THIS IS A TRANSFORMATION

Sunday, April 4, 2021

1 Image, 1 Minute - Andrea Martinez

Title: Llegaron las piñatas

Date: September 17, 2017

Photographer: Lizzie Diaz

I decided to talk about this photo because since I was a little girl, I have always admired my aunt for how she enjoys and loves taking photos. I like to see this photo because, in my country, there is a street full of piñatas that I love passing through. I like to see all the shiny colors, the piñatas’ characters, and the people working in the piñatas. Every time that I pass through that street I remember all my birthdays in which I always had a piñata, candies, cake, gifts, friends, and family. Also, it reminds me of how much happiness, laughter, and fun a piñata brings to children and adults. For example, expecting that every time you hit the piñata, candies, or even money, will come out of the piñata; getting into the ground trying to get all the possible candies you can. And even if you don’t get candies, you laugh at that.

1 Photo, 1 Minute - Emilee Thomas

“Gerald & LaRae Thomas 1954”

November 14, 1954, photographer unknown

The photograph I chose is of my paternal grandparents, but the subject I wish to focus on is my grandfather, Gerald, whom I never had the chance to meet in this life.

All I know of him is brief comments from my dad and records found on FamilySearch.org. Gerald was born 1929 in Duchesne, Utah. Unknown to me prior to my search of his records, he had four siblings. From what I have been told in the past, Gerald, when upset, could go days without speaking a word to the one who angered him, including his children. He had a love for fixing cars, drove a semi for work, enjoyed cold beers, was a child at heart, and, most of all, had a deep, but quiet love for my grandmother, LaRae, doing all he could to support her.

When I was deemed old enough, I was informed that my grandfather had committed suicide at the age of 62. Because of his tragic death, he is rarely talked about, making him an even greater mystery to me. When I see this photograph, my heart aches and I feel a deep desire to know all I can about him.

Saturday, April 3, 2021

1 Photo, 1 Minute - Allison

The bottom of the image starts with detailed shadow, which gradually lightens as you lift your eyes to follow the woman’s gaze. Her look is one of surprise or unbelieving, as though the act of lifting her head is an unfamiliar one. The light descending onto her face almost makes it seem as though she is looking up at her saving grace, be it a person, an event, or the light itself. Her expression is powerful, portraying a sense of fatigue, long days, months, or years of intense work or loneliness, yet her eyes and the draw of her month seem almost to indicate hope. The detail in her hair and skin portray the skill of the one who captured the moment – no areas too dark or too light, and a sense of reality that is too often lost in the idealized portrayal of the human figure. In essence, the woman portrays every one of us as we ought to be – true. True in our emotions, true in our appearance – real, unique people.

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

1 Photo, 1 Minute - Jess, Andrea, Allison

1 Photo 1 Minute

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Gesture-Jess Hebertson

Here's a gesture study that I'd like to develop into a performance piece. I wanted to explore my relationship with dating apps and romantic love in general.

https://vimeo.com/468334852?ref=em-share

Gesture Drawing - Melissa May Beutler

Holding Hands

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

This is a Commitment- Jess Hebertson

Here are the artists I have been discovering this month! It was a lot easier than I thought it would be, and really interesting to read a little bit about the contributions these artists made and the struggles they had to face. I have to admit, I was at least somewhat familiar with a handful of these (like Georgia O’keeffe and Kara Walker), but I was so flabbergasted that they are not included at all in the art history survey here that I included them out of sheer spite

If you want, and I highly suggest you should, you should expand your idea of who can be and is an artist with this list I’ve compiled over the month. In order with a link to an interesting article, podcast or video about each artist:

1-Edmonia Lewis (sculptor, 1844-1907) https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/edmonia-lewis-smithsonian-american-art-museum/gQJi3NKm3VagLg?hl=en

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hThYHvYAJh0

2-Georgia O'keeffe (painter, sculptor, photographer, 1887-1986)

https://collections.okeeffemuseum.org/object/#subquery=gok

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgB2IKUCXb0&t=574s

3-Plautilla Nelli (painter and nun, 1524-1588)

https://mymodernmet.com/sister-plautilla-nelli-last-supper/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9OrJ0o9O9A

4-Kara Walker (conceptual and multimedia artist, 1969-present)

http://www.karawalkerstudio.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhByMffG9IA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRkP5rcXtys