Internal designs : an honors thesis (HONRS 499)

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Authors
Felker, Sarah R.
Advisor
Anderson, Scott G.
Issue Date
2005
Keyword
Degree
Thesis (B.?.)
Department
Honors College
Other Identifiers
Abstract

This series of paintings in my senior exhibition are intimate spaces and surroundings in my life. Working with all that I have learned at Ball State, I have recently realized that all new ground in painting has been covered; the more personal one makes his or her work, the more unique it is. I tend to retreat into my apartment whenever possible; all of the time spent there has driven me to surround myself with color and objects. The most personal paintings I can make are about my home.Much of what keeps me interested in painting is the medium itself and the variety of effects I can manipulate. Bold color plays a large role in the personalization of my apartment. Therefore, it is reflected in my paintings, and in turn the paintings become part of my surroundings. I use painting surfaces to describe both architectural and emotional structures. It is interesting to me that some artists consider drips and splatters as accidental, when I find them so beautiful. My experimenting with these techniques has taught me that the results give a sense of spontaneity to the painting. Each painting has a representationally painted object to bring the viewer in and aid them while their eyes unfold the rest of the composition. The most exciting thing to me is the paint itself: the variety of brushstrokes, textures, and the degrees of opacity.Parts of my personality are shown in the works here, although, still being a private person, I do not like to divulge too much. For example, I see my colored hair as an extension of my creative personality and something of an external palette. Most people do not have the privilege of seeing the beautiful traces of color that the dye leaves behind in the bathtub. I hope this series encourages the viewers to think more deeply about their own intimate spaces, to find beauty in the mundane.