Alicia Betancourt: October 2017

Monday, October 23, 2017

Topic #4 Small work #2 Landscapes: An original poem

Abduction of your essence
By: Alicia Betancourt

Have we met?
This feels like the first time.

When I was there I felt, I thought.
Clarity, delight
The wind tickling my thighs
Sensually whispering sweet nothings through my ears
Kissing my lips, gifting me a breath of fresh air
Crisp air
Clean air

I will only let you play with my hair.

I could see him dancing
Green, brown, red, tan arms
Moving, pulsating
Showing me his beauties and curves
Entangled with light, creating shadows and glorified shapes

He brings pure me bliss.

I admired his verticality
Strings of bark reaching the sky.
They were never ending
Oh so playful,
playing with light
peeking through small folds in your structure
showing me the vastness of your body.
Cleansing my body
Cleansing my mind

***

The air began to feel heavy
Forcefully pushing me away
You became so humid
You showed me your rigidness but thought I would flee
You became defensive, because you felt defenseless

Don’t forget me, when they come for you he said.
Don’t leave me, though I may seem timid he pled
If you remember today, you know where to find me.

Your air became so heavy
making it
hard
to breathe
You became so distant
your branches fell
Your light became shadows

And then with my eyes still open I couldn’t find you.
I couldn’t see you
All I saw were the things that took you
Industrializing your mural
I couldn’t hear you.
I could only hear them
Buzzing
Jingling
Ticking
Droning
Screeching

The Roadways were never ending.
They were dominant
Distracting from all that you gave me.

When I was here I could feel, and I tried to remember.

I tried.

Clutter, confinement
regret, upset.
Agitation
Agitation
Agitation.

I knew we met.
And now,
I remember why 'you left'.

Friday, October 13, 2017

ORNAMENT and PATTERN response

(link to the article: http://camraleigh.org/exhibitions/2011deepsurface/ornament-and-pattern/ )

I never intentionally used pattern in my own work to create a feeling or set the mood, or really even tell a story. I used it mostly for its’s decorative purposes in order to make something look “pretty”. I subconsciously created symbols and formed patterns without knowing what I was doing, knowing what people have been doing for years. There is so much history in ornament and pattern. It is a form-based language. It is a means of narrative and organization. It helps us as viewers put all the pieces together and build connections and relationships. It helps us to make sense of complex ideas in life. I’ve always found it interesting that when I’m creating a painting of a person I start to find pattern within shape and color. This makes the painting more identifiable and it draws people in.

Because of technology pattern isn’t seen in exactly the same way when used in the past. As far as the way it can be produced and shared. I do think that it is important to utilize the technology within pattern making in order to make it easier and to create even more intricate patterns in a shorter amount of time.

I do find myself really agreeing with the modernist way of thinking, I always have. I think that everything is related for the most part. Maybe it is my spiritual nature. It is very hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that things happen by chance. For me that part of pattern making and art-making in general is what make it so important to humanity. This leads me to say that I believe people have combined the modernist and post-modernist way of thinking. In our current time period I see a combination and including of all forms of thought. As a culture people have become a bit more open-minded in what is acceptable as art. We have expanded our technology as well. They go hand in hand.

This article gave me a lot more insight and context of what ornament is. I will now use it more intentionally. Pattern and its application is very important to me. Within textile design it is important to do so much research and look at what is trending and what people gravitate to. All of this goes into creating a collection of patterns that are different but also relate and applying it to products. As far as my fine arts practice within design I will use pattern to enhance my narrative.

Experimenting with my repeat pattern

Final Pattern/Ornament Piece "A Pond of Koi"

"A Pond Of Koi"

I enjoyed my time making this work. It was made using ink, graphite, acrylic and watercolor. I wanted to have the main focus being the fish in the pond. I chose to exaggerate the amount of fish and make them way larger than the figure. I usually draw people as the main focus, in a very realistic straight on view. I decided I wanted to try something different and have a top view of a stylized child on a duck in a crazy world of fish and pattern. THAT was new for me! :)

Don't try this at home kids, it's very a tedious process.

Repeat Pattern implemented on modified chair

Frontal View

Side View

Top View

Repeat Pattern/ Pattern relief design

Image Plate #243

Figure 8 [Renascence/(Raguenet)]

I was immediately drawn to this chair. It looks so comfy and welcoming. I thought it had a very whimsical, playful, lighthearted and imaginative feel to it. This is the type of personality I wanted to explore through my pattern design and final ornament piece.