Lana

Hi All,

This is Lana writing on the ideas that I want to work on this semester. I am originally from Pennsylvania and graduated high school in 1993. I decided to go to college after being out in the real world and finding out that it sorta sucks. I am very glad to have taken a break before coming to college though, because I feel that I have a good idea of what I want to do, and am very dedicated to doing well in school. I recentely attended Greenfield Community College, where I concentrated on photography and drawing. Drawing is my passion and I am excited to be working on printmaking.
I will be concentrating on the action of people. Specifically, I have been making sketches from bike races that I have been to in the past. I raced bikes for many years and it is an important issue to me. I want to concentrate on the intensity that goes on in the race scene. I would love to model my woodcuts after Durer, and his intense detailing. I like how there is a lot going on in his work. He has the main scene, but if you look closely there are things going on in the background. At first I will need to get the hang of woodcutting, but eventually I would like to incorporate more and more detail. I also love the use of symbolism.
I would like to take the approach of Durer's war scenes and put a modern twist on them. In the photos that I have selected from racing, I feel that there is a connection between the two. While, I will not be drawing people on horses going into battle, I will be drawing them on bikes, going into battle. I think that when you see the photos it will be explained better.
I feel that response is an important issue for me. I know that I am taking a risk at reaching a narrow audience with my subject matter, and I would really like to interest all people in what I am doing. I want artists to be attracted to my work and not just athletes. If I can get a message across, I would want it to be one of intensity, but the message is not as important to me.
I also really admire M C Escher and his precise work, but I am not sure that this is going to be worked into my theme at all. I really like the use of his bold lines. I think that he is a genius.
I think that is all I have to say for now, and hopefully I can articulate more as the semester progresses.
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My project idea has changed a little bit from the beginning of the semester. Instead of focusing on bikes as my subject, they have become a small part of the work, moving through the projects as a connection, or a sort of narrative character. I have been focusing on landscape more, and will continue this through the rest of the semester. I have been looking at Frans Masereel. I like the simplicity that he uses. I have also been looking at a lot of Japanese prints, but they are really intense and more just for my viewing pleasure. I also have a book by Dore that I really like. He works with subject matter like Dragons, Knights and the such, but his technique is really intense. I don't believe it is woodcut though, it is some other sort of engraving.