't mesh well with planning a wedding....

Oh well. Atleast I love it all! 

Alright quick run through of the class/studio space. 

I have taken 2 levels of sculpture and have chosen it as my focus during school. I have done a lot of metal work and have learned how to use a cutting torch, welder and almost everything in the metal shop. I REALLY enjoy that part and am looking forward to pushing that further. 

But I have decided I need to learn how to work in a wood shop as well. 

Luckily at school we are blessed with both shops stocked with some of the best tools ever. 

(Reed is totally jealous). 

This however is not as impressive to everyone. This is my studio for the summer. 

IT. IS. HUGE. 

I am sharing it with 3 people but this picture only shows about half of the space that is available, and it cuts off all of the awesome storage on the back wall. 

Basically this would be a dream studio if I was blessed to have it for longer than a month!! 

Now on to the project. 

This project was titled Relational Prosthetics.

Meaning that we needed to create something that would affect a relationship between two things. 

I decided to focus on relationships between people. I was originally thinking about posture and how we  interact with one another in the space around us. 

I tend to lean towards furniture with all of my projects because of the demand it creates to interact with the piece itself. I really want my viewers to be participants. 

I looked in to some really awesome artists that have taken this same/similar idea and used a park bench as a way to recreate that relationship with the stranger. Brian Rush is an awesome artist who forced people to create a relationship through his sliding bench seat. And Jeppe Hein created a space that caused the participants to rethink their own position and how it affected the space as a whole. 

So taking those two as huge inspiration I decided to make a "bench" of my own. 

I wanted to comment on the balance between relationships. Whether it was between strangers or friends their is a certain way we work together in space all the time and this piece just magnifies it! 

So for starters I bought some pretty thick plywood from Lowes to create the base and the seat. I had to learn how to use a jigsaw and learned that precision is everything when it comes to wood working!! 

In the picture on the left that is a huge compass that my teacher made and its awesome! That is a perfect 48inch circle!! And the image on the right is of two half circles that I puzzle pieced together. Wood working is so much tougher than I thought! 

I then struggled with how I would make this piece sculptural rather than just a piece of furniture. I needed something other than lots of geometric shapes and a cushion. 

I wanted to draw in multiple people and with the one large circle it seemed more fitting for one person. To fix that problem I decided to go with this more organic form that created different seating options. Obviously there are four "seats" but you can also choose different ways of sitting on it, I'll show that later when it is complete. 

 The next thing to do was to finish it and add all of the details that would make this art. 

I have been doing a lot with woodgrain lately and using blue because of its resemblance to water. 

I figured this was a good solution because it commented on the fluidity and balance that was needed for this particular bench to function correctly. 

I then started to add the cushion. At this point I was tired and had been working on this project for 8 days straight. It was due the next day at 1 and I was ready to get it done. 

I didn't wanna try and tackle sewing at 9pm the night before it was due after being in the studio since 10 that morning so I opted for staples. 

But I should have known that would just create more work for me. I ran out of fabric and the bottom was not up to par. I was not about to turn in a sculpture that I had spent countless hours on looking careless on the bottom. I went home at midnight and brainstormed some solutions. 

I really wanted to use rubber but once I checked my bank account I opted for my old bed sheets :) 

Again, I found a way around sewing but this time I used a hot glue gun which made a much cleaner seam. I then used my pillow cases to bring attention to the 4 seats and added the ties to the edge of each  seat to magnify the movement created by the people interacting with the piece itself. 

TA DA! IT IS FINISHED!(For now)

 So it's kinda a trippy looking piece but I think its fun and it forced the viewers to become participants and to form relationships with each other even if there wasn't one there before! 

These are just some goofy pictures from critique yesterday. 

 

So as you can tell they had a good time figuring out all of the different ways they could interact with the piece. Now I just have to figure out where I am putting it! 

PS> Only 23 more days for the wedding and they are all packed full! I've already started on my 2nd project and will start my 3rd before the second crit. I'm also working on our new kitchen table. But that is gonna have to go on the back burner until I finish up with school!