Tuesday, May 7, 2013

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Inspiration can come from anywhere, sometimes appearing from a random observation and other times growing from a personal encounter.  This artist has a deep-rooted passion for video game characters, which often appear in his creations.  His current interest lies in Minecraft, a game about placing blocks to build anything you can imagine.  


The artist seems to feel so strongly about this digitalized outlet for imagination and wonder, that he works to depict it through many different mediums.  He has been able to transfer his abstract thoughts about the challenges and skill components of the video game to a more concrete depiction of the characters and scenery through drawing, writing cartoons and stories, and molding in clay.


Luckily, the artist wore his Minecraft t-shirt to the studio and was able to refer to it for appropriate dimensions and details.  Recreating an already-existing theme is often even more difficult than coming up with an original idea.  The artist does his best to match what he remembers from the game, with what he constructs on his own with the clay.


Combining visual memories of an electronic world, with the necessary steps of scoring and slipping to attach clay pieces, can be demanding.  However, approached in an artistic manner, it seems quite similar to the ambitious task of building and breaking down pixelated worlds.  The artist is able to conquer both of these adventurous activities, by physically using his fingers and hands, and by mentally connecting his past and present experiences.


While explaining his interest in pop culture and inspiration from computer-made graphic art, the artist captures the attention of his peers.  They can relate to him, as they also enjoy playing the video game and have engaged in group conversation about their struggles and successes.  The artist has now encouraged them to take their understanding of Minecraft from the electronic realm to the studio space. 

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