Jasmine Lea Hoskins-Thesis Paper

I began this semester in a routinely fashion of warming myself up artistically with some large acrylic paintings. I had purchased a large quantity of acrylic paint and planned to take full advantage of the supply.
Some of my original expectations were to create large collage murals spreading out onto the wall in an organic form. I did make some of those pieces but found that the projects size overwhelmed. The simple question came to mind “what will I do with it after the class is over?” I think that is what affected me the most during this semester. I do not have a studio at this time. Having my art crammed into my bedroom transforms my room into mind clutter. I have one room to live in at this time, I needed to keep that in consideration and make work that suited the space I have available to keep it in. With that in mind I focused on projects that were compact. Over the course of the semester I realized an art form that captured a life long vision. My memories of certain childhood tactile experiences surfaced during the course of the semester and for that this semester has been a success.

My proposal initially responded to the spiritual journey of past and present experiences. I am still working on my salt lick sculpture of Buddha. I currently have a number of projects in process. My intended body of work for the semester allowed me to explore myself from within. I would call my activity an internal retreat. I desire to explore myself enough to open up to the world and create universal art. I want to work through the internal that blocks the sun. I want to expose my most memorable experiences and interweave them with issues that a larger audience will respond to. I am no longer satisfied with dealing with "my" issues. During the course of this semester I changed. The conversations I had, the art I was making came together. This merging was stepping stone in my growth.
I feel incredibly satisfied with these recent pieces. I feel that I have come to a pinnacle in my work and my life. In these past 2 years that I have spent at NCC I have undergone 7 medical procedures. I have sense that the use of metal during the times of these operations has left quite an impression on me, no pun intended. I have been responding to the tools, the mirrors, the lights, tables etc. The sterile clean nature of my recent work parallels my experience in the hospital and doctors office.
I have had a turning point in my material this semester. I began banging out metal pieces that have an assortment of magnet pieces that are interchangeable on each of the four pieces. I am shocked by the lack of painting I did but so grateful that I had this turn of materials. My satisfaction has heightened within the making of these steel landscapes. I see my steel pyramids as close-ups, details of a bigger picture. Same as the thread pieces, I see them as close-ups of threads of a fabric of a universal life. I believe my trip to the Navajo Nation has affected me greatly and I want to express that. The colors, shapes and space of the West activate my heart. I feel a pulse like no other out there. I think that the use of steel this semester has affected me similarly. I have sparked a new beginning, a new view. I see a magnetic horizon. The form and color magnetically connected.
I am not sure exactly what comments came to my aid during the semester. I did not hear much from the others students regarding my work. I was told by a couple of them that they liked it but other than that we did not really talk about it. I have not heard anything this semester that I have not heard before. I have had discussions with Tom Burke that opened me up greatly during my Drawing 2 class. He was talking about perspective and I realized something during his explanation that I am so grateful for. I thanked him dearly and we are closer because of that. Bruce Wall an d I have had some discussions that exposed both of our personalities as artists.
I could see the querky excitement in Bruce's eyes when he looked at something that he liked. That inspired me.
I had written a 6-page paper exposing the Huichol Tribe of Mexico. Indigenous life styles, dwellings and people have intrigued me for many years. I see the details of their necessities and fall hard for the raw materials and décor. I have also been a lover of Richard Diebenkorn’s work ever since I began painting. I feel I am trying to capture my love of his sense of color thru the use of the magnets on my steel pieces. His color choices are so clear and confident I can only wish to be remotely that clever and wise. I think with the magnet pieces I am pointing out how important color and form are to my thinking. In these pieces I can think of nothing else.
I was not able to meet with any of the professionals in New York this semester. I have been having conversations with Bruce Wall and other teachers that have been a source of encouragement and knowledge. I have observed my teachers in action and seen the satisfactions and frustrations of teaching others. I see the balancing act that it takes to learn and lead by example. I had hard times in the studio with the other students, being that I am older and more interested in quiet while I work. I was coming back into the studio for the first time from a long vacation. I was scared and unsure what I was going to feel like working around others. I had a hard time with sound and space so I would retreat into the other room just to feel some peace. I think it is the age that I am at in life. I don’t have the tolerance for the age difference when I am working.
I do not have a copy of my artist’s statement. I have to type it in tomorrow. It is hanging up in the gallery/hallway. I cannot find it on my desktop. I wrote two statements and a poem that describes the sensations of looking and making the artwork.