I grew up thinking hills were mountains

Transcription

1 University of Iowa Iowa Research Online Theses and Dissertations Spring 2014 I grew up thinking hills were mountains Karin M. Waskiewicz University of Iowa Copyright 2014 Karin Waskiewicz This thesis is available at Iowa Research Online: Recommended Citation Waskiewicz, Karin M.. "I grew up thinking hills were mountains." MFA (Master of Fine Arts) thesis, University of Iowa, Follow this and additional works at: Part of the Art Practice Commons

2 I GREW UP THINKING HILLS WERE MOUNTAINS by Karin M Waskiewicz A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Fine Arts degree in Art in the Graduate College of The University of Iowa May 2014 Thesis Supervisor: Associate Professor Laurel Farrin

3 Copyright by KARIN M WASKIEWICZ 2014 All Rights Reserved

4 Graduate College The University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL MASTERS THESIS This is to certify that the Master s thesis of Karin M. Waskiewicz has been approved by the Examining Committee for the thesis requirement for the Master of Fine Arts degree in Art at the May 2014 graduation. Thesis Committee: Laurel Farrin, Thesis Supervisor Susan White John Dilg Isabel Barbuzza

5 To my parents, Robert and Kristina Waskiewicz. Thank you for always supporting me. ii

6 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my family and friends for their support and encouragement. (listed in no particular order): Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister, Aunt Donna, Grandma (Nanny) Waskiewicz, Grandma Gert, Poppy, Helga Russel, Aunt Missy, Annie Homan, Caity Homan, Aunt Laura, Chris Bowler, Mary Etta Mauthe, Jamie Borowitz, Martin Ball, Gianna Commito, Scott Olson, Lorenzo Pezzatini, Laurel Farrin, Susan White, John Dilg, Isabel Barbuzza, Sue Hettmansperger, Maura Maloney, Jackie Mock, Ellen Siebers, Andrea Dejong, Kate Papineau, Maxine Ament and my dog Zeke. iii

7 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES v I GREW UP THINKING HILLS WERE MOUNTAINS..1 iv

8 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Where the River Meets the Fog Mountains of Crete Split Rock Panther s Cave Pick Up Sticks Henry s Bend Revival # I Don t Do That Hill Mountain Wild Fire Air Show Bay Landscape in Flight Young Lovers Rock Pile Mountain Blue Mound Amorphous Presque Isle Deep Blue Rolling Hills Revival # Revival # Revival #3.24 v

9 1 I GREW UP THINKING HILLS WERE MOUNTAINS My paintings rely on discovery-- excavating into the surface to find the painting beneath. I work in an actual space that dimensionally inhabits the picture plane. The process begins with acrylic paint applied in thick layers, creating a sedimentation of color that is later unearthed. The painting emerges as I carve, gouge and dig away dry paint to reveal and investigate a world in paint alone. The process allows for a journey through the depth of the paint, subtracting and adding to the supports until the painting is ultimately resolved. I see the layers of paint revealing their own history, some layers becoming more significant than others. Thousands of paint chips are made in the creation of each painting, which become remnants of the process. Embedding these discarded chips into my next painting allows for a sense of shared history. Some of my process is predetermined, mapping out color layered substrates and other aspects of the painting arrive through an element of surprise, thought the process itself. I want the viewer to see the painting in multiple ways in the way our memory allows us to experience the same place again in a slightly different way. The imagery comes from fragments of memories that I have collected throughout my life. Most of the memories are related to experiences that I have had in nature and with the people around me. I grew up spending my summers at my family s cottage on the Alleghany River in Oil City, Pennsylvania. Everyday I would stare at the hills with my cousins and play across the river on various large rocks. We began to create a language about our

10 2 landscape that we spent so much time discovering, naming our special places, growing up thinking hills were mountains. The series of landscapes come from my desire to be in a space of awe. When I was studying abroad I took a trip to Crete Greece. Arriving in the night made me feel anxious about a place unknown to me. My hotel was disappointing and far from the downtown, I suddenly wanted nothing to do with where I was. Frustrated by my predicament, I went to bed. In the morning I stepped outside to find that I was on the beach with mountains in the distance. I was in shock; I had never felt such relief in a reaction to a place.

11 Figure 1. Where the River Meets the Fog. Acrylic on Panel, 48 x

12 Figure 2. Mountains of Crete. Acrylic on Panel, 48 x

13 Figure 3. Split Rock. Acrylic on Panel, 24 x

14 Figure 4. Panther s Cave. Acrylic on Panel, 60 x80,

15 Figure 5. Pick Up Sticks. Acrylic on Panel x

16 Figure 6. Henry s Bend. Acrylic on Panel, 48 x

17 Figure 7. Revival #4. Acrylic on Panel, 29.5 x

18 Figure 8. I Don t Do That. Acrylic on Panel, 28 x

19 Figure 9. Hill Mountain. Acrylic paint chips, 12 x8 x

20 Figure 10. Wild Fire. Acrylic on Panel, 48 x

21 Figure 11. Air Show Bay. Acrylic on Panel, 24 x

22 Figure 12. Landscape in Flight. Acrylic on Panel, 24 x

23 Figure 13. Young Lovers. Acrylic on Panel, 36 x

24 Figure 14. Rock Pile Mountain. Acrylic on Panel, 36 x

25 Figure 15. Blue Mound. Acrylic on Canvas, 8.5 x

26 Figure 16. Amorphous. Acrylic on Panel, 31 x

27 Figure 17. Presque Isle. Acrylic on Panel, 15 x

28 Figure 18. Deep Blue. Acrylic on Panel, 24 x

29 Figure 19. Rolling Hills. Acrylic on Panel, 16.5 x

30 Figure 20. Revival #1. Acrylic on Panel, 25.5 x

31 Figure 21. Revival #2. Acrylic on panel, 18 x

32 Figure 22. Revival #3. Acrylic on Canvas, 24.5 x