Stella's Art Blog

Tony Oursler is a multimedia and installation artist. He went to CalArts He works in a range of mediums, including but not limited to video, painting, sculpture, and performance. In his work, he explores the relationship with humans and technology. Most of his visual installations focus on video projections with bits and pieces of the human body reflected onto sculpture. I fell in love with his work immediately- it's creepy, strange, and unsettling, all things I love in art. This man is definitely an inspiration to me.

Daniel Lismore, in his Ted Talk performance, describes what it's like to live as a work of art. "I've never lived as Daniel Lismore the person," he claims. "I've lived as Daniel Lismore the artwork." I was immediately intrigued by this video, as Lismore wore a stunning and artistic outfit to the performance as well as bringing two mannequins along, donned in their own individual apparel. Lismore also went into the struggles of being a unique individual- how it's resulted in bullying, harassment, and even being stabbed. This connected deeply to me- just by being unique and expressing himself, Lismore faces harassment. That's a common theme in our society nowadays, the need to shove down your true self in order to fit in. Lismore is shameless about how he's viewed- he exists to create and inspire, which I highly respect. @Kristen- this guy reminds me of Mack. I love it.

Jean Tingeuly was a Swiss sculptor specializing in sculpture, specifically kinetic machines. He was born in Fribourg, Switzerland in May 1925. As he grew older, he acquired an apprenticeship as a decorator. His lack of discipline lead him to lose his job, however, an independent decorator recognized his talent and helped to enroll him in Basel's School of Arts and Crafts. It was there where he began to engage with modern art. After school, he went into the military, returning after two years to work as a freelance designer. As his popularity grew, Tingeuly opened up exhibits featuring his artworks at various museums and events. Tingeuly's works consist mostly of machinery and other various found objects, which he puts together to create "metamechanics" as he dubbed them. Usually, a motor or system of mechanics are included in the work, as the sculptures are kinetic. Tingeuly's work is heavily inspired by the Dada methods- challenging ideas about technology's...

Cindy Sherman is an American artist whose work focuses on photographic self portraits, using clothes and makeup to almost "disguise" herself and create themes of stereotypes and social roles. Sherman feels as if she "disappears" into her work; a sense of anonymity. Her early work consists mostly of black and white portraits, where she tells stories through her photography series. Notable examples include Murder Mystery People, Bus Riders, and Doll Clothes, where Sherman wears makeup and costumes to transform herself into a character, telling the story through photos of different characters. She shoots alone in her studio, yet her makeup skills seem as if she has recruited a team of people to be photographed. As photography as a genre has evolved, Sherman's work has changed and upped its game. Color is more prominent in her later works, with even more exaggerated makeup and props as well as the use of digital altering. Her later works definitely ref...

One of my greatest artistic inspirations is Pablo Picasso. He was a Spanish artist who, while best known for his paintings, also took part in sculpture, printmaking, and ceramics. While I may not have the same admiration for him for his personality and self, his art is something I look up to greatly and continues to be a striving force that reminds me to continue pushing forward. My favorite quality of Picasso is the range in his work. While he is best known for his stylized cubism paintings, his skills range from realism to experimental. His room for experimentation inspires me to develop even more experimental art styles while still remembering the roots of realism. His use of color and line is my favorite quality in his work- he's bold with his brushstrokes and is unafraid to create large shapes of color.

A column or pillar is an architectural structure that, through compression, carries the weight of the above structure to elements below. Different parts of the column include the base (round or square base that the rest of the column rests upon), the shaft (main part of the column), and the capital (top of the column, sometimes decorated or engraved with designs). In ancient Greek architecture, there are three distinct styles of columns- Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. Doric columns are very plain, with no base or pedestal at the bottom so it can be placed directly against a surface. An echinus, or smooth round capital-like flare, is at the top. The shaft itself thins from the bottom to the top. Ionic columns are more slender and ornate than Doric style columns. At the top of Ionic columns, a scroll-shaped design is added. The base is made up of a stack of disks, with the shaft usually being fluted, as well as being sometimes flared at both the top and the bottom. Corinthian co...

A designer I admire is Dollightful (handle on both Instagram and Youtube). She is known for her work in customizing and repainting toy dolls and turning them into unique works of art. All of her work is handmade, right down to each doll's outfit. I appreciate her use of color when repainting the dolls, as well as her incredible craftsmanship when it comes to sewing such complex yet tiny outfits for each one. She turns everyday items into her own uniquely beautiful creations, which I very much so appreciate.

My name is Stella Paradise. I'm currently a senior at School One, planning to study art at college. I'm very interested in subjects such as illustration as well as art education. Currently, I work at Blue Door Studio in Smithfield, RI, where I help as a TA around the studio as well as teaching a class about digital art and media to children ages 7-12. My dream is to one day pursue teaching as a career. I also am an avid collector of Furbies- a now discontinued toy chain by Hasbro. They're weird, creepy, and ugly, which are some of the main reasons I'm drawn to them. They're rather rare to find, but I've acquired a rather large collection so far and plan to continue expanding it!