Capstones

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/10217/180165

These digital collections contain Department of Art and Art History capstone projects from 2012 to present, organized into themes by studio art concentration.

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 898

Open Access
Lisa Shipley: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Shipley, Lisa, artist
Open Access
Mikhail Twarogowski: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Twarogowski, Mikhail, artist
Open Access
Rob Lacy: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Lacy, Rob, artist
Open Access
Vicki Gillis: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Gillis, Vicki, artist
The artist's statement: Creativity is a limitless universal resource. There is something empowering about creating something and having it make a difference in someone else's world. Graphic design is a universal language when words are not necessary to communicate because visual art speaks to all people and across all borders. During this time at Colorado State University in the Graphic Design program, I have seen how much design is a part of our daily lives. From ephemeral items such as gum wrappers to huge billboards, graphic design informs, persuades, organizes, stimulates, locates, identifies, attracts attention and provides pleasure. Through my completion of design assignments I have gained access into every one of these situations. In the creation of logos, business stationery, posters, magazine ads, and website design not only have I touched upon the everyday application of my design skills, but also upon the people involved from my professors, my classmates, and others who have so generously given of their time and knowledge, and whose image may have been included in my design idea. As a designer, everything from sunrises to storms to walks in the park, or visits to a museum make me better at what I do. I see the world differently because of my design education. I understand meaning, beauty and creativity in everyday activities. I enjoy playing with colors and shapes. I guess I never outgrew the joy of my crayon box!
Open Access
Katherine Hess: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Hess, Katherine, artist
Open Access
Robin Lewis: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Lewis, Robin, artist
Open Access
Brayden Love: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Love, Brayden, artist
Open Access
Katelyn Woodhamms: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Woodhams, Katelyn, artist
The artist's statement: I explore the intersection between jewelry that engages with the body and the formal and conceptual solutions that make them into works of art. The tactile nature of my pieces lures the viewer in, helping to construct an intense personal relationship with each piece. By focusing on the relationship between jewelry and the body I challenge myself to design both visually seductive and highly technical work. There is something in the way it feels to solve these problems that gives me a passionate fulfillment. My recent works facilitate a wide range of interpretations because of their uniquely abstract nature. Through exploration of the intersection of form and technique and by emphasizing balance, I seek to create a harmonious aesthetic that is both unique and visually seductive.
Open Access
Madelyn Brown: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Brown, Madelyn, artist
The artist's statement: First and foremost, I am a painter. However, during my studies at CSU I discovered printmaking, which has become a passion for me, as well. Painting and printmaking utilize completely different processes in their execution, but my love for both mediums has led me to discover new and unique ways of approaching each of them individually. As a native of Minnesota and its 10,000 lakes, I have a natural love for water and the many artistic elements that water can take on. I incorporated aspects of this in my earlier work, which included the process of pouring paint. By utilizing the pouring paint process, I found I achieved an organic nature through this approach that I found appealing. As I learned the art of printmaking, I combined two contrasting interests into my work. I combined my interest in organic shape with my love for geometric line and patterns. I incorporated these two diverse concepts into both my painting and printmaking.
Open Access
Rebekah Thrasher: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Thrasher, Rebekah, artist
The artist's statement: It has often been said that "a picture is worth a thousand words." Although I do not agree 100% with the statement, I do believe pictures have the power to convey a story. I have found that one image, well made, can add more meaning and emotion to a written piece than words alone. Capturing the essence of a story in an image is one of the main goals of my design work, and I try to incorporate it in a variety of ways. Much of my work emphasizes illustration in both digital and hand-rendered formats. I love the artistry that hand-craftsmanship lends to a piece, so I try to utilize hand-skills in every step of the process. From penmanship to 3D paper sculptures to hand bound pop-up books, I enjoy creating multi-sensory experiences for every viewer. Color is applied liberally, along with crisp line work and clean typographic layouts. Every piece I create draws from history and the present, people I know and people I admire, locations I have visited and lands I hope to one day see. I aim to make what is often viewed as mundane into something eye-catching and inspirational. My hope is that in viewing my work, each person will be able to see old stories in new ways and, perhaps, begin to look at the world around them with slightly different eyes.
Open Access
Bradley Niedt: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Niedt, Bradley, artist
The artist's statement: This project, Distilling Discovery, began about a year ago with the realization that my artwork tends to form itself into metaphysical spaces. As far back as I can remember, I have yearned to discover new places, places that no one has ever seen or touched. My process of drawing in this series allows me to discover these places as they come into the physical world. These spaces are constructed and controlled within my mind. I invite my viewers to explore these spaces and discover the details within.
Open Access
Matthew Workman: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Workman, Matthew, artist
The artist's statement: The path I have followed to become a graphic designer can be traced back to my early childhood. Throughout my school career, my notebooks were often filled with more drawings and doodles than actual notes. Even from my earliest memories, I recall being fascinated by the interaction of light and color: the patterns and emotions created by stacking one color of LEGO brick on top of another; the contrast between my mother's bright red coat and the brilliant white field of snow in which we stood. This journey of artistic development was long and winding, as I traveled the world and dabbled in different careers in fields as diverse as writing, truck driving, chemistry and even baking. Through it all, however, I remained interested in creating and viewing art. In particular, the bright, bold colors of the graphic arts captured and held my attention. I enrolled in the graphic design program at Colorado State University and never looked back. As I progressed through the program, I exposed myself to the work of designers past and present, from Saul Bass to Jessica Hische. Ultimately, I discovered my strengths in illustration, typography and web design. I now aim to help make the world a more engaging and beautiful place through the power of good design and visual communication.
Open Access
Susanne Sholander: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Sholander, Susanne, artist
The artist's statement: What is art? What should art accomplish? Answers to these questions are limitless. If you ask twenty different people, you will get twenty different answers. Some think art should be comforting; others think it should be confrontational. Some say the point of art is to entertain, while others say art should enlighten. In such an ambiguous field, each artist needs to decide for themselves what purpose their art serves. For me, art should tell a story. My aim as an artist is to share a story with whoever views my work. With some pieces, such as illustrated works, the tale is easy to discover, but in others the stories are veiled, subtly conveyed through a specific font or a grouping of colors. Nothing is coincidental in my art; everything is chosen to help tell my story. Many times, those who view my work will not know the reasons behind each decision, and they may not know the story I am trying to share. Therefore, I invite those who view my art to do so as I view art in general: searching for a story, and in the end, making up their own. Nothing would make me happier as an artist than to spark the imagination, as my imagination has been sparked by the art around me. This shared connection between artist and viewer is what I strive for, and it further reaffirms my belief that art, at its core, should tell a story.
Open Access
Steven Tolle: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Tolle, Steven, artist
The artist's statement: I believe art is a universal language and can be appreciated by anybody. Graphic design is necessary in today's society because of the need for everything to be aesthetically pleasing. The awesome thing about graphic design is that you aren't restricted to one type of media; all things art are at your disposal. My artistic style represents this. I have a background in architecture; therefore, I can be very technical and concentrate on the details to create a clean professional image. However, I am very much influenced by the snowboard world and love splashes of bright color. My process is, just start working, the answer will work its way out, you just have to begin.
Open Access
David Pipinich: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Pipinich, David, artist
The artist's statement: Textile art involves great deal of precision and detail work, which is something I try to showcase in my weavings. I try to express the humor that I find in everyday life, using fascinating colors to change everyday objects or ideas in subtle ways. Being able to express my emotions through my weavings becomes a therapeutic practice that I want the viewer to be able to appreciate just by looking at my work.
Open Access
Chelsea Gilmore: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Gilmore, Chelsea, artist
The artist's statement: Inspired by plant microbiology, these sculptures depict various organic and biomorphic forms taken from a microscopic perspective and translated as a macrocosm in physical space. This collection of work is an embodiment of transformation. There is a sense of decay and entropy while at the same time growth, aggregation, and accumulation. The dynamic existence of both chaos and order in nature allows sculptural material to transform in the same manner. The work takes on an anthropomorphic quality with a life of its own. I am attracted to the potential of the many. My practice is informed by material itself and its texture when repeated and multiplied. In nature, as well as machines, systems consist of a very specific configuration of repetition and multiples. By changing the pre-existing system and order of the objects I acquire, I create a new rhythm based on a reconfigured repetition. My process is methodical and based on detailed handcrafting, research of biological and mechanical systems, and transforming objects with a playful, ordered, and formal approach. I focus on creating forms that have an internal skeleton and a skin where the base and structure are paramount. When seeking out supplies, I look for commonly used objects that exist in mass quantities that have already served a utilitarian purpose. I give a new life into the materials by recontextualizing their form and disassembling them down from their core properties and purpose.
Open Access
Andy Hua: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Hua, Andy, artist
The artist's statement: My art tends to be less spontaneous and more process based. I start with an initial concept and plenty of research. I often also reframe the design solution to find new points of entry into my projects. After finding direction, I begin to explore alternate variations and iterations with relevant text and imagery. I try to find simple and overlooked connections between ideas, while playing with creative limits and parameters. My work is driven by the desire to explore how concepts can ultimately manifest themselves into visual expression through playing with imagery. The concept begins as a spark... a creative impulse, igniting a framework of ideas that begs to be played with. From there, I push the idea forward by prototyping the ideas and iterating until I reach a solution that feels well resolved and integrated as a whole. This concept-oriented process overcomes boundaries imposed by media. By focusing on the idea, the solution can take many forms across various media. Even though the choice in media does have an effect on how a piece is received, it will inherently still have a strong impact because of the nature of layered meaning that is inherent in substantial design concepts.
Open Access
Haley Ruybal: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Ruybal, Haley, artist
The artist's statement: Throughout my life I have made it my goal to make beautiful things for people to enjoy, but I have come to realize that beauty alone does not get anyone very far. Along with my passion for the arts, I am very aware of the privileges and disadvantages that I have both as a woman, and more specifically as an indigenous woman. I am intrigued by the ways that my two passions collide and have a much farther reach than simply focusing on just one or the other. By bringing my desire for social justice and my skills as an artist together, I hope to bring greater awareness to the issues facing both Indigenous peoples and communities that are not generally talked about or taught. My sincere hope is to be able to start a conversation about tribal sovereignty, race and commonly held misconceptions that permeate American society. In my most recent series Colonization, I discuss the ways in which individual objects can be used to describe specific spaces in time in relation to the colonization of Indigenous populations in America. This three-piece series highlights pre-, post- and de-colonial ideas and ways of thinking to shed light on the issues of historical trauma and invisibility of Indigenous issues and people in the larger American society. These works are a tactile representation of the effects of colonization on individuals as well as on broader, societal ideology.
Open Access
Drake Fontana: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Fontana, Drake, artist
The artist's statement: Effective brand communication in today's marketplace is a complex and massive undertaking. With shifting demographics and media platforms the consumer is both more in tune and out of touch with producing brands. The ability to understand this complex cultural landscape of our planet is more important than ever. Through the study of history and design I have attained the skills necessary to effectively comprehend and decipher the complex cultural interactions of our time. This unique mix of visual communication skills and cultural understanding allows me as a designer to make the personal bond between consumer and brand stronger, clearer, more efficient, and longer lasting. A tailored suit always fits better than the mass produced. Design is only as good as the story behind it. I used to think good design was something you learned from a textbook. Do things line up? Is there good use of color and space?; all of the formal artistic requirements. But a brand, a good design, not only captures the attention of an audience, whom doesn't want to listen or be influenced, it lingers in the mind, the subconscious. And for those who care to ask, care to listen, there is a story in the details that embodies the spirit of the entity it represents. The message isn't just simply that 'we are here' and 'this is what we do/offer.' The story is 'this is who we are', 'this is the way we can make your life better.' We want to share ourselves with you, and if you're listening, we hope you like what you hear and come share with us some of you; money, time, or otherwise. It's a true connection between sender and receiver. Something that is personal and genuine. Something that is built on trust, and clarity that generates loyalty. A good story teaches you lessons on life; shows you different perspectives of the world. Whether you agree or disagree is of no confidence, as long as you understand. People don't want to be influenced, but to be influenced is to not have the confidence to say no. A good story doesn't involuntarily impose influence on the audience. In the same way, good design allows for an audience to feel comfortable enough to listen. And once their minds and ears are open hopefully the story is meaningful enough and influential enough to garner a positive reaction of acceptance. Like a good movie or book, good design is a window, an acceptable vehicle to carry a message or lesson to an audience. There are millions of books, movies, designs, and advertisements, but only the good once make an audience want to delve into the details for more. Or come to your destination in the case of advertising.
Open Access
Matthew Timmons: capstone
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Timmons, Matthew, artist