Alyssa Razo and David Richards

This Thursday I attended the Graduate show for Fresno State including Alyssa Razo and David Richards. I have had classes with both David and Alyssa, and it was awesome to see how their work has developed and how they've grown as artists.
The show was set up in such a way that each artist had one side of the room. I felt it was very easy to navigate, and the artists curated the show well.
David did a very nice job of placing his images on the walls. His concept was about rock climbing and his experiences with it. he had some images of things found on the ground at sites, and he placed those on the lower portion of the walls. any images he had of people climbing, or himself, he placed in the center of the wall, and those that were from a lower angle looking up, he placed highest on the wall. He even had a simple image of an even blue sky in which he placed extremely high up on the wall. David also put a climbing rope up attached to the ceiling of the gallery, as well as adding some maps and climbing books as a display. I thought these were great touches to his work.
Alyssa's work was amazing. She combined images that she shot of members of her family, done with a 4x5 camera, and some childhood pictures of her with her family. Her statement, along with the quotes from her family, and the statistics about divorce really made the show what it was. It expressed the struggles she's gone through growing up in a "broken" home. However, seeing the vignette about her cousin, who is now raising her child alone, proved that there is an upside to a broken family, which is support. As odd as it seems, a young person can look at the struggles of their parents, and see how they are still going, and how things work out in the end, and it can encourage them in their own situations to keep moving forward and to have strength. I think Alyssa did an amazing job putting her space together, and I think a lot of people can relate to her story and appreciate it.

Lauren Semivan

Lauren Semivan creates abstract images with her 8x10 camera. She sets up her images in a studio-situation. She uses herself as a prop sometimes, and she uses other objects as anchor points. She also uses string to create lines, and fabric, and paint. Lauren attempts to create images based on her emotions and feelings. One of her series, in black and white, is called "Pitch". Lauren attempts to create images that look like sound. I think she does this very well. The different directions the lines move cause the eye to move around the image, and it evokes a sense of music. I really appreciate Lauren's process in creating these scenes. I would like to try to do something like this myself. I also appreciate the ay that Lauren tries different processes for her series'. 

Midge Wattles

Midge Wattles is a rather new and upcoming photographer. Although she has done several different series, all of her art is centralized on material objects and architecture. Her series "Lineage" is one that I found the most inspiration from for my 35mm film series on abstractions. In Lineage Midge Wattles discovers space and light on geometric shapes found indoors. By capturing the light and shadow entering the room, Midge makes the space look alive. I really enjoy the images that combine straight lines along with soft lights and shadows. https://www.midgew.com/

Firebaugh

            My family and I moved to Firebaugh when I was twelve. My father was attending Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary located in the bay area to further his education in theology, when he got a job preaching in Firebaugh. For one school year, my family commuted every weekend to the central valley. Although I was only twelve I was able to recognize the beauty of the central valley, especially when it was compared week after week to the bay area I left behind. I saw where all my fruits and vegetables were being grown. I saw the aquafers that held the water that fed the plants I ate. I was able to see the cotton growing that made the clothes I wear. I recognized that the people in the bay area never see this. They are not aware of who is supporting their lifestyles, and I am living amongst those people now. I am now deeply attached to a community of people whose lives are dependent on the earth itself, and the help of others around them.

            I was born in Fresno, and I’ve lived in northern California as well as the bay area, about 15 minutes from San Francisco. I know I was young when I lived in these areas, however being homeschooled I believe I was well educated on the areas I was living. I believe I have a different perspective on this town than anyone else. I am someone who was not born here, so I see things others do not and I know what is unique and not found in other places. Yet, I have also lived in Firebaugh long enough to feel as though I am a part of the community and long enough to know context about a lot of things.

            I believe there is a story in this town that needs to be told and I believe I am a qualified author. I would like to tell stories about history in buildings and the San Joaquin River, about fear of change, about the Mexican culture, about agriculture, and about the people that make this town what it is.

            I would like to make prints, and to create a book with captions under the photos, giving some insight on the town. My goal is to tell a story, and show the beauty and pain that comes with a small suburb in the central valley. I hope my town will be proud to see this book, and I hope others who live in small towns can relate to it as well.

Maldonado Park was built during the time I lived here. Before, there was only one other park on one side of town. This park is located near government housing ("g-camp"), and a well housed apartment complex. Every Saturday and Sunday you will see young men playing basketball, kids of all ages using the skatepark, families having birthday parties, and little ones using the playground. There is a water park that used to be packed with kids in the summer, however due to the drought, it is only turned on a few days out of the year now. 

Edgar's family work for N.F. Davis. Davis is a well-known and highly respected businessman and farmer in our community. Edgar has twin siblings who recently had their Quinceanera, and Davis offered to help them with some finances for the celebration. 

There are many Churches in Firebaugh. Full-Gospel is one that stands out in our community because they have a rehab program for men, many who are recently out of prison. I work at Subway and these men often come in as it is within walking distance of the Church. They are some of my favorite customers. They are very polite and well mannered. One man says "God bless" as his goodbye. 

My Eye

May 19th, 2018, at the end of this Spring semester, I will be graduating from Fresno State University. I (hopefully) be going on to the credential program, however I will be finished with regular art and photography classes. Therefore I decided to do a project this semester that would in a way bring my "eye" full-circle.
I began doing photography at college level in 2011. When I first started at Fresno City College I was told to take photos of light and shadow, symmetry, pattern, closure, similarity, contrast, space, repetition, perspective, and much more. All of these being gestalt and other design principles. When I first began photography I did not know what I was doing. However, I'd say in 8 years' time I should have a bit of an idea now. So my goal is to go through some of these principles again, in hopes of being able to see that my "photographer's eye" has grown. I believe having focused on one type of fine art photography in my particular style for so long, that it would be good for me to return to the basics and to remember all of the little parts that create one big amazing photo.
After taking other art classes and learning how to apply these principles in other artistic mediums such as drawing, painting, and sculpture, I believe it makes more sense to me now. I would like to prove to myself that I can take photos of almost anything and make it catch YOUR eye as a viewer. I would also like to try to stay on campus for this project, as I would like to have some photos of my campus in my repertoire. Some artists that I take inspiration from are Minor White, Harry Callahan, and Imogen Cunningham.

This is 35mm film that I will be hand-printing on glossy paper. This first project is on RC, however I will switch to Fiber-based in the next parts.

Here is Part One of this project, along with the contact print. I apologize that these are not the best quality, as they are taken with my cell phone and unedited.

"University Student Union" 

I went in here for orientation when I first started at FSU, and I haven't been back. 

"Industrial Technology Building" 

I absolutely love the light and the windows in this building. As I printed this photo I thought I had taken it vertically. Yet my classmate corrected me! But let's see how it looks vertically. Do you think it works this way as well?

Doug Hansen's "Bookends" Exhibiton

Doug Hansen's "Bookends" Exhibition in Fresno State's Conley Art Gallery, was very inspirational. I was actually pleasantly surprised at this. I had a preconceived notion that his work would all be more comic-style, which seems far away from what I am drawn to as an artist. However, although Hansen's work can be heavily described at "illustration", a lot of it had so much connection with fantasy and fairytale, that it sparked my interest. 

Hansen's sculpture work was especially beautiful to me. I find found objects and things that look like props from movies to be so intriguing. I also love that Hansen's work has a deep childhood root to it. I connect to that very much. The pair of patched and embroidered pants reminded me of a pair of pants that my best friends, my sister, and I sewed patches to and embroidered ourselves. His work reminded me of my childhood and made me feel happy, which was very refreshing compared to a lot of art that's out there. 

Project 2 Proposal: I Know This Isn't The End

          For the second part of my semester-long project, I would like to continue the narrative of Clay and I's story. In this part of our story, we have begun to separate. I knew that this project would be hard, because we would both have to think about the tough times we went through.
          When I first begin a shoot, I ask Clay if he can help me and model for me. He always says yes without hesitation. This time, he said "Yes, but what do I have to do?" I had told him the sequence that this project would go in, and he had been dreading this part of it. We went to my room one day and I got my laptop out and I showed him examples of photos I wanted to shoot, and told him the reasons behind each photo. I told him, "I want to do this one because it's like how you kind of wanted me to stay... and I was confused about everything but you were trying to hide me from my confusion and make everything okay again." He said, "Yeah, that's a good one, that makes sense."
               The shoot was strange. I was feeling so uncomfortable and sad because I knew that we were physically portraying our division. However, Clay would look at me as we posed, and say, "You're beautiful."
             I used to think it was both of us that began to walk away from one another. However, looking back, I'm starting to see that he really never let go. Even when we were struggling and not getting along, he never once thought of leaving. He never once intended to push me away. This portion of the project is an expression of how one person (me), is one person, even in a relationship that seems perfect. One person still has their own thoughts and emotions and no one else can feel that, no matter how in love you are. No one else, no matter how much they love you, can change how you feel. I was definitely confused about my feelings, and I chose to figure it out myself, rather than letting Clay help me. I chose not to explain how I felt, and I chose to leave. This is real life, and this is human. This is me leaving.

          The title of part 2, "I Know This Isn't the End" is a phrase that Clay said to me in a text message not long after we parted ways.