Artist's Statements for Mid-term critique on March 25, 2013

1. Modular Relief

The first project in Foundation Design 102 was the modular relief project. I worked on a design team with Maxine Whiteley. Maxine and I worked very well together. I enjoyed working on a design team. Being in different majors, I imagined that we would have very different visions. However, we found to have a similar idea: a sculptural dress with intricate detail and relief. We started out with a large vision that was transformed into something more successful than we had originally envisioned. When we first started discussing our visions, we both knew that we wanted to make a dress, however, we wanted it to not be as literal as that. We wanted the dress to be seen as both a sculpture and a piece of clothing. Our first thought that was provoked because of the restraint of color was to design a wedding dress. With this idea, we wanted to keep it delicate but still structural and fresh. We chose go with folded origami cherry blossom flowers in different sizes. Our biggest technical challenge was time. This ended up working out to our advantage because our sculptural dress was more successful with a short skirt. Our main concern for this project was maintaining good craftsmanship. In my opinion, I believe that we did an excellent job. We used the same techniques that would be used in a dress made out of fabric as we did with our dress made out of paper. For example: we hand-sewed every flower onto the dress, used hook and eyes for the closure of the dress and made a structure for the underneath of the skirt that is similar to a hoop skirt structure. An unexpected positive change to our bodice occurred when we began layering strips of paper measuring less than 1/4” on the bodice with the use of matte medium. The intent was to hide the darts placed to make the bodice fit better on the mannequin. The strips of paper did not completely hide the imperfections so we began folding, cutting and sewing paper cherry blossom flowers measuring less than an inch in diameter. This was a positive solution to the problem because our fresh, delicate, and sculptural dress became more intricate. Even the time challenge became a good problem because it forced us to keep the skirt short. This was good in end because the length would have taken away from the intricacy of the bodice. We were able to achieve a good balance between the bodice and the skirt. This also gave us a good balance between the low relief in the bodice and higher relief of the flowers in the skirt.

2. Serial Planes samples/curvilinear foam-core sample sculpture

For my horizontal serial plane without a transition, I chose to get inspiration from my background and place of birth. This project represents where I was born, which is in London, Ontario, Canada. This inspired the plane’s shape which is an abstracted known symbol of Canada. My work visually incorporates the maple leaf from the Canadian flag. Craftsmanship is important to me. Therefore, I tried to keep the transitions between the planes as even as possible. The planes are separated my foam-core squares which are the same size and placed in sequence throughout the serial plane.

For my horizontal, right angle serial plane, the project represents from my home away from Moore College of Art and Design. My work visually incorporates flowers and water in wave form. The bottom plane is a flower which reminds me of my home because every year we plant flowers at my house. Another prominent inspiration from home is the beach, considering we live a fairly short distance away. As the serial plane transitions upward, it morphs from flower petals, to waves. This personally resonates me with the feeling of summer. Like the non-transitional serial plane, the planes are separated with foam-core squares that are placed in order from the bottom plane to the top. This is so that there is good craft from all angles of the work.

For my vertical transition serial plane, I took inspiration from the right angle horizontal plane but in a different sense. I took the curvilinear edges from the flower concept and transitioned it to become from linear as your eye moves backward on the plane. My work resonates with a sense of softness to hardness caused by the transition of the edges from curvilinear to linear. The biggest technical challenge for this piece was cutting the curvilinear edges with an xacto blade and maintaining good craft. This serial plane was the most challenging to execute.


The curvilinear foam-core sample structure was more challenging for me. I focused more on material explorations than the overall concept for this piece. The biggest technical challenge was placing all of the material explorations together on one foam-core base so that they were cohesive. I believe that this piece has a good balance as all of the elements are placed around a central element. This gives a sense of organization and balance. Also, the elements rotate around the central element and transition from curvilinear to linear. I also believe that this unifies the piece. The elements steer the viewer’s eye around the central element and keep the viewer’s eye engaged in the architectonic sculpture.

3. Architectonic Sculpture with re-purposed materials

Instead of my architectonic sculpture made out of repurposed materials being made to be viewed on a horizontal plane, it is meant to be viewed vertically, or as an installation piece. It is meant to be viewed this way because I wanted to focus on the weaving on the base of the foam core. The reflection from the background catches the viewers eye and the simplicity of the design lets the viewer focus on the elements inspired by the concept. I went through 3 different versions of the project derived from the same concept: Tribal print, navajo sand painting and blankets, and cactus flowers from that region. In this project I used: the ‘Smart Pop’ popcorn wrapper, condiment paper cups, water containers and broken plastic.