Kate Sheldon

It’s the end, and time to see how the class really went, and actually look back on the work I’ve made. I looked through and hung it up together earlier today, and there are some sure themes floating to the surface. I remember my first few were about light, and then they became this really feminine thing, and then connections with string. I have a real interest in portraits, but I think they’re a challenge for me. I like the actual shooting, and the adventure it can be. I’ve been particularly drawn to two photographers this semester–Pinky Bass and Francesca Woodman. I think each of these photographers uses some elements that I love and they both create these really intriguing images. I feel a lot of influence that I hope comes through, but filtered through me too. Now for this last project, I think I finally pulled out the bits of the older projects I really wanted, added in some other stuff, and ended up with something that feels more of myself than the rest. It’s finally something I’m satisfied looking back on (almost completely). I’m happy with the progress this semester, and I really liked having a lot of time to work on one project. When I was looking through the studio, it looked like everyone had really nice work that I’m really excited to look at at crit.

Seeing Atget’s prints in person was better than I thought it would be. There was something really haunting about them. It was a weird survey of abandoned-looking Paris scenes. They give off this lonely, eerily calm feeling, like walking really early in the morning. The photos of reflective surfaces were my favorite, especially the one of people behind a door. The way Atget uses people is unusual, like they are part of the architecture. Its not really a portrait at all. He seems so detached from his subjects I think maybe that is why the photos are so quiet. I can see why the surrealists liked his work so much.

On another note, the Eastman house was insane. Specifically, the elephant foot trash can.

I looked up some Eugene Atget photos and I am digging them. I particularly like the ones in which he captures people, but somehow the people still look like the monuments and the other immovable scenes he photographs. The pictures also make me feel like I realllly need to go to Paris, even more than I felt before. Its clear that a photograph is successful when it makes someone want to see and feel the spot it was taken in.

I’m pretty happy with what I’m working on so far, the progress at least. I stretched some canvas with an image on it last night, and I grommet-ed successfully thanks to a friend in the costume shop. I wish I had gotten all my printing done at once, but I still have some to do. Over break I think I’ll take some home for embroidery purposes, and some paint experiments. See you all this evening.

Lately I’ve been having a tough time getting excited about or getting invested in projects for both of my studios. Kind of a rut situation. I could blame liquid light failures maybe, but I think it’s more than that. It’s pretty unpleasant, so I should probably try to go on a researching binge and get excited about something. Obsession usually drags me out of this sort of thing.

On another note! I have been thinking about the final project, thinking about the things I think succeed in my work, and  the constants in my way of thinking. I want to try and get myself back into the zone. I like to find a good place for shooting, and then make it into a kind of adventure, that kind of thing creates better images for me I think. I want to make images of people again for sure, but maybe more vague than before. I think I’ll find some abandoned places and then focus on the light, and how the light affects the shape of bodies and decay in the places I find. I might ask my “models” to obscure their faces in some way, and maybe do some sort of collage work over the figures or something… For printing, I’m thinking maybe kallitype or maybe gum bichromate? Either way I want to infuse some color in somehow (if kallitypes–painting somehow?), and use some embroidery line work in the image. Collage mixed media shitshow. I will definitely need to focus this and distill it down, but I think I’ll leave it a little more open until I shoot some.

here is what i’m thinking for liquid light:

Circular ceramic tiles with portraits (faces) on them. Each tile will have holes in them so that i can hang them together from the ceiling, either against the wall OR allowing some room behind them so i can print on both sides (if this is possible?)

tiles:

-5-7ish? a couple of smaller ones

-ridges, borders around them?

-rough, ripped-looking edges

-bisque-fired for sure, no glaze

-paint over top? watercolors or acrylic wash? adding color to photos

we’ll see…

I found this link recently that reminded me of our first project a little bit. It’s called the 50 states project. The photographers had to find someone that epitomizes their home state. Tricky. They have to try to find a way to honestly display the person they chose, and that person also should be a good example of home for both the photographer and the model.

Here are some Kims. The lighting is less than ideal, and the shots are mostly quick and not calculated. So the focus and whatnot isn’t great either. But I think i still learned something. For instance, here are the Kims that I see most:

And here are the Kims that took a little more searching, movement, and conversation:

:

But I still feel some stiffness that doesn’t work right. I haven’t asked my questions yet because I’m afraid it will add to it. However, Kim and I have started making lists about each other that I think are gradually helping.

So I have been working with film exclusively so far, I think because having negatives makes me feel more connected. Like there is something to work with and touch physically. But I think I will try and do some digital too. I think I need the speed and options and quantity it allows. Also I realized that most of my negatives, or at least the ones I like have been kind of shoulder-and-up shots. I’m still kind of unsure about exactly what I want to accomplish and I hope that these questions we’re supposed to have will help. Here are some I’ve got so far:

When not in the studio, where do you spend most of your time?

Where are you most comfortable?

Are you comfortable in front of the camera? Or better off not knowing it’s there?

What kind of art do you make?

Do you think the way people see you and the person you actually are align? Or conflict?

What do you do in your spare time?

“A” or “B” personality?

That’s all for now, I hope this is a good start, and that it grows somewhere interesting.