Episode 7: Child's Play (Works)

Artist: Timothy Forry
Twitter: N/A
"Sibling Rivalry:

Medium: graphite, colored pencil and crayon

When I was a kid my older sister had a Spyrograph and would make these elaborate designs and color them so beautifully, but mine would never turn out as nice as hers. In this piece I was trying to evoke the frustration I felt at not having the same skill level."

Artist: Nikie Brown
Twitter: wishnikiphoto
"Materials: Pipe Cleaners, Vintage Cameras, Pom Poms, felt on poster board.
As long as I can remember, my grandfather always had some type of still camera or movie camera with him. I loved playing with them. As I got older, my grandfather and I would have conversations over cameras. I always enjoyed these talks. My grandfather was very forward thinking and ahead of his time. He was an artist, sculptor and photographer. He loved new technology while still not leaving the old behind. In my creation, I made the vintage cameras contemporary, by stylizing them with glowing edges. This represents my grandfather's vision of the future. Although I did not inherit his talent for painting, I hope that I have some of his creativity."











*Click on boombox to play*
Artist/Composer: Josh Newton
Twitter: Marquis66
"For this week, since I have been working with sound, I decided to do a version of a children’s song. And since for me, it is all about trying to say something with every piece, this time I tried to express my feelings about this time of the year. Since my birthday is in early July, the week after July 4^th, it kind of bisects the summer very neatly and cleanly, or at least what my perception of “summer” has always been. Once it gets to this point, particularly the end of July, I start coming to the realization that this beautiful weather, and the whole summer deal is so fleeting, and is going to be over really soon. Especially when I start thinking about school starting in a month, and the zucchini in the garden just about ready to pick (pumpkins will be soon after). I love summer, and I love fall… I just wish they didn’t have to end. I know, I know, how very tortured artist of me. The song that I chose is a song called “Come Little Leaves”, and here is the text:

Come, little leaves, Said the wind one day; Come to the meadows With me and play. Put on your dresses Of red and gold; For summer is past, And the days grow cold. Dancing and flying, The leaves went along, Til Winter called them To end their sweet song. Soon, fast asleep In their earthy beds, The snow lay a coverlet O'er their heads.

It is from a poem by George Cooper, and the music is by Thomas J. Crawford, although I adapted each slightly. I was going to get it recorded, but unfortunately Holden’s run in with a glass topped table, and the ensuing trip to the ER put a damper on that. Maybe next time!"

Artist: Becky Cochrane
Twitter: BeckyCochrane
"Break Through:
Everything and everyone who can encourage a person's creativity can also beat it down. Sometimes the same person or event can do both. I'm a writer, but I see similarities between my early efforts, growth, and confidence as a writer reflected in how I came to paint.

For this challenge, I took a papier-māché box and painted it in solid colors inside and out. One side is painted but left blank. On one side, I've mimicked my childhood drawings. One side recreates my adolescent doodling. One side has an account of a day at a friend's house that could have come straight out of my ninth grade diary.

In junior high, my best friend and I began to work on separate collages together. I might have been cutting other people's words and images from magazines, but I was deciding how to combine and arrange them. And I was letting someone else see and judge my work. Recalling that, I made a collage for this piece showing forces that can foster, hinder, and/or judge our creative efforts and also uses words and phrases personal to my creative experience.

My pipe cleaner girl goes through all that to push off the top of the box. The outside of the box top reflects the use of color and technique that I use now in my paintings. But the inside box top shows that those were there all along. I had to take that movement toward expressing myself and understand the power of collaboration (whether with a companion, an editor, a fellow creative person, a cowriter, a mentor, a critic); accept the necessity of putting effort and persistence into it; and be willing to let my words or paintings go out into the world, to be judged for good or ill."




Artist: Brad Dumm
Twitter: N/A
"When I was a kid I didn't like to rough and tumble and play sports like most boys my age. My sister and I preferred to play inside with our toys, our dog and watch the television. My mom was a teacher with a special interest in art, so she taught us to paint and draw. In this piece I wanted to show my reluctance to be close to athletes, yet wanting to be a part of that world. Art bridges these gaps for me.

Artist: Sean Kramer
Twitter: N/A
"I honestly have no idea when my artistic expression began. While growing up, I always seemed to be doodling. My notebooks were always my favorite spot for it. Of course I didn't have pencil colors with me in class, but I usually ended up doing the same thing every time alongthe margins. Usually I'd try to come up with a cool way to make my initials look like a great logo (I don't think I ever succeeded).Ragin Cajuns (for the University of Southwestern Louisiana at the time) was for where I dreamed I'd go to college. WHS is where I went to high school, and #72 was my football number. So this is where I think most of my artistic expression came from. Oddly enough I think most of it came from being bored in class! I am glad to say that I'm not sorry for that. I'm happy with the way my artistic expression has changed over the years."