✨ Liv S. ✨ ALL✨

Arrange posts so that the newest post is at the top of each project guideline.

TO PULL


Agency (rhetorical) - "inherently human capacity to act and is an intrinsically human ability to act upon evaluations and question." (Kenneth Burke)

We are all agents making performances. Some of us perform for ourselves, even. Our lives are a performance, our personalities and our appearance. Yet, just because it's performative doesn't mean it isn't true. 

Agency to me is a means of self-preservation. My mental relies on my productivity. I want my work to reflect my desperation and my drive. I want it to be good, obviously. Easier said than done. 

To Hold - Manifestation/Expression (purpose)

To Light - Work/Joy (ability)

To Hang - Cosmic/Spiritual (unseen forces)

To Pull - Legacy/Timeline (limitations/goals)

Let's start with to pull. I'm considering a drawer.

 A drawer like this, maybe. I enjoy the break in symmetry, and the variation in patterns. I do not like the colors. I think the white sucks the life out of it. It would look fine if it weren't for that.

 

I'd prefer colors more like these, with more intense reds and darker browns in addition to the medium-tone palette. Or I could do colors from my own palette instead. I've been obsessive about it.

Another large thing to consider, is how I'm going to make the drawer. I've recently had the chance how to figure out how to fix one of my own drawers, so I know how to make it snap together. The hard part is making the drawers look artistic using my limited furniture craftswomanship experience. 

The other things about a full shelf of drawers is that I don't know how well I can put a functional one together in this amount of time and I feel like drawers are more fitting of 'to hold.'

I was also considering doing a light pull, with a miquiztli - an Aztec/Nahua skull. I've done a piece before out of copper pipes, a soda can, and fabric where I drew a conventional 'hell' on the can hanging on the central pipe and then made flags representing the nine layers of Nahua hell that a dead spirit must pass through to achieve rest - it is basically torture from animals, obsidian blades, arrows, fire winds, and much more. I want to make the pull about legacy instead. It will be the nine stages of life, my life. Starting with Xōchitl (flower) or my 'blooming' (birth), I will make eight clay beads spaced out on a rope until it reaches the nineth stage of death - cast in bronze.

It's about more than just my stages of life, it's about the impact they might make and how I'm remembered. Legacy is a double-edged sword - it hinges on human brilliance/outstanding within the realm of human limitation - our life and time-line. Since I haven't really been through nine stages of life, there is an intuitiveness to this project - the last seven stages will be milestones, though more abstract than milestones like 'buying a house' or 'establishing a career.' They will be self-image ideals - how I hope to shape myself and how I hope to be remembered. 

As for why I'm interested in Nahua culture, I just always have been. I don't need a reason. I think it's cool and it's tattooed on my back. The way I see cultural appropriation, it has to be done in an exploitative, disrespectful, or stereotypical way. What I'm doing is cultural appreciation, which most people don't like to understand. I want to show this mythos in an accurate and spiritual way. I've been studying it since the start of junior year of high school for my IB History thesis, and I've been obsessed with it ever since. When I first went to Mexico in eighth grade, me and my mom went to see the Mayan ruins (a lot of Aztec mythos is rooted in Mayan culture). My mom's side of the family is hispanic, and she lived in Mexico for many years. She taught me Spanish. 

After the first bead flower, I'm going to make a bead for atl (water) - battle, then coatl (snake) - wisedom, cipactli (crocodile) - honor/recognition, ozomatli (monkey) - silliness, ocēlōtl (jaguar) - valor/recklessness, techpatl (flint) - bravery, tōchtli (rabbit) - self-sacrifice

The skull was based on the original Aztec glyph as portrayed in the Nahuatl-English glyph translation chart, with my own drawing style (whatever that may be). I wanted the clay model to look as similar as possible to the original design. 

   

                                         

For the clay, I fashioned a full rough skull head (as seen from the unfinished side on the left) then cut it into two equal halves. I used one for the original half of the mold (left) and then detailed and reattached the other half for the second part of the mold (right). 

    The wax pour I did originally solid, and then redid hollow. It came out looking rough, as the vaseline was laid too thick for the plaster mold and many of the crevices became shallow. When I carved into the skull to re-embellish these, the wax became too thin and I had to re-pour into it. I gave the wax additional ridges as well, along the eyes and tracing the back to add additional expression to the face. The hole sits in the back of the skull and the mouth. I want it to face upward, with the back hole edge welded over the original handle of a censer (Catholic incense holder). 'To pull' will be the incense lid from the body, as well as the fire 'pulling' smoke from the incense. The censer also serves as a lure to bring forth the holy spirit. The skull on top represents both death and destiny. The Nahua/Catholic fusion of the censer serves to mock the Spanish missionaries who came to convert the Nahua people by fusing the two religions in order to make Catholicism more digestible for the natives - such as the goddess Tonantzin and the Virgin Mary into - La Virgen de Guadalupe. 

    The incense burning and skull both serve as a memento mori - the crux of legacy (something that is passed on). One's legacy is both limited and determined by what one passes on. Most people aren't remembered vastly, which is why legacies are mostly limited to friends and family. How will my people remember me? Have I parted ways with the wrong people? Am I doing things right? 

    Legacy is smoke - the drifting carcinogenic particulate of a once whole form. It moves in an alien pattern up through the air and, as a raised Catholic, I've always associated the smell with one's spirit. 

I'm not sure what I want to add to the censer that invokes death and legacy - originally I wanted to make the creature glyphs representing various virtues as part of my legacy, but I don't have molds of them and I'm not sure I want to add additional metal to the censor. I was thinking that I could add fabric to the bottom, or replace the chain with something I fabricate. I could also further cut into it. I want it to be a found object piece, but I want the found object to be altered in a significant way. 

The censor I got off of Amazon, it is very cheap, thin metal though it was relatively expensive. Since the skull is no longer hollow since the metal broke through the sand mold, I used a sander to dislodge the top. I will try and weld the skull to the top and patina them black together. The inside metal juts out between the teeth like a tongue - a welcome addition to the skull. I will sand it down to appear as a tongue - adding to the playfulness of the skull - a common trait in Nahua glyphs and depictions. 

We can fix the inside so it is hollow- drill or plasma through so it still can work.

I managed to weld the skull to the top of the censor, but the metal was so thin that the gold paint discolored and there were holes in the cap. I glued knit red yarn to the inside of the cap to cover the holes (and the red suits the gold-silver well). I also added the same wool to the very bottom. Since the wool was acrylic, I singed the sides so that it wouldn't unravel. I sanded down where the holes had a lip as well as the skull's tongue. It is now functional as a censor. I will burn incense at home with it. :)

Eye Formations: Crystal/Stone/Gem Chart - Gem in eye?

To Hang - Cosmic/Spiritual (unseen forces)

"Nahua rituals are designed to create harmony with the spirit forces that surround them. The people accomplish this critical goal by dedicating gifts to the spirits and by sacrificing their sleep, time, wealth, and heart-felt effort, and thereby show their deep respect for the cosmos and all of its inhabitants." (Mexicolore)

https://www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/home/modern-nahua-pilgrimage#:~:text=Nahua%20rituals%20are%20designed%20to,and%20all%20of%20its%20inhabitants.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/spiritualism-religion

Spiritualism explores areas beyond the material world - be it the innate connection between living things (souls/Gaia Theory) or the lingering connection of the dead. Spiritualists (religion) believed that they could communicate with the dead. As part of the tetralogy, spiritual (to hang) invokes the unknown/unseen element behind life, and the work should reflect this. The hang is metaphorical for the soul's journey. Right now, my soul is hung on my body like a coat. Soon, it will be released. 

   To hang, like to pull, will be reflecting my life as intended. It will represent my goal of spiritual being rather than the reality, just as to pull will reflect my goal of legacy. 

I first took interest in the Nigerian artist Sokari Douglas Camp, who does her artwork in primarily metal. Something I've noticed with Nigerian art is that it is often very spiritualist - and looks at the inner self as well as presence, including motifs such as - heroism, inner beauty, self-love, self resentment, and so on.

Nigeria's art scene was ranked, in 2017, as Africa's largest economy.

For better or for worse, this has a large influence on the budding artists of Nigeria.

Yet, this project is not focused on Nigerian (Yoruba/Ibo) spirituality, it will be focused on my spirituality. It will be designed and made in a meditative process. Since Catholic schooling, my 'religion' has quite radically changed. Now, my Sunday mornings revolve around gemstones (mostly fluorite, serpentine, and agate) and incense. I would like to make a gem-like hanger that not only shows the spirituality hidden within the earth (minerals) but also my inner self-reflection and meditation. 

Im thinking it will be a natural-looking cavern-esque extension that hangs from the door, and the pointed crystal tips can be used as hangers. 

My Maquette:

It has a wire base (like the steel frame it will have) with clay standing in place for plaster. The ridges of the crystal are etched in, since they would be otherwise hard to see. The paint I use over the plaster will exaggerate the edges with false lighting. It has an eye at the bottom, which will also be more apparent with color. The rock ridges give it a nice bed to nest in. I also, like the maquette, want some of the frame to show through from the front. I want it to be dark as well, to emphasize the light crystals and blende in with the dark rock.

After making the base of the pattern, I realized that in order to hold objects, it would need to be metal rather than plaster. I found a huge metal disk and a strange looking rod (along with the abandoned nest) in my parent's old shed. When I started welding to the metal rod, I soon realized there was a plastic inside, and it melted down the disk. I added a metal piece in front of it. The metal scaffolding doesn't look rocky as I initially intended, but I like it as it is. 

For the crystals, I reduced it to a singular crystal point that sits over the square opening in the disk. I covered it in light-blue tissue paper with paper machete. I think it would be interesting to try fitting a light inside, since it would glow blue. Though the crystals are no longer hanging points, a jacket can still be hung from the ball-tip rod and jewelry can still be put inside the disk. It hands from the rod in the back and holds itself up with the ovoid base. 

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TO LIGHT

TO LIGHT - WHICH CAME FIRST?

WORK/LABOR = EGGS

 -    PAPER LEAVES, METAL BRANCHES, KNITTED NESTS

WHAT COLORS? : Pallets

• reddish brown, maroon, gold, turquoise
• dark (grayish) purple, lavender, mint, med. purple, blue (primary)
• orange, sunset orange, meadow green, light yellow (butter), burgundy

 I want to make the lights eggs - preferably fairy lights (not regular bulbs, outlet bulbs, or LEDs). I might paint them robin's egg blue but for the color palate I have in mind a cream-color might work. Hopefully the light will shine through the acrylic paint, but I could always leave little holes throughout. I've been reading about the process of birds recognizing their eggs and how they leave ovarian marks - each bird has special ovarian lining they use to recognize their eggs. So, there's a multitude of ways that I can do this.

 

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Initially, I wanted my light project to incorporate hard work/joy. I still feel like this incorporates that - as a birds egg is very much their labor. Though, I don't appreciate the anti-womanist message of 'a woman's labor.' For this piece, the eggs are 'creation' and the finished product of non-birth labor. The nest will be made out of wool, red wool, and beads and fabricated leaves will hang from underneath. Once I have the fairy lights, it will be easy to wrap them around a branch/wool structure.

Another topic of interest (very in line with ovum shell tattooing) is parasitic birds that lay their eggs in other birds' nests and have evolved to mimic the egg shapes and patterns. They will sometimes push out the other eggs, or ruin the birds' nests if their eggs disappear. Their babies have also evolved to mimic the hunger patterns of the mimickee - and are also very loud and annoying. Of course, they can't evolve for every single species.

My Maquette:

It has little cord-and clay ornaments tied to the wire and paper cut-out leaves. The nest is glued together from inner-reed material ripped up. The eggs are the same oil-based clay, and the wire is curled into hanger-hoops on the ends. I will incorporate the same hoops to hang it from nails in my room.

I could incorporate 'almost' the right egg pattern along the fairy lights. How that would tie into work is: there's always someone who wants to sneak by life by being parasites and benefitting off of the hard work of others. The way most places are set us is the few benefit off of the hard work of the workers, i.e. white-collar and blue-collar citizens.

For the next, I'm thinking of weaving river reeds together, or the spongy inside of river-reeds. I want the whole mother bird experience, so I might also use sticks, twigs, moss, and anything natural or man-made that I feel will suit my nest. I'm still undecided for the bird eggs, but I'm thinking I should cover easter eggs in something like plaster or paper machete.🐇

My main ornaments are made from iron - the molding process was relatively simple and time-efficient. The other ornaments are made from sculpey and painted. I added leaves, parasites, and an acorn. I want the piece to look infested, though splayed out in necklace-like beads that fall down the sides of the branches. I might make some bracelets too to put over the branches for ornamentation. 

I'll have to drummel out holes in the iron pieces so they can hang with the other ornaments, or I might weld them to the branches? We'll see how it looks. 

The waxes I made don't have leaf-patterns on the back, only the front, due to the nature of the wax one-part mold I'd made. Perhaps I could etch a leaf pattern into the back, and instead of drilling holes into them as ornaments, I could use my other sculpey ornaments without the iron beads at the bottom. The iron big lea came out well - the vein structure is good though I burnt it a bit with the plasma cutter. Hopefully, a patina can cover up the burnt spots. The little leaf is not as defined, I'll have to drummel into it a bit. 

Since there can't only be two leaves on the steel branches, there's going to have to be iron leaves and something else. I might make them out of paper. Whatever they're made of (I'm going to be focusing on the main body of branches for now) they're going to be infected by a parasitic plant - as part of a whole 'light' parasitic ecosystem. In this instance 'light' could be seen as the truth, and I'm shedding light on these parasitic creatures - dangers to everything around them. 

Oh! I did buy felt to do the leaves, so I'm going to use that. I have a bunch of blue-green colors in different shades that will blende well together. I want to incorporate the leaf-bumps to indicate the presence of the parasitic plant - and in the same eye-shape as the other leaves.

 

For the branches, this is what I want to avoid:

It looks bland, uninspired, and, frankly, stupid. My ultimate goal for my branch base is to have it look nothing like this. :)

Instead, I'd like for it to have some limited texture. I want the main branches to be thicker and the rest to thin out as they go - which is why I will forge the tips before I weld them together. I want the branches to look dynamic in some way. 

I've decided I want to incorporate 'human parasitism' in regard to work - and 'fruit of one's labor.' The branch-like, knobby, and textured hand reaches out holding the next. The tendons of it pool down from the wrist, connecting into the muscle which bears the felt leaves and leaf buds. In order to achieve the detail I need, I will use aluminum foil and sculpey. The iron pieces will be attached to the next, and the beads will be looped around the wrist in a bracelet, or perhaps as rings around its fingers. The lights will have to intertwined around the nest - or the lights could be the eggs themselves. I drew the larger, parasitic egg cracking since the cuckoo bird usually hatches before the others and can grow far larger than the host mother. The eye peaks out menacingly, ready to kill its siblings.

I've shaped the hand and bulbous muscle roots different than the drawing - the tendons will come when I apply the sculpey. The bulbs are bigger - more room for the felt leaves and leaflets, and the fingers are angled to hold the nest. I'm going to have a spine coming up from the back of the hand so I can weld the leaves, berry, and nut to it. 

I'm going to paint it brown like a tree - with dark brown lowlights and beige highlights. I'm thinking about making the brown slightly tinted green to give it an eerie feeling. I want to paper-machete the eggs around light bulbs - or I could use glow in the dark paint. 

The spine will be attached by a number of spikes sticking into the foil, it will curve upward and be welded to the iron pieces. The nest will still be made from reeds, I have a few but I need to find more dead ones so that I can tear them up and begin my mother bird experience of building a nest from twigs and weaving them in. I'm going to be gluing on the felt leaves, and I will either make the eggs from clay, from light bulbs, or paint eggshells with removed insides (straw and nail method) with glow-in the dark paint.

I also want to patina the leaves green and the nut and berry brown. The spine must also be brown. It will have bracelets coming around through the spine spikes with the sculpey parasite beads.

The spine was not implemented, the iron pieces are displayed as a separate structure, though still part of the 'to light' sculpture. I gave them an acrylic wash so that they would match with the egg-light I found (Himalayan salt LED light). Though I don't have room in the nest for another light, just as there wasn't enough room in the hand for both the light and nest to fit. These are glued to the side of the hand. 

The parasite beads are wired around the metal side-piece. I used thin green wire to resemble vines and fit into the nature theme. I didn't want to ruin the hand-nest with a bunch of beads, so only a few beads ended up glue to it (my favorite ones - the pink larvae and the nut). I added yellow spray paint over the brown and gray I'd applied to the nest and hand to give them more dimension. The hand I'd baked in the oven and then covered in lines of hot glue for a bark texture. I could have made the texture from the sculpey itself as I'd intended, but the kind I got at Walmart was air-dry and had a sandy texture that was difficult to work with. I tried using water to smooth it down, but it kept cracking. The cracks have since been covered in hot glue. 

    When I used the yellow spray-paint, it gave the project a greenish tint which helped it fit better with the orange salt light. However, it muddied the color of the felted leaves, so I repainted them when I went in and added shadows into the holes in the hand and under the fingers. 

I felt the beads and the wire made the piece somewhat busy, so I added reeds and loose material from the nest, as well as berries to the metal sidepiece with hot glue. The extension cord for the light originally came out of the side of the nest, but a hole has since been made. Where the hot glue was applied for the nest, loose nest pieces were added to hide the glue. The hot glue around the felt as well was painted green and blue where the leaves attach to mask it.