Artwork: Silk Screen
IMAG(E)INE
Exhibition Text
The focus of "Building Blocks" is how the people of Milwaukee have formed the city. This can be seen especially in the downtown area where many styles of art can be seen, from graffiti to community murals. Art as well brings people together which in a way creates a community. Through the use of colors, depictions of historical/well known buildings/sites, and the actual history of Milwaukee local artist are able to create pieces that reside with many people, because the stories that many of the pieces around Milwaukee convey many of the artist that inspired "Building Blocks" are local artist. The inspiration came from Fred Kaems, Dave Watkins, and Keith Haring.
Inspiration
Fred Kaems.(2018), Vagabond Far Left
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Fred Kaems is an artist originally from Milwaukee. His art is heavily inspired by the graffiti he would create in his youth. Kaems taught himself many of the techniques he uses while he paints His murals/paintings often include bold colors and stencils that he makes from hand.
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Dave Watkins.(2016), Nothing To See Here
Keith Haring.(1987), We the Youth
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Dave Watkins is an artist from Milwaukee. Almost all of his art is inspired by his every day surroundings, such as the city. Through the use of colors and textures, Watkins is able to portray thoughts, feelings, and experiences that are interpreted differently based on the viewers own thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
As an Artist Keith Haring was inspired the graffiti found in New York's subway stations and streets. As of now "We the Youth" is the only one of Haring's collaborative projects remaining in its original state. Haring created this piece with CityKids of New York and Brandywine Workshop. The piece itself features bright colors and a childlike essence which directly correlates to Haring's artistic vision. |
Planning Sketches
When I was sketching ideas I knew that I wanted one of my backgrounds to represent downtown. When I think of down town I think of all of the graffiti, so I decided that one of the buildings would look like s spray paint can. Originally I wanted there to be some sort of paint splatter that would represent the graffiti but also the massive smoke clouds that you can see.
I also wanted to include to represent the people that make up the downtown community so I came up with the idea for them to be holding the city up. Also when I think of downtown I think of the Allen-Bradley clock tower, I was thinking instead of doing the shape of the clock to replace that with the Milwaukee flag. |
Experimentation
The first thing that I did was experiment with what I wanted the people to look like. The first page of drawings is inspired by "We the Youth". The people portrayed in the piece have unusual poses that convey a sense of joy/happiness.
The second page of drawings is inspired by the structure of buildings downtown. Compared to the first page the people are more geometric and have harsher lines. In the end I decided to make stencils similar to the drawings on the first page. |
I knew that I wanted to have each of the building different colors so I painted a small swatch of the different brushes that I thought would work. In order to left to right the flat number 10 brush, a flat 5/8 brush , and lastly a flat 6 brush. I decided that the best brush to use was the flat 10 brush.
The next thing I experimented with was splattering paint. In the background one of the buildings was made to look like a spray paint can so I had the idea to make it look like it was spraying paint. To create the splatter I used flat number 6 paint brush and a toothbrush, however in the end I decided against using the splatter because it would end up being covered up or too small to actually see. |
The last thing that I needed to do was paint the swatches that I would eventually scan into Photoshop to put on the buildings. For each watch I used three paint colors(Craft Smart paints). For the blue swatch I used Pale Blue, Island Blue, and Tropical Blue. For the green swatch I used Apple Tart, Lime Green, and Holiday Green. The yellows I used were Light yellow, Sunny Day, and Bright Yellow. Next for the pink I used Red, Pink Blast, and Pink Parfait. Lastly for the neutral swatch I used Vanilla, White, and Grey. I was going to use this swatch on the clock tower, however I didn't because I didn't want it to mess with the color of the clock stencil.
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Process-Background 1
Next I had to rotate the buildings to make them face the right way around. I then used the lasso tool to copy and paste different sections of the paint swatches onto the buildings and arranged them in the order that I wanted them. Each time I used the lasso tool I made a different shape to give more texture to the buildings.
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Reflection
Out of the two pieces that I created for MIAD I think this one was more of a success. At MIAD this was the background that I first worked on, the first stencil I put on was the clock. I ended up putting it to close to the right which made it off center, however I learned that you can always work your mistakes into the final piece of work.
A similarity between the piece that I created and my inspiration was the bright/bold colors. Also like the inspiration my work is meant to tell a story that could be interpreted in a different way based on the viewer.
A major difference was that my piece had text on it while none of my inspiration did.
A similarity between the piece that I created and my inspiration was the bright/bold colors. Also like the inspiration my work is meant to tell a story that could be interpreted in a different way based on the viewer.
A major difference was that my piece had text on it while none of my inspiration did.
ACT Response
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
My work was greatly influenced by my inspiration, this can be seen through the use of color and the general placement of the stencils on my piece.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
Milwaukee artist are often inspired by the styles/techniques that they have seen around the city. This leads to them creating their own style and telling their own stories.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
When I was doing my research I wanted my importation to tell a story. So I tried to find piece that had a strong message behind them.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
An inference that I made was that because each piece had a different story to tell the way it was interpreted was different for each viewer because everyone has gone through different things.
My work was greatly influenced by my inspiration, this can be seen through the use of color and the general placement of the stencils on my piece.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
Milwaukee artist are often inspired by the styles/techniques that they have seen around the city. This leads to them creating their own style and telling their own stories.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
When I was doing my research I wanted my importation to tell a story. So I tried to find piece that had a strong message behind them.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
An inference that I made was that because each piece had a different story to tell the way it was interpreted was different for each viewer because everyone has gone through different things.
Bibliography
“Bio.” Fred Kaems, 27 Jan. 2017, fredkaems.com/?page_id=454.
Dave Watkins Fine Art - About, www.realabstract.com/about.html.
Kochman, Laura, et al. “We The Youth.” Mural Arts Philadelphia, Keith Haring Foundation, www.muralarts.org/artworks/we-the-youth/.
Dave Watkins Fine Art - About, www.realabstract.com/about.html.
Kochman, Laura, et al. “We The Youth.” Mural Arts Philadelphia, Keith Haring Foundation, www.muralarts.org/artworks/we-the-youth/.