laura ells

blah blah blah

I’m graduating from college this saturday.

so insert some sentimental dribble about these last four years being incredible and all the people that I met are amazing and I’ll never forget anyone and blah blah blah.

one great thing about graduating with a degree in art: first major to receive diplomas/empty folder. I will be the 8th name called.

one not so great thing about graduating with a degree in art: what am I going to do?

An Undulating Course: Rocking Chairs and the History of the World

since my show opened yesterday I thought it would be appropriate to post pictures from the gallery and of my actual work. I’m very happy with how everything came out!

this is my artist statement. I typed it up on my typewriter.

this is what the gallery looks like, four pictures on each wall with a little living room set up with a rocking chair at the far wall.

here are the illustrations themselves. I’ve included both the scans of the illustrations and pictures of them framed.

the text next to each framed illustration is an excerpt from the stories that correlate with the actual illustration. I typed them up on my typewriter as well (you can see the typewriter on the table in the first picture of the gallery).

I also made a book! with the stories AND the illustrations! I wanted to write a ridiculous preface, so I made up a pen-name, Thatcher P. Willersnaps. The books are 8.5 x 8.5 and I am selling them for $20 (so if you want one let me know).

it is weird to think that this whole process is basically over. I still have my final review with the faculty and on thursday night I have to take everything out of the gallery. I’ve been so wrapped up in this for so long my family had to remind me that my birthday is on wednesday.

anyways, I feel incredibly relieved, accomplished, and just plain happy.

soon…

my exhibit opens on saturday. oh goodness gracious I am just a big puddle of nerves right now. it is currently after one in the morning on wednesday. I have not slept since I woke up at noon on monday. and I didn’t sleep last saturday night either. frankly, at this rate, I’ll be surprised if I’m alive come saturday.

it’s not even like I’ve been pulling all nighters, trying to get ridiculous amounts of work done. I am feeling really good about where my work is right now. I think it is more the other stuff, the logistical stuff. like writing my artist statement. framing everything (I don’t want to take the protective plastic off of the plexi too soon! when is the right time?). that other hand-out I have to get ready for the gallery. the installation. will group 1 be able to get their stuff cleared in time for us to have a reasonable amount of installation time? will I be able to fit my rocking chair in my car with that table in there? will the small gallery look empty with just my stuff in there? will the freaking books get here in time?! the books that I shelled out the big bucks for next day shipping, after taking 3 to 5 days for production. if production takes only 3 days (wednesday, thursday, friday), if I’m lucky they will get here possibly HOURS before the opening. and then I can see if people actually want to buy them.

My friend gave me a barf/breathing bag today that I might have to use in a minute.

on monday evenings I have an intaglio printmaking class that lasts five hours. normally for studio classes the five hours is split up between two days throughout the week, three hours on the first and two on the second. but for this class all five hours are on mondays from 5 to 10.

after monday at 10:00 I usually don’t think about that class for the rest of the week. I am usually trying to work on my thesis. it would not be unfair to say that intaglio printmaking has taken a backseat to my thesis. but I still need to pass the class, so I try and dedicate sundays and mondays to printmaking homework. I tell myself that I cannot work on my thesis, because I need to do printmaking homework. but this doesn’t always work. lately, it has just been making my sundays entirely unproductive and my mondays long, stressful, and painful.

but my biggest grievance is that this class is sucking away my enjoyment for printmaking. I can’t help but see it as an obstacle, just something taking up valuable time that I could be directing elsewhere. and that’s silly, because I’m only registered for 2 classes this semester, intaglio printmaking and senior thesis. I am also doing an internship off the record, but if it where official, I would still only be at 12 credits. maybe I’m just horrible at managing my time?

well, I think the fact that it is 8:00 on a sunday night and I still haven’t done anything productive answers that question for me. Here’s hoping I can change that.

I thought it would be fun to upload a couple of pictures of my studio space. So here they are:

I may have mentioned this before, but whatever. my studio space is in a classroom that my advisor is using to teach a course on art and liturgy. despite the smallness of it all, it has been really fun. the building normally used for senior thesis studio space hasn’t had running water all semester. also, there is no bathroom. also, the only other class I’m taking this semester is right across the hall. and there are often some people in the classroom next door which is used as studio space for 5 other seniors. so it’s been fun.

I feel like I should mention that I’ve cleaned my tables a bit since taking these pictures.

Update

things are progressing. I finally figured out what I was doing. now it is just a matter of getting together enough pieces to make a complete show. I have three so far. now that I have more confidence in what I am doing I should be able to work faster.

exciting news: I have my post card all designed and ready to be printed! here is the front.

I am really happy with the way it came out! the background is scrapbook paper that I scanned into my computer and then added an overlay of old paper for texture. I drew and painted the rocking chair and the title banner, cut them out, and scanned them into my computer as well. then I put it all together in Illustrator.

here’s what the back will look like:

all the information! it’s really happening!

I am feeling pretty good about everything today. the last few days have been really good. I’ve been motivating myself to go to my studio by watching season 4 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer while I work. I’m keeping the season there in my studio so that I can’t watch it when I’m not working. so far it’s working.

radiohead is the perfect music to listen to while doing tiny, repetitive detail work.

I’m taking an intaglio printmaking class this semester. It is a five hour class on monday nights. It’s pretty rough.

The professor has us using water-based etching ink, trying to stay as non-toxic as possible. I don’t like it. Looking back at the intaglio prints I did in the intro class, the blacks are just so much richer with oil-based. And people are struggling getting really dark and rich blacks with the water-based stuff. Sure, it is a lot easier to clean up, but I don’t trust it. Not yet.

Oh goodness, I’ve become that person who only listens to music on vinyl, or only takes pictures with film.

Are there people who only watch movies on VHS?

I hate it when people are pretentious. But I know I can be a pretentious asshole sometimes. I think what pisses me off the most is when people mention that they don’t own a TV, like it makes them better than me. Good for you, assface. Have fun being hated by everyone who has a conversation with you.

so you have an art show coming up?

yes

what are you doing for it?

I’m illustrating some short stories I’ve written.

cool, what are they about?

um, they are revisionist historical accounts about how rocking chairs have affected the history of the world around the context of holidays. 

…

a pleasant turn of events

After three weeks of producing crap I think I have finally come to a place where I can start making actual work for my show. Things have been frustrating lately, but Tanja, my advisor, has been so encouraging and helpful in my search to find my “voice,” as it were. Hooray for a sense of direction!