Student Research Papers + Presentations

Thinking, creating and writing go hand in hand in all studio practice.

Engagement in research is an expectation of all art and design students beyond what is discussed in class.

Students will engage in the research of artists and particular groups of visual makers, traditional or contemporary who have complemented visual culture in some way.

From the painting artist list I have published earlier on this blog, each student will do a short research paper on one artist you have been inspired by. This allows for you to delve deeply into the painter's work and become curious and inspired by their portfolio.

ONE research paper +
Multi Media presentation to class

Throughout the term you will delve into research deeper focusing on individual artists, designers and groups of visual makers you are interested in.

Each student will write a paper giving a brief about the artist's
BIO - one page (including b./d. dates, nationality, where they studied, who and what they are inspired by)

followed by....
three-four pages of a deconstructive analysis of two works of art created by the painter:
including:
i. Image of work, title, materials, year, dimensions, collection
ii. Analysis how 4 of the most prominent elements & principles of design are operating in both works.

iii. Your research should be well organized into a five page formal paper

Have a properly cited bibliography in MLA or APA style
Must be okayed by Center for Learning & Teaching prior to submission - submit 1.5 weeks in advance to CLT

> I am happy to see drafts, at minimum, 12 days in advance of the due date <

You will deliver your research of the sculptor in a PPT to the class as a whole. This will include:
i. BIOGRAPHICAL info of the painter / education/ influences / etc.
ii. One work you have thoroughly analyzed via formal elements
iii. Two other images that you will simply introduce to the class with details (title, date, media, dimensions)
>> Multi media presentation should be 7 minutes (less than 10)

Previous Student paper examples

Josephine Wall: The Fantasy Artist

student

Painting SA-121-01

Professor Jen Pepper

Biography

Josephine Wall was born in 1947. She grew up in Farnham, Surrey, England. Wall went to school at Farnham and Parkstone Grammar Schools. When Wall was 14, her and her family moved to Poole, Dorset. Wall has three children of her own, consisting of two sons and one daughter. After marriage, she acquired two step-daughters. Currently, Josephine and her husband, Bob, have 11 grandchildren (Wall).

Wall lives with her husband at Wisteria Cottage. She customized her home in order to fit her fantasy like paintings. For example, “the walls [of her studio] are covered with a huge wisteria, cascading gorgeous flowers” (Wall). Furthermore, she painted “a woodland scene and butterflies in the kitchen, flowers and birds on the furniture, and even more wisteria on the glass doors in the living room” (Wall). Lastly, in Wall’s home, she added an artistic style to her garden (Wall).

Josephine Wall has been inspired by light, color, “fantasy and visual story telling” ever since she was a child (Wall). After graduating from college, Wall first began her career working at Poole Pottery by painting and creating Delphis ware. In addition to her painting, Wall works with pottery, sculpture, and stained glass panels. She also possesses the skill of customizing articles of clothing (Wall).

Through Wall’s art and imaginative messages she portrays, she hopes to inspire her audience to go on their own magical journeys when they view her work. When she was approached, Wall stated that she gets her ideas for her art “from anywhere and everywhere” (Wall). Also, she has said that it took her a lifetime to learn how to paint. Wall mainly works in acrylic paints. Artists who have influenced and inspired her own work are as follows: Arthur Rackham (illustration), Magritte and Salvador Dali (surrealism), and the Pre-Raphaelites Brotherhood of the mid-1800s (romanticism) (Wall and Meagher).

Wall is a member of the Society for Art of the Imagination, and her works have been shown in this organization’s annual exhibition in London. In addition, “her work can be found in galleries all over southern England, from Cornwall to Kent,” as well as the increasing popularity found in America (Wall).

Wall's Biographical Timeline

After studying fine Art at Bournemouth College for three years, in 1967, Josephine Wall “worked at Poole Pottery as a designer and painter of Delphis Ware, later modeling animals to be displayed at Harrods in London” (Wall). She created pottery figurines of mythological creatures and characters from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings.” In 1974, some of Wall’s larger paintings were “exhibited in Teheran and Tokyo” (Wall). In 1975, Wall had “her first solo exhibition in Swindon” (Wall). Before 1990, Wall raised her three children and exhibited her work locally and abroad. During this year, she had her second solo exhibition “at the Mayfield Gallery in Bournemouth” (Wall). In addition, Wall and her paintings were seen on television in the United Kingdom. In 1991, Wall had another solo exhibition at the Mayfield Gallery. In 1993, Wall signed contracts allowing her work to be published and distributed worldwide “in the form of framing prints, posters, and cards” (Wall).

In 1995, one of Wall’s paintings was selected to be the cover for W&G’s “Cheerful Joys” catalogue. In 1996, Wall signed additional contracts that provided more opportunities and outlets for her work. New products of her work included “cards, stationery, puzzles, journals, bookplates, back to school products, mugs, needlepoint kits and posters, as well as limited edition prints” (Wall). In 1998, five of Wall’s pieces of artwork “were selected for an exhibition at London’s prestigious Mall Gallery entitled ‘Art of the Imagination’” (Wall). For additional information, please refer to the link http://www.josephinewall.co.uk/about_jo.html. The three following paintings used within these deconstructions are acrylic on canvas and were made in the early 2000s.

First Deconstruction

In the painting (figure 1), “Soul of a Unicorn,” Wall uses the elements form, value, space, color, and implied texture. Wall creates the unicorn form through the use of values and the use of color theory. For color, the painting primarily consists of blue hues (cooler colors) and analogous colors with a variety of other colors (warmer colors) mixed in. The warmer colors are found within the flowers at the unicorn’s hooves and in the unicorn’s wings. Also, there is a variety of other hidden forms within the unicorn, such as: swans, a female human head, peacock feathers, and a stream. The other hidden images within this piece are the butterflies to the right of the unicorn, and the fairies above the unicorn’s head. The light source appears to be coming through the flowers, right above the unicorn’s tail. Therefore, acting on that light source, Wall places her lightest values on the unicorn’s tail, fore legs, belly, and the front parts of the hind legs. The further the painting goes out from the light source, the darker the values, and the darker the colors become. There are bright yellow and orange colors in the unicorn’s wings, as well as the flowers at the unicorn’s hooves which creates a balance. Since the colors, values, and forms flow together so well in this piece, there is a strong sense of harmony.

The subject matter and focal point of this piece is placed in the center of the canvas. Wall uses the entire space of her painting by adding details into every area. Since the entire space is filled, and no side dominates the other, this composition is balanced. The repetition of the flowers at the unicorn’s hooves, the flowers and peacock feathers in the woman’s hair, and the butterflies to the right of the unicorn creates a visual tempo of rhythm. The brush strokes Wall makes for the unicorn’s tail creates an implied hair-like texture as well as movement.

Second Deconstruction

In the painting (figure 2), “Spirit of Flight,” Wall uses the elements of form, value, space, color, and implied texture to create her painting. Wall uses values and color theory to create her goddess, animal, organic, and fabric forms. The light source appears to be coming from the bottom right hand side of the canvas. It is quite interesting that the artist uses blue hues for the goddess’s skin, and turns the skin into yellow hues when the light hits it. Therefore, the artist uses an analogous color scheme for the goddess’s skin tone, which is yellow to green and green to blue. The colors used throughout the painting are very bright and bold. However, the colors decrease in intensity and the values darken as the composition travels to the left hand corner of the canvas. This application of color and value brings the goddess and the other forms more forward.

Wall uses more positive space, which dominates the left hand side of the canvas than the negative space, which is seen on the right hand side of the canvas. The positive space is taken up by the forms, comprising of the goddess, fabric, birds, butterflies, and goddess’s hair. The negative space consists of a wash of colors, including red, yellow, and blue hues, which are the primary colors. There is a large emphasis placed on the goddess because she fills the canvas and all of the other forms around her follow her movement. The purposeful brush strokes and forms within the goddess’s hair create an implied bristly feather-like texture. In addition, within the goddess’s hair are hidden crashing waves and flying sea animals. The repetition of leaves and butterflies around the goddess create rhythm. There is such a strong sense of movement throughout this composition as the viewer can tell through the folds and flow of the goddess’s fabric, the goddess’s hair, and the leaves, birds, and butterflies following the goddess’s form. This movement shows that the goddess is traveling to the right side of the painting. The way the variety of forms and colors flow together create a harmonious piece.

Third Deconstruction

In the painting (figure 3), “Wings,” Wall demonstrates the elements of form, value, space, color, as well as implying texture. Wall creates her butterfly, unicorn, and human forms through color theory and light and dark values. The painting is primarily of violet hues. The yellow hues in the unicorn’s wings and around the unicorn’s head contrast each other because they are complementary colors. The audience of this painting can tell that the light source is hitting the bottom of the human’s neck and the front of her face because the lightest values on the human’s skin is under her neck and on the front of her face. The darkest values travel the backside of the human form. The lightest values and most bright and bold colors found in this overall composition are within the unicorn’s wings. In addition, inside the unicorn’s wings is a hidden scene of topless women in long skirts dancing and playing instruments in a meadow next to a stream.

The positive space, which consists of the unicorn, human, and butterfly forms of this composition, is in the center of the canvas. The negative space surrounds the positive space in a horse shoe-like type of shape. The darkest values are seen within the negative space near the top of the canvas, especially in the upper left hand corner. The way that Wall uses her space, as just described, creates a balanced piece. However, the overwhelmingly bright and bold colors on the right side of the canvas as opposed to the left side make the piece feel a little unbalanced. The repetition of butterflies venturing into the distance creates a visual tempo rhythm. Wall creates movement in her art work through the swishing of the unicorn’s tail, the human’s flowing dress, the unicorn’s evaporating wing, and the direction in which the butterflies are traveling. Lastly, the way that the elements flow and blend together in this composition create harmony. Similar to figure 1 and figure 2, figure 3 takes the viewer on another fantasy adventure.

Summary

After viewing Josephine Wall’s work, the audience understands how captivated Wall is by the fantasy realm. She uses light, color, “fantasy and visual story telling” through her paintings to send her audiences on their own imaginative adventures (Wall). She even applies her artistic talents throughout her home. Even though Wall primarily paints and works in acrylics, she is also skilled in crafting pottery, sculpture, stained glass panels, and clothing customization. The illustration works of Arthur Rackham, the surrealistic styles of Magritte and Salvador Dali, and the romanticism era of the Pre-Raphaelites influenced Wall’s work and gave her inspiration. Wall is a member of the Society for Art of the Imagination. She has been very successful exhibiting her work and publishing and distributing her art worldwide (Wall).

The dominant elements found within Josephine Wall’s paintings include form, value, space, color, and texture. Wall uses these elements in such a way to create the principles of rhythm, balance, emphasis/contrast, harmony, variety, and movement. A signiature of Wall is that she likes to put hidden scenes and images within her compositions. There is always a variety of forms, colors and values that are included in Walls compositions. She usually fills the space of her entire canvas with her subject matter and intricate details. Wall repeats her organic forms throughout and around her central ideas to create a visual tempo of rhythm and movement. She is skilled at using the various elements as well as blending them together to create harmonious compositions.

I first discovered Josephine Wall’s paintings when I was in high school. Ever since then, Wall has always been an inspiration to my own work. I love portraying the fantasy realm and creating new ideas from imagination. In the future, I hope to become as skilled of a painter and artist as Josephine Wall.

Figure 1

Josephine Wall

“Soul of a Unicorn” (under Surreal)

2000s

(unknown height)” x (unknown width)”

Acrylic on canvas

http://www.josephinewall.co.uk/soul.html

Figure 2

Josephine Wall

“Spirit of Flight” (under Goddesses)

2000s

(unknown height)” x (unknown width)”

Acrylic on canvas

http://www.josephinewall.co.uk/spirit_flight.html

Figure 3

Josephine Wall

“Wings” (under Air & Water)

2000s

(unknown height)” x (unknown width)”

Acrylic on canvas

http://www.josephinewall.co.uk/wings.html

Work Cited

Meager, Jennifer. “The Pre-Raphaelites.” metmuseum.org. Oct. 2004. Web. 6 Mar. 2016.

Wall, Josephine. “Art Gallery.” josephinewall.co.uk. n.d. Web. 6 Feb. 2016.

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Charles Ephraim Burchfield

Biography

Charles Ephraim Burchfield was born in 1893 and died in 1967. Burchfield “was an American painter, [and] best known for his watercolor landscapes” (Works). Burchfield’s childhood began in Ashtabula Harbor, Ohio. Later, after living five years in Ashtabula Harbor, he and his family moved to Salem, Ohio. In 1911, when “he graduated from high school,” he was first in his class, receiving the honor of valedictorian (Works). From 1912 to 1916, Burchfield studied at Cleveland School of Art. His classmates included the famous painters: “Henry G. Keller, Frank N. Wilcox, and William J. Eastman” (Works). It is possible that these artists influenced Burchfield’s paintings, Burchfield’s works had impacted the way that they painted, or that they all collaborated together gathering ideas from each other and developing their own artistic styles (Works).

Burchfield had “moved to Buffalo, New York,” in 1921, at the age of 28, in order “to work as a designer for the [popular] wallpaper company, M.H. Birge & Sons Company” (Works). Burchfield was inspired to paint realistically (realism) from the sights of “Buffalo’s streets, harbor, railroad yards, and surrounding countryside” (Works). In 1922, Burchfield married Bertha Kenreich and “raised five children” with her (Works). In 1928, a friend of Burchfield, Edward Hopper, who was also a famous painter at that time, commented on Burchfield’s work stating: “The work of Charles Burchfield is most decidedly founded, not on art, but on life, and the life that he knows and loves best” (Hopper qtd. in Works). This quote demonstrates that Hopper could have been inspired by Burchfield’s paintings as well (Works).

Burchfield became a full-time painter, in 1929, when he was hired by the New York City Frank K. M. Rehn Galleries. In 1930, Burchfield’s paintings were featured in the Museum of Modern Art’s “first one-person exhibition,” Charles Burchfield: Early Watercolors 1916-1918 (Works). In 1935, Burchfield’s painting, “The Shed in the Swamp,” received second place at the Carnegie Institute’s International Exhibition of Paintings. In addition, Life magazine voiced its opinion about Burchfield being “one of America’s ten greatest painters” (Works).

Burchfield began painting mystical landscapes in the 1940s. He followed his “artistic vision until the end of his” days, which was: “An artist must paint not what he [or she] sees in nature, but what is there. To do so he [or she] must invent symbols, which, if properly used, make his [or her] work seem even more real than what is in front of him [or her]” (Burchfield qtd. in Works). In December of 1966, a month before Burchfield past away, he was awarded with the formation and construction “of the Charles Burchfield Center at Buffalo State College” (Works). Most of Burchfield’s works can be seen today at the Burchfield Penney Art Center in Buffalo, New York (Works).

First Deconstruction of Figure 1

The oil painting, “Sunburst” (1929-1931), by Burchfield, demonstrates the elements of line, shape, form, value, space, and color. The landscape below the clouds consists of straighter lines moving downward on a diagonal, a few lines close to being vertical, and some lines traveling horizontally. The clouds have almost straight horizontal lines on the bottom and curved lines, like half circles, for the top. These lines create an interesting visual movement, and the weightless sky contrasts the dense and heavy landscape below. Many of the trees in the landscape appear to be flat due to their lack of values, which put them into the element category of shape. Unlike the trees and some parts of the landscape, the clouds have a wide range of light and dark values which make them appear as three-dimmensional forms. The landscape below the clouds shows forms within the hills and village in the distance because the sun is breaking out from behind the clouds casts light in different areas of the landscape. This creates a wide range of light and dark values. The realistic use of light and dark values to create form and correct scaling demonstrates that this piece has proportion.

This piece uses the lightest colors and values within the sky behind the clouds. The landscape uses low saturated colors (tones). The highest saturated color in the piece is the blue behind one of the closest clouds. This bright, bold, blue line bordering the cloud places emphasis on that particular cloud and the bursting light from the sun behind it. The artist focuses on using the sky more as the subject matter of the piece and the landscape as the background. The way that this artist uses space and his subject matter is unique in and of itself. The lightest colors and values are in the upper middle part of this canvas, and as the painting goes outward, the colors get duller and the values darken. The clouds are spread pretty evenly throughout the sky, and the landscape fills the bottom portion of the canvas. The way Burchfield utilizes his space, colors, and values, as just described, create a balanced composition.

To the right of the canvas, the sudden drop of rain in the distance contrasts with the rest of the sky. The repetition of clouds within the sky and trees upon the landscape create a visual tempo (speed) of rhythm. The movement within the piece is created from the bursting of light traveling diagonally downwards to the landscape and upwards to the top of the canvas. Lastly, Burchfield uses a variety of elements within his piece to create a sky and landscape that appear realistic. This includes the more emphasised and fantasy looking cloud compared to the rest of the true and detailed piece.

Second Deconstruction of Figure 2

All of the elements, line, shape, form, value, space, color, and implied texture, are used within the watercolor painting, “The Four Seasons” (1949-1960). The trees create vertical lines, and the tops of the trees create diagonal lines, connecting each other. The base in the foreground between the two closest trees create a bilateral, horizontal line. Burchfield paints the shape of a sun as a symbol of summer breaking through the clouds and into the tree forms. The tree forms create archway shapes inbetween themselves. The way the trees are set up can imply that they form a piece of architechture. The vertical, straight lines contrast the curved arches.

There are many light and dark values used within the trees as well as a variety of color within the entire composition. The artist uses bright and bold primary colors within the positive space. The yellows (warm) are from the sun and cast light on the tree forms, bushes/brush underneath, and the interior landscape. The red (warm) creates an intense heat, and the blues (cool) create a coolness as they are used for the snow and wintery scene within the piece. The objects in the distance lighten in value as they travel further away. The warm and cool colors as well as the light and dark values contrast each other. The positive space is centered on the paper/board and reaches to the top and bottom of the composition. The negative space is on the left and right side of the painting. This includes a couple of trees fading into the distance of the blueish grey winter.

An implied bark texture, similar to a pattern, is created on the trees due to Burchfield’s brush strokes and shapes he creates within the trees. In addition, the pine trees have an implied spikey texture because the pine needles end in very sharp points. The piece is balanced due to its symmetrical quality and similar use of value and color on both sides. The bright and bold colors in the positive space contrast the dull grey blues found within the negative space of the composition. The repetition of leaves in the archways, formed by the trees, create a visual tempo (speed) of rhythm. There is a strong sense of harmony as all of the colors sing and compliment one another. The way the colors blend and mix with one another and change values gradually make this painting truly beautiful. The viewer enters this painting almost as if crossing a threshold (a door) into another magical space.

Third Deconstruction of Figure 3

In the watercolor and charcoal painting, “Solitude” (1944-1963), by Burchfield, the elements of value, line, shape, form, space, color, and implied texture are used. This painting is quite close to being in a monocromatic color scheme. There is a rich use of white to black colors and light and dark values. Furthermore, there are dull colors (tones) of blue, green, and yellow found within the composition. In the foreground, the dead trees, reflecting water, and cliffs above the water are seen as three dimensional forms because there is a wide range of realistic values casted upon these objects. The dark cave and light on the off centered cliff contrast each other in value. The same goes for the waterfall (light) versus the tree growing from the side of the cliff (dark). Proportion is used because this painting looks very realistic in terms of values, colors, and scaling.

There are lines drawn within the rock cliffs to create an implied texture. The marks made within the dead trees in the foreground create an implied wood-like texture. The trees and cliffs travel in vertical lines. The fallen tree in the foreground creates a horizontal line. The tops of the cliffs form a few diagonal and horizontal lines. At the top of the cliffs are root and tree shapes. They are flat because they lack values, especially as they travel off into the distance of the painting.

The repetition of trees in the background and visible waves in the waterfall, to the right of the painting, make a visual tempo (speed) of rhythm. The blue grey sky acts as the negative space, while the positive space consists of the trees, cliffs, and water. This piece is balanced because a wide range of values are spread evenly across the painting, and the positive space takes up most of the composition. The downward motion of the waterfall into the rippling stream creates movement. Gradation is evident in this piece because there is careful blending and shading of the subject matter to make it appear smooth and soft. Lastly, in conjunction with the title, “Solitude,” there is a sense of peace within this painting that creates harmony.

Summary

After viewing Charles Burchfield’s work, the audience can understand how intrigued Burchfield is by nature and the magic he finds within the landscapes. Burchfield studied with the other creative minds: “Henry G. Keller, Frank N. Wilcox, and William J. Eastman” (Works). He was also good friends with Edward Hopper. It is possible that these artists and friends influenced each other, collecting information and forming independent artistic styles. Burchfield went from being valedictorian of his high school class, to studying at Cleveland School of Art, to being a designer at a wallpaper company (M.H. Birge & Sons Company), to finally achieving a career as a full-time painter with the New York City Frank K. M. Rehn Galleries. Throughout his lifetime, Burchfield received recognition, honors, and dedications for his works of art as explained in the Biography section of this paper. Many of Burchfield’s paintings can still be appreciated today just by visiting the Burchfield Penney Art Center in Buffalo, New York (Works).

Burchfield uses many of the elements and principles of art and design in his paintings as discussed within the deconstructions above. Characteristics of Burchfield’s landscape paintings that potentially stick out in the viewers’ minds may include line, emphasis/contrast, value, color, and proportion. It is fascinating how Burchfield adds mystifying symbols in his pieces, like the blue line and bursting light from figure 1 and sun beams from figure 2. The beauty that Burchfield finds within nature is emphasized through his paintings. The audience is able to see what Burchfield sees when he looks upon a landscape. This makes it easier for the audience to appreciate the outdoors as something magical and not just something to look over.

Burchfield’s work has inspired my own art. I strive to paint more realistically, but add additional characteristics of myth, magic, and serenity to my pieces. I am very fortunate that I learned about Burchfield’s work this semester from Professor Pepper, so that I may apply this new knowledge into my own work and continue to develop as a painter and artist.