ART
Palm Tree
The palm is essentially a fancy blade of grass; not really a tree. I became obsessed with the form. My neighbors have a palm and so must I. A single image of that palm tree. Commercialism at the expense of modern America. A mix of 80’s pop art and modern aesthetic expressionism influenced the direction. A visual representation of a status icon. A mockery of fashion and fame laid bare and repeated for consumption. Each edit was made using my phone.
The Minuscule Microscope
I have always been fascinated by the invisible worlds beyond what our eyes can see. In particular, the small, tiny and microscopic. I made it a mission to use an electron scanning microscope. You would be right to assume that a higher learning organization with ample scientific research faculties would operate such a machine. However, access for a creative arts major is apparently impossible. The PhD clad administrators scoffed at the request. “Only the senior level students are granted permission with strict supervision”. My question then became how close could I get with a budget of nothing? I discovered that cheap laser pointers use a high magnification lens. If I built a structure to encase the lens with a platform to focus my subject, I could produce significant results. Roses, snake skin, mosquito larva became a semi-abstract form I captured with my lowly cellphone camera. I set out to observe the infinitesimal and instead got the minuscule. I hope the future brings me closer.
For reference the US $1 bill was photographed.
Smoke
An abstract, dynamic and translucent material. Smoke is a fascinating subject that requires patience and skill. I use my breath to manipulate the form. Like a shadow, blasting it with light will only obscure it. The light is used to coax a representation out. If you look closely you might just see yourself in the vapor or perhaps something more foreboding.
Exit 114
These photos are of litter that was discarded at the same exit ramp off Interstate 4. Arranged in a formal still life setting, the trash is juxtaposed with lush fabrics, animal fur and blank walls. Through form, symbolism and artistic technique: simple photos of trash raise question of permanence and human influence on the environment. This pollution is rampant and is blatantly disregarded by the general public. The disregarded trash collects in nearby ditches where animals are attracted to the food left in the containers. An examination of life and decay; the food left for animals is reformed food for thought.
