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- All Subjects: Creative Project
- Creators: School of Art
- Member of: Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
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Description
Zines have made space for queer, intersectional feminists to bring together academic and artistic knowledge in order to produce a message and inspire readers. In order to criticize the legal definition and practical execution of obscenity in the US, a visual component was a necessity. The use of a Zine allowed for a critical and humorous exploration of obscenity in US law and media. The Zine provides a visual analysis while the companion essay provides a critique of the zine and additional analysis. The Zine brings awareness to ways in which the legal historical objectification of black and native bodies contributed to the creation of modern obscenity laws. These laws are based on racist and sexist ideals of morality and create inherently flawed definitions of obscenity through personal bias. The flaws within the laws allow for exceptions in the legal definition of obscenity which normalizes the commodification of women's bodies. These laws and the exceptions present contribute to the dehumanization of and violence towards women as usefulness is deemed the most important factor when considering the use of women’s bodies in potentially obscene images and films.
ContributorsTidwell, Alana Juliet (Author) / Koker, Neveser (Thesis director) / Switzer, Heather (Committee member) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Honoring a beloved friend and Principal, with a wind chime plumeria tree; is more than a mere Barrett Honor’s thesis—research and development turned into therapy for my grief. Janet Tobias, former principal of Kyrene De La Paloma Elementary School, had a mission of creating a musical park for children. Upon her recent and sudden death, I decided to focus my energy into honoring her with a musical sculpture. However, this sculpture must be exceptional, research and development of such a one must culminate in a sculpture that will not only last generations but feed the musical soul while increasing phantasia.
ContributorsRedding, Kimberly R. (Author) / Neubauer, Mary (Thesis director) / Tovar-Blank, Zoila (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor) / Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
How do you convey what’s interesting and important to you as an artist in a digital world of constantly shifting attentions? For many young creatives, the answer is original characters, or OCs. An OC is a character that an artist creates for personal enjoyment, whether based on an already existing story or world, or completely from their own imagination.
As creations made for purely personal interests, OCs are an excellent elevator pitch to talk one creative to another, opening up opportunities for connection in a world where communication is at our fingertips but personal connection is increasingly harder to make. OCs encourage meaningful interaction by offering themselves as muses, avatars, and story pieces, and so much more, where artists can have their characters interact with other creatives through many different avenues such as art-making, table top games, or word of mouth.
In this thesis, I explore the worlds and aesthetics of many creators and their original characters through qualitative research and collaborative art-making. I begin with a short survey of my creative peers, asking general questions about their characters and thoughts on OCs, then move to sketching characters from various creators. I focus my research to a group of seven core creators and their characters, whom I interview and work closely with in order to create a series of seven final paintings of their original characters.
As creations made for purely personal interests, OCs are an excellent elevator pitch to talk one creative to another, opening up opportunities for connection in a world where communication is at our fingertips but personal connection is increasingly harder to make. OCs encourage meaningful interaction by offering themselves as muses, avatars, and story pieces, and so much more, where artists can have their characters interact with other creatives through many different avenues such as art-making, table top games, or word of mouth.
In this thesis, I explore the worlds and aesthetics of many creators and their original characters through qualitative research and collaborative art-making. I begin with a short survey of my creative peers, asking general questions about their characters and thoughts on OCs, then move to sketching characters from various creators. I focus my research to a group of seven core creators and their characters, whom I interview and work closely with in order to create a series of seven final paintings of their original characters.
ContributorsCote, Jacqueline (Author) / Button, Melissa M (Thesis director) / Dove-Viebahn, Aviva (Committee member) / School of Art (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
“Tell It to the Frogs: Fukushima’s nuclear disaster and its impact on the Japanese Tree Frog” is a representation of the work from Giraudeau et. al’s “Carotenoid distribution in wild Japanese tree frogs (Hyla japonica) exposed to ionizing radiation in Fukushima.” This paper looked to see if carotenoid levels in the tree frog’s vocal sac, liver, and blood were affected by radiation from Fukushima’s power plant explosion. Without carotenoids, the pigment that gives the frogs their orange color on their necks, their courtship practices would be impacted and would not be as able to show off their fitness to potential mates. The artwork inspired by this research displayed the tree frog’s degradation over time due to radiation, starting with normal life and ending with their death and open on the table. The sculptures also pinpoint where the carotenoids were being measured with a brilliant orange glaze. Through ceramic hand building, the artist created larger than life frogs in hopes to elicit curiosity about them and their plight. While the paper did not conclude any changes in the frog’s physiology after 18 months of exposure, there are still questions that are left unanswered. Why did these frogs not have any reaction? Could there be any effects after more time has passed? Is radiation leakage as big of a problem as previously thought? The only way to get the answers to these questions is to be aware of these amphibians, the circumstances that led them to be involved, and continued research on them and radiation.
ContributorsWesterfield, Savannah (Author) / Beiner, Susan (Thesis director) / McGraw, Kevin (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
DescriptionThrough artist book, printed photographs, paintings, writing, and web design, August Tang deconstructed their identity as a nonbinary person. Both educational and expressive, the creative project was a manifestation of a coming out journey, affirmation of gender identity, and experiences relating to gender with friends, family, and strangers.
ContributorsTang, August B (Author) / Button, Melissa (Thesis director) / Sanft, Alfred (Committee member) / School of Art (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
The tarot is a means of communication with the world. It allows readers to interpret signs from their surroundings, gather information, and use this information to make inferences about a posed question. Its origins can be found in mid-15th century Europe as playing cards with four suits commonly used for gambling. Several hundred years later during the 18th century, it began to be used as a tool for divination; the Major Arcana, a set of 22 trump cards representing various archetypes, evolved as a supplement to a new tarot that has become associated with mysticism. The tarot’s foundation is based on archetypes that build society. It can serve as a visual lens to understand the experiences, thoughts, and actions of a person posing a question, allowing the reader to offer a solution by understanding and interpreting the specific visual language of a deck.
Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world and one of the most practiced today. It is full of fantastical myths and heroic legends, as well as undercurrents of feminism contrasted with misogyny and patriarchy. Hindu myths are contradictory as stories have evolved over time and have been retold with millions of differing perspectives.
In my thesis, I portrayed the 22 archetypes of the Major Arcana of the tarot through the lens of Hindu mythology as well as the broader pan-Indian culture. I include ancient stories and references to modern social issues. I visually communicated the connections between characters of Hindu mythology and the archetypes of the tarot with 22 watercolor paintings. This project was an opportunity to explore both the tarot through Hinduism, vice-versa. It allowed for the development of a deeper connection with spirituality and religion, along with a greater understanding of visual communication.
Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world and one of the most practiced today. It is full of fantastical myths and heroic legends, as well as undercurrents of feminism contrasted with misogyny and patriarchy. Hindu myths are contradictory as stories have evolved over time and have been retold with millions of differing perspectives.
In my thesis, I portrayed the 22 archetypes of the Major Arcana of the tarot through the lens of Hindu mythology as well as the broader pan-Indian culture. I include ancient stories and references to modern social issues. I visually communicated the connections between characters of Hindu mythology and the archetypes of the tarot with 22 watercolor paintings. This project was an opportunity to explore both the tarot through Hinduism, vice-versa. It allowed for the development of a deeper connection with spirituality and religion, along with a greater understanding of visual communication.
ContributorsHarve, Prathima (Author) / Jenik, Adriene (Thesis director) / Codell, Julie (Committee member) / Zirbel, Lisa (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
Although frequently undetected or ignored, counterculture groups commonly face misrepresentation in popular media and, in turn, society. These subcultures are often depicted as undesirable or dangerous, creating a negative stereotype that follows the individuals who choose to express themselves in the aesthetics and lifestyles of non-normative communities. This creative project celebrates the beauty and sense of rebellion that can be seen in counterculture groups, and provides viewers with a window for viewing them in a new perspective. Considering the vastness of this topic, this project approaches it from three different directions: a series of photographic staged portraits, a series of digitally illustrated character portraits, and a written analysis to begin a discussion around the types of misrepresentation of countercultures and the potential impacts of that phenomenon. The process of planning was difficult yet rewarding, as it was important to ensure that the work would not contribute to the cycle of misinformation, but rather bring visibility to countercultures in the formal art realm. The photographed body of work recreates the composition of famous genre paintings by Judith Leyster and Johannes Vermeer, but substitutes the subjects for a model dressed in the conventional aesthetic of a particular counterculture. There are four portraits in this series, depicting Punk, Goth, Metal, and Emo cultures, using costuming as well as clues in the surrounding environments. By adopting the genre practice of depicting scenes of everyday life, the counterculture communities become normalized for the viewer as people living similar lives to their own. This portion of the thesis is largely inspired by Cindy Sherman, a visual artist who stages portraits of herself as various characters to comment on ideals of beauty and the female form. Continuing to examine the idea of personality in counterculture, the digitally illustrated body of work pulls from four other countercultures to create portraits of fictional characters. Although imaginative, their designs reflect genuine aesthetics of the communities they represent, and are combined with photographic imagery to suggest their connection to real world peoples. The images represent Grunge, Glam-Rock, Non-Binary, and Scene cultures, with each character receiving a name, location, and occupation to challenge first impressions and demonstrate their roles in society. The characters are drawn in a cartoon-like style with the intent to design them as something one might see in popular media (such as in graphic novels). Lastly, these bodies of work are complemented by a brief analytical introduction into the issues of misrepresentation of countercultures in popular media. Intended to be a catalyst for future discussions, the piece discusses the importance of representation and the harmful effects of misinformation in media, and explores contemporary examples of such issues in depictions of Punk and Goth communities in television. In combination with the two series, this analysis will guide viewers as they proceed to interpret and internalize their own meaning from the project.
ContributorsFinger, Kourtney Rose (Author) / Drum, Meredith (Thesis director) / Ellsworth, Angela (Committee member) / School of Art (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-12
Description
Over the summer of 2018, I had the incredible opportunity to serve as an AmeriCorps member through the Providing Access to Court Services Program (PACS) program. It was the duty of the AmeriCorps members to provide access to justice to the community. Serving as an AmeriCorps member opened my eyes to many parts of the court system I did not know existed, and made me want to explore more ways I could help the community in Maricopa County. One of the many factions of the Maricopa County Superior Court that I had the privilege of learning more about was Drug Court. Drug Court, at the Maricopa County Superior Court in Downtown Phoenix, started in 1992 as a program designed to monitor and provide counseling for offenders in hopes to break the cycle of substance abuse and addiction. Commissioner Guyton, the Presiding Commissioner of Drug Court, came to the AmeriCorps program in the Summer of 2018 in hopes of adding a new program of life-skills workshops to be used as an alternative sanction for offenders going through Drug Court. The On Second Thought program offers life-skills workshops that aim to encourage success within the Drug Court Program at the Maricopa County Superior Court in Downtown Phoenix, and promote further success in life after graduation. The two workshops developed include the "Basic Writing " and "Resumes, Job Search, Job Interviews" workshops. This program has been a successful new part to the Drug Court program and will continue to educate and inspire each individual that walks through the door.
ContributorsInoshita, Irelan Hope (Author) / Kenney, Patrick (Thesis director) / Porter, Lisa (Committee member) / Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
The common human experiences depicted in classical paintings from art history are becoming less relatable due to the increasing influence and presence of technology in our day to day lives. This project contains two parts. The first part is a remixing of 3 classical works of art so that they include the presence of technology and communicate the possible evolution of human experiences as technology will be incorporated into them. The three remixed paintings are as follows: Eduoard Manet's Olympia, which showcases the human experience of relationships and gender dynamics; Edgar Degas' Dancers, which showcases the human experience of creation and learning; and Raphael's Madonna del Granduca, which showcases the human experiences of child-rearing, maternity, and childhood. The second part of the project utilizes the ekphrastic process, ekphrasis being the process of using the written word to give voice and explanation to a piece of visual art. In this part of the project, three short science-fiction stories were written, one in response to each of the classical paintings and its respective remix. The stories focus on themes of how technology will integrate itself into the common human experiences of parenting, entertainment, and intimate relationships, and the problems and solutions that may arise as a result. The stories are intended to be read alongside the paintings, however they can also be read separately without the context of the paintings from which they were drawn. Likewise, the paintings can be viewed separately from the short stories. The work is complimentary and builds on itself.
ContributorsFrancois, Nathan Peter (Author) / Finn, Edward (Thesis director) / Meissinger, Ellen (Committee member) / School of Art (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Human nature drives us to focus primarily on the present or near-future, instead of considering what consequences our actions may have many years from now. However, in a new era that is increasingly dominated by humans and their ambitions, this tendency has destructive repercussions on the very environment that once supported and nurtured humankind. Wild animals are highly susceptible to human activities that damage ecosystems, and a loss of animal diversity can have unforeseen consequences on future human populations. In the research, I examine the avoidable reasons for the severe decline in population of four animal species, and through my art, imagine the losses associated with their disappearance. The artwork created evokes an emotional response in the viewer through dramatic, contrasting imagery, making them reassess the relationship between humans, animals and the environment.
ContributorsJudge, Nicole (Author) / Button, Melissa (Thesis director) / Hogden, Heidi (Committee member) / School of Art (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05