This semester, I interviewed Duane Keiser for the RVA Art Talk assignment. Prior to the interview, I looked at his website to discover something: I had seen much of his artwork before, without knowing the name of the artist! His "one-a-day paintings" fascinated me, both from a business perspective (making many small paintings for reasonable amounts of money seems very smart and profitable) and as a challenge for an artist. After talking to him, I found that his advice about validation from social media was very compelling, especially since the art my peers respond well to (photorealistic drawings, etc.) is not the art that I would consider my best work. I was inspired by him to go out of my comfort zone, and I think I may pursue painting on a larger scale.
I also came upon the artwork of Vik Muniz after a critique this past marking period. I was doing contour drawings with chocolate syrup on a silver surface. Vik Muniz does work with an emphasis on the importance of the medium: chocolate syrup, sugar, coffee, garbage, etc. The medium used ties to the subject that he is depicting in his work. Besides just being beautifully crafted and aesthetically pleasing, I was very impressed with his integration of content and his method of doing art. I do not wish to be derivative, but I may try to challenge myself to do work with chocolate sauce/coffee grounds like him. However, to differentiate myself, I think I will also add an element of importance to the surface I am working on for content, too.
I also came upon the artwork of Vik Muniz after a critique this past marking period. I was doing contour drawings with chocolate syrup on a silver surface. Vik Muniz does work with an emphasis on the importance of the medium: chocolate syrup, sugar, coffee, garbage, etc. The medium used ties to the subject that he is depicting in his work. Besides just being beautifully crafted and aesthetically pleasing, I was very impressed with his integration of content and his method of doing art. I do not wish to be derivative, but I may try to challenge myself to do work with chocolate sauce/coffee grounds like him. However, to differentiate myself, I think I will also add an element of importance to the surface I am working on for content, too.