Dia Beacon Reaction

Spider -- Louise Bourgeois

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The work I chose from the Dia Beacon museum is called Spider, and was completed in the year 1997 by Louise Bourgeois. Quite obviously the artist was French [born in Paris in 1911], and emigrated to New York at the age of 27, but did not become widely known or successful until the early 70’s. Bourgeois is acknowledged for her frequent use of many different mediums, including rubber, wood, stone, metal, fabrics, etc. Bourgeois chose to exhibit her works at the Dia Beacon museum in the “attic” – the unfinished, dark creepy rooms upstairs. The entire structure of the spider is made of metal, and the shape is modeled around that of a large cage-like object. Basically is just a very menacing and large figure that appears to hover over the viewer. I mainly picked this work because it scared the hell out of me when I walked into the room. The monster spider symbolizes a protective mother, as well as a vicious, terrifying predator. For some reason I tend to love this type of work, because even though it frightened me, there is quite a deep meaning behind it. I love the weird and scary angles of the giant legs, and the fact that it is much taller than the average human is also interesting because it makes it that much more intimidating. All in all it turned out to be one of my favorite pieces in the whole museum.

Final Project

Your lipstick, his collar, don't bother angel
I know exactly what goes on

When everything you'll get is
Everything that you've wanted --
Well, which would you prefer:
My finger on the trigger, or
(me face down, down across your floor)
Me face down, down across your floor
(me face down, down across your floor)
Well just so long as this thing's loaded

And will you tell all your friends
You've got your gun to my head
This all was only wishful thinking,
This all was only wishful thinking
And will you tell all your friends
You've got your gun to my head
This all was only wishful thinking,
This all was only wishful thinking
Let's go...

Don't bother trying to explain angel
I know exactly what goes on when you're on
Wait... How about I'm outside of your window
(how about I'm outside of your window)
Watching him keep the details covered
You're such a sucker
For a sweet talker, yeah

And will you tell all your friends
You've got your gun to my head
This all was only wishful thinking,
This all was only wishful thinking
The only thing that I regret is that I,
I never let you hold me back

Hoping for the best just hoping nothing happens
A thousand clever lines unread on clever napkins
I will never ask if you don't ever tell me
I know you well enough to know you never loved me
(Why can't I feel anything From anyone other than you?)
Hoping for the best just hoping nothing happens
A thousand clever lines unread on clever napkins
I will never ask if you don't ever tell me
I know you well enough to know you never loved me
(Why can't I feel anything From anyone other than you?)
Hoping for the best just hoping nothing happens
A thousand clever lines unread on clever napkins
I will never ask if you don't ever tell me
I know you well enough to know...

And all of this was all your fault
And all of this

(I stay jealous)
I stay wrecked and jealous for this,
For this simple reason
I just need to keep you in mind
As something larger than life
(she'll destroy us all before she's through
And find a way to blame somebody else)

I stay wrecked and jealous for this,
For this simple reason
I just need to keep you in mind
As something larger than life.

Cute Without the E: Cut From the Team -- Taking Back Sunday

Illustrator bird :]

a snowy owl i made in illustrator.

Project 2

Warning Label

As you can see I don't like stupid people :( And of course I know too many of them.

Pictogram Illustrator

If you can't tell what this is my feelings might be hurt.

Project 1 -- Part 1

February 19th, 2008

Ten layers. Adjusted levels to make darker, embossed ribbons, 73% opacity for the moon scene in background.

Project 1 -- Part 2

Thirteen different layers -- Used same photo of train station as in above post... Effects = drop shadow, inner/outer glow, and bevel/emboss. Part 2 of 2.

Intro to Photoshop Project

January 29th, 2008

Four layers. Desaturated and tinted girl in window with hint of blue, added an outer glow effect. Bevelled and embossed rose and frame. Added some color in girl's hair and eyes afterwards.

Other Influences

Other favorite people of mine have little or nothing to do with the "fine arts" category, such as painting or drawing, but still inspire me in other areas. I love fashion, jewelry, movies, music, and all other branches of artistic talents that people may have, and because of this, I have many fashion designers, actors, and musicians as well that also heavily influence my work, whether I am drawn to objects they created, their strong personality, or their sound. Many of these people are women, mainly because I have a great admiration for those of the female sex who have changed history or contributed a great amount to society throughout their careers.

Audrey Hepburn was an incredible actor with poise, and a great outlook on life who made history in the film Breakfast at Tiffany's, as well as a fashion icon for every girl in America to look up to. She always encouraged everyone to be their own person, and her advice was to love who you are at all times without being someone you're not.

Coco Chanel was one of the 100 most inspirational people of the 20th century, according to Time magazine. She lived in an orphanage for seven years of her life, later becoming a seamstress. I admire the way she started out as a poor girl with nothing and built up her life until she could make a name for herself, later becoming incredibly famous, all on her own with little help from others. Her clothing and jewelry designs were always simple, yet chic and classy at the same time, and the Chanel empire has become a huge legacy since her death that will continue to inspire designers around the world for many years to come.




Victoria Beckham, another great influence on me, is extremely fashionable, and she always looks amazing in everything she wears. I never put much stock in her background as a "spice girl", but after she retired from singing, she became much more well-known for her great taste in clothes, makeup and especially her signature haircut. Her confidence and maturity is inspiring to me, as well as her personal style in all aspects of her appearance.




I think Betsey Johnson is such an amazing designer and an incredible personality in the world of fashion. When you first see her with her crazy makeup and strange hairdos, she's just so out there that you immediately think of her as weird. But the truth is that in her line of work, Betsey Johnson does what every other person around her should: she bases her designs and lifestyle on what she herself likes, rather than conforming to societal standards, whether it's her clothes, her hair, or her lingerie line.



My artwork is also influenced by different types of music as well. I listen to many genres, and I have a wide variety of favorites. To name a few, usually when I'm working on a project I will listen to Taking Back Sunday, The Honorary Title, and AFI, as well as tons of other bands.