Art 1010 Found Art Project

Art 1010 Found Art Project

“Off duty Sherriff Wesley”

Staci Alvey

7\22\2014

 

When I first read the assignment I thought this would be a really fun project and began to brainstorm instantly. In my mind I had envisioned many beautifully crafted animals from turtles to horses. I started to look around for things and as I was looking I soon realized that it wasn’t as easy as I had envisioned.  Several days before the due date, I begin putting random odds and ends together in hopes of creating something amazing, that I would be proud to call my own. Once again I was very disappointed. I searched several websites several books and every time I thought I had the right tools I would end up realizing that I didn’t have all the tools that I had hoped for.

While searching my house I found a vase that I knew I wanted to use due to the shape and size of this particular vase. I had glued and tied several items to this vase and after trial and error multiple times I had realized that it would make a great head for my piece. After finding the head I started looking for all the physical features.  This was a bit easier then I had anticipated and had my entire family looking f or Ideas that I could use.  I first had the idea that I would recreate a character from a famous TV show, but I’m my own way.  I soon realized that I didn’t like the idea of taking what was clearly not my own. So once again I stated over.

After trying several different ideas I decided that I just needed to glue and leave something and then maybe the ideas would flow from there. This in the end is what helped me to complete my project.  As I started gluing the piece on a personality began to take its own and after applying the nail scrub brush the idea of a Sherriff came to mind. This was it; this is finally what I was going to do. I have always loved western movie and have a fascination of cowboy art. I decided was going to create my own cowboy piece.  Before I completed the face I knew I wanted him to have a lasso in on hand and some cards in the other. The idea was a Sherriff off duty.  He would still be prepared to use a lasso if needed but also you get the idea that he is laid back with the few cards in his hands. In many of the westerns I have watched poker always seems to be the game of choice and I too wanted to keep that idea.

When I look at this piece I think wow it may seem kind of weird to some but it is just what I had envisioned after all the trials.  It may also seem plain and simple but that describes my life as well as what I feel a cowboys life would be.  I know that a cowboy is nothing without a pistol but being that is was for school I decided with much deliberation that it would not be appropriate.  I do however understand that art is a story or an emotion of the artist life. I felt that it was not the time or the place for that strong of a message.

Through the entire process I had to other issues besides not knowing exactly what I wanted to do. The belt was a big part of the piece and I wanted it to be just right. I wanted the belt buckle right in the middle and I wanted it to look as if my creation was actually wearing a belt. However it did not want to stay in the original place that I wanted it and I tried several times to make it work. At one point I was so fed up with just the belt not turning out as I wanted, and decided that I needed to take a break and come back a few minutes with a fresh mind. Turns out this are was exactly what I needed. I can’t even imagine how other artist must experience extreme stress in trying to make their piece look just right.  My piece wasn’t very big compared to other pieces of art that I have seen.  I know that I would never attempt that type of piece because the amount of pressure and stress must be ridiculous.

After all is said and done I am glad how it turned out. The days before were hectic in making decisions and finding the right pieces. I actually had the hardest time figuring out what to use for the nose. I had several things that I had tried for the nose and nothing seemed to work. After expressing my thoughts to my husband he began to help me look again, jokingly he pulled a dog tag out of the junk drawer and said to use it. That was what I needed to complete Sherriff Wesley.  Sometimes some of the best things in life were created by accident and this was one of those times.  This was probably one of the hardest assignments I have done. I consider myself to be a pretty creative person but this project left me completely  lost and had no idea what to do originally.

 My advice for other students who are struggling with this assignment is to look absolutely everywhere. Books, magazines, online, art shops, outdoors, everywhere.  There are so many ideas out there and it makes it much easier to have books and pictures online to be inspired and to help threw the process. Also it made it easier to have friends and families thoughts to help spark ideas. I know I had a lot of help from my husband and was able to make something to be proud of. This was a lot more fun after all is said and done. I recommended it as an assignment for other students.