Re Non II

Another self-portrait.  This is a detail--the entire painting is very vertical. 
I used mostly deep-dwelling sea creatures (with the exception of the lionfish; I just happen to like them a lot) and portrayed them surfacing, which only happens very rarely.  I love sea life, and wanted the painting to represent me coming out of my shell.  I tend to be fairly quiet unless I'm around people I know, but I realize that I'm much more outgoing that I was earlier this year.

I didn't exactly get the reaction I wanted out of this (most people took the intimidating-looking fish and gave the painting a "threatening" context; personally I find anglerfish and whatnot to be extremely fascinating) but, that's an inevitable part of using signifiers in artwork.

Re Non Project

Now you see it now you don't.  I'm extremely pleased with the end product. 
The book in a sense represents me, and the little world you see inside the pages represents the part of me that I don't always make obvious to others.

See 1000

This is the finished result.  I didn't really have a very well-formed concept behind this, so I decided to make something bizarre and interesting to look at.  It was an attempt to evoke the same curiosity and interest I felt toward the sweetgum seed pods. 

Write 1000

Narrative

When I was a small child still living in Hampton I can remember going out with my parents to the local park and exploring.  I found all kinds of things, from duck feathers to pinecones, and many other interesting natural treasures.  I eventually came across the fallen, dried-out seedpod of a sweet gum tree.  I remember being mesmerized by its shape, and just by how utterly strange it was.  It was unlike anything I had ever seen.  The seedpod had a spiky, rather intimidating appearance, but it had a spherical symmetry that I found beautiful to look at.  At first I was hesitant to touch it, being wary of the spikes, but upon grasping it, it did not inflict any pain.  The sweetgum seedpod remained an object of curiosity and fascination throughout my childhood.  

Subjective

The sweetgum seedpod has a very interesting shape that compels me to hold and observe it.  The spines and dark color give the object a slightly intimidating look; the spines make me think of hundreds of tiny, grotesque gaping monster beaks. 

On the other hand, I think the gumball is beautiful because of the symmetry of its spines and its shape. 

Objective

The sweetgum seedpod is, simply, a seedpod.  Its purpose is to disperse seeds and start a new generation of sweetgum seedlings.  The pods are dry, rigid, and vary in color from brick red to red-orange. The spines are brittle, and mostly symmetrical; they could serve any number of purposes; perhaps they discourage animals from eating them, or they might even serve as a means to transport the pod to a distant area away from the tree.  The pods are light and have a single stem that juts out. 

Get Out Project

For this project I essentially decorated a dying arborvitae with petals and flowers from nearby trees.  It explores my restorative tendencies, but it could also be an exploration of the human nature to change and morph the environment in ways that satisfy us.