Namon D. Bills and Professor Joe Ostraff, Visual Arts
The original stated purpose of this project was to produce a series of paintings using photosilkscreen processes to create working compositions by combining disparate concrete images and abstract markmaking in order to find harmony through diversity both in the combination of concrete images and in the way those images respond to abstract mark-making. I feel that this project was successful in its technical as well as aesthetic aspects.
Technical: The photosilkscreen process was new to me, and required me to research it and step out of my comfort zone in undertaking this project. I used three visual images, a column, a tree, and a schematic drawing as my silkscreen images. I learned how to use silkscreens and became familiar with some of this medium=s characteristics and limitations. The silkscreens allowed me to use and quickly reproduce concrete, photographic visual images, realizing my aesthetic purpose of combining visual images and abstract mark-making.
Aesthetic: The aesthetic aspect presents greater difficulty in analysis due to its subjective nature. Nevertheless, I feel that I was successful in finding unity in diversity through the combination of various images, and in the synthesis of those images with abstract forms. I learned a lot about painting and how the silkscreen process can be applied in oil painting. I looked to Robert Rauschenberg as a successful artist who combines disparate visual images in working compositions, particularly his series of silkscreen paintings, to see how he worked with the medium. Kristen Payson, a graduate student here at BYU, also influenced me through her use of mark-making.
Problems encountered included finding the time to accomplish this project, a lack of knowledge concerning the process, and greater expectations of myself than I had ability to accomplish. If I were to do the project over again I would work to eliminate these problems by concentrating on the quality as opposed to quantity of my body of work. Quantity remains important, but not when it requires a compromise in quality. My advisor helped me understand this; I therefore concentrated on a series of twelve pieces, as opposed to the 24 I had originally set out to do. I found myself dedicating a majority of my time to this project during some weeks, and none in other weeks. It would be better to discipline myself to work a set amount of time each week. My lack of knowledge with the process was an expected challenge; I think it could have been reduced through a closer working relationship with my advisor.
The grant received for this project provided the funds necessary for materials as well as the time needed to dedicate to the project. I greatly appreciate this funding and the experience I was able to gain from it in furthering my career goal of becoming an artist. I believe that the ORCA scholarship program achieves the practical goal of the university to provide its students with skills and knowledge which will empower them to realize their goals and work effectively in their chosen field.
The series of paintings made possible by this grant will be on display in the Harris Fine Arts Center from October 2nd through the 16th. 38