Tuesday, October 21, 2008

What I've been working on lately

so um
sorry for being so flaky guys
I can't keep up with you

you've both been posting really incredible work and even though I haven't been commenting
I still look at it all and especially when I'm stuck and need a push

here is a big jumble of stuff
basically everything I've done this semester worth sharing, sortof
almost none of it is finished, so don't worry about giving substantial feedback
I know I haven't given you much to work with

these are a lot of incomplete ideas, things I've jumped into without really knowing where they're going
it's a different way of working than I'm used to but they love it here at Parsons
I don't know as much as I struggled with the sketches at UArts I think it was really good for me



okay so this thing is going to be part of a very large triptych about getting drunk in the desert
this is just a sketch, the final thing will be bigger and not covered in dirt
probably I will paint the figure instead of using graphite
for the future, expect: camels, sappy poetry, more cacti, lots of sand




these are some birds and insects



they will go into the background of this


which will probably not look anything like that when I'm done with it
there will be vegetables and trees I think
that dark area on my chest will be covered in jewelry and flower necklaces
each of the birds will be integrated into the background and I will paint more directly onto the others I think
kind of a layered dreamy nostalgic thing
and I'll hopefully integrate some type, maybe labels for the birds with all that sentimental stuff I love so much


this thing will go into a larger piece where I am hibernating underground
kind of like those museum exhibits that show a cross-section of soil
and then above ground will be winter and trees and things
I will include sleeping chipmunks of course



And here's one of the only things I've finished all semester, a few more matchbooks. This time about plants and memories and gushy stuff like that.



so I think that's everything I've made so far worth showing
hopefull I'll finish the piece with me underground in a week or so
and then the other two by the end of the semester

right now I'm working on a project that is a book that opens and then has smaller books inside that then unfold into things like maps or x-rays or maybe I will just fill the thing with cicadas, I don't know


thank you both for keeping this thing going
it really has been helpful to try and meet the high standards both of you set with your work
I'll get out of my slump soon I hope


most importantly
please both of you come visit me right away
tell me when is good for you and maybe we can like make art together or some hippie fluff like that

8 comments:

Sara Wood said...

Travis.

Beautiful.

I can see what's been keeping you so busy...it's all absolutely wonderful! I'm so glad to see that you're finding more and more ways to put all of that care that you're famous for into your work. Layers, perfect little tiny things, folds, snips, colors, words, animals...you've been so consistent, but there's always a marked growth.

I love the birds and insects (duh), as well as the base for that self-portrait you're working on. The textures in it are impeccable, between that rough background and the shiny smoothness of the ...graphite? I really look forward to seeing that composition and how you figure things out for it.

Ohmygoodness, I also love, love, love the cross-section concept. If anyone could pull it off, it'd be you, for sure. I realize that the painting of sleepy Travis is unfinished (and it's looking great), but will that grayed out color scheme be seen throughout the piece?

I just can't wait to see all of the finished products, that's all! Only you would post unfinished works, and have every component look absolutely realized and cared for. They're really great pieces on their own, so I can only imagine the impact that they'll have when assembled.

You're doing beautiful work, as always! I miss you. :)

Sara Wood said...

Oh my...I only just now caught the perfection of the rendering of your hands and feet in the hibernation bit.

I'm going to get that image tattooed on my left thigh. That's how much I worship you now.

CapoCosmico said...

Hermosas tus ilustraciones!
saludos desde Argentina

Travis said...

oh gosh sara how do you know exactly the right things to say

thank you
that's really helpful

the cross-section piece is actually a little bluer than the photograph, but I was hoping to keep that as a unifying scheme... hopefully with a few areas of warm colors to keep the whole thing from getting monotonous. Maybe in the scarf I'll bring out some deep reds and browns.

thank you again, you are too sweet
I miss you too!

harmonicas said...

travis
travis
travis
travis
travis

harmonicas said...

oh my god how big/small are these

Travis said...

joanna
joanna
joanna

the birds are all big enough to fit into a 4x6 envelope and the paintings of me and the one of audrey with the agave cactus are both about 10 inches tall and then the map with me on it is 22x30
the matchbooks are as big as matchbooks

Jim said...

I'm particularly fond of the birds and matchbooks. Your matchbooks are always so great, it's good to see you making such an extensive series. The desert thing sounds pretty epic, so I'll just wait and see how it turns out before I take it in as a whole, but so far I think the combination of techniques is working impressively well.