Cierra Materialistic

5/1/2023

This is the final iteration of Convalescence 

I am really happy with the way this installation turned out and thankful for the materialistic experience I have gained. 

April 23, 2023 

The progression of these pictures goes from top to bottom. I am really happy with how this install is going and the way everything has grown! A few more updates to come!

April 17, 2023 

New Leaves!

This is the picture from today with some new leaves growing from the node on the hand. I changed the bricks to fill the gap in the center and I think it flows more smoothly from left to right. 

This was the first iteration of the blocks. This process unlocked a piece from my childhood of playing with stones and creating small buildings. I decided that I was not a fan of the space in the center. 

Each day I will be adding new leaves to the main point to show the process of growth. I am thinking of having some dead leaves on the ground that are painted red. 

This is the gallery before install on Sunday, even now it is crazy to see how much the space has changed. 

April 10, 2023

Some updates along the way. I'm considering using cinder blocks in the background to add another way for the ferns to grow out. 

March 27, 2023

Some updates on the process:

After realizing the base of the fern was too small I decided to rethink my paper cast and redo it. I am very happy with the result and I will continue to chase it. I am experimenting with paint for the color of the hand. I have painted the box that will attach to the wall Bright Apple Red to contrast with the fern's green. 

March 20, 2023

I paper cast the base of the fern and now I'm chasing it. I think it needs to be bigger but I can also add to the form I have currently. Im going for the bright green that is seen in the pictures I had previously uploaded. More updates to come!

March 13, 2023

I have made the hand cast out of plaster and I am wondering how I should patina the hand. I have also started casting the leaves of the fern. I think for the part that attaches to the wall I am going to use a box with a fence cleat on the back considering how heavy the fern will be. I am very excited about this installation and any/all feedback is welcome!

March 6, 2023 

I have been looking at the base of these ferns and thinking about what Ashley said and how the veins of the fern could connect to the hand. Im going to cast my hand in flex wax and then make the plaster positive from that mold. Then I will paper-cast the base system of the fern to place in the hand. Im choosing paper because of the lightweight aspect and the translucency. 

February 27, 2023 

As I am finishing up my BFA work I have realized the importance of the figure in my art. The figure can communicate so many different emotions as everyone can connect with another human. I feel that incorporating the figure more into my Materialistic Installation would help push the concept.  Going with my first concept and using the hand incorporates the figure in a way that shows the plant and the person directly connected in growth. I would include dead leaves as well to push the idea that growth is not a perfect process. I want to use paper for the leaves rather than a real plant because the Other Gallery does not have many opportunities for natural light. 

February 20, 2023

In regard to my materialistic installation, I have found an artist who creates large natural forms. His name is Petrit Halilaj and he has been a huge inspiration when considering natural but expanded forms. Im still pondering between the two ideas, I would make the fern out of cast paper over a wire armature so it would not be a real plant. 

February 9, 2023

I have a few variations of an idea for the West Gallery space. I still want to stick with the themes of the fern and figure interacting. The fern is very prominent in my work because of its meaning. I want to work with a different type of fern, the Staghorn Fern. This type of fern has large leaves with beautiful veins and nuances. 

This variation of the Staghorn Fern idea includes the figure sitting in the middle of the room. I wanted to have a fern growing from each wall, creating a negative space in the center of the room.

I posted this idea in the blog previously as it is my first idea for the West Gallery. This would include one large fern coming from a hand on the back wall. I want to include red lighting from behind the fern to highlight the veins in the leaves and create an ominous tone. Growth can be painful, scary, and beautiful all at the same time.

This is a Staghorn Fern for reference to the veins, color, and how they grow. 

My third idea includes roots. This relates to how trauma roots in the body and mind. This can be overwhelming and very complex. I would want the viewer to understand the overwhelming feeling as they walked in and around the roots. I would even possibly put a chair in the center so the viewer would have to sit in the center of these interacting roots. 

Some artists I have been taking inspiration from include 

Janine Antoni 

January 30, 2023

The updated idea for the West Gallery

I thought this was a better combination of the fern and the figure. I'm very interested in using the Stagghorn Fern and the figure together. I think it creates an interesting conversation about the relationship between humans and pants and the idea of the "