We were told to start thinking about the creative project at the very start of the semester and so I did, but as the instructions for our creative project changed, as did my ideas. At first, when I thought the final project would have a research component, I was very much considering looking more in-depth at the work of Imogen Cunningham, who had caught my attention during my first visit to the MoMa. I had looked up some information about her before our MoMa discussion class and glanced over her other photos. I liked what I saw.
As the term progressed as did the instructions for our creative projects. The instructions changed soon after our painting papers, so Monet (the subject of my paper) was fresh on my mind. I wrote about the connection I felt with his paintings with ease and figured continuing with his work as an inspiration would be a pleasure. I still hadn’t fully abandoned the idea of also incorporating the styles of Imogen Cunningham. My first plan was to visit Central Park and photograph one location at different times of day. For those unfamiliar, that was one of the major techniques used by Monet when he painted, particularly in his series paintings.
When I put my idea to action, practicing with several trees I found I was not as satisfied as I had expected. At first, I tried using black and white settings, as I had seen with the works of Imogen Cunningham. However, in black and white the photographs appeared dull and distant. When I tried in normal settings, the colors weren’t as vibrant as I would have liked. I decided to start brainstorming new ideas. I went home and attempted to draw a tree myself. It came out satisfactory, but one piece of white paper seemed irrelevant, compared to the wall spanning work we have seen at the MoMa and at the Chelsea art galleries. Also, I realized that since I would be spending more than one day on the project, my mood would be changing and my color choices would vary. This was when I got the idea to recreate the tree but expand it to span nine pieces of paper rather than one.
As I began the project, I began to think up other details to add. In the end, I decided each paper would be a creation of its own. This explains why some parts of the trees have leaves leaves, while others are bare, and why there’s a moon while there is also a sun. Accommodating to my changes of mood was easy since each paper had a different theme, with a different color scheme and a different effect. I wanted to incorporate the various elements that I found most enjoyable in art as we explored its different forms throughout the semester. I chose to use nature, particularly a tree, as the subject of my project because I feel it is easy to relate to. I chose a tree because the feeling of stability created by the trunk is juxtaposed by the freeing, independent nature of the branches. I found that one of the most important elements I look for in visual arts is the use of color. While I liked the works of Imogen Cunningham I now realize I mostly enjoyed them for pure aesthetic qualities. It was much easier for me to find an emotional connection to the work of Monet.
The last component that tied together the final project was the presentation. I put some planning into this as well. I had originally planned to present my project and then begin discussing the process that went with creating it. Later, I decided it would be more effective to first talk about my inspirations and then present the work that came from it, as well as point out some details I find significant in my project. I felt comfortable talking to the class since we have all become fairly acquainted. I also waited to present a few presentations after Kate since she had also discussed Monet. I did stumble a little with my words, but final week tends to have that affect on me. I enjoyed presenting with the class and being able to describe why I made what I did.
