10/26 Lecture: Ben Volta

From [Lauren Lee]

Based on what he said at the lecture, Ben Volta does a lot of work with children and teenagers. He talked in detail about two particular projects. One of them was with a group of teenagers to create a "mural" for the side of a Philadelphia building. He had each student research ideas, and then they all put their ideas together to form "wallpapers" for the wall. He also talked about helping a math class to use math to create a three-dimensional piece of artwork. He said that working with these children, or teenagers, led him to meet so many people that he wouldn't usually meet. The main theme of his speech, I feel, was collaboration.

10/19 Lecture: John Thompson

From [Lauren Lee]

John Thompson talked a lot about his own artwork, which includes very ornate architectural fragments, but the main emphasis of his lecture was his studio. He gave plenty of advice as far as the studio goes. The first thing, like many others have said before him, was to really take advantage of the studio space that we as students have open and free for use. He then said that a studio should be somewhere that you can be yourself; it is your own "island". Thompson also said that it is very important to set aside work time and to make sure that everyone knows not to bother you at that time. He said that this investment of time really shows, and is therefore extremely important.

My Photography: Photoshopped

From Photoshop

Working with Photoshop

From Photoshop

The assignment was to take an image, or images, and alter them to give them a new meaning.

Ethics of Photoshop

From [Lauren Lee]

I believe that using photoshop to enhance photos is perfectly okay, as long as the initial meaning of the photo is still present. It is obviously wrong for someone to alter actual photos to purposely cause a negative reaction, or a stronger reaction. On the other hand, why should it matter if a photographer removes an unwanted chair, or waits and goes in later with photoshop? I think that people have become oversensitive when it comes to photo editing. Nick Stubbs said in Photography Ethics and Photoshop (www.all-things-photography.com), "What about when an interior photographer like myself moves items of furniture in a house, or adds a bowl of fruit to a room to enhance the image? What about when we add make up to a model before a shoot or re-arrange a wedding dress? None of these images tell the story of a scene as it was when we arrived at it. All the alterations were made manually to make the image more pleasing". This is a completely valid statement. He also goes on to talk about painters and how they would have removed an unwanted bush, or tree branch to help with the composition. I believe that it is acceptable to use photoshop to alter photos, as long as the photographic integrity is maintained.

Face Copy

From Face

The assignment was to create a copy of my copied face using tools from Illustrator.

10/5 Lecture: Doug Bucci

From [Lauren Lee]

Doug Bucci works with jewelry and metals. He had a lot to say about being a student, and even about being a modern day artist. He had plenty of advice as well. He said that the voices of all of his professors will be stuck in his head forever, and that they still influence him in his creations today. I think that this is very interesting and true. I can still hear my high school art teacher, and art teachers from the programs that I took throughout high school. Doug Bucci also emphasized the fact that one should always feel uncomfortable, and that the second one doesn't, they have stopped learning. The last thing that I took from the lecture was that I need to somewhat break the rules while still staying within the framework.