Who am I?

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I came across these silhouettes walking through the Education Department on the campus at New Mexico State University. I suspect they represent an art project of sorts for a grade school class. (Images shot with cell phone.)

9/26/2005 Image

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Remembering Before

I do not think I have a burning desire to communicate. In fact I have always tried to step back from communication, as it relates to my art-making.

I have for a very long time suffered from this sense that what I am making is grossly inadequate. This feeling is deeply visceral. It is as though there were some ideal image I somehow know, but every effort to realize it falls short. "It" is tangible. Consequently, I have painted over and over paintings, I have crossed through drawings (and writing).

connect-the-dots

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I had many thoughts yesterday regarding my interests. Still looking for images that work somehow as a surrogate for another image beyond. I remembered the connect-the-dots pictures when I was young. I think I enjoyed these. I recall that I often could "see" the completed image in advance of the activity. I also remember that they would often be litte bits of the image available. For example, the eye of some animal figure, or the leaf on an apple.

I also thought about the silhouette--a likeness cut from dark material and mounted on a light ground or one sketched in outline and solidly colored in. And finally, shadow-- an imperfect and faint representation, an imitation of something. Thus leading me to Plato and the allegory of the cave.

I began to think about making connect-the-dot images. These could be quite elegant. At first I thought of using words as the latent image. I could come up with an elaborate coding mechanism. In particular someting that would indicate a "jump space" to allow for the space between letters.

Joachim Homann Meeting

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Met with Curator, Joachim Homann this morning to discuss "Image Not Available" blog for respresentation of my work in the University of Texas at El Paso Art Department Faculty Show.

Imaginary Meaning

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I came up with the phrase, "imaginary meaning," yesterday. I am not completely certain what I would mean by this.

Otherwise, I am still trying to figure out what my plans for this blog are, specifically as it relates to the UTEP faculty show. I had a thought that I should title the work, at least at this point, "Work in Progress." I also thought I could use an image of "image not available" for the catalog. Maybe that relates to imaginary meaning. Could I do a whole series of "image not available" images?

Quoting Shedroff: Raw Data

I am reading bits and pieces of "Experience Design: A Manifesto for the Creation of Experiences," by Nathan Shedroff. I think I will post some quotes from time to time. (http://www.experiencedesignbooks.com/)

Data is not information. This is paramount to realize. Though we use the two terms interchangeably in our culture--mostly to glorify data that has no right to be ennobled--they mean distinctly different things.

Data is raw and often overabundant. While it may have meaning to experts, it is, for the most part, only the building blocks on which relevance is built. It also should never be produced for delivery in raw form to an audience--especially a consumer audience. This isn't so that it can be kept secret but because it has no inherent value. Until it is transformed into information (with context), its meaning is of little value and only contributes to the anxiety we feel dealing with so much information in our lives.
Page 37.

I did the point and click.

I would like to say that this blog is about my vision. I only mean this on the most basic level. The photos are about what I see, saw. I did the point and click.

What this is about.

On September 14, 2005 I created this blog. This was a somewhat desperate attempt to find a medium of some sort for my art making or design. I am interested in technology and computer based communication, most specifically creating imagery on the computer. This effort also includes writing. But who is this for?

I have been searching for "something" that my art expression might be about. CONTENT. I am feeling like I have nothing to say.

This blog is an opportunity to find out what I might have to say, and an opportunity to place some images online for viewing and review. Of course, the greatest fear is that I will find that I have nothing to say. They is also the fear of exposure with the accidental revelation of some "secret."

My writing and images are data or STUFF. In and of themselves they have no meaning. I can write and write. I can take photos with my cell phone and post them here.

Honestly, I do not remember how to make art. I make the same thing over and over and toss it away. What is that "voice" that tells me that the work is not good enough?

Of course, graphic design is different. Graphic design works with a client and an audience.

It is very difficult to keep writing. This all seems so self conscious. Rediculous. Without sounding too dramatic, I am in the dark.

For a very long time, I would tell you that my art has been about privacy--not saying (revealing) too much. The "meaning" has been incomplete, leaving the viewer to fill in the blanks--making the meaning.
This is why I typically use word fragments for titles.

Box

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This is a picture of a box.

Flowers

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This is a photo I "casually" shot with my cell phone. I realize that it is composed. It is a pictue of flowers and light. It is a still life. It is attractive.

I am greatly concerned that it is a picture of flowers. How can I show a picture of flowers. Why did I choose this subject.