a statement

I choose to create art simply because it is one thing I know I will do the rest of my life. I
see possibility in arts that I don’t see in the usual graduates from college, such as finance or
marketing. I have a desire to pursue art unlike anything else in my life and want to dig deep into
its philosophies and problems. I want to solve these problems and come up with new solutions
that have never been thought of. The art I want to create inspires people through it beauty and
color. Lately I have found it difficult to find inspiration and struggle finding ideas to create.
Right now the most important thing to me is to discover what will give me the fuel to go on a
frenzy of creation…

a statement

In my world, that is the world of journalism, every day there is someone new telling me the sky is falling. I'm the last cowboy on the dinosaur ranch.
But, I think these are the best times to be a journalist or an artist. So many exciting ways to tell stories and the stories have more emotion and are therefore more like art and less like reportage. I have never been a one-tick journalist and I'm happy the days of those types are over. I can't ponder the big question of the future of my profession but I can take a deep breath, relinquish control of the future and concentrate on regaining the creative edge.
It's not about technology; it's about creative flow.

a statement

Every person on earth is drawn to certain types of visual and auditory aesthetics in the surrounding environment, and every person creates his or her own aesthetic in that environment. Some people claim that they engage in this creation for strictly utilitarian or functional purposes, whereas other people claim that they create for artistic purposes and thereby christen those creations as ‘Art’. I consider myself to be of the latter persuasion.
One day recently, I was walking through the metal fabrication studio, and I observed a student cutting, bending, and welding steel rods with various machines while wearing a welding mask over his face. Later that day, while walking home, I saw a construction worker on the side of the road cutting through steel rods with a gas-powered saw while wearing that same mask. He seemed to be deriving a great deal of pleasure from this activity as well. So, I thought to myself, everyone on earth creates, but we are all willing to subject ourselves to the stereotypes and connotations of very different societal labels.
For whatever reasons that be, that is, our upbringing, our financial situations, and our general outlooks on life, we label ourselves, our activities, and our creations with very different terms. In my view, a thing is ‘Art’ when, and only when, the person who created it defines it as such, and this person, therefore, also has the freedom to label him or herself as an artist.
I create sculptures, drawings, paintings, graphical and electronic pieces, as well as music to entertain, educate, and inspire others. I define these pieces as art and take my place in the art world because I feel that this position allows me the greatest freedom to express scientific, political, and spiritual views without having to confine myself to only one of those fields. Making art is what I love the most in this world, and my place as an artist is where I feel that I belong.

a statement

My work is initially about ideation. Being able to have a thought and be inventive and determined enough to see it

through to completion and hopefully success. There is typically no specification of subject or medium, but merely

being able to fulfill and accomplish the challenges that the creativity of an idea may present.

A statement

I am an artist because I want to find entertainment in mundanity.

A Statement

My identity as an artist and scholar is shaped by a cyclical interplay of practice and theory in creations for the stage, screen and page. Through dance as research I access, construct and share embodied episteme as it relates to other ways of knowing the world, particularly language. As an interdisciplinary artist, I utilize the specificity of meaning manifest within multiple media such as movement, language, video, sound and lighting, to investigate intimate human experiences within a communal context. I am interested in how technology transforms constructions of embodied presence/absence in space and time, for both performer and audience. In all areas of my work, I am committed to furthering dance as a critical mode of inquiry and expression in our society—one which can achieve accessibility without oversimplification, through widespread embodied education.


Via choreography I aspire to build connections with a diverse audience on an honest, vulnerable and human level. My creation process is physical from start to end, exploring the content and knowledge present in the body. I see the body as a storehouse of unconscious knowledge and memory of an individual’s life as well as generations past, which can be articulated through movement. I value approaches to training that foster vulnerability in performance, as I believe this honesty allows audience members to enter a piece, experiencing it from their own perspective. Engaging with diverse communities by teaching workshops and presenting choreography in alternative settings allows me to use dance to its full potential, as a tool for community building, healing, entertainment and artistic expression.

A statement

As an artist I hope to achieve peace in my inner self. I am only an artist to make myself a happier person. My work is not for others, just me. I am an artist because it relaxes me and helps put my mind at ease.

A Statement

My work is both an autobiography and exploration of the forms and phenomena that interest me. Much of my work explores the diseases and illnesses that, both great and small, have impacted my life. As opposed to just illustrating the condition, I synthesize my experiences with both the causes and effects of the affliction.

In addition to my medical history I use a childhood spent in rural Maine as a source of inspiration for my work. Having been raised in the woods, I was something of a child naturalist and my observations and experiments are still providing me with fodder for art.

It is always my intent to create a beautiful and disturbing image and experience. I want the work to linger. I want to challenge the way beauty is recognized within the context of my work. I want to relate my experience, to that of the viewer. For the most part, we all share a common reality and I try to remember that and use it to my advantage when creating work.

Bonnie's statement

I hope that my art video will persuade the audience that, as an artist, my body is my canvas. I want to show the expressiveness of my hair and make-up, and how they are ever-changing and reflective of my various moods and personalities. As an artist, I like to be bold, innovative, and occasionally throw caution to the wind. When it comes to my appearance, I don't care what other people think of me, nor do I try to fit-in.

I like to sh= ock people, and whether they love it, or hate it, I am never just someone in the crowd. Sometimes my colorful appearance is a good conversation starter, and sometimes it just speaks for itself.

Alicia's Statement

When I create art, I intend to express myself. Art lets me use all of my emotions and passions and put them together into a visual work. All of my pieces give off a feeling that I was trying to convey at the time of creating.

My goal in art making is to bring back to the surface the hidden beauty that surrounds us. We are stuck in a world ruled by the media and superficial obsessions. This hidden beauty may be found in our physical world, fantasy world, or in one’s emotional complex. This specific short film was a new experiment for myself. I wanted to give off a weird sense of eeriness to engage the audience and keep them intrigued.

My inspiration comes mostly from the minimalist artists. I am a complete advocate for “less is more”. My interest in past work also extends to those eccentric individuals, such as Dali, who are willing to take risks. I like to stir things up and create something different to provoke a new thought or feeling in someone. I focus on sparking a new interest or idea in someone just by one look.

Faustine's Statement

I like the idea of being a creator, and with art, it’s all about creating. For me, the process and the result are both important. The result is what people see, but the process is everything it takes to get to the result. There’s something therapeutic about going through the process and getting the result. It’s a sort of satisfaction that I can’t get from anything else in life. Also, art-making is partially my way of showing people who I am. I like the idea of people learning about who I am through my art without them explicitly knowing it. I hope my work entertains and engages my viewers.

George's Statement

How to make my favorite casserole

by George T. Gregory Jr.


Mexi-Cali Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce

1 sm. onion (finely chopped)
2 cloves of minced garlic

1 8 oz. can of corn (or half a bag of frozen corn)

1 package of taco seasoning

1 large can of dark kidney beans (rinsed and drained)

Topping:

2 packages of Jiffy Cornbread Mix

2 eggs (needed for Mix)

1 cup of milk (needed for Mix)

Directions:

Brown the ground turkey in a skillet and drain; add chopped onion and garlic during the browning process. Add remaining ingredients and spread into a 13 x 17 inch casserole pan. Follow the directions on the boxes of Jiffy Cornbread Mix and spread the mix on top of the casserole. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy.

a statement

As a future Art Educator, I feel that it is necessary to incorporate elements of learning into my artwork and to take opportunities, where possible, to create works that communicate some sort of knowledge to the viewer. In this way I attempt to develop my identity as an Art Educator into my artwork, creating a piece that can be both informative and expressive while still representing myself as an artist.

a statement

I was born at the end of an era of typewriters, letters, and rotary phones: methods of communication that demand a physical and tactile presence. Growing up in Pennsylvania’s coal regions led me to investigate the Industrial Revolution and its demise. I document what is lost in transition and question our blind faith in progress.

While wandering through abandoned factories, mines and ghost towns, I became fascinated with the empty spaces inside, heavy with the weight of abandoned technology. The typewriter (an “individualized press”) as well as Taylorism’s “Time and Motion Studies” ironically standardized the motions and communications of every operator. I have found a direct connection to these actions through the historically commercial use of printmaking.

In response to the anxieties of separation from the physical world, I render the fading remnants of industry through outdated forms of media and communication

a statement

Right now I am very interested in exploring different materials or ways of creating artwork. I have found that whatever I am doing in other classes or areas of of my life always informs the artwork or vice versa. I would almost call myself flighty when it comes to art...I run with one thing until something new steals me away. My favorite aspect about art is communication or the dialogue that can accompany it or thinking through the idea or concept. I'm really excited in my own path to take this aspect of my own art thinking into the classroom and work with students. I'm not sure I believe in "inspiring" others...I hope I can just give my students the tools to inspire themselves and become passionate about something, anything.

a statement

What I do…or attempt to do is make art. I don’t make art just for me but I make art for other people around me. Someone else telling me that they liked my work is more satisfying to me than just liking it myself, even though I am probably my toughest critic. I think that because of my want to appeal to the masses I find myself more drawn to commercial art. I want to eventually use art “in” my career rather than “as” my career. I want to be successful and have a steady income therefore I want to use my art to get a job in possibly the gaming or movie industry. I’m not saying that one cannot make lots of money being a studio artist but I feel that it is just harder to be successful going that route.

a statement

I make art because I’m not big on math. Or science. Sometimes I like to read, but I hate sci-fi and fantasy. I like books about real events and real people. People who made an effort to create and promote change in the world for the betterment of society. Activists and protesters who stood up to the leaders, politicians, and governments who’s actions and policies they did not agree with. Art is a voice; through which I can encourage people to think critically about emotions, thoughts and ideas concerning their lives.

A Statement

With my art, I like to evoke empathy and communicate with my audience. If my audience feels an emotional response or feels enlightened by what is presented, I consider my work successful. More often than I not, I like to provide a different set of eyes, a different perspective for audiences to explore. This stems from my diverse background and seeing differing cultures through different sets of eyes. With this as my inspiration, I will continue making works that are valued by the public on an individual emotional basis.

A Statement

my goal when making a piece is to let the viewer into my world. I want the viewer to see what I see as I see it, and to feel what I feel when experiencing it.

A Statement

I was born at the end of an era of typewriters, letters, and rotary phones: methods of communication that demand a physical and tactile presence. Growing up in Pennsylvania’s coal regions led me to investigate the Industrial Revolution and its demise. I document what is lost in transition and question our blind faith in progress.

While wandering through abandoned factories, mines and ghost towns, I became fascinated with the empty spaces inside, heavy with the weight of abandoned technology. The typewriter (an “individualized press”) as well as Taylorism’s “Time and Motion Studies” ironically standardized the motions and communications of every operator. I have found a direct connection to these actions through the historically commercial use of printmaking.

In response to the anxieties of separation from the physical world, I render the fading remnants of industry through outdated forms of media and communication

A Statement

I try to take every opportunity to do the best I can, but in having to write this statement I realized just how difficult I find it to articulate or actually allow myself to focus on things that I conditioned myself to believe I am not good at. In turn, those thoughts lead me to think that I surround my life with barriers or even veils. Then, I realized that those same barriers and veils always seem to find a way in my work. I work intuitively for the most part. I don’t start off with big concepts, just a few ideas. I go with the flow of things during the process of creating, and then look back and question what is there.

I currently work with childhood imagery by using pictures from the past and the present environments that surround me and have surrounded me. I have come to realize that these current works are perhaps manifestations of how I currently view myself, and not so much about the pictures or my present surroundings. Yet, these images and environments help express my ideas. The faded shadow/silhouette in the video expresses the uncontrollable. I realized that the person in the video is not in control of the situation she is in, and perhaps that is an expression of how I presently feel. I do not feel in control or safe in my present circumstance. The layers in my work are like the patterns that make up our memories. These patterns are distorted and reside on different planes, and provide an image that is true and yet not true in its translucency. The imagery used is of the present, but is put in a sort of distorted context reflecting on both past and present. The images are from the present, and my memories are from both past and present. The undefined spaces between the two are those barriers and veils that seem to manipulate the present. Many of the images have varying layers and translucencies that seem to be symbolic of different feelings, but I feel I need to further investigate this idea. Some of the memories are very fragile and in these I intentionally leave all layers undefined, where they all seem to meld into each other. These also usually deal with loved ones and the idea that all things fade out and cease to exist. I believe that my work will always be inspired by my life and how my psychological make-up causes me to view things in my perspective. I am trying to view the work from a different perspective, but realize that I still view it through my attachment to the positive and negative thoughts that I seem to constantly create, rather than viewing it from a detached point of view. I am not sure if I will ever be capable of detaching myself from my work.

A Statement

“These pine trees smell like cleaning products.” I’ll be honest. I’m worried about everyone. This includes myself. As I attempt to navigate the adult world, with all of its structures, I’m finding a few things to be alarmingly apparent to me. Most prominently, I’m not very good at this sort of navigation, and many people who seem to have an easy time with this are also either admittedly and openly unhappy, or at least exhibit such behaviors with a certain level of acceptance of reality as being some sort of harsh wake up from innocent dreaming. Many of our own experiences are relatable only to commercial products, as these comprise most of our contact with things that fall outside of the moderated margins of ‘normalcy’. The other thing I can’t help noticing is that in instances where I’m doing right by society’s standards, I catch myself starting to slip in those directions. These structures that have imposed themselves upon our very thinking have very little to do with reality, however. They have little to do with ourselves, or each other. They have little to do with how we truly experience life and reality. In fact as far as I’m concerned, one of the best ways, then, that we can relate to true reality in our experiences is by thinking the way we did as children, before many of the structures had been constructed in our minds.

Using Carl Jung’s psychotherapeutic methods as a guide, I’m using my art in visual, experiential, and per-formative ways to help people reestablish their connections with other people, with their environment and their experiences, and with their self. I can only hope that my efforts are fruitful, because I consider it my primary ‘adult responsibility’.

A Statement

I draw, paint, record music and videos but not to impress. I am always striving to be better but never to be good. I don’t believe in “good” art and the only bad art in my mind is art with the wrong intention such as selling a product even if that product is you as an artist. My life motto is ( Make. Do. And Make Do. ) The make is my art, the do is activism, humanitarianism and general productivity, and the make do part is the rest of life taking whatever hand is dealt to you and using critical thinking to work with it.

Jeanette statement

Art has always been something intimidating but fascinating to me. Not because it is difficult, but because it has no central point of view, which is a difficult concept for me. Creating something completely unique is a chance to disregard common rules and conventions, and a chance to express my personal thoughts and ideas in a new way. It is a way to do so without worrying about “right” and “wrong,” but only about what effectively expresses the ideas I wish to portray through art. it is through art that I am able to step outside of the expectations of others and create a method of exposing any and every aspect of myself, from my point of view.

John Statement

I often think of how everyday materials will work rescaled in nanometers. Mostly I am concerned with the reconstruction of molecules in an object and giving it a strange twist in function. My goal as an artist is to use nanotechnology to inspire.