tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62210603414435693252024-03-13T11:28:08.130-07:00Akoka'tssiniAkoka'tssiniAkoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-84979620329549943212011-04-07T16:50:00.000-07:002011-04-07T16:53:33.369-07:00I k t o m i<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-adv6b54Moxs/TZ5OFhDyTJI/AAAAAAAAAYY/fDFmwi08978/s1600/i_k_t_o_m_i_by_indigasphyxia-d3d42by.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-adv6b54Moxs/TZ5OFhDyTJI/AAAAAAAAAYY/fDFmwi08978/s400/i_k_t_o_m_i_by_indigasphyxia-d3d42by.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592993643921296530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">(CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW)</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Medium(s)</span>: Micron Pen .005, Sharpie<br /><br />- - -<br /><br />Iktomi, in Lakota-Sioux spirituality, is a spiritual deity held in the oral history and storytelling aspect of the Indigenous culture.<br />He, who takes the form of a spider, is more often then not portrayed as a negative trickster spirit against the people, believed to entangle webs in the lives of people and create a domino effect of unfortunate coincidences, depression, anger, and self-pity. His ability to control people unknowingly like puppet strings to create unfortunate events in the lives of individuals, believed to be preyed on the weak spirited and weak minded.<br /><br />In everyday communication, it is often said to "have an iktomi on your back" relates to said sudden chain of negative coincidences over a short or long period of time. Often this expression is used towards people who are suffering depression, heavily into alcoholism, or doing things to hurt other people.<br /><br />-<br /><br />Aside from the quick background of who Iktomi is, I often see him portrayed as said being, shifting between human or specimen. Though I enjoy a more surreal interpretation that shows the predatation aspect of spiders often involving coiling, constriction, and injection. ironically as often as we find spiders in the bathroom, the bathtub to me represented vulnerability as well as most associated with a time when we are usually alone and by ourselves.<br />The smaller side on the left depicts a house fly being attacked, which scales the humans down to the same level of prey.<br />The only faces of the piece are arachnids, where the human ones are shrouded in the constricting organic-like vines, and the other's skull remains at the bottom of his feet, replaced by old, rotten. and broken picture frames..which represents my drastic change in identity-shifting.<br /><br />With currently an "iktomi on my back" for at least 4 months now, I basically drew what it feels like, which is rather new for me personally as an artist. My works have usually been socio-political at the very least. Though "Afternoon Tea" was as such, the atmosphere and "milieu" of the piece was much more darker and serious than I had done before, and it extremely appealed to me...which I believe will result in more of these surreal ink works from now on.<br /><br />The official end of my "Indigasphyxia" thesis (the impact of colonization and technology on indigenous culture), and a shift towards a "Milieu" focus (personal experiences in my environment, and being a prey of Iktomi since December)Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-63468450980836826552011-02-15T18:42:00.001-08:002011-02-15T19:09:52.622-08:00Beneath The Millpond<p>Steven Black Weasel</p><p>English 283 (1:00-1:50)</p><p>Free Verse</p><p>February 14th, 2011</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As a voice beneath the millpond sings,</p><p>From his past the lost August days are woken.</p><p>Through years, where the darkness roars,</p><p>Until with whirlpool panic heart he looks,</p><p>Out of the looking glass,</p><p>And sights the cluster of ghastly ghosts,</p><p>Huddled together in familiarity of an asylum party.</p><p>In a blurred hurried bliss,</p><p>The grandfather sonorously sings,</p><p>his cherished chime of thirteenth hour.</p><p>Then the audible dissipation,</p><p>The summer swallows on the eve of cold.</p><p>Bounds breached.</p><p>Ripples ring,</p><p>As a voice beneath the millpond sings.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p>Scratched ankles and nail-bitten hands,</p><p>Grasped and groped the Johnson locks,</p><p>Raven follicles turn to desolate deserts of</p><p>White scalp</p><p>Lying, pure and pale, bloodless…</p><p>As a young stillborn boar, motionless…</p><p>Though, cold tears tumble, hopeless.</p><p>Through a shared distance of gaps and gullies,</p><p>The looking glass reveals the misfortunate,</p><p>Proving, that the dead can dance.</p><p>Rhythmic rhymes chime the air of barbaric tones,</p><p>Until smiles rise the sun of dawn.</p><p>Standards shown.</p><p>Plucked wings,</p><p>As a voice beneath the millpond sings.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p>Shuffling pond pebbles as he circles jagged rocks,</p><p>Caught between linear lines of ideals and illusions.</p><p>Appearing apparition to distant spies whilst walking,</p><p>Like delicate muscles,</p><p>Sleep-walking through shapes that razors blind.</p><p>But noise does not abate the essence of ears,</p><p>As young geese yawp and squeal above the moors.</p><p>Though escaping ebony is filled absence of color,</p><p>Flight feathers all but are due to return,</p><p>Like cut canvas,</p><p>Eager to expel the quintessence that artists fume.</p><p>He casts the final skipping stone into the bog of buttresses </p><p>Bounds breached.</p><p>Ripples ring,</p><p>As a voice beneath the millpond sings.</p>Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-50491325385588509762011-01-04T06:48:00.001-08:002011-01-04T06:54:11.042-08:00M i l i e u<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TSMzVguI4NI/AAAAAAAAAX0/NxTWbg7kpEo/s1600/Snapshot_20110103_10SOFTGLOW.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TSMzVguI4NI/AAAAAAAAAX0/NxTWbg7kpEo/s400/Snapshot_20110103_10SOFTGLOW.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558342809759047890" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TSMzSGXnr9I/AAAAAAAAAXs/EIsZu0Lw9wA/s1600/Snapshot_20110103_17SOFTGLOW.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 303px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TSMzSGXnr9I/AAAAAAAAAXs/EIsZu0Lw9wA/s400/Snapshot_20110103_17SOFTGLOW.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558342751145668562" border="0" /></a>Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-43355423346275804882010-12-17T12:56:00.001-08:002011-01-04T06:48:10.328-08:00Photography Studies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TSMzIi0XozI/AAAAAAAAAXk/kf2_6uG326w/s1600/148283_468260487927_549737927_5567591_3614513_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 303px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TSMzIi0XozI/AAAAAAAAAXk/kf2_6uG326w/s400/148283_468260487927_549737927_5567591_3614513_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558342586983752498" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TQvOz8XFNTI/AAAAAAAAAXY/uSB2KeyrMOQ/s1600/148283_468260492927_549737927_5567592_257556_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TQvOz8XFNTI/AAAAAAAAAXY/uSB2KeyrMOQ/s400/148283_468260492927_549737927_5567592_257556_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551758357435856178" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TQvOux9sOsI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/PDtX0povWQU/s1600/150235_468262507927_549737927_5567665_25189_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 314px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TQvOux9sOsI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/PDtX0povWQU/s400/150235_468262507927_549737927_5567665_25189_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551758268745661122" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TQvOqdL2pCI/AAAAAAAAAXI/4_oIOUB--2c/s1600/148283_468260497927_549737927_5567593_8048332_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 315px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TQvOqdL2pCI/AAAAAAAAAXI/4_oIOUB--2c/s400/148283_468260497927_549737927_5567593_8048332_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551758194448442402" border="0" /></a><br /><br />1800-1830's Cemetery, Northbridge, MassachusettsAkoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-56905790376563699722010-11-13T15:42:00.000-08:002010-11-13T16:53:09.374-08:00"Afternoon Tea"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TN8i3p8YLVI/AAAAAAAAAXA/eHhR2VrOkps/s1600/umbrellaman3second.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 293px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TN8i3p8YLVI/AAAAAAAAAXA/eHhR2VrOkps/s400/umbrellaman3second.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539184406236245330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">(CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW)</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Medium(s)</span>: Micron Pen .005<br /><br />- - -<br /><br />"Afternoon Tea" was definitely a test of patience with such a small-tipped micron pen. The crows themselves took me about a half hour each, maybe more on the flying one. I'm sure I could have used something similar with a bigger tip like a sharpie or pen&ink, but I love the black that comes out of these pens when given the time to make something black in its entirety.<br />The piece is pretty complex, as my works usually are subject/meaning wise.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">After drawing Mr. Umbrellaman there, I got the idea that I wanted to make Natives doing a "routine" activity that just screams Western culture. I couldn't really think or find anything better than afternoon "tea time". Afternoon tea is a light meal typically eaten between 3pm and 5pm. The custom of drinking tea originated in England when Catherine of Braganca married Charles II in 1661 and brought the practice of drinking tea in the afternoon with her from Portugal. It became prominent in the 18th century of aristocratic culture and those seeking the same for themselves.<br />Since thats explained as predominately Western custom, I attempted to bring that aspect into modernization, assimilation, and colonization, my usual topics. Dressing nice and drinking tea (aka following Western customs and trying our best to be Americans/Canadians) will never cloud over the fact of what we are, and definitely as what others see us as. In these acts of colonization, the decomposition and decay of traditional ceremony, culture, and beliefs die out if not become infected by radiation (modernism/mainstream society). Socio-radiation I like to personally call it.<br />To further show direct decomposition of traditionalism, crows come to the top of the umbrella where they one by one take the cottonwood branches; the couple and their dog seemingly surrounded by crows as if they themselves are near death.<br />The umbrella itself represents ceremony, particularly akoka'tssini, Sun Dance. The prayer ties represent our sufferings and indulgent hopes of things changing, when clearly we further aide in the decay of our hopes, dreams, and traditional ways.<br />The sign falling apart implies to the viewer the setting is a Native reserve. This also represents what we have done to ourselves, our land, and our environment for attempts to stimulate tribal economies and simply cash, again dependency on the government. If we are dependent on a mass-global warming contributor, we cannot be any less to blame if we support and even partake in their efforts to further unbalance and outright destroy. Our own people in the arctic north have already been documented and interviewed about how much their culture and traditional lifestyles have changed due to melting ice alone.<br />Smaller aspects are my notorious beer bottles covered in traditional-evil colors and hailstone symbols to represent evil beings. The Lakota best describe this as "Iktomi has you"..the trickster spider. Iktomi is in every bottle, and within every bottle is sorrow, despair, and violent acts waiting to happen. The effects of alcoholism on reservations is a ultimately worse contributor to many issues of sexual assault, rape, and domestic violence.<br />The dog, of course, represents loyalty, represents children and future generations. The world we teach and show our children is the world we ensure they will know well and live in, and unfortunately most of the time pass down to the next. Children, like dogs, blindly and loyally follow those they love and look up to, regardless of a good or bad role model. Dragging the travois represents the burdens we have that we subconsciously force upon them to experience.<br />Any native will tell you, children are our future, they always have and will be. What kind of world are we bringing them up in and teaching them to treat it as? The livelihood of our orally-surviving culture depends on people now preserving it and passing it on. Are you decolonized enough to rightfully say you are your nation, or are you the man and woman here? Living lies, living someone else's culture.<br />Absorption rather than adaptation. It plagues our native world, and our whole world.<br /></div>Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-21893719060650106782010-11-12T15:24:00.000-08:002010-11-12T15:36:03.805-08:00Untitled Micron Pen WIP III<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TN3Ni9yHTwI/AAAAAAAAAW4/7NZPZ5zvfEk/s1600/Umbrellman2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TN3Ni9yHTwI/AAAAAAAAAW4/7NZPZ5zvfEk/s400/Umbrellman2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538809117319581442" border="0" /></a><br />- - -<br />I'm rummaging now with names and ideas as this kinda self-forms itself into this, apocalyptic, culture genocide, prim-and-proper tea party. <br />The top of the umbrella was bothering me, that it needed some sort of movement and actions in an effort to more centralize the umbrella as a symbolic Sun Dance tree. The ravens/crows come, a symbol is death and decomposition, as they one by one take bits and pieces of cottonwood branches, to symbolize the slow death, decay, and loss of ceremonial practices as we bring, still, our colonized ways and views to them.<br />The dog with the travois might be carrying something related to this "tea party", perhaps a picnic basket. Maybe something more apocalyptic like gasmask tubing/filters. Still up in the air.<br />I also added some smal things. The row of hanging drying meat was to coverup my mistake that I originally had him planned to be sitting on a park bench. In front of the woman and man's feet are beer bottles covered in traditional-evil symbols and colors...my well-known addition to art these days.<br />Excited now finally where this composition is bringing me, as I'm excited to work more and more on it.Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-27262667217627990882010-11-12T05:04:00.000-08:002010-11-12T05:07:53.447-08:00Untitled Micron Pen WIP II<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TN07flCTjxI/AAAAAAAAAWw/MjCPR_QOwbw/s1600/019.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 382px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TN07flCTjxI/AAAAAAAAAWw/MjCPR_QOwbw/s400/019.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538648530439343890" border="0" /></a><br />A piece I've started to work on, not much to say about it yet because I'm struggling to decide what I want to do and where for it to go. I'll update constantly.<br /><br />The balance of the piece was bothering me (look at update prior to this one). I wasn't sure at all what to put, or where to put it, that would balance the piece, yet keep it interesting, unique, but along the same lines as the first subject. What balances a man better than a woman version? I'm enjoying where this composition is going now.Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-82645060963914665722010-10-28T12:52:00.000-07:002010-10-28T12:54:50.928-07:00Untitled Micron Pen WIP<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TMnUtQodjvI/AAAAAAAAAWg/BPRtVh2OHE0/s1600/umbrellaman.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 306px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TMnUtQodjvI/AAAAAAAAAWg/BPRtVh2OHE0/s400/umbrellaman.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533187491225243378" border="0" /></a>A piece I've started to work on, not much to say about it yet because Im struggling to decide what I want to do and where for it to go. I'll update asap.Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-67188336815576008942010-08-13T19:47:00.000-07:002010-08-13T20:28:10.514-07:00"Where do we draw the Line?"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TGYEDBs-iqI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/aRWEaw9t1Mk/s1600/005.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 306px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TGYEDBs-iqI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/aRWEaw9t1Mk/s400/005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505092044550212258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">(CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Medium(s)</span>: 2H Pencil, Pen, Sharpie Pen<br /><br />- - -<br /><br />A quick, yet thoroughly and exploratory worked sketch, "Where do we draw the Line?" defines and illustrates that question for Indigenous people on where it is we stand today, technologically, politically, environmentally, medically, every way possible that affects us from the Western world compared to our Old world. The questions are a bit difficult to grasp as I had been researching and reasoning/discussing with a friend on Existentialism. Where is it we, as cultured Indigenous people, place ourselves? As individuals? In this globalized and colonized world where mental and technological assimilation has no preference to race, sex, gender, religion, etc...<br /><br />The human figure defines an elder, someone of extreme cultural, social, and governmental importance to Indigenous culture.<br /><br />The figuratively-implied shape out of lines defines a traditional-style horse.<br /><br />These two one in the same relatives and relations in traditional culture, still amidst the same world, but have become vastly separated in ways that are not recognizable, to the point it is easy to make out the human face in our eyes, but the horse figure almost abstract and unrecognizable unless putting in some visual effort. An abstraction to visually define a broken connection..an old belief and view now apathetically unthought of. This defines symbolically our lost sight of animals as our relatives (symbolically including our earth's place as a whole), as we have become swallowed by cooperate agendas and dependence on colonized needs. We now exist as Indigenous people in a synthetic-nature, where everything is clearly defined with an exact scientific and mathematical answer, purpose, and reason.<br /><br />I quote from my artistic thesis the part this piece defines visually:<br />"Technological acceleration does not affect out way of living - it is our new and comprehensive host of life, the environment of living itself. It is not the effect of technology on the environment, culture, economy, religions, etc., but rather that all these <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">categories</span> exist in technology. In this sense technology is new nature. The living environment, old nature, is replaced by a manufactured milieu, an engineered host-synthetic nature. In a real sense, we are off planet, swelling on the lunar surface of stone, cement, asphalt, glass, steel and plastics, engulfed in the atmosphere of radioactive oxygen and electromagnetic vibrations - the soothing aroma of atomic nuclear energy, the soothing lullabies of the machine. The common notion tells us that technology is neutral, that we can use it for good or bad. Though, in my opinion, we do not use technology, we live technology; technology is our way of life. Being <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">sensitive</span> entities (especially as Indigenous people), we always have and will become our environment - we become what we see (or may not see), what we hear, what we eat, what we smell, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">what</span> we touch, etc. Where doubt and questioning is prohibited (indigenous or not), we become, without question, the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">environment</span> we live in..."<br /><br /><br />Where does the line exist between adaptation and absorption? Between integration and imitation? Who defines these lines?<br /><br />This line is completely individual-based. Which is what this entire piece is created from, individual lines.Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-43186954534444160212010-07-06T08:03:00.000-07:002010-07-06T08:52:00.628-07:00"Assimilation Shelter in Sweatlodge"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TDNGA_JwqiI/AAAAAAAAAWI/Cef2Z8k8Wls/s1600/001.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/TDNGA_JwqiI/AAAAAAAAAWI/Cef2Z8k8Wls/s400/001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490809353461082658" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"> (CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW)</span><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><br />Medium(s):</strong> </span>Acrylic, Pen & Ink, Sharpie, String, Tracing and Palette Paper Mix Media<br /><br />- - -<br />"Assimilation Shelter in Sweatlodge" is a mixed-media composition I completed in two weeks during my staffing of the Oscar Howe Native American Summer Art Institute (OHSAI) at the University of South Dakota. During the visiting artists of Bunky Echo-Hawk and Roger Broer, I was inspired by the gallery of Northern Plains Indian Art Market collections the Fine Arts department owned during OHSAI. I had never done mixed media in this fashion, nor had I taken a painting seriously. This was the result of ultimate experimentation outside of my comfort zones.<br /><br />I leaned into the works of abstract by my mark making. Using the teeth on a buffalo jaw, I covered the teeth in paint and dabbed the canvas, which created a very unique and decomposing-looking texture. Aside form painting, I used adhesive spray to directly place my drawing of the sundancers on tracing paper directly onto the canvas. The sundancers being my startingpoint, I expanded outward in the composition from there, like an atomic bomb.<br /><br />The piece has unlimited symbolism, but will review the major points here. Below is a link of a close-up photo of my pen&ink work alone of the sundancers.<br />-<br />http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs038.snc4/34268_405896237927_549737927_4365412_3619457_n.jpg<br />-<br />The Sundance, akoka'tssini, is one of the most sacred and most honorable spiritual practices that can be done in our traditional culture. It is the iconic ceremony that makes us Indigenous people, completely non-western ceremonies that we've done annually every summer for centuries and generations.<br />THis piece is about the decomposition of it, of the people who should be involved. I incooperated materialistic objects and things related to society that tempt us, but we choose to let overcome who we are freely, based on our own decision-making rather than some adversary thats holding us back. Things that cloud our mind from who it is we are as Native people, and recognizing the fact that it is what we do that makes us Native, not what we happen to be in bloodlines.<br />The strings off the sundancer connect to a dead tree, to symbolize decomposition of ceremony. Much fighting goes on about who is doing what wrong and it seems everyone individually knows "the right way", nevermind those who do not even attend or recognize the Sundance as a primary event in their life. Hanging from the tree are alcoholic containers and cut braids, to show how many people are no longer connected to the tree, but the reasons they are not there. Addictions, issues, and loss of cultural fundamentalism all relate to why we are not involving or attending ourselves to not just sundance but all red road commitments and ceremonies. A lone cross rooted into the ground showing the dominance of Christianity and other western-origin beliefs that many of my people have turned to.<br />Traditional symbolism is related to my color choices. Black and white was and is considered an evil color-palette of evil spirit beings that visited and tempted us so long ago. My view is that since we as people have changed, so have they. This belief resulting in my design of traditional evil colors and markings on beer bottles; the direct temptations that destroy us from within.<br /><br />I combined it all with a Fallout Shelter sign used in the 50's and 60's during the Nuclear-era. As a means to direct people to a safe haven and protection from harm. I'm thinking about doing a series of these with that similar topic. C.D. (Civil Defense) put them out, and figured it'd be fun to twist it to C.D. (Culture Defense). Overall, this piece I believe is the start of a new direction.Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-60996997705003757522010-02-08T15:08:00.000-08:002010-02-08T15:16:36.191-08:00Graphic photoshop work for Screenprint Project<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/S3CZhuhQK5I/AAAAAAAAAWA/lF5-SZq1cWU/s1600-h/cryingmanposterized.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 281px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436013554938424210" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/S3CZhuhQK5I/AAAAAAAAAWA/lF5-SZq1cWU/s400/cryingmanposterized.jpg" /></a> This is a image I made in photoshop and gimp mostly for my next assignment in Printmaking II (screenprinting). We were required to make our own images graphically, posterize them around 9 levels, and use them as referances for our screenprint processes.<br /><br /> I chose a photo of a traditional painted Native, black face with a red forhead which usually signifies he is a veteran of war. I darkened most of the image with speckle tools of black and then began to work in my detailed white parts in. After putting a cigerette in his mouth, I spent a while creating a realistic crying running tears effect on his left side, then continued to make traditional symbol hailstones and lightning bolts, even added one in his eye to create a more vampiric looking pupil.<br />White hailstones and lightning bolts were used traditionally in a lot of traditional cultural stories and artwork were used to portray evil, or evil in a physical form. I wanted to show the battle of classic good and evil I suppose in a more Indigenous style portrayal. The battle of traditional culture vs. modernism and technology.<br /><br />I'll update with screenprint processes.<br /><div></div>Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-59022406044797509642010-02-01T15:41:00.000-08:002010-08-16T20:50:49.754-07:00My Official Current Artist's Thesis"By any measure, we live in an extraordinary and extreme time. Language can no longer describe the world in which we live like it used to. With antique ideas and old formulas, we continue to describe a world that is no longer present. In this loss of language, the word gives away to the image as the 'language' of exchange, in which critical thought disappears to a diabolic regime of conformity - the hyper-real, the omnipresent image. Language, real place gives way to numerical code, real to virtual; metaphor to metamorphosis; body to disembodiment; natural to supernatural; many to one. Mystery disappears, replaced by the illusion of certainty in technological perfection.<br />Technological acceleration does not affect out way of living - it is our new and comprehensive host of life, the environment of living itself. It is not the effect of technology on the environment, culture, economy, religions, etc., but rather that all these categories exist in technology. In this sense technology is new nature. The living environment, old nature, is replaced by a manufactured milieu, an engineered host-synthetic nature. In a real sense, we are off planet, swelling on the lunar surface of cement, asphalt, glass, steel and plastics, engulfed in the atmosphere of radioactive oxygen and electromagnetic vibrations - the soothing aroma of atomic nuclear energy, the soothing lullabies of the machine. The common notion tells us that technology is neutral, that we can use it for good or bad. Though, in my opinion, we do not use technology, we live technology; technology is our way of life. Being sensitive entities (especially as Indigenous people), we always have and will become our environment - we become what we see (or may not see), what we hear, what we eat, what we smell, what we touch, etc. Where doubt and questioning is prohibited, we become (indigenous or not), without question, the environment we live in.<br />With our Indigenous origins based in the natural order, should this context radically change, the mysterious nature of the human being shall also radically change - a change that will reflect the transformation of nature itself, whether it be a turning point or vanishing point. Natural diversity becomes a burnt offering, sacrificed to the infinite appetite of technological homogenization. We now live in the fiction of science. We are most definitely now, not in some made-up future, cyborgs. As we always have been, we are at one with our environment - we are technology. In this 'wonderland', freedom becomes the pursuit of our technological, industrial, and material happiness. Our standard of living is predictated on commodity consumption, as the practice our new spirituality is "pray for more". In vehicles of ecstasy, with cinematic engines of inertia at audiovisual speed, trans-port and tele-port blend into one. The beginning becomes the end. The 'port' disappears in the speed of light. The nanosecond, technological speed, transforms reality as it creates an ecstatic phenomena of compelling and unparalleled intensity. By human measure, charismatic technique portends the miraculous, as it engenders the condition of 'exit velocity' - a condition that blurs human perceptions, shatters all meanings, drains all content and breaks our bonds with the earth's natural order. All locations are consumed into the startling terra firma of the image, a demonic conformity that is the genesis of man. In this shadow of the mass, all previous definitions crumble.<br />The 'time' and 'space' of history exist to a homogenized zone of no return. In this supernatural implosion of g-force, human moorings give way, sending humans out-of-orbit into the void of technological space. The loss of original habitat and our subsequent relocation into accelerated space, throws nature into catastrophe, as it engenders traumatic stress syndrome as the now normal condition of post-human existence. Technology, while promising comfort and happiness as its 'result', means power, means control, means conformity, means destiny. Technology creates a condition of war that is at once both universal and unseen. The explosive tempo of technology is war; the untellable violence of genocide, relocation, assimilation and colonization in technology is war.<br />All of us, are refugees driven from our human and indigenous state."Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-22402562866320722342010-01-23T21:49:00.000-08:002010-01-23T22:00:25.213-08:00(ENG283-Creative Writing) Ballad Poem Assignment<div align="left">- - -<br /><br />The nobodies that want to somebodies, </div><div align="left">but not until they're dead.<br />Not worth the bullet that kills them, </div><div align="left">worth more than what they said. </div><div align="left"><br /> </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">The people who live has gastank heads, </div><div align="left">televisions instead of faces.<br />Who don't speak languages, but dialects, </div><div align="left">empty souls in alcoholic cases. </div><div align="left"><br /> </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Who are not but could be, is what I see, </div><div align="left">Who don't have culture, but folklore.<br />As toxic as they make the air today,<br />gas masks have no use anymore. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><br />The surest way to them is only the same,<br />the different is who they hate.<br />With work to "change" they'll never see past,<br />the elitest barriers they create.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">- - -</div>Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-68736923284538088792009-12-28T12:10:00.000-08:002009-12-28T12:30:07.647-08:00Re-worked "Terse Existence" Print; Painting idea<img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 307px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420386989555612866" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SzkVP6GcfMI/AAAAAAAAAVw/JcPpmrgvyt8/s400/terseprint.jpg" /><br /><div><div><div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SzkRJ-ouq1I/AAAAAAAAAVQ/XjSWHRQX5Ng/s1600-h/Snapshot_20091227_2artistic.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 254px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420382489647426386" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SzkRJ-ouq1I/AAAAAAAAAVQ/XjSWHRQX5Ng/s400/Snapshot_20091227_2artistic.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />During my three hour flight home, I worked on the fourth print (the best in my opinion) of the "Terse Existence" prints with a very fine micron pen and at times a regualr pic pen to add in darker darks and more defining mark making. I loved also how the plate tone came out on this piece and figured it'd look better with more mixed media work put into it.<br /><br />The left piece was some fooling around I did in both Gimp and Photoshop to a recent self-photo I took yesterday. I was mostly playing with color relations next to one another and mixed, as well as compositional ideas such as the 4 directions "stack". Aside from those 4 colors I loved the mixture of black, blue, green, and yellow together, and the splatter effect behind my head. Just an idea, but would be an interesting painting I think.</div></div></div></div></div>Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-76606267170284769352009-11-23T17:37:00.001-08:002009-11-23T17:44:23.113-08:00"Scavenger Hunt"<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/Sws4_B6bRHI/AAAAAAAAAVI/5Oxspf7KpvU/s1600/showmetheway.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 306px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407478433084818546" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/Sws4_B6bRHI/AAAAAAAAAVI/5Oxspf7KpvU/s400/showmetheway.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"> (CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW)<br /></span><div><strong>Medium(s): </strong>Bic Pen<br /></div><div> </div><div>- - -<br />I completed Scavenger Hunt bacially in the same amount of time as Terse Existance. I enjoy coming home some days and just sketching with pen the ideas that are in my head, and the ways I see them.<br />Finished in a few hours or so, my new influence in gothic style and music has really done positive things for my style as well as my ideas for the toxicating effects of assimilation.<br />This piece here of a woman, bending down to inspect a buffalo skull that is decorated in paint for a Sun Dance, while her newly cut hair hangs over her shoulder as she bends, holding the now discarded braid in her left hand and the scissors for doing so nearby.<br />All assimilation referances and the decay of Indigenous thought, morality, and overall culture can be referenced in the piece before this. </div>Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-70909296642056911752009-11-12T16:31:00.000-08:002009-11-13T08:54:03.039-08:00"Terse Existence"<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SvypA5q85NI/AAAAAAAAAU4/4yc-KSOou9I/s1600-h/drawing.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 306px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403379485883819218" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SvypA5q85NI/AAAAAAAAAU4/4yc-KSOou9I/s400/drawing.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">(CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW)<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong>Medium(s):</strong> Bic Pen<br /></span><br /><p><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size:100%;">- - -<br />A pretty spontaneous composition I did that took about 2 1/2-3 hours using a regular black <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">bic</span> pen. Lately I've been combining my ideology for <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Indigasphyxia</span> with some morbid and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">gothic</span> elements to convey Indigenous assimilation. I entitled this "terse <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">existence</span>" to show that cultured life for most Native people is cut short (not so much abruptly, but chronically) as American and social radioactive temptations and mentality infect the Indigenous mind. They, in time, become <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">diluted</span> from these outside influences <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">subconsciously</span> to where it becomes all they know. Right or wrong, its what they know, what they are comfortable with, and what they can fit into with other people. I also consider this a human "stochastic matrix" almost, where regardless of what P is, it fits into the concealed and grouped <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">matrix</span>.<br />He's holding his braid he cut off to show my favorite and personal choice of direct assimilation. The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">syringes</span> are a more chronic and over-time effect of assimilation, hence the "terse" aspect of it. The wires that lead from the head are a direct mind-feeding and mind-control aspect of assimilation, which is the root of it all. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Assimilation</span> is solely mental and visual. I also used these "feeding tubes" as a means of constricting the body to the chair, but not in a sense that it binds him like a prisoner. Instead of showing <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">enslavement</span> directly from the tubes, I feel that assimilation <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">isn't</span> a painful or hindering bind, but a more unnoticeable one to where it <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">doesn't</span> affect your movement directly, but keeps you in one place...in a chair.<br />The idle bottles and cans of alcohol that sit off to the side are obviously tools to help someone to lose their self-control, self-awareness, and is a social means of bonding and fitting in. I refuse to use realism on alcohol, and will always cover the containers in black with traditional white lightning bolts and hailstones; traditionally how we artistically conveyed evil when telling visual stories. Alcohol feeds assimilation. It is technically a poison as well as a mind alteration that can lead to uncontrollable behavior, loss of ones personality, and even death. It is an evil temptation, and a modern evil that will always be conveyed by me as such in the way my people always have shown it.<br /><br /><br />"Cold<br /> Blue<br /> Lifeless<br /> Deathless<br /> Illuminated by the machines<br /> That hold you on this side<br /> Anger or fear<br /> So calm<br /> Unaffected I cease to live<br /> I fear my infection<br /> Watching over your soul as you sleep<br /> Injecting nightmares as you sleep<br /> All I want is your purity<br /> All I want in this world is your mind."</p></span>Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-56373785551318028412009-11-06T20:16:00.000-08:002009-11-06T20:44:26.270-08:00Indigasphyxia: Ideas while awaiting frames arrival<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SvT4oZSY3WI/AAAAAAAAAUY/TFKCeWhnNBs/s1600-h/DSCN2299.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 234px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401215225990536546" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SvT4oZSY3WI/AAAAAAAAAUY/TFKCeWhnNBs/s320/DSCN2299.JPG" /></a><br />As I await my camvas frames to be sent here from the east, I've been using some small Printmaking class assignments as well as Finite notebook sketches to continue formulating and sketching compositional and figurative ideas for Indigasphyxia. The top image which was sketched rather small this morning in my Finite notes this morning is an overall thumbnail plan of the entire composition (figuratively). I placed figurative subjects where I felt they were somewhat most appealing to me personally, as well as their forms, arm gestures, etc. The far right standing figure is referenced to the sketch which is already on the 6 ft. canvas.<br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SvT4jxbu_jI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/PeB8vJyoKE0/s1600-h/DSCN2296.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 308px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401215146572840498" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SvT4jxbu_jI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/PeB8vJyoKE0/s400/DSCN2296.JPG" /></a><br />The larger image below it is a planned sketch for a mezzotint print in my Printmaking class. I felt I'd use the down time from the original piece and use my time wisely in Printmaking to formulate more detailed and concrete figurative ideas. The idea of constricting wires comes from the first figure on the canvas where the wires constrict the TV to his head, and debating on making that a continued ideas throughout the compositon for other figures. My love for figurative drawing I feel will bring a lot of personal fulfillment to myself in my class as well as keep hope for my future plans for Indigasphyxia.<br /><br /><div><div><div><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div>Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-49549601582563226492009-10-21T10:15:00.000-07:002009-11-06T12:27:01.236-08:00"As A Means of Contact"<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/St9C6Wn7NmI/AAAAAAAAATA/VhBsGhqyjL4/s1600-h/meansofcontact.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 280px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395104448886027874" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/St9C6Wn7NmI/AAAAAAAAATA/VhBsGhqyjL4/s400/meansofcontact.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"> (CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGE VIEW)<br /></span><strong>Medium(s):</strong> Linocut Relief Print<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">October 12, 2009</span><br /><br />- - -<br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">U</span></em></strong>SD Printmaking 1 composition done on a linoleum pad (9 1/2 x 11) with about 5+ hours spent. I was very pleased how this turned out (even though this wasn't my final product paper but a proof done on newsprint). I was inspired, as I've stated before, on the current cultura clash of the Jarawa's on an island off the coast of India as well as the other surrounded tribes that have no real contact with the global world. The Jarawa's however have finally opened up to Indians settling on their land and are no longer hostile but eager to hitch rides from a major highway going through their reservation as well as begging for goods. With a very high level of annoyance and discust from settled Indians, the Jarawas are becoming less and less respected on their own land and their culture is at risk.<br />This piece reflects the mental impact of them from their now constant exposure to technology, even though they themselves feel no effect from it, so is my thesis of radiation.<br />"CD" on the forehead of the gas mask represents another image I plan to incorperate more into my works, which stood for the "Civil Defense" in the 1950's that was an organization that planned to be organized and defend the public from possible nuclear attack by arming them with knowledge such as "duck and cover" etc. I have turned that slightly to stand for "Culture Defense" in which obviously the gas mask is to resist radiation of our modern world that is toxic to the cultured person and mentality.<br />As I have personal cultural concern for the Jarawas, this piece represents all cultured people. Not so much the modernized but those that have yet to be uncontacted, such as the many tribes in Brazil and South America where many have yet to even be discovered, nevermind contacted.<br /><br /><br />-<em>Artist's Critique-<br /></em>As much as I love the composition as is, as I have said this was but a proof, and I've been having difficulty creating similar, repetative prints. Something I'm sure will come with more exerience in printmaking overall. I have yet to recreate a print similar to this where all my details (done with a thumbtack mostly for the clothing texture) actually are visible repeatively on prints.<br />Compositionally this was originally just a small time sketch I did that I chose to try out for my class. I'm glad it turned out the way it did and I recieved a lot of positive feedback from professors and peers. I enjoyed working figuratively with printmaking as I do with most mediums, and learned a lot about creating light and reflection as well as textural lines. Overall a piece of work I was content with.Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-87666922146172948852009-10-14T19:13:00.000-07:002009-10-14T19:26:13.687-07:00"The Last But Not Least" WIP<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/StaGRk1EIsI/AAAAAAAAAS4/sblvzTjVVWk/s1600-h/geronimodrypoint.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 303px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392645240324891330" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/StaGRk1EIsI/AAAAAAAAAS4/sblvzTjVVWk/s400/geronimodrypoint.jpg" /></a><br /><div> This rather small sketch (4 1/2 x 6 inches) is for a drypoint etching project the same size on a copper plate. I feel I'll really enjoy etching considering every single line made will show up, rather than lino printmaking where every line has to be made deep enough in order to be seen on the printed paper.<br /> This is a pretty famous photo in Indian Country of Geronimo and his few followers, one being his son I believe. They resisted defeat to both U.S. and Mexican armies and refused reservation life during the 1890's in the southwest desert. He is considered to be the last warrior to fight the Indian wars for cultural solidarity and real freedom to live as they always have. Though the fight continues, to have the odds against him and to still fight I believe many Indigenous traditionalists and activists look to the past to this man to be inspired for "the" cause.<br />As usual, I gave him a gas mask to symbolize his fight to survive against mental radiation, to preserve his culture and way of life.<br />This is simply a sketch which will be forwarded onto my copper plate. I'll update with further progress.<br /><br />P.S. "As A Means of Contact" lino print was somewhat successful in the printing process. I spent 5 hours creating very fine lines to discover they all disappeared in the ink rolling. Disappointing but art is not always product but process. As long as I'm learning, I can only move forward I believe. I will still update with the final print I did once they dry.</div>Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-22784039406561087602009-10-03T12:57:00.001-07:002009-10-03T13:03:08.371-07:00"As A Means of Contact" WIP 2<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/Sses570bXdI/AAAAAAAAASo/6_CDLtled7s/s1600-h/DSCN2276.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 296px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388465590482197970" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/Sses570bXdI/AAAAAAAAASo/6_CDLtled7s/s400/DSCN2276.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Poor photo quality but, figured I'd post the next phase in this composition. Instead of a pen piece like I first intended with this, I instead turned it into my next project assignment fro Printmaking. I transfered and flipped my drawing onto this linolium pad, and all that is white at the moments has been what I've carved out and what will be white when I roll ink over the pad. I made some mistakes in what I intended to be white or black, but printmaking takes experiences I think to realize and visualize the future product and look before making the next carved mark. Once you carve, you can't erase, so I try to be careful but also not afraid to experiment and make/learn from mistakes. I'm hoping to finish carving next week sometime, but still have a lot to do. Next week I'll be spending a lot of extra time at the FA building trying to get this done before Thursday, and start seeing how it looks as a print.</div>Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-75631878566656300582009-09-20T07:06:00.000-07:002009-09-20T07:42:57.053-07:00"As A Means of Contact" WIP<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SrY3OT49G5I/AAAAAAAAASg/l_6zPi5oA5w/s1600-h/jarawapieceWIP.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383551123564862354" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SrY3OT49G5I/AAAAAAAAASg/l_6zPi5oA5w/s400/jarawapieceWIP.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">(CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW)<br /></span><br /><br /><div>"As A Means of Contact" was inspired by recent discussions with a friend of mine about the Sentinels, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Jarawas</span>, and other <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">uncontacted</span> tribes around the world that have yet to be intoxicated by westernization and technology; every indigenous peoples dream when it comes to cultural preservation and mentality. </div><div>The Sentinels live on an island of the coast of India, and have met any sort of outside contact with militant resistance of hailing arrows. There are a few coverages of their interactions with outside people and helicopters, and find it fascinating and recommend reading up on them as well as the recently discovered tribe during a flyover in Brazil a few years ago in 2007.<br />The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Jarawas</span> however <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">don't</span> live as <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">separated</span> as others do. Their island has become settled by Indians and have been exposed to technology. At first for a while they met outside contact with resistance as well, but soon opened up interactions with settlers and now openly go about their business with them. Though they have become a "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">nuisance</span>" to settlers and are being treated less and less as human beings. A major island highway was constructed right through the middle of their homeland, and now encounter a lot of traffic in which they ask for rides and beg for food. Some have even stopped hunting and become solely dependent on handouts they <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">receive</span> from settlers and tourists. Its a pain I have, definitely.<br /><br />Visually, I wanted to portray some <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Jarawas</span>, one with a gas mask of course, and contemplating the rest of the composition. I've recently become interested in the heavy contrast between contemporary and untouched traditional culture. The mask itself provides a means of protection against westernization and technology, and to continue their traditional life uncorrupted, especially while they are still so close to their culture and way of life, a lot closer than most Indigenous people of the world can say for. I'm still trying to make artistic decisions in this one, and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">haven't</span> quite laid it all out yet, but figured I'd post a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">WIP</span>.<br /><br />The Endangered Jarawa<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlRSsvB4iLE">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlRSsvB4iLE</a><br /><br />***Side note being my 6 foot canvas will hopefully be sent out here soon and I can continue that piece. Hopefully in time to somehow finish it before Spring semester and the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Stillwell</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Exhibition</span>. </div>Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-91721097314701220532009-09-17T11:03:00.001-07:002009-09-17T11:16:10.660-07:00Intro to Printmaking 1: first assignment<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SrJ6GmzMhNI/AAAAAAAAASY/cfXGSR34-Zs/s1600-h/gasmaskprintmaking1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 322px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382498758574245074" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SrJ6GmzMhNI/AAAAAAAAASY/cfXGSR34-Zs/s400/gasmaskprintmaking1.jpg" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-size:78%;">(CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW)<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:100%;">Medium(s):</span> </strong></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Printmaking, X-Actoblade</em></span></div><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em> </div><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em> </div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>- - -<br /><strong><span style="font-size:100%;">U</span></strong></em>SD Printmaking first assignment of the semester included drawing anything to get a feel and look at how what you do effects the visual after rolling the ink on, etc etc. Personally boring for me because I've had plenty of experience with this and haven't been in the mood to do artwork that fits in the palm of my hand. Though finally got a little release on wanting my gasmasks done in my artwork. This isn't Native fallout related but figured I'd just wing this assignment with doing any old thing.<br />I really really disliked whatever this cardboard we used for a base. Paper is paper, and cutting and carving in paper isn't really that enjoyable, especially after being used to woodblocks and linoleum for making prints. Displeasure aside this was one of the best of my 5 or so prints that came out of this assignment, and think its ok. Nothing amazing, but ok. My professor did like it, and I did however like the etching effect of the x-actoblade for lines. It reminded me of doing scratchboards which can be a lot of fun and come out nice if effort is put forth.<br />Overall, first mini-intro to printmaking assignment, thought it came out ok so figured I'd post it. </span></div><div><em><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></em> </div><div><em><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></em> </div>Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-66263825801177994402009-08-25T08:42:00.001-07:002009-08-25T18:56:44.630-07:00The Beginnings of "Socio-Radiation"<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SpQGwhvT-sI/AAAAAAAAARI/_vhu8OkL0CU/s1600-h/wastttt2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 276px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373927686120143554" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SpQGwhvT-sI/AAAAAAAAARI/_vhu8OkL0CU/s400/wastttt2.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SpQGwASPZXI/AAAAAAAAARA/PsP9MO7SscA/s1600-h/wasttt3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 268px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373927677139838322" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SpQGwASPZXI/AAAAAAAAARA/PsP9MO7SscA/s400/wasttt3.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>After <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">receiving</span> my long-wanted gas mask for my 21st birthday last <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Thursday</span>, I was excited to slap it on and create a new "artistic image" of myself and the road I am taking with creating an art thesis. I've decided I just find the mask too appealing to not use in a contemporary way of portraying Native American issues, as well as just mental issues in general that are <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">subconsciously</span> created. "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Socio</span>-Radiation" applies to the toxic effects of modern society (whether it be capitalism, communism, etc..they are all equally blinding) on a person's ability to think for oneself as well as see reality. I'm <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">fascinated</span> with the nuclear era and this constant fear of the end of the world as we knew it. The fear of toxic radiation, a substance <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">invisible</span> to the naked eye but affects health and causes many problems. I see the robotic blinding society as a "invisible radiation that is now in the air", and people are openly exposed to it, 9 times out of 10 have no natural defense against it. The results being long-term effects such as loss of perception, loss of culture, and "visual <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">imparities</span>" such as believing everything a person hears, and the heavy reliance on media and taking every word from it as truth.<br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Personally</span> I love the cross-visual of a gas mask with feathers and traditional braids, to symbolize the "mask" we must wear as cultured Native people to defend our minds against losing it to a tempting modern society, with this toxic radiation that we're forced to live in today.<br />I feel its a creative concept that I have yet to see anything close to, especially Native related.<br /><br />These photos I took today, playing with lighting as well as manipulating heavy contrast in GIMP image program. I was too excited about my favorite visual finally being in my hands, and being able to portray it the way I've always wanted to. This is just the beginning of my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">portrayal</span> to my "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">socio</span>-radiation" phase in my artwork.<br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-3557310824006417292009-07-22T14:41:00.001-07:002009-10-26T20:44:39.031-07:00"Indigasphyxia" 6x6 ft. Canvas Project commences<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SmeI-5EdQVI/AAAAAAAAAPo/HzOfcE8xKM0/s1600-h/6footprojectme.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361404495460647250" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SmeI-5EdQVI/AAAAAAAAAPo/HzOfcE8xKM0/s400/6footprojectme.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SmeH0trpnUI/AAAAAAAAAPg/xmUL65sT8Qg/s1600-h/6gootproject.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361403221093489986" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SmeH0trpnUI/AAAAAAAAAPg/xmUL65sT8Qg/s400/6gootproject.JPG" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"> (CLICK IMAGES FOR LARGER VIEW)<br /></span><br /><div>I've finally gotten to a point where I take a break and reflect what I've done so far. Its taken a lot or re-sketching and re-proportioning (mainly of the arm and hand as you can see). This is the first time I've ever scaled something 10-20x its normal size, so its a learning experience as I go. I took two photos, one to have a nice centered image of the piece so far, and one with me working on it to show a size comparison of how big it actually is. Considering this is something totally new and out of my comfort zone, and I'm not doing to bad at it, I'm really having a lot of fun.<br />I gain more ideas for the piece as I work on it. Instead of just a plain feather from the mask, it seemed pretty parallel to the area of direct vision to the eyes, and figured I'd put a TV hanging of it, as well as kinda forcibly strapped to the face, almost like a forced focus fixation on the TV. Below too, a somewhat altered idea, is going to be a child hugging onto his waist with scissors in his hand and looking up to him. Along the line of to show the subconcious act of the child following in his footsteps.<br />So far this is only about a third and a half of the piece, and have some lingering ideas about the untouched side. Though at this point I'm sure tons more will develop as I continue working and my ideas start accurately portraying what I'm seeing in my mind.<br />I'll keep updating as I continue to pursue this piece.</div></div>Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221060341443569325.post-5169325809271771342009-06-29T18:56:00.000-07:002009-06-29T19:08:47.242-07:00Referances/Ideas for my 6x6 ft. Canvas Project<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SklxGBHVyzI/AAAAAAAAAPY/0Ct_sl8gp1A/s1600-h/jumpropegasmask.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352933980298922802" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/SklxGBHVyzI/AAAAAAAAAPY/0Ct_sl8gp1A/s320/jumpropegasmask.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/Sklw7kYaA2I/AAAAAAAAAPQ/hrNhrxjfz2U/s1600-h/ben__jinnwoo_by_squeakersqueakin.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352933800787182434" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 194px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_A6YzJ0xCOuk/Sklw7kYaA2I/AAAAAAAAAPQ/hrNhrxjfz2U/s320/ben__jinnwoo_by_squeakersqueakin.jpg" border="0" /></a> The two referances I've found so far that really caught my personal art interest for my new project I'm about to conduct, which is a painting/mixed media done on a large 6x6 foot canvas. I'm going to use my sketch of the post below of the Native man with the gas mask and cutting his hair, and I believe I'll have him doing that as he watches Naive children, also with gas masks on, playing jump rope like the photo on the left. Mostly to symbolize the impact of what adults do on child role models and how that effects the passing down of Native culture as well as identity.<br />The composition on the right "Ben: Jinnwoo" (<a href="http://fc00.deviantart.com/fs8/i/2005/316/5/2/ben__jinnwoo_by_squeakersqueakin.jpg">http://fc00.deviantart.com/fs8/i/2005/316/5/2/ben__jinnwoo_by_squeakersqueakin.jpg</a>) is a piece I found that really interested in me in color/chroma usage as well as the combination of ink crosshatching. I may not crosshatch with ink, but I do enjoy the look of ink being used as well as paint. A graduate student at the university this past year had done a similar mixed media (ink with paint) and it also had really drawn me to his work. I figured I might as well try to do what is compelling me about this mixed media usage of these two mediums. The dark vs. light in this piece as well as the intense high-contrast usage also has been something Ive liked for a long time.<br />I'll update with photos of the WIP when I get things down on the canvas.<br /><br /><div></div></div>Akoka'tssinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906359683871747115noreply@blogger.com0