Katy Seals Superstar

I am so happy to share with all of you the thesis exhibition of one of my best friends and bridesmaid Katy Seals.  I feel like a proud big sister right now after looking at all her work and reading her amazingly smart and concise statements for the show.  Katy is destined to continue doing many great things so keep an eye on her.  I asked Katy a few questions and these are her responses...

1.  Where did you go to grad school?  What interested you in the program?  How many years was the program?  

  - I attended The University of Oklahoma, I was drawn to the program because the studios were HUGE, their presses were enormous (at the time I was doing a lot of woodcuts). I made a connection with my professor and his wife and felt close to them which made the experience and the move not so intimidating. The program is three years long.

2.  Tell me about your thesis show... What was the thought process that brought you to the work you created?

     -I've always enjoyed things that are campy, tacky, and humorous, so when I saw Jersey Shore for the first time I saw art within the show and knew I was going to make work based on the absurd characters. I loved how everyone was a cartoon of who they are in real life and they were getting paid to get wasted drunk every night of the week. I was shocked AND jealous at the same time. I was drawn to Snooki the most, her gender role on the show and her cultural identity. Snooki was born in Chile and adopted by Italian-American parents. She proclaims she is a "guidette". Snooki's sexuality was very extreme too, on the show she was sexually aggressive and verbal about her wants and needs. To me, she was simply a (somewhat) sexually liberated woman and I enjoyed her forward nature.

-While making the work many people who say "That Jersey Shore show is so stupid" or "I can't even bare to watch it". Saying the Jersey Shore is stupid is like telling me that WWF wresting is not real. I know the Jersey Shore is "stupid" and "obnoxious", but why not take a closer and more educated look at a pocket of American sub culture that has many rich themes jam pack into it? Obviously the Jersey Shore is not for everyone, and defiantly not for the faint of heart. It was funny how I accidentally became a pop culture ambassador for one of the most ridiculous shows in television history. 

3. What is the media? How did the media work with what you were creating?

       -The media played a huge role in my whole thesis project. Obviously I was doing a lot a research on modern feminism, cultural identity and consumerism within fashion culture so I was constantly going to my university's libraries page and various gossip sites to keep up with Snooki. Throughout my graduate career the Jersey Shore ran all 5 seasons. During the start of my thesis semester they aired their final season and rumors of Snooki being pregnant was all over the tabloids. I enjoyed when people would tell me stories they heard of her online of saw on the new stand. It was interesting making work on a personality that was constantly being blasted in all forms of media. 

  4.  What is next for you?  Any future plans?

     -That's a million dollar question... I'm going to apply to various teaching jobs and roll the academic dice like everyone else. I love teaching and luckily got some experience in while in school but I'd rather just get paid being fabulous. 

 4.  What is next for you?  Any future plans?

     -That's a million dollar question... I'm going to apply to various teaching jobs and roll the academic dice like everyone else. I love teaching and luckily got some experience in while in school but I'd rather just get paid being fabulous.

 
5.  Where can we find you on the internet?

      katyseals.com all the way

6.  Any advice for students looking for grad programs?

     -Yes, I would suggest to look at location. Pick a place where you'd like to be. There are nice people everywhere so chose a place where you know you'll enjoy the environment. Also do research on the institution, it may be a dump or the professors might be ax murderers. Go visit and and the faculty can place a name with a face, also the visit might allow you to fall in love more with the school you're interested in or you may realize it is not what it's cracked up to be. Also look at what places are awarding scholarships, funding and teaching positions. 

Katy also made this incredible video where she created her own Snookie Superstar.  Take a look!

Check out Katy's website for more goodies.  I really can't express enough how proud and excited I am for Katy and her awesome show and talent. Thanks, Katy!

Good Art

Kerri, originally uploaded by sickgirlkaty.

My friend Katy Seals just started grad school this fall and already she's making some amazing work! This piece, called Kerri, is a mixed-media piece. Katy's been working hard and obviously making amazing work. I'm sure we will be hearing way more from Katy soon.

(for some reason this image got cropped weird and I can't figure out how to fix it. Could anyone give me advice?)

Swap Meet

One of the great things about Frogman's is that everyone is eager to exchange art.  I scored so many great pieces while I was there and want to share them with you.  So here goes...

This is a piece by Taylor McClure, a student at North Texas in Denton.  I loved Taylor's work, it was hard to pick only one piece.

This piece is by Jon Vogt.  He's going to Tamarind in the fall.

One of the things that happened the first week at frogman's was drawings for faculty work.  I usually never win drawings so imagine my surprise when I won this print by Mark Sisson.  It's a beautiful woodcut and i believe it's nickname is Bitch Dog.

This amazing woodcut is by Andy Burkitt.  He was on of the assistants and is going to be starting grad school at the University of Georgia in Athens in the fall.

I love this print by Richard Wenrich.  It's actually him dressed in drag.  He goes to George Mason University.

Dennis Mcnett was on of the teachers the second week.  He taught a relief class that combined both print and sculpture.  His class shared a room with mine so I got to keep an eye on all the fun they were having.  Dennis is an amazing artist and a very kind person.  He printed shirts for everyone the whole week he was there and gave away prints to his students.  I was lucky to get a chance to trade with him.  I love this wolfbat print.  Check out his website.

One of my best friends, Katy Seals, assisted this year also.  She makes amazing work and tons of it.  She's always so generous with her prints, quick to give them away to whoever wants them.  I've always admired her attitude about artmaking. I'm very excited to have on of her newest prints.  Katy is starting grad school at Oklahoma in the fall.

My good friend Adrienne Miller got to come for a week and it was so exciting to see her! She brought me this print from Hatch Show Print where she used to intern and her boyfriend currently works.  I love this poster!

Hannah Campbell, another assistant, had so many amazing intaglio prints.  It was such a pleasure meeting Hannah and I'm very excited to have some of her work.  She goes to grad school at LSU and has an etsy shop here.

John Hancock is someone a lot of people look up to and admire.  He was Katy Seal's undergrad professor and they both share the same attitude about art.  John is always quick to give away his work.  I love this piece.  Check out John and his brother's website.  These guys are amazing artists and amazing people. 

I got to be good friends with Emily Cummings from California.  We had a class together first week and I really admired the way she made work.  It encouraged me to start thinking about artmaking differently.  I'm excited to have some of her work.  I got a piece last year an now have this new one for my Emily Cummings collection!

Chris Wallace was another assistant that I got a piece from.  This lithograph print is amazing and beautiful.  It's a drawing of a homemade tattoo gun and Chris even made his own working gun to draw from.  Chris goes to Kansas City Art Institute and I'm hoping he will be an NIU grad student soon.

Last but definitely not least is a print by Anita Jung.  As I mentioned in a previous blog I assisted Anita in the monoprint class the first week.  Anita is such an amazing artist and one of the most positive people I've met.  She has such an amazing energy that's very inspiring.  Anita gave me this piece when she saw all my ghost work.  It's a folded print, the top picture is the outside and the bottom image is the inside.

Wow.  So that's my collection.  There were definitely more pieces I would have love to have nabbed but I get a little shy about trades.  It can be intimidating because you don't want to put people on the spot.  What if they don't want your work?! What if they hate your work?! What if they - gasp!-- say no?!  But I'm very pleased with all these piece.  What do you think? What's your favorite?