Studio Art III: Advanced Portfolio
Spring 2023
“Ducks” - Small Medium Large (SML) Collection
This scene takes place in Regents Park by the boating lake, which ties into my SML theme of childhood recreation. I used to feed ducks (but not geese because I hate them) almost everyday, which grew to be one of my favorite memories from growing up. I changed the ducks into rubber ducks with one big duck because it's silly and being a kid is silly.
Alix ‘24
This is an interactive piece that you are helping to create! Chances are you have not used chalk since you were a child. My intention with this piece is for you to have fun, and to recreate any chalk drawings you liked to do when you were younger. They can be as small or as big as you like.
Rachael ‘23
“Untitled” - Small Medium Large (SML) Collection
This image comes from a photo of me as a kid climbing a tree in the park, which connects back to the SML idea of childhood recreation. I made this piece by layering masking tape and removing pieces to create values when put against light.
Alix ‘24
Connected to my large blocking printed textile, this piece continues my theme of combining new and old artistic techniques adding modern art to embroidery.
Ishani ‘24
This series of 3 was inspired by Andy Warhol’s series and abstractions. Revisioned from the original black and white still life, the peppers in color show a shift to abstractionism.
Ishani ‘24
Sydney ‘23
A different twist on traditional block printing, this series of 4 was created using rubber blocks to stamp paint on clear acrylic. Light, shadows, color and depth were combined to illustrate the two opposing themes of night and day. The blocks on display were used to create the original landscapes on the clear acrylic.
Ishani ‘24
Rachael ‘23
I wanted to contrast the appearances of summer and winter in these pieces. Texture was my main focus, and I achieved this texture by melting oil pastel with heat and using a palette knife to “paint” the strokes. This was an entirely new medium for me, but I had a lot of fun with it.
Rachael ‘23
Alix ‘24
“Wax Flowers: Preservation”
Description: For this particular piece in my series of wax art, I wanted to play with wax’s ability to solidify and take form. This piece is composed of six mini-wax structures, each with real, dried-up flowers embedded inside. Again, I chose to use flowers because they symbolize a multitude of things- innocence, beauty, youth, etc. The wax preserves them, keeping them locked in place- but for how long?
Vivian ‘23
Sydney ‘23
“Split”
Description: My piece “Split” depicts the confusing and isolating feeling of being split between different identities and cultures. The empty space between the two pieces of wood splits the piece into two, but what’s still attached are the strings, bridging the two sides together. Bright colors and flowers surround the piece, yet there are still eyes that look away from this chaotic amalgamation of shapes and colors, symbolizing how identity and mental health issues can be both ignored and romanticized.
Vivian ‘23
Rachael ‘23
“Wax Flowers: Destruction”
Description: For this particular piece in my series of wax art, I wanted to experiment with wax’s ability to melt. I chose to melt flowers because they symbolize a multitude of things- innocence, beauty, youth, etc. Once exposed to the heat, petals, leaves, and stems all come collapsing down towards the clear box that confines them.
Vivian ‘23
Sydney ‘23
“A Ride” - Small Medium Large (SML) Collection
This piece is the small for my SML collection, which highlights childhood recreation. This sequence turns into an animation when strung together.
Alix ‘24
On warm summer nights, catching fireflies was a fun outdoor activity. I remember being in awe of how they glowed in the night. 2 of these glass jars have been melted in a kiln and filled with colored resin and fairy lights. The third is filled with pigmented resin that reminds me of both starry night skies when catching these fireflies.
Rachael ‘23
“Generational Silk”
Description: Chinese silk scarves have always been a family heirloom; they've been passed down generations, first from my grandmother in China, then to my mother, who ended up giving hers to me after moving to America. I wanted to use a silk-like material and the action of it draping down a series of canvases to display the cultural connections that tie each generation of my family together.
Vivian ‘23
Stick Figures
The two figures in these graffiti pieces resemble me and my younger brother. It shows how I was originally taller than him, but as time progressed he became taller than me. The colors are just because I like cold colors and he likes warmer colors. The green is a mix of both so that is why it is in the background. Just a pretty straightforward concept to allow me to have fun with spray paint.
Sydney ‘23
Mini Room
This is a replica of my childhood room in my old house. We moved when I was in 5th grade so I used pictures from Zillow to copy from. The black light can allow you to see secret drawings and messages that resemble a child’s imagination. I have always loved making mini objects or toys for my stuffed animals when I was little, so the process of creating this piece was nostalgic in itself.
I have been taking art classes throughout my whole time at Hopkins. I only do art in my free time for fun, mostly watercolor, but ever since I was little I've had a marker in my hand…or maybe even both my hands sometimes.
My projects in the gallery reflect the theme of nostalgia/growing up/childhood. I have never done any art to the scale that I did or with any of the materials I used - so I basically used all of these projects as learning experiences. If you look at the mini diorama of a room in the back left corner, pay attention to the details. The room is the connection between my other two projects: the life cycle of a Teddy bear and the huge graffiti stick figures. The process of connecting the pieces is (hopefully) a nice little experience, so have fun!
Sydney ‘23
Teddy Bear
Everyone has a stuffed animal or blanket that they get as a baby, and by the end of their childhood, it is dirty and falling apart. I put in blood, sweat, and a few tears to sew this Teddy bear. Finally, after it was finished and I took a picture, I had to slowly destroy it. I used sandpaper to scuff the fabric, puddles to make it dirty and matted, and scissors to tear off limbs. It was sad to hurt the bear I made, but also gave me waves of nostalgia as I thought about my stuffed animals that fell apart. Also, as the bear gets older, the piece gets more alive. The first photo is on matte paper and slightly dull. The second is glossy and brighter, and then the real bear is fully alive. I hope this is a piece that a lot of people can relate to.
Sydney ‘23
Block printing has a long history in Indian culture. It gained popularity because of its detailed floral patterns and bright colors. In this textile, I integrated modern patterns and shapes into more traditional elements of Indian block printing. A salute to my rich Indian heritage and American upbringing, this piece symbolizes the intersection of my different identities. All of the patterns are original and each block was hand carved using metal tools. Look closely for a special flower!
Ishani ‘24
“Three Untitled”
When brainstorming for this series, I drew bits and pieces from my Untitled project where I used masking tape and acrylic to make a value image. I used crepe paper to mimic masking tape’s flexible paper-like qualities, and used masking tape on a melted acrylic board to explore the capacity of the materials. When creating these pieces, a lot worked out differently than I expected… I didn’t even plan for the light to have that effect on the acrylic piece, but happy accidents! I also think it’s neat how the pieces work as transitions from one dimension to the other: 2D, 2.5D (it makes sense in my head), 3D.
Alix ‘24
Vivian ‘23
The theme I had for my gallery pieces was the distance of childhood memories. As a senior, I will be graduating this year. While I am moving on to the next phase of my life, I’ve also been looking back on some memories from my earlier childhood, many of which I feel like I am starting to forget. I think many of my memories would have been lost if it weren't for photographs or my parent’s stories. For my projects, I wanted to showcase simple childhood activities, and I aimed to try mediums that I do not usually use. Although my pieces pertain to my own reminiscence of childhood, I am sure that many people share the same memories. I hope that as you look at them, you are reminded of good times from the past.
Rachael ‘23