Over the summer, I unfortunately did not do much of my own artwork.  However, I had an internship and I was working with artist Chris Beckman in his studio.  I really got to see how art and artists exist outside of the school environment, as well as learned new techniques for making molds, painting, and working with metals.  I love sculpture, and Chris was so eager to teach me and work with me.  I also got to see how people work when art is their career.  There are no limits to imagination, and it was so cool to see someone with such passion for art and the world around him.  I also got to see the business side of art: the shows, the dealers, the galleries, the collectors, the hierarchy of galleries, etc.  

I wish that I could have done some ceramics over the summer, but I got to work with different types of metals-bronze, lead, and pewter. I learned how to polish the metals as well as use different patinas to finish them. Also making molds out of wax and silicone, and models out of liquid plastic--which is so much fun! slightly expensive, but liquid plastic by smooth on is really fun and produces great molds.  

This semester I really want to focus on getting a collective body of work together.  I feel like this summer has really inspired me and has helped me realize that what makes art good is an artist individuality.  I hope to discover more about myself as an artist. 

The first thing I will do is get in the studio and probably start throwing.  I just want to get back into the material and get my mind going.  

I've been looking a few artists this summer, ones that I've heard Chris talk about who he rivals or knows.  One is Jenny Holzer.  She does these crazy projections in dark rooms with all different words and phrases moving around.  The room may be empty with just a few bean bag chairs, so you can sit and watch the words go around.  Another interesting artist is Devorah Sperber.  She creates portraits with hanging spools of thread.  They create wonderful portraits, but when you try to look at each spool it gives you a headache! or at least it gives me one..