I can't recall the last time I was so frustrated. Perhaps it is because my MFA is nearing its completion, or perhaps because completing my MFA opened up a series of questions regarding my future activities that I did not have to deal with before. UTSA was and is an adventure. Most students I know take a slight brake between bachelor's and master's degrees. For me, the entire experience turned into a 9-year long marathon....
With physical and mental exhaustion aside, I’m actually glad that my race is approaching a finish line. After constantly chasing perfection and aesthetic balance, as well as never repeating the same technique twice in any two projects – necessitating starting from ground zero each and every time, I look forward to reevaluating my accomplishments, analyzing areas for improvement, and converging on the elements that will directly couple to my aspirations, interests and future career growth.
Completing bachelor’s degree certainly made a certain directional input, but graduate school was truly the time of experimentation and personal development. The image that began to shape up when I started the program is much clearer now. Taking approach to art and recombining multiple techniques opened up a lot of philosophically unexplored topics that I did not know existed. These topics never relied on any one technique, and gave rise to many readings. The success of my path was not always directly evident from the feedback I was receiving, but the response of the art community was without a doubt – a testament to my trials and errors.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Farewell Chuck Ramirez
For those of you who are still unaware, the San Antonio Art community was shaken up by the passing of Chuck Ramirez. Chuck was a contemporary artist, and was best known for his avant-garde large-scale photography. His work has been featured at Luminaria and many other public places throughout San Antonio.
He was also a long-time member of the Blue Star Contemporary Art Center's board, and a very close friend Bill FitzGibbons, executive director of Blue Star. In his recent interview, Bill commented that “Chuck was one of the most innovative artists that [he has] ever known. His medium was photography and he brought a creativeness to photography that [he has] never really seen before, and [feels] that he was just in the midst of his career. He had great things ahead, and obviously was cut too short."
Among his friends, many of whom referred to him as Tía Chuck, he was known for his generosity and nurturing spirit. Also known for his "portraits" of purses, Ramirez last year wanted to do something similar with suitcases for an exhibit at the San Antonio International Airport. When interviewed by San Antonio Express-News, he mentioned that at first, he tried to photograph unclaimed luggage, but he ran into so much red tape that he opted to create his own suitcases for imaginary passengers.
Chuck was a very well established artist in San Antonio, but his biggest accomplishment was his love the for the art community. You will be missed Chuck.
He was also a long-time member of the Blue Star Contemporary Art Center's board, and a very close friend Bill FitzGibbons, executive director of Blue Star. In his recent interview, Bill commented that “Chuck was one of the most innovative artists that [he has] ever known. His medium was photography and he brought a creativeness to photography that [he has] never really seen before, and [feels] that he was just in the midst of his career. He had great things ahead, and obviously was cut too short."
Among his friends, many of whom referred to him as Tía Chuck, he was known for his generosity and nurturing spirit. Also known for his "portraits" of purses, Ramirez last year wanted to do something similar with suitcases for an exhibit at the San Antonio International Airport. When interviewed by San Antonio Express-News, he mentioned that at first, he tried to photograph unclaimed luggage, but he ran into so much red tape that he opted to create his own suitcases for imaginary passengers.
Chuck was a very well established artist in San Antonio, but his biggest accomplishment was his love the for the art community. You will be missed Chuck.
A Rhapsody at Blue 2: Arts & Eats 2010
Past Thursday was a really exciting day, primarily because of the opening of A Rhapsody at Blue 2: Arts & Eats 2010 in Blue Star. Bigger and better than last year’s Rhapsody, this event truly raised itself to be a benchmark of how exhibits should all be organized! Bringing the best in art with some of the top chefs in the greater San Antonio made for one incredibly memorable experience. Nothing, of course, is more gratifying and uplifting than seeing old friends and familiar faces. Simply brilliant!
I try not being bias toward any one artist, but Gary Sweeney creates work that is truly unique in style and content. Those unfamiliar with his style of work will discover that Gary combines common materials with very untraditional humor, resulting in engaging and mind-stimulating work. But one unique piece of information that few know is Gary’s long history of postcards that he has been known to send to his close friends and acquaintances over the last twenty years. Over 20,000 humorous hand-written postcards have been addressed to people across the world, and they contain hilarious stories, apparently to-the point remarks, with intricately inlayed insults – each individually tailored toward the destined recipient. If you are fortunate to catch him in a conversation, he will gladly share the responses he has been getting from his friends, even the cases where folks are upset that his commentary is not insulting enough.
Recently, however, a large collection of such cards has been discovered by the family of one of Gary’s recipients, dating back to 1970’s. Look for it in Gary’s next exhibit – it’s truly unique and historic. Or better yet, pick one of his books with reprinted photographs of selected post-cards.
I try not being bias toward any one artist, but Gary Sweeney creates work that is truly unique in style and content. Those unfamiliar with his style of work will discover that Gary combines common materials with very untraditional humor, resulting in engaging and mind-stimulating work. But one unique piece of information that few know is Gary’s long history of postcards that he has been known to send to his close friends and acquaintances over the last twenty years. Over 20,000 humorous hand-written postcards have been addressed to people across the world, and they contain hilarious stories, apparently to-the point remarks, with intricately inlayed insults – each individually tailored toward the destined recipient. If you are fortunate to catch him in a conversation, he will gladly share the responses he has been getting from his friends, even the cases where folks are upset that his commentary is not insulting enough.
Recently, however, a large collection of such cards has been discovered by the family of one of Gary’s recipients, dating back to 1970’s. Look for it in Gary’s next exhibit – it’s truly unique and historic. Or better yet, pick one of his books with reprinted photographs of selected post-cards.
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