My work has progressed quite a bit throughout the semester. As always, it seems like the first half of the semester started out very slow. In the past, I have had to go through a few "crap" paintings before getting the rust off enough to start producing paintings that were actually worthwhile. And this semester was no different. I found myself producing less than stellar quality paintings, only to be discouraged and upset about my progress. But after sticking with it for a while I began to get more comfortable painting again, and started to come around. What I thought were okay paintings were merely studies that pointed me in the right direction to go. I started out with very minimal and incomplete paintings that lent itself towards more descriptive ones. In result, my paintings have become more advanced and honest. I have started to realize more what it is I need to be painting.

What I am painting are the landscapes that inspire me when I am out running. What particularly inspires me are my physical and mental states of mind. After being by myself on the roads or in the woods for an hour to two hours, my body enters a realm that I call "floating". Being surrounded by empty and calm landscapes help put my body in that place.

The best learning/critique moment came during a committee critique of mine. I was told that my paintings looked more like under-paintings than actual finished pieces, something that needed many more layers before it could become successful. This made me look not only outwards at my paintings, but also inward. It made me think about what it was I had been painting and why. It forced me to think about the decisions I was making and if they were the right ones. This made me look at my paintings in a different way than I had been. Having heard that was such a turning point in the semester that I am very thankful that it happened. If it had not occurred, my paintings would not be where there currently are.

I viewed both the "Fax" and "Girls" exhibitions. I was not particularly blown away by these shows. They were certainly interesting and worthwhile in their own ways, but collectively they were not my favorite shows I have seen in the gallery. I liked the different media presented in the "Girls" show, with paintings, sculptures, weavings, and prints being shown. It was a nice variety of artwork. I needed more time to warm up to the idea of the "Fax" show. At first I was more or less confused about what I was looking at and why, but after a brief description by Bryan Thomas I saw it in a different context. And at the closing with Professor Kramer talking about the history of the show, it became much more clear and interesting.

There is no single artist that has been the most inspiring. During the semester while searching for artists that are working in the landscape genre in the way that I am, I found three artists that I liked. They are Toni Grote, Eric Fredine, and Steven Kozar. Although the three artists work in different media, they all seem to share similar qualities to my paintings. Their ideas and concepts might be different than those of mine, but what I was particularly drawn to were the subject matter and their use of space and how they divided the canvas.

Classmates have also influenced my work by giving me feedback. I have had students come up to me and say what their thoughts are about certain paintings, i.e. the feelings that are created when standing in front of a painting, what is working for them versus what is not. Hearing their personal responses is a great way for me to look back at what I am making and seeing if others are experiencing what I am. Having that fresh pair of eyes makes it easier to see what I am over looking. What is really beneficial to me is when I have different people look at my paintings and receive opinions other than mine.

My perspective on the arts has changed due to being involved with media I really have not worked with before. I am currently taking a weaving and a second level sculpture class. It has taught me ways to be involved with art other than painting, which is what I am very used to. Having to physically work with items such as wax, polypropylene threads, sand, wood, plasticine, etc. has opened not only my eyes to new media but also my thoughts as to what is possible to make, and how I can or cannot relate it to painting.

My goals for next semester are straight forward:

Have a successful Thesis show

Produce quality paintings

Stick to a better schedule

Finalize my Artist Statement