University of New Mexico

Dear Holly,

 

Congratulations!  This letter is to inform you that you have been accepted into the MFA in Sculpture in the Department of Art & Art History for Fall 2014.  The UNM Office of Admissions will mail you additional notification. 

I'm so excited!! I can't sit still!! Thank you God!!!!

Making the mold of a whale vertebrae

Here are some photos taken of the first moments with the first half of the mold.  Don and I smeared so much plaster that first day, the Wednesday after we actually put another layer of plaster on the same side to strengthen the first layer.  Don said about a half inch or so of plaster would be strong enough.  This is the first time I ever played with plaster, I am excited to see how the mold will turn out!!

Plastic over the vertebrae so the plaster wont ruin it, blue tape to make it extra safe!

We had to build a clay wall that the plaster could sit on and collect and not dive off.  We also had to fill the hole in between the vertebrae with clay or else we would of had to of made a six piece mold just for the gap.

 The pouring of the plaster.

 Of course it goes over the side a little, making a mess.

More plaster is always good for a mold. Yes, I had to make it "perfect".

Today, we flipped it over and smeared the other side with a bunch of vaseline to act a barrier before we put a layer of plaster on.  We didn't want them mixing or else we couldn't get the mold open later.  I was told that it could be ready Wednesday, but I think I will wait until after Spring Break to take them apart. 

Revised Artist Statement

I seek to reconnect.  To once again have a romantic relationship with my Nagual, and to have his influence flood my mind and guide my hand.  I will reassure him, that I am faithful, patient and alert.  I challenged myself to perform in front of an audience, something that terrifies me, for his attention.  I have felt my Nagual when I carved the long, thin muscles of the trapezius; and when I started weaving branches together in Fascia.  At the beginning, I saw nothing, but then hints of something more began to appear.  He guided my hand and showed me a little more until it was over, and I could see every muscle fiber.  My gravest mistake was thinking that I could command my Nagual; calling myself a creator when all along my inspiration was what introduced new ideas, materials and situations to me.  I should have told him how grateful I was that he chose me, and that nothing I did could be without his influence supporting me, for all the work I claim to have done, none of them could be without my muse.

Holly Vader

New Piece and some changes with the mound.

I remember from the critique about my performance that I should have left something in the mound, so today I did.

 I left behind my power pouch, it's filled with some very personal items that to me hold power.  I feel like that was something meaningful I could of given back.

Close up of the pouch, I moved some dirt around and placed the pouch under a set of ribs.

This is my latest piece, two carvings and some ribs.  I placed some metal in the carvings, trying to touch on all the materials I have used thus far.  I don't really know much about the piece internally, other than the lower carving in the photo was the one that I had no control over.  I started out not knowing what I was going to do and I finished in the same manner.  I was trying to play.  The top I was inspired by the muscles on a person's back, the metal reference to the spine vertebrae.  I seriously don't know about the piece.

Reminder

Last night I was thinking about my performance I did and I remembered that I produced a video that still pertains to my work and in hindsight might of acting as a launch pad for my latest performance.  It's called Honor Beats, here is the link to the video,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfdi9bFYSLY&index=7&list=PL894SszdJvJhBDA3tKffXibggiP9fbMfA

included in the video is a range of vocals from, wolves, elk, cougar, crow and in the background you can hear me reading backwards about anthropomorphism and how in appeared in a tribal setting.  I am still hoping to get some footage of my performance on my blog before to long.

I like this!!

I can't help it I like sharp things!

Performance and some new thoughts

The performance went great!!  I will try to get photos as soon as possible.  But I felt good afterwords, and the change in the lighting made it easier for me and it was better visually for the audience.  I will have to ask Professor Mills what he was going to talk to me about after the performance because I can't remember.  Anyway, I am still going to stick to my original thoughts about it being the only performance i do at Linfield College.  However, I was thinking about recording my vocals and having them play for the open galleries.  I will have to research into it further to see if I can actually make that happen.

Anyway I am currently working on a carving that was originally going to be two pieces working together.  Well, I got the first one done but the second one I am having trouble figuring out what it's going to be.  I am looking through my anatomy book and at other artist's work for clues.  (Because if they are good I'm going to steal them.)  Yes I read the book Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon.  I also bought it just in case I was able to read a page online.

Continuing on. . .  I'm thinking of turning to welding again and trying to mix it with some of my bones. I was thinking of something like this.
(Step one) make mold of Professor Mills whale vertebrae.  Have it lay on the ground.
(Step two) make a metal trunk come out of the negative space from the whale vertebrae.  The metal trunk is attached to a rough metal torso and chest.
(Step three) somehow attach some bones to the metal have them coming out of the back, etc.
(Step four) maybe bend back some of the metal to reveal some ceramic organs.  (Kinda like the chest burster from Alien. Minus the alien of course.)

OR

 making multiple replicas of the whale vertebrae and have them in a sequential pattern. ( I really don't know) I just want to have fun!! And I'm trying to make time to mess around. (Again from Steal like an Artist)