I am finally finished my sculpture! I am really happy with how it turned out, especially the the bubbles and the noose. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to tie it because I had so many problems with trying to tie it earlier. I think my butterflies turned out well, even though their attachments are a bit wonky. I really like my decision to add the circular base at I like the way it is very asymmetrical in respect to the circle. Overall I really enjoyed this process significantly more than I had expected.

I am very close to being finished with my sculpture. I just have to figure out how to tie the noose, again. Then I have to attach my wire butterflies. I might attach it to a circular base that I have to paint white, but I am not 100% sure I am going to do it. I am also thinking about spray painting my butterflies or dipping them in white paint because I want them to be white. White symbolizes purity and generally is viewed as positive, so I want my holly white butterflies to contrast heavily with my black noose, which I still have to figure out how to tie. I will probably come in during lunch in the near future to finish it, but I really have no idea when I am going to get to work on it because I have so much other work and I need to start on my "Fantastic Four" Project at home and generally figure out how to use oil paint.  

This I think has been my favorite Lunch Time lecture thus far. I am not really a coffee person, but the motivation behind his coffee cart was really impactful. I admire his ability to take the hardships in his life, push through them, them make art to help people struggling with the same thing as him. Beyond being a cool person with a big heart, he is also quite funny. I was reading up on him and in his All my Life for Sale project he sold his side-burns, which is hilarious. His Social Practice art provides a different way to look at art which I hadn't considered before. I think I would be fun to do, maybe even on a limmited scale for my Head and Heart project.

Free Hot Coffee

All my Life for Sale

Free Ice water

Free Ice Water

Titus Kaphar, Matriarch Shredded, Oil on canvas, 2009
approximately: 48 x 36 inches (dimensions variable)

Michelle Erickson, Butterfly Skulls, Porcelain, black porcelain and venetian blue tin glaze, 2014, 7 x 11 inches each.

I really enjoyed this experience and I am immensely envious that these people can afford to own so many amazing works. Lots of the works on display weren't really my cup of tea, but they were impressive nonetheless. From this exhibit, I mostly drew inspiration for my sculpture from Gavin Keyon's Straining at the Leash  and Marc Sijan's Levitation. I really liked the hanging elements and kind of slightly disturbing imagery. I like the elements of weight at play in both of the works and hope to incorporate them into my own work through my noose that will be suspended my my hands and the hopeful lightness my butterflies will give off. 
    I really like the broadness in styles of the work the Royalls have collected. The wide range provides for an interesting and dynamic display in their gallery. I am curious as to how they choose and find artwork to buy. Do they just hear of auctions and go to wherever they are held to buy art, or do they have people monitoring the art markets and buying things for them? This whole process of art collecting at such a large scale really intrigues me.

Marc Sijan, Levitation, Polyester resin and paint with mixed media, 2013, 75 x 27 x 15 inches

Jessica Jackson Hutchins, Every Man has his Tastes, Upholstered chair and ottoman, glazed ceramic, ceramic objects, paint, 2013-14, 75 x 39 x 35 inches