a r t w o r k : m i x e d m e d i a s c u l p t u r e
Title: Hold It In
Size: 5 x 9 inches Medium: Found Objects/Assemblage Completion: December 2018 Exhibition Text:Using an alike object of artist Tony Feher's many sculptures, I created a mixed media piece of my own called "Hold It In". Incorporating pages from my childhood journals and books, acrylic paint, and 6 mason jars to crowd them in, I’ve made a brief illusion of how I have dealt with self expression. Being afraid to bring my own ideas into conversation, Hold It In demonstrates my history of repression towards speaking up.
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Inspiration:
This is one of Tony Feher's mason jar incorporated pieces that ended up being my main inspiration.
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Artist In Focus: Tony Feher
Tony Feher is an American Sculptor usually known commonly for the simplicity and ordinary looks his pieces have. They are usually made up of found objects or everyday items, and it really leans into the way Feher places or stacks them that conveys a message/idea in his artwork. He sees things with an invisible Hope, in a way, to become something even more extraordinary than it may have been before while simply discarded. Looking around my bedroom, I had to of caught maybe 4-5 small jars or containers just hanging around with rocks or debris in them, probably from a sort of aesthetic I tried to gain in that. Captivation was what got me rolling on trying to expand the meaning of a simple jar, maybe filling or messing with it to convey messages, so this is where the beginning of "Hold It In" began.
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Although Tiny Feher would usually tweak the originality of the objects he was using by, say, adding a certain liquid inside of it or stacking them on top of one another, I want to try and extend. This goes into finding an even larger meaning inside the glass of an ordinary mason jar, giving it a story somehow. There's inspiration hidden in everything, something Feher would probably agree with me on, so I started to brainstorm on paper.
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This begins with analyzing the use of a jar: "It can seal things inside" and "Jars hold and contain things". I dialed even closer on containment, and finally got into a more personified reflection of the idea. Humans can sometimes conceal thoughts or opinion; This is something I'm not exactly unfamiliar with.
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Here are two other photos that show off Tony Feher's work. These are presented to the public by the Blaffer Art Museum in an exhibit named "Tony Feher".
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"Jump into that water and see for yourself; Take a deep breath and hold it in,
hold it in" A very minor inspiration of mine that incorporated some conceptual ideas, to an extent, for my piece was the song "Hold It In". The title of the song did inspire the title for mine, as I hummed this song quite a bit during the process of my entire project, and the simple phrase "Hold It In" was a constant reminder of my piece's meaning. The song is all over the place too, that being because of instrument variation or the main singer Ben Thornewill's vocal range, so I feel that it may show the mess inside the jar's glass as it tries to keep everything inside of it.
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"She's got a secret and she wants to tell. But I made a promise to hold it in, hold it in."
"Baby, I'm in love, and it's not in to tell... Only thing that I can do is hold it in, hold it in"
Planning:
I haven't done a sculpture-based project since my sophomore year, so there was a lot of thinking and personal reflecting happening before I even began creating my final project. As you can see to the right, I began with thorough notes on every little bit of the project. This was naturally for finding my inner inspiration. If I'm more knowledgeable to what is expected of me, then there's a larger chance my mind will swarm in large groups of concept.
The second journal page to the right was an organization of both mixed media artists I liked and then a listing of things I had around for artistic use. |
Journal/Planning Page 1
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Journal/Planning Page 2
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Journal/Planning Page 3
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Journal/Planning Page 4
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These next two pages to the left are where my actual planning sketches lie. Surprisingly enough, my first idea didn't relate to containers or jars even the slightest. I wanted to make a very clear, childhood metaphorical piece about my relation to oblvious child-like nature. My plan was to recreate a stuffed animal of mine in paper mâche ( paper from a Calvin and Hobbs book ), but the idea didn't age well so I moved on.
This was all before my UWM Art Critique though, so I ended up basing everything off of the fourth sketch page. |
Experimentation:
A large part of my Experimentation was in my initial final product, the one I constructed before my UWM Critique. I was told that the little jar on the top of my work was the best part of the entire piece, like a cherry on top of my ideas, but I needed to fix the main jar so it'd bring up the words and little guy inside way more than it did. Overall, this lead to a revision of my entire concept.
In this first test run, I ended up incorporating the following concepts and materials...
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Process:
After the final product seen above, I was critiqued by a UWM Professor and my piece changed in a drastic way. This is the process of the new and improved version of "Hold It In" and how I got to a nice refocus on everything I wanted the piece to express.
[ about the images around this text ]
Everything began under the tip of my pencil. Whether this went on sorting out themes I could reach with just a jar or where things would be positioned for the viewer to see, everything began inside my sketch book. The following materials were used . . . - 6 Mason Jars. One majorly large one, a medium one, 3 shot glass ones, and then a small one to go on top of the largest jar. These would all hold a certain meaning. - Acrylic Paints. (hues such as blue, red, yellow, and white). - A white canvas. (the jars would sit on this, a comparison back to Feher's work) - Glue (good adhesive to apply things on ), scissors ( cut things out of my books/journals ) - Childhood book/journal pages & a highlighter (gives a personal touch) |
My first motive was to collect person notes and pages from my favorite childhood stories that I could naturally stuff into the jar.
The form of paper can be crunched up and stuffed into things like jars, so this would be easy enough to do. I highlighted the most important parts on the material; either negative connotations in wording or notes I wrote that didn't quite age well. This ranged from fears all the way into worry. I chose to stuff these into the jars as a symbol for everything I've kind of tried to conceal all these years. They get buried in jars, locked tight away from releasing into the public eye, because of my universal wish to hold everything inside. This idea would also, however, be tweaked with in another, more open way, as the piece would be completed. |
Next, I carefully stacked and glued two of the three shot glass mason jars on top of each other inside the glass. This was supposed to symbolize how it was increasingly getting harder and harder over the years to keep everything inside small jars. It symbolically lead me to putting them inside any even bigger jar in hopes of overall, untampered with concealment. I put labels on each of the jars as well; they'd all stand for different types of "repression". Putting the label on would, metaphorically, lock the jars up even more.
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Learning from the first run of using oil pastels as a signifier of "emotions", I decided to try a hand at painting. This included gaining access of the Primary Colors, as they seem to express the most straight forward emotions that I can think of... Red symbolizing inner anger, Blue being a sad and gloomy color, and then Yellow remaining as excitement. I'd be splattering these colors inside the glass of the jars to symbolize the containment of those exact things. The splattering would demonstrate how messy and cramped the inside of my head was getting; years upon years of doing that has slowly created clutter.
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As you can see in the photo to the right, after spreading the pain inside the large mason jar and the medium one, I filled the insides with it with more sheets of paper. It's supposed to look crowded, and I was finally achieving more of what I failed at reaching in my first run of the final product.
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Drawing back to the original piece I made, the person critiquing my work said that the jar I placed on top of the other was my strongest area. I decided to take that exact jar and attach it to this one. Instead of standing up, this one lays on it's side. It's supposed to show how my jars are falling over, they're inwardly trying to break open and release everything inside. This small jar on top with also compliment the last, major portion of my piece's finalization.
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This had to be my favorite part of the piece, as it was both fun to create and looked the nicest in my final product. This small jar is tilted over and spilling out all kinds of hue onto the base of the white canvas. This one would show a leakage in my expression; something finally breaking free. It's strong back to a major point in the song I was originally inspired by... I wanted to hint to that:
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"I will not hold it in." - Hold It In By Jukebox the Ghost
Finishing my project, I had to take a good enough picture of my work to express the piece in a way that I liked, yet also connected back to my artist inspiration, Tony Feher, and the way his artwork was displayed.
To the right, you can see how I went into natural lighting with white poster board to set up a good enough background for the image. Feher's work was usually in front of white backgrounds, so I wanted to do the same so only my sculpture would be of focus. Using my Canon Rebel t6, I ended up taking about 40 or so photos. This was to find the perfect angle and focus, so there was a moment where I flipped from one photo to another in search of the better one.
I ended up using the photo found up in my exposition text, as it was my best and clearest shot. |
Critique:
There are both fairly obvious correlating looks and presentation in both Tony Feher's work and mine, but that doesn't mean that you can't capture the individuality in our work's as well. Here are a few of each.
Similarities May Include:
- Feher's piece uses containers and jars as his main resource for creating an overall art piece. Mine ends up doing the same, as we both put a large focus on our jars for an audience to look at.
- There's also a common use of stacking in both of our pieces. In Feher's to the left, you can see him stack six different types of containers on top of one another. In mine, I have my main jar filled with the stacking of smaller jars, and then a small jar reading "repress" on top to show as invisible hierarchy. |
- Both pieces work best when they're shown beside a white backdrop. Feher's exhibit in the museum referenced above makes sure that each of his individual sculptures hold a focus on the piece rather than what it's around.
- My piece also includes a soft, white backdrop for my sculpture to be photographed in front of. This does the same thing; Placing focus on my sculpture rather than also putting emphasis on what it's around.
- They are both created using found objects as well. Tony Feher will usually try to create sculptures with different found materials in his day to day life. This is what I ended up doing for "Hold It In" as well.
- My piece also includes a soft, white backdrop for my sculpture to be photographed in front of. This does the same thing; Placing focus on my sculpture rather than also putting emphasis on what it's around.
- They are both created using found objects as well. Tony Feher will usually try to create sculptures with different found materials in his day to day life. This is what I ended up doing for "Hold It In" as well.
Differences May Include:
- Feher's pieces are very simplistic; It's something he's greatly known for. In that, he usually leaves things more plain and untouched to some degree. With my piece, however, I tried to extend on the creativity of my piece. I turned a simple jar into something more, and this showed in the way my piece was created. Mine shows off more colors; his shows less color.
- My piece is smaller than Tony Feher's usual pieces. Mine was smaller for my own individuality and ease, but his pieces can fall on the taller scale at times.
- Tony Feher's works don't seem to give off the same messages as mine. Mine are more personalized; My work in general usually draws itself back to my inner emotions and thoughts. That's just something I like to do. Although we both have a unique individuality in both of our work, the messages seem to differ quite a bit.
- My piece is smaller than Tony Feher's usual pieces. Mine was smaller for my own individuality and ease, but his pieces can fall on the taller scale at times.
- Tony Feher's works don't seem to give off the same messages as mine. Mine are more personalized; My work in general usually draws itself back to my inner emotions and thoughts. That's just something I like to do. Although we both have a unique individuality in both of our work, the messages seem to differ quite a bit.
Reflection:
"Hold It In" was a true exploration of artistic ability and technique. The project, being open-ended for the most part, really opened an eye to what I could create with the things around me. Mixed Media art wasn't exactly a new way of creating for me since I just never put two and two together and realized that creating art with your surroundings was in that same boat. I've been doing this for years, in a way, so I think this project reconnected me big time with my childhood. In that as well, I liked every little part of using random material on one main focus; a mason jar. Creativity is endless, and I love having a choice to choose how things look or where things go so they can create an even deeper meaning. My favorite part of this piece was the jar leaking out from the bottom, letting inner notes and color (emotion) escape it's insides. I liked connecting directly to the powerful lyric: "I will not hold it in."
In my first run, I was highly unsatisfied with what I had created. I had to rewire my self confidence in the work I created with my family because I was so close to giving up. However, I kept with the process and took in every small mistake to formulate it into something much more of my liking. There's something genuine in that process; Learning from mistakes and using them as a way to reshape and build from. It felt like my piece and I were teammates reflecting off of one another on things that would work and what wouldn't work. If I was to change anything, It'd probably be clearing up the glass more of paint so you can see the inner wording more. Overall, I'm very into this final outcome and I enjoy how it looks.
In my first run, I was highly unsatisfied with what I had created. I had to rewire my self confidence in the work I created with my family because I was so close to giving up. However, I kept with the process and took in every small mistake to formulate it into something much more of my liking. There's something genuine in that process; Learning from mistakes and using them as a way to reshape and build from. It felt like my piece and I were teammates reflecting off of one another on things that would work and what wouldn't work. If I was to change anything, It'd probably be clearing up the glass more of paint so you can see the inner wording more. Overall, I'm very into this final outcome and I enjoy how it looks.
Connecting to the ACT:
1.) Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork:
Tony Feher's ordinary looking art pieces of simply stacking jars were a direct inspiration to me using jars. I was also driven to expand the simplicity of using everyday found objects to express an even larger message to a viewer.
2.) What is the overall approach ( point of view ) the author ( from your research ) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
My artist inspiration, Tony Feher, was an American sculptor who specialized in the creation of making pieces around things we see every day. It's something that makes his artistic expertise that of value of the way I'd incorporate things for my final product.
3.) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I've gotten a greater grasp at how holding in things can overlap and crowd over time if I keep it inside. This was created a more larger personal connection in it's creation than I thought it would.
4.) What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
Holding in emotions and a very trapping feeling. It's like you're shoving everything into one tightly sealed, almost overflowing jar.
5.) What kind of inferences ( conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning ) did you make while reading your research?
On a artistic medium side of things, I've learned that everyday items can be turned into something even deeper if played around with. Maybe that falls into the personalization of a simple mason jar. Everything has the ability to tell a story.
Tony Feher's ordinary looking art pieces of simply stacking jars were a direct inspiration to me using jars. I was also driven to expand the simplicity of using everyday found objects to express an even larger message to a viewer.
2.) What is the overall approach ( point of view ) the author ( from your research ) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
My artist inspiration, Tony Feher, was an American sculptor who specialized in the creation of making pieces around things we see every day. It's something that makes his artistic expertise that of value of the way I'd incorporate things for my final product.
3.) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I've gotten a greater grasp at how holding in things can overlap and crowd over time if I keep it inside. This was created a more larger personal connection in it's creation than I thought it would.
4.) What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
Holding in emotions and a very trapping feeling. It's like you're shoving everything into one tightly sealed, almost overflowing jar.
5.) What kind of inferences ( conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning ) did you make while reading your research?
On a artistic medium side of things, I've learned that everyday items can be turned into something even deeper if played around with. Maybe that falls into the personalization of a simple mason jar. Everything has the ability to tell a story.
CITATIONS ( DONE IN MLA FORMAT )
Jukebox The Ghost. “Hold It In.” Youtube, Yep Roc Records, 6 Mar. 2015, youtu.be/dZ_Jp2w9XSg.
Tony Feher | Hiram Butler Gallery, hirambutler.com/artists/view/tony-feher.
“Richard Telles.” Ginny Bishton | Telles Fine Arts, tellesfineart.com/exhibition/tony-feher/.
“Tony Feher.” Blaffer Art Museum, blafferartmuseum.org/tony-feher/.
Tony Feher | Hiram Butler Gallery, hirambutler.com/artists/view/tony-feher.
“Richard Telles.” Ginny Bishton | Telles Fine Arts, tellesfineart.com/exhibition/tony-feher/.
“Tony Feher.” Blaffer Art Museum, blafferartmuseum.org/tony-feher/.