Limitation Choice: Artist Research

For this project, my limitations will be using different materials found around the house that aren’t usually thought of in art as stains, and turning the art pieces into a series.

The artist that I chose to research about is Stephen Gills. He uses different restrictions for each series of photos. After looking at his art more closely, I decided that I would like my work to be influenced by his art. What drew me to his work was the simplicity, yet complexity of each piece. I want to create a busy piece that brings feeling to someone.

In his series of images called “Hammer and Blackberry,” he has a blank paper that he smashes blackberries on creating a “stain.” For my series of images, I plan on using different materials that are found around the house to create stains. I don’t know how I arrived at this idea because my original idea was to take pictures only at night, at a bug’s eye view. But after looking at his art I wanted to use the house only items as my subject/materials.

“His photo-accumulations demonstrate a tender vision factored out of experience; alert, watchful, not overeager, wary of the mendacious conceit.”