So far in my project, I have realized that my goals have shifted. I had initially planned on basing my project solely around lithography and painting but as I have progressed I have become so focused on my painting that I haven’t begun to think or learn about printmaking. I knew going into this project that lithography was a difficult process and had a learning curve but I don’t think I realized how much time painting would also take in combination with my new process of completing my work. In combination with all of that, I began to take an interest in creating some more photography-based work. Although my goals have shifted for this process I think that the core of it hasn’t. My switch in mediums just allowed for a different form of expression.

I recently unearthed some really old film from when I was a kid and one of my paintings is going to be based on 

one of those photos. Because of this, I began wanting to create a mood board of sorts for my project so that rather than

 having a final piece and no behind-the-scenes work I can have a more intriguing presentation of my process and final pieces. This requires finding photos and curating and I am still working on how I will exactly do these pieces. I have begun to ask questions that I didn’t anticipate having. I usually work on my own when painting, unless I am in a class, and because of this I never really got to improve my work in ways that critiques could. Now that I am working more closely with James French and Susan

 Now I am able to receive feedback that creates a better learning experience.

As in my previous blog post, I am still super happy with my project. The best part of the shift to a different focus of medium was that I didn’t feel like I was losing anything or any key part of my process but rather just transforming it. I have also seen that with the time I would have had to have spent on printmaking I was able to focus more deeply on painting and really working out all the aspects of each one. I have been able to focus mainly on working key themes from my focus books into my paintings and I have also decided not to necessarily make them obvious. My goal has become to allow the viewer to take from each painting what they can. Not necessarily to clearly and obviously show only one theme from my black theory books but whatever each person can take away. This has allowed me to paint with emotion without having to designate a meaning.

Art, in general, doesn’t need to always so clearly be explained rather the meaning is guided by contextual things like the books I have read, and the poems I will share.

I have also been creating small works that can also be displayed along with the final project like a small study and some film prints that I have been working off of. These will help tell the story of my project better so that you can truly see the progression of the project over the weeks.