Category: Uncategorized

The Indian Artist, Fine Year: The Power of Giving In

Riya A 2 Comments

Good afternoon everybody! I hope that you are all doing well and have had a wonderful Monday thus far. I am taking a printmaking class this semester and I thought that I would share my most recent art piece. This class has challenged me more than I had anticipated. In many ways it has been a welcome way for me to channel my devotion to technical skill and intricate details. In more ways than one, however, it has pushed me to be okay with making mistakes, give in to the process of printing, and welcome whatever comes.

I tried monotype printing for the first time. I have experience in relief printing and linoleum carving, but learning the loose nature of monotype was daunting at first. Of course, I knew I wanted to stick true to my cultural repertoire and decided to draw feet in a classical Bharatanatyam pose. Monotype prints allow artists to use various materials, techniques, and layers to create interesting textural pieces. I found that though I attacked the project with a level of planning and vigor, there was always something that went wrong. Out of eight prints, I came out of it only really happy with one.

However, at the end, there was something incredibly freeing about the entire process. I was excited when I got the intended result, but when I didn’t I was willing to go with the mess ups. It is in projects like these that I learn the most about myself and the process. Who knew that through the simplest moments I would learn the greatest lessons. It is important to make work that we are not proud of! If we let go of the yearning for perfectionism, we get the chance to experiment, to explore in ways that we have never allowed ourselves to before. There is no such thing as perfectionism. Through taking a leap of faith, we may find a diamond in the rough.

Until next week,

Riya

Instagram: @riya_agg.art

Portfolio: https://theindianartist.weebly.com/ 

Fiber Fridays #2: Dying Fibers

rissaw Leave a comment

Hello everyone!
This post is coming to you a bit late due to wifi issues so I apologize for the delay! This week I want to discuss with you guys what it is like to dye your own fibers for your work. Spoiler alert! It’s hard, at least in my own experience. Getting the perfect shade that you are imagining in your head can prove to be difficult.

My original intention for this fabric was to weave a really long sheet on a loom and use it to sew little purses and bags. I imagined almost “forest-ish” colors, such as deep orange, dark green, and a pale yellow for my weft. I wanted to weave in brown and beige colors and have a soft look to it.

I had to start out by measuring yards upon yards of threads for my warp , and spending hours in the weaving studio spinning them into the perfect measurements. I then took them to the dye studio, where things quickly felt more complicated. I had to mix the appropriate amounts of each dye with other chemicals in order to get the colors I wanted, and I had never dyed anything besides my hair.

When I finally got the bundles of threads into their respective dye buckets, I felt confident. The colors looked dark and moody, exactly what I wanted! I let these colors sit longer than the yellow. The yellow seemed like if I just pulled it out quickly it would be the lighter yellow I wanted.

The above photo was the result. I was embarrassed. These look straight out of a lemon lime ad. They looked citrus themed, far from what I ever wanted to work with. Far from anything I even care about. I was stuck on how I could make this work. I turned to a color palette generator, and put in the colors I had created in the fibers. The computer gave me a variety of different colors that could work as the weft. I decided to turn the cloth into an experimental project. At random intervals, the fabric would have a new colored weft.

Shifting gears with this project is what I believe really saved it. I ended up loving the end cloth and was able to use ti for the small bags that I wanted to use it for, as well as reupholstering a vanity chair. Weaving is always a rough journey for me, and dying my own fibers made it even harder. I would do it again though, and recommend it to others who would like to try!
See you guys later this week for actual Fiber Fridays!
-Marissa
Below is some of the final products:

MediaScape Musings #2 : Kiss The Earth

dsuart Leave a comment

An ode to nature’s gentle touch,
Where the lips of dawn meet meadows
in a loving clutch,
A warm and caring grace,
The soul returns to its actual, tranquil space.

Today, I had the pleasure of sharing my most recent photography project -“Kiss The Earth!” This project is an exploration of the profound connection between humanity and nature, a visual journey that seeks to rekindle that timeless bond, reminding us to return to our roots.

The inspiration for this project came from a deep yearning to capture the raw and unadulterated essence of nature. It’s all too easy to forget our intrinsic connection to the natural world. “Kiss The Earth” serves as a visual reminder, urging us to reconnect with the Earth’s beauty and power. Through my lens, I aimed to remind viewers to embrace the simplicity and grandeur of nature and rediscover their own beginnings.

# find more of my photography works on Instagram: @dsu.photoart

People Watching: Midterms Edition

Isabella Brown Leave a comment

Hi again! I’m not sure how much this drawing counts as “people watching”, but who says “people” has to mean “strangers”? I’ve been spending a lot of time this past week opposite my friends just studying and I think today’s post portrays that rather accurately. Drawing on notebook paper instead of my sketchbook felt particularly fitting. The top image took place in the LSA building (where I spent six and a half hours today), and the bottom was in my friend’s apartment. I loved noticing how much stuff we surround ourselves with while studying: laptops, tablets, water bottles, my two indispensable pens, so many notebooks, planners, and… a french press? I suppose caffeine is a must. Good luck to everyone taking exams this week (I know I’ll need it)!