KayLynn Deveney: The Day-to-Day Life of Albert Hastings

Project 1: Backdrop

I sought a place that I thought would provide a dialogue and change throughout the day. The site is an anagama wood firing kiln which holds rich history. The images vary in the lighting that are contributed by the sunlight that comes mainly through the back of the shed. The kiln is an area that I wanted to focus on in order to display the solitude of the area and the grunginess of the kiln and the shed's constriction. The type of work that the kiln produces is a very certain aesthetic that is matched by the appearance of the kiln. The process is a novelty, it is a romantic process for those who are dedicated to the specific ways in which the work looks. The more used and easier way to fire ceramic is through an electric kiln which is significantly faster but completely different in the results it yields. Similarly, in photography digital cameras are the faster and more technology based method, however, film can be seen as nostalgic and more process based.

My Favorite Image

The photo that I chose was taken at a preserve near my house. I was drawn to the site because it was right after a storm so many of the trees had been uprooted. Seeing the tree's roots were interesting and gave a different perspective to nature and destruction. I think it is successful because there is high contrast between  the lights and darks which are shown through the branches of the trees. The sporadic amount of green color highlights and brings a refreshingly amount of life to the seemingly dead setting.

Photographer- Anna Fox

I found an artist names Anna Fox that I thought was interesting. She is a British photographer that has many series, including one called "Country Girls." The photographs surround the story of the murder of Sweet Fanny Adams which occurred in Alton in the early 1900s and personal stories of young women growing up in Southern England.

I think that the photographs are interesting because they talk about experiences which are not comforting to say the least and the artist makes the images easy and almost appealing to look at. The use of color added to this since it brings the viewer straight to the focus of the image, usually the woman's legs. I think that this allows it easier to talk about the themes explored without it being too overbearing.