Thesis Accordion

Although exceedingly late in commenting about the crowning events of my four years at Sheridan, namely Grad Show and Graduation, I would be more than pleased to share my sentiments with you in retrospect. I apologize to those followers who have been patient with my infrequent updates. The following half of the summer will guarantee plenty of creative progress as I prepare for FanExpo 2012.

The stretch of months between January and April of this year comprised alternating periods of conceptualisation, execution and revisions to my final thesis project. More than often they did not ensue in this order. I felt compelled to speed up my rendering process by turning to media outside acrylic and oil paints that could demonstrate similar painterly effects in a fraction of the time. I harnessed a method which combines the vibrant colour and effortless blending of soft pastel with tight brushwork in acrylic. With each piece this experimentation revealed more aspects of its character, ranging from cooperative to untameable. I eventually learned that acrylic and pastel can co-exist while occupying discrete areas on the same surface, only lightly infringing on each other’s territory. That and never throw gouache into the same mix. The latter is what led to obliterating thick layers of water and sky by means of industrial sandpaper. 

Eight of my thesis paintings were completed by this method and later compiled in an accordion book under the series title, The Sleepers.

Finding a printing bureau that could manufacture a one-off 11” x 72” accordion at a decent price and quality was no small feat. Then again, this is one of several cases where an artist’s vision is incompatible with the harsh practicality of reality. Thankfully in the final weeks before my graduation exhibition, a company called Global Printing Enterprises took on the challenge and excelled magnificently. The cover was created by refurnishing an old children’s book and applying a faux leather bind. Here are the results :)

Interior of  “The Sleepers”. A full length 72” accordion opens on the right hand side.

 Those “King Under Mountain” historical and fictional characters eliminated from the greater body of my thesis appeared as cartoons in the inside cover.