ecsuVisualArts

Political Activism as an Eastern Visual Arts Student

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Lupinacci) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:38:00 +0000

My name is Wayland Leonard and I have been a resident of Connecticut for my entire life; most of which here in the Northeast. I have been interested in art ever since I was eleven years old when my late grandfather let me borrow his camera for an afternoon. I then proceeded to waste an entire roll of film taking pictures of puddles and stumps from bizarre angles. Thus, was the birth of my art career, from that point I couldn’t stop.
Currently, I am a senior here at Eastern with

every intention of graduating in the Spring. However, before my time at Eastern, I spent four years at Quinebaug Valley Community College in Danielson, where I live. At QVCC

I was the President of the Peace and Social Justice Group, which initially was formed as a student and faculty voice within our campus community to oppose the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, we evolved to take on other social justice issues such as corporate accountability for industrial disasters in places like Bhopal, India and Coca-Cola Company’s practice of having union

leaders kidnapped and murdered in their bottling

plants in South America.

Needless to say political activism has also been a

major driving force in my life as well as in my art work.

Often times the themes of corporate and

governmental control dominate my pieces; other times I simply enjoy drawing bowls of fruit or stacks of books. Where any of this will ever take me... I’m not really sure yet. What I do know is that no matter what, I will be able

to do what I love regardless of whether or not I make a dime or become famous. Money and fame are shitty reasons to make art or revolution and the results are always the same... it always turns out to be fake.

My advice for new visual arts majors is to put your heart and soul into everything you produce, but also make sure you have a style that sets you apart from every artist. Be serious and do it because you love it.

In the Life of an Eastern Visual Arts Student

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Lupinacci) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:50:00 +0000

Aaron Zambarano

Visual Arts Major

Digital Art & Design Concentration

Senior

"Eastern's Visual Arts program introduced me to various types of visual media and the methods that go into producing them, whether by hand or by computer. My first class in the arts program was 2-D Design, which encouraged the use of hand-made projects using pencils, paints, markers, paper cut-outs, ink, and various other media, and since then the classes have continued to expand my (and many others') experience with creating artwork. The Digital Art & Design courses teach ways to create and alter art on a computer, which at least for me proved to be a difficult transition, but well worth learning. Courses in photography have helped as well, particularly in the composition and color of my artwork.

"The aspect I like best about Eastern Visual Arts Department is the broad range of talents among the faculty. Just about every media I've used so far has had at least one professor who was both knowledgeable and helpful in what I was doing. I personally have always preferred hand-made media to computer-aided design, so much of my study has been under the instruction of such artists as Lula Mae Blocton and Brad Guarino, two very talented artists who both leave a noticeable impression on their students. As for my computer-oriented classes, Sharon Butler and Rebecca Moran have always been patient, creative, and full of ideas to help their students develop not only our proficiency in digital art and design, but our ways of thinking and being creative. The Art Department faculty have helped me immensely not only in my drawings and in my graphic design, but in my course selection, which has helped me to take the classes I find interesting, with time to fulfill the General Education Requirements.

"When I finish college, I would like to either go to grad school to be a comic book illustrator, or do something with video game concept art. Eventually, I would like to have a hand in a multimedia studio, where I could mix hand-made artwork with computer-aided illustration and editing.

"If I could suggest anything to new visual art students it would be to explore different areas of media, but be strong in a particular area. Make opportunities for yourself – don't wait for one.

Jess' Tutorial of the Week: Stylish Text Effect

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Lupinacci) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:46:00 +0000

I am showing you this tutorial because text is something that you can be manipulated in so many unique and stylish ways. This tutorial will teach you how to use different effects that you can apply and experiment with in other ways than just this.

GETTING STARTED

• Open a new Illustrator document.

• Start typing with the type tool (choose a chunky font).

• Adjust kerning so you have room for a thicker stroke.

VECTOR ART WORK APPLIED TO TEXT

• Import or create your own vector art work.

• Maker sure it is very busy or pattern oriented.

• Drag the entire image/artwork to the swatches library.

• Select text and then click on the art work swatch we just created.

OFFSET STROKE

• Click text add stroke.

• Use the appearance pallet and click right to add second stroke.

• Then click on Effects Path. Offset path and then adjust as desired.

Eastern Campus Activity Board and NACA

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Lupinacci) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:06:00 +0000

This year I have had the privilege to be an active member on the Campus Activities Board here at Eastern. My roll on the committee is to handle all graphics and promotional aspects of CAB with my partner, Kevin Porter and our assistants, Matt Morrico and James Vaclavick. CAB is the program responsible for most of the big activities hosted in the Student Center and Wood Lawn.

Every year we attend a 3-day long conference called the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA), which was held at the Hartford Conference Center this year. During the conference we watched different showcases featuring some of the top national acts, including musicians, comedians, magicians and lecture speakers. We also went to the Campus Activities Marketplace which had booths set up for all sorts of fun activities to bring to campus, talent agents, and bands promoting themselves.

NACA is not just a place to scout out talent and different events, but also a place for us to meet with other schools and share our ideas with each other during educational sessions. We learn other schools' strategies and share our own. The exchange strengthens our activities and generates new strategies to promote them. The School Swap is also awesome. In advance, we are told a theme, and every school participating has to decorate their booth accordingly. This year the theme was "Going Green." Each school trades items with other schools. The school with the best booth treatment wins an award. We used extra seat cushions and CD's to make the top of our booth table, and wrapped postal shipping boxes with old flyers for the legs. The shinny CD background emulated solar panels, and "Eastern" was spelled out with cardboard letters. "Connecticut State University" was also in cut cardboard, with ransom-style lettering.

We also presented the activities to a NACA panel of judges. The judges reward the best school with the Excellence In Programming Award. Schools usually create a PowerPoint to display their activities, but this year we decided to break out, and create a huge rhyming story book similar to The Night Before Christmas. The book featured pictures of our events, and enthusiastic readers andsome mock students asked questions as part of the presentation. At the end of the Conference all 200 schools gather at a formal banquet to eat a final dinner and hand out the awards.

I am very proud and honored to be on the committee. We really went above and beyond with our countless hours of hard work and creative ideas. This year was big year at the conference for Eastern. Not only did we get the Excellence in Programming Award, but Casey Bandarra, our advisor in the Student Center, received The David A. Ross New Professional Award named in horror of the NACA founder. Sarah Potrikus received the The Student Leader Award, which was established to recognize the outstanding contributions of the region’s undergraduate leaders who make a difference at their institution, now named after Eastern’s vice president Ken Bedini, and The Staff Programmer Award was named after Eastern’s Michelle Delaney

Derek Hess Rocks

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Lupinacci) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:54:00 +0000

Who is Derek Hess?

He is a well known artist/ graphic designer from Cleveland, Ohio, whose success started in the 90's. His ironic, comical images depict the names of indie, hardcore and hard rock bands. His style is appealing because it is very crude and sketchy. His medium is mostly pen and ink mixed with a little acrylic, and often screen printing, too. His images create an emotional reaction from the viewer.

His projects range from rock n roll flyers to album art for various musical artists such as: Pantera, Pearl Jam, The Offspring, Quicksand, NOFX, Taking Back Sunday, Reverend Horton Heat, Pink Floyd, Thursday, Converge and many other important bands. Derek has recently gotten more involved with fine art. His rock band artwork is permanently displayed in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. Due to his enormous success in the music world he has also been featured in Alternative Press Magazine, On MTV and VH1

Derek Hess recently started a clothing line which you can check out at indiemerchstore.com.

Jess' Tutorial of the Week: furry monster

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Lupinacci) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:36:00 +0000

Since Halloween is coming up, I thought I'd share an adorable tutorial of this furry monster character.

Steps:
Open a new Adobe Illustrator file
and draw 4 circles with radial gradients
1. Light grey to white
2. Bright color- dark shade to light shade
3. Black to dark grey
4. Draw the last circle larger and place it behind the others.
Fill the radial gradient to blend in with the rest of the body. Add two specular high lights. Change the opacity on the larger one to 80%

• Use rounded rectangle tool of the same color of outer circle. Change corner radius to 2 inches and adjust sizing.
• Draw a rectangle in a random color to temporarily cover the bottom curve of the body.
• Use the subtract from shape area option in the pathfinder window to chop out the excess.
• Draw another round rectangle for the mouth. Put a radial gradient on it going from dark grey to black.
• Draw another rectangle and cover the 1st 2/3 rds of the rounded rectangle then use the pathfinder subtract tool again.
• Draw two teeth using the rounded rectangle tool.
• Copy and past the mouth on top and select the teeth with the mouth, then go to object clipping mask- make.
• Draw an oval tongue using linear gradient pink to red.
• Use another clipping mask to hide the over lap.
• Select the mouth shape then go to object- path- off set path then fill the object with the gradient of the body. then add a Gaussian blur of around 8 px.
• Draw circle, the same color of the body. Then drag the right side out.
• Click on the pen tool and choose convert to anchor point. Fold bezier handles in by clicking on the points on the shape.
• Drag this shape to the brush palette and create an art brush.

• Finally use the brush tool and create each and every piece of hair. Using a drawing tablet will make this easier.

Art Student Profile: Stacey Radkovitch's Trip to Australia

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Lupinacci) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:03:00 +0000

"Australia has always been a fascination of mine, especially the unique culture, beautiful landscapes, and unusual wildlife. I always dreamed about visiting Australia, but never thought I would actually get a chance to go. During the first week of classes, Fall Semester 2008, my advisor Professor Lula Mae Blocton approached me about a month long, study abroad program to Australia. Excited, I asked for more information and she suggested that I contact Professor Muriel Miller for further details.

"After meeting with Professor Miller, I remained in contact with her, constantly emailing her with questions. Once I realized I could afford the trip, I pulled everything together that I needed, to ensure that I could go. I then registered with CCSU through their Center for International Education, for a 6 credit art course. The course itself would require 4 major projects and 2 minor projects while on the trip, as well as student critiques about each others’ work. The program included travel to southeast and central Australia, and we would experience different landscapes such as mountains, desert, the rainforest and the coast. We visited Australia’s capital city of Sydney, the Warrumbungles (also known as the town of Coonabarabran and the Blue Mountains), O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, Morton Bay and Lookout Point on North Stradbroke Island, Brisbane, the infamous Ayers Rock and nearby Kings Canyon, and our final destination was our return to Sydney before we departed for home.

"At each destination, all of the art students on the trip would meet to review and critique artwork completed, give suggestions of how to improve each piece, and discuss what skills were used to create it. We also shared our opinions and experiences about each of the destinations to give feedback to Professor Miller and Professor Sylvia Halkin about the trip.

Each of these places was unique and diverse. The different landscapes, vegetation, and waterscapes allowed us to experiment painting different textures and colors to mimic what we saw. We all tried to capture the rich reds of the desert

soil and sand, the crashing waves against the rocks and beaches of the island, and the lush greens and hidden waterfalls within the rainforest. I enjoyed every place we visited, but there are two places that really stand out from the entire trip. The first was of our visit to O’Reilly’s in the rainforest. There were so many activities to do that we did not get a chance to do them all. Many of us hiked on the trails and saw the surging waterfalls that the forest has hidden, as well as many different species of birds and other wildlife. We were stationed in rooms at the top of the mountain; one of my favorite drawings I made was of the misty clouds that hovered in the valley below, with the mountain peaks peering out above them. I enjoyed creating the textures of the clouds in this drawing. Most of us also mades studies of the plants and animals that we encountered, which included the Bower bird and the Black Booyong trees.

"Another place that we visited, I will hold near and dear to my heart. This was our week on North Stradbroke Island. The variety of wildlife was incredible. We saw dolphins and porpoises, whales, sea turtles, sharks, rays, lizards, and a wide variety of beautiful birds. The trees and the flowers were also very unique. I have captured my best photographs of the entire trip, on that island. I enjoyed drawing its seascapes, cliffs, and gorges, as well as the beaches we saw there. I was able to use new techniques to paint waves on the paper and capture the various blues of the water. I am very proud of these drawings. The island also had a very rich Aboriginal culture and the people we met were extremely friendly. I came home from abroad with an experience of a lifetime. I had never been on a plane before this trip, which I will say is an experience in itself.

"I was also able to meet and interact with a new group of people not only from Eastern, but from CCSU, Keene State, UConn, and Paier College of Art. I would never have met them if it wasn’t for this program.

"Australia has encouraged me to continue travelling and interacting with other cultures, as well as creating artwork no matter where I am, whether I am abroad or just killing time between classes. I will definitely plan a trip to visit Australia again on my own. But until then, I am looking forward to this summer’s upcoming trip to Ireland, Scotland and London. the trip is sponsored by the CCSU Center for International Education, but ESCU students are invited to go, too. That should be a whole other experience."

Jess's Tutorial of the Week: Retro Pattern Text using Illustrator

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Lupinacci) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:51:00 +0000

This technique is very simple to create. The best way to use it would be in fun, trendy, and not so serious projects.

A Line Pattern Brush Stroke

This technique works with letters that have an equal weight because the lines are applied on the stroke. You will have to draw the letters your self using the pen and/or the ellipse tool to make sure none of the letters have a defined edge. Letters with defined edges will come out distorted.

- Draw the brush using 4 different colored squares.

- Group the 4 squares (command/control +g).

- Drag grouped object into brush palette.

- Choose art brushes and click ok.

- Change orientation of brush to vertical (upward).

Draw letters using ellipse, line and pen tool.

- Apply a stroke to the letter (no fill). Select the brush from the brushes palette to apply it on the stroke.
- You will probably have to adjust the weight each letter to be perfect.
- You will have to make a second brush for letters that come up with backwards colors.

La Lucha Por La Identidad

noreply@blogger.com (Jess Lupinacci) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:42:00 +0000

"La Lucha Por La Identidad: Puerto Rican Struggle for Identity," is an exhibition located in the Akus Gallery in Shafer Hall, here on Eastern's campus. This exhibition is unique because it has many different styles of Puerto Rican art including silk screen, painting, masks, and sculpture. You will notice that the Puerto Rican style of art uses a lot of vibrant and flat color in very visually effective techniques to show their cultural and political experiences. Printmaking professor, Imna Arroyo has made this exhibition possible with her collection of artwork from different artists as well as her own pieces. "La Lucha Por La Identidad" runs through October 4th. Curators Professor Imna Arroyo and Elizabeth Peterson have scheduled a guest performer, Carlos 'Go G,' Gomez, Wednesday, September 23rd, from 3pm till 4pm, in Shafer Auditorium. A reception, free and open to the public, will follow from 4pm till 7pm back at the gallery.

Chris Gunderson's design selected to promote the 2009 EVA Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Butler) — Fri, 01 May 2009 16:23:00 +0000

2009 Senior Exhibition opens May 14

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Butler) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:55:00 +0000

Click here for more info.

Join the new ECSU Visual Arts FaceBook Group

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Butler) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:26:00 +0000

Stay in touch. Click here to join the new FaceBook Group for ECSU Visual Arts students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends.

On hiatus: Summer break

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Butler) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 14:47:00 +0000

We'll be back in September, resuming regular updates about the visual arts at ECSU, with a new group of contributors. Stay tuned.

Ten Days Only!! Eastern’s Akus Gallery Presents “Free Thought”

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Butler) — Mon, 05 May 2008 17:05:00 +0000

Willimantic, Conn. –The Julian Akus Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University presents the exhibition, “Free Thought: Senior Art Exhibition 2008” a group show featuring the work of senior Visual Arts majors. The exhibition will open on May 8 with a reception from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. and will run ten days only, closing May 18 – so don’t miss it!

The Visual Arts department at Eastern offers the BA degree in the areas of Art History, Digital Art and Design, Painting & Drawing, Printmaking, and Sculpture. All of the applied arts in this department will be well-represented by the 38 student artists exhibiting. The subject matter, style, and media are as diverse at the students themselves. Some common themes emerge, however, giving the viewer an insight into what drives and motivates many in this new generation of artists: political savvy, environmental awareness, historical context, and personal involvement.

The gallery is located in the lower level of Shafer Hall at the corner of Windham and Valley Streets in Willimantic. Parking is available on both cross streets. The gallery is fully accessible.

Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 1 to 7 p.m. on Thursday; and 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The gallery is closed Mondays and Fridays. For more information regarding this and other exhibitions at Akus Gallery, please call the Akus Gallery at (860) 465-4659 or visit the web site: http://www.easternct.edu/depts/akus

###
Eastern Connecticut State University is part of the Connecticut State University (CSU) system and is the state’s public liberal arts university. Eastern serves more than 5,000 students each year on its Willimantic campus.

It is the policy of Eastern Connecticut State University to ensure equal access to its events. If you are an individual with a disability and will need accommodations for this event, please contact the Office of University Relations at (860) 465-5735.
# # #

Stephanie Komski's Visit

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Barber) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:06:00 +0000

On April 8, 2008, Stephanie Komski, a former Eastern Graphic Design student, came to ECSU to speak about her past and recent job experience to the Eastern Digital Art & Design students.

Stephanie speaking to the students.

June explaining something a little bit far for the students.

Some students listening to Stephanie.

Stephanie showing June her new and improved personal site.

Stephanie's personal site.

Exhibits of Brochures.

Exhibit of Labels.

Exhibit of calenders.

Beautiful weather = motivation for art.

noreply@blogger.com (E.Job) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:50:00 +0000

As spring rushes into full bloom I find myself excited to go out on expeditions and take pictures again. I am not sure if anyone else feels the same way, but I have been out snapping photographs like crazy. If you haven't felt the drive to step outside and take photographs, maybe you should try laying out in the grass with some paint or some pencils. Spring is a wonderful time for art and I recommend that everyone takes in some fresh air and let their creative juices flow. I found myself climbing some scaffolding on the middle of the Manhattan Bridge to take this digital photograph of the Brooklyn Bridge and the lower eastside of Manhattan. Enjoy the weather.

2008 Student Art Exhibition

noreply@blogger.com (M. Smith) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:49:00 +0000

Willimantic Whitewater Partnership, Inc. Logos

CT Portraits

Personal Posters

These are some of the examples of artwork by Eastern Connecticut Digital Art & Design Students. These artworks plus a lot more can be seen in the Student Center.

ECSU SENIOR SHOW-Three Exhibitors

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne Fitzgerald Wyant) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:47:00 +0000

EMILY HOLMAN: A graduating senior from the Willimantic area, Holman is graduating with a double concentration in Studio Arts; majoring in both sculpture and painting.

Holman's senior project consists of representations of both concentrations with a large, (approximately 60"x60") mixed media on canvas painting in a style that combines both expressionism and surrealism. This painting is intended to tie into the other major part of Holman's project and may serve as a backdrop of sorts to the series of sculptured torsos that represent figurative icons of contemporary life. This group of fired clay pieces start from a cast mold from life and develop into statements on substitutes for spirituality such as "God of War",God of Consumerism", and "God of Pretensions". These working titles guide the combinations of heads, torsos, limbs and found objects that will complete this work.

Professor Qimim Liu is Holman's painting advisor, and Professors Claudia Widdis is Holman's sculpture advisor.

ROB QUAMILY: A graduating senior from Mamaroneck, Westchester County, NY, Quamily has a sculpture concentration as a Studio Arts major.

After many sculpture courses in diverse materials, Quamily settled on a large, striking, wood sculpture as his senior project. This figure represents many hours of work from selecting the pieces of white pine used to the mastering of many tools such as band saws, drills of all sizes, jig saws, the Shurform, as well as all kinds of hand tools. This sculpture is very masculine and strong in appearance and will end up being over 60" tall. The carved and sanded pieces will be drilled and joined with steel bolts and other fastening devices and will end up in perfect balance, with outreached arms signifying relief.

Professor Claudia Widdis is acting as instructor and advisor to Quamily.

BETH MITCHELL: Mitchell is a non-traditional student who commutes from the Ledyard area and juggles many responsibilities in her pursuit of A Studio Arts degree with a concentration in painting and drawing.

Mitchell's paintings are galvanizing combinations of wild colors and abstracted motion filled figures which act to draw one's eye into the maelstrom of her art. Some of her paintings are strictly abstract with motion conveyed by brush stroke and color. Mitchell enjoys figurative work and also works in clay sculpture as a way of adding another dimension to her understanding of the human figure. Painting is usually in oil, although Mitchell also experiments with inks and other media.

Professor Liu is Mitchell's instructor and advisor in the series of paintings that constitute her senior project.

Windham Textile & History Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:45:00 +0000

A little-known treasure situated here in Willimantic is the Windham Textile & History Museum. The museum focuses on both the textile mill industry as well as the human element of its industrialization, detailing information on the people who worked in the mills, lived in the mill towns, and who ran the mills. Located on Main Street, across from Artspace, the museum is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and by appointment.

ECSU Student

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda Murillo) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:40:00 +0000

Here is my roommate Amanda doing some sketches for one of her Design classes here at ECSU.

In the Eyes of the Wolf (movie preview)

noreply@blogger.com (NM) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:29:00 +0000

This semester my biggest project has been a flash movie for Professor Lennox’s class Illustration: Stories to Life. The story I chose was one I wrote last year entitled “In the Eyes of the Wolf.” I ended up creating a preview for the movie version of my story because not only did it save me time and let me work on making the frames I had completed more fleshed out; it also let me use voice over for the “movie guy” voice which was a lot of fun. All in all I think this preview came out quite well, especially considering it was my first project using Flash.

You can read my story at NM Design.

I hope you enjoy!

Art & Biology in Ireland, Scotland and England

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Butler) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:09:00 +0000

This upcoming trip to Ireland, Scotland and England in May-June, 2008 is a collaboration of Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU) and Central Connecticut State University (CCSU). Muriel Miller, Adjunct Professor of Art at ECSU and Dr. Sylvia Halkin, Professor of Biology at CCSU will lead the program. Ireland, Scotland, and England Program 2008 details.

2008 Senior Show opens May 8

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Butler) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:29:00 +0000

Workshop in Willimantic: Developing an Artist's Statement

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Butler) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:58:00 +0000

“Who am I?” Developing an Artist's Statement
with panelists Colleen Coleman and Sal Scalora
Windham Area Arts Collaborative
Saturday afternoon, April 12– 1-3 pm
Led by veteran arts administrators this special panel conversation will provide the tools you need to create your own statement in order to enlighten potential buyers, exhibition curators, fellow artists, critics and browsers alike with insights from your creative world – your philosophy and vision. A must-do exercise for visual and performing artists. ** Registrations must be received by Wed., April 9.

Members $20
Not-Yet Members $35

Visual Arts Club trip to NYC

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Butler) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:59:00 +0000

Saturday, April 12-13, the Visual Arts Club has organized an overnight trip to NYC to explore museums and galleries. Check out the Whitney Biennial and find out how artists are engaging in post-studio art practice and social networking. See Gustave Courbet and Jasper Johns at the Met, and scope out the recently reopened New Museum and all the new galleries in the Lower East Side. Don't forget to browse through ArtCal, New York's only online opinionated guide to the arts, before you get on the train.