As I was collecting evidence, I was naturally drawn to leaves because of the fall season. I found that they were easy to manipulate. You can do a lot with leaves. You can bring them close together to create a sort of love-story or form them into the shape of a heart to showcase a feeling.
It was enjoyable to go for a walk and be struck with inspiration by something we’re so naturally surrounded by all the time, that you wouldn’t really think to create or express a certain idea artistically with. Not to say that I didn’t struggle with having a strong concept come across too easily working with/within nature. It was a consistent challenge for me to challenge my audience.
I felt that the concepts came across too generic & although I am proud of what I created, I learned that the precision of how you choose to present your idea, what exactly you choose to show your audience, is vastly important to the concept you are attempting to express. In fact I think in order to have the most success in conceptual you not only need to keep pushing that idea a step further once you have it, but it is essential to be as precise with not just what you present, but how you present it.
When applying forms to the evidence I honestly enjoyed this very much. My ‘star crossed lovers’ sequence of images were especially fun to bring together because there was a certain energy/story it created. Once I brought them closer and closer until finally they were in the form of a hug, it’s almost as if they became two characters associating with one another.
In form two, I found it difficult to explore the idea of syntax without coming across as once again, generic. Even though I was full of passion for my “Love” for nature, it didn’t legitimately need to be spelled out.
I think in my ‘cement wormhole’ images I did a better job of exploring with structure and arrangements. I didn’t use leaves to spell out something instead I put them in somewhere a little un-natural w/a little heart made out of gum. Honestly the wormhole images still don’t make that much sense to me but I think that’s a good thing and I like how those came across at least in my opinion, less of a generalization of the admiration I have for the environment and more abstract.
For my final form I formulated a big heart made out of a variety of different types of leaves and some delicate flowers to top it off. Collecting the leaves was a harmonious experience, it was a wet and green kind of day but it wasn’t raining. The air smelled of fresh plants and for a moment I wasn’t thinking about anything at all, just simply creating in the comfort of a backyard. It was peaceful.
I think my own personal value system came across in this final form. One’s value system is molded by one’s virtues or vices, and experiences. It’s a very individualistic concept. & my big heart for being outdoors and child-hood like play with leaves came through for me within this work & that is something I am proud of.
On the con-side of things I would have preferred it conveyed a tad less general though & that is something I am looking forward to working on.
In summation, I feel like the creative decisions I’ve made while working on these assignments have been sufficient. I feel as if I’ve grown a completely new art brain through trial and erring with these assignments, which is something I am grateful for even if it may have seemed tedious at the time, I feel like I know what direction I need to go w/conceptual art after doing those assignments.
By no means will I say that conceptual is ‘easy’ & frankly it has introduced me to new stresses, but I can say that those stresses are creating new artistic powers and strengthening ones I already had to begin with. I’m very much looking forward to the further production of my own conceptual art, my classmates work, and continuing to learn about artists who understand the beautiful yet nevertheless strenuous struggle of creating through concept.
