探 索
explorations Art and Design by Vivian Xiao
f
oreword
from the artist’s mentors
I. In 30 years of teaching I can look back and count on one hand the students who have utterly and completely dazzled me— students who, over the course of three or four years, regularly tested their academic and interpersonal limits, aggressively pursued new intellectual territory with poised enthusiasm, thoughtfully tackled every challenge with an artful eye and a sensitive aesthetic, and enthusiastically strove to excel in the company of others but never at the expense of cautious peers or less inspired teachers. Vivian Xiao is one such student.
There is hardly a soul on campus—student or adult—who does not know Vivian or know of her work. Her reputation as a designer, a filmmaker, an artist, a club organizer, a dedicated farm leader and proven creative force precedes her. Just mention the name Vivian. People nod. They understand. For all her creativity, accomplishment and renown, however, you would be hard pressed to pick Vivian out of the crowd. She is slight of stature and gracefully soft spoken. Whether in the classroom or engaged in a
co-curricular event, you will never find her out in front making impassioned pleas or inspired speeches. Yet she will always be fully present, thoroughly engaged and leading by example. She will offer a carefully worded observation or suggestion that will turn the discussion or raise the quality of the debate. Her points will be critical but inclusive, her remarks pointed but always couched in humility. In every endeavor she holds herself to the highest standards, but her goals are always realistic and balanced. Among her peers she is typically way out in front pack, but her gentle demeanor and respectful awareness of others serve to inspire and encourage those around her. Instead of intimidating or alienating, Vivian brings peers along on her journey, leading them to stretch and learn more than they thought possible. Not only does she put herself in the way of opportunity, but she creates opportunity for all who chose to partner with her.
So as you ponder these remarkable images, know that they represent just one facet of Vivian’s remarkable work. Know that they represent not the ambition of an aspiring teenage art student, but the current expression of a young artist striving to refine her technique and answer her creative calling. Know that they represent one more inquisitive step down Vivian’s chosen path. It’s a beautiful thing. July 2014 Charlie Noyes The Edgar M. Cullman ‘36 Teaching Chair Instructor in Art Middlebury College, B.A. Rhode Island School of Design, M.A.E.
II. What impresses me most about Vivian’s creative work is her process. Here is a young artist that allows herself to explore. Whether she is designing a magazine layout, creating a logo, rendering an architectural schematic, developing a series of ink drawings, or painting landscapes in Italy, Vivian is driven by curiosity and a thirst for learning. Vivian’s wide range of work is testament to her dedication to being a “Maker”. As an Artist I recognize a deep relationship to showing up to do the work at hand. When Vivian takes on a project, she fully develops her concepts through a process of learning, organization, and many hours of practice. She is fueled by the goal of attaining excellence. Although Vivian would contribute her success to discipline and organization, she has a gift. What she has achieved at a young age is extraordinary. A humble young woman, Vivian has the demeanor of a focused student, yet, what is beneath the surface is an artist of great passion. What is starting to emerge in her work is a level of expression that is steeped in organic gesture. Vivian has honed her craft of rendering allowing her to use her marking making as an artistic language. Her recent series of beautifully articulated jellyfish has a lyrical elegance that allows the viewer to transcend the subject matter. The painterly aspect of this series supports the superb level of drawing. What she is creating is a world of
complicated systems beneath the surface. Involved, integrated, expressive, and refined—Ethereal depths. This is who Vivian is as an Artist, explorer, and person in the world. July 2014 Terri Moore Instructor in Art Co-director of Tremaine Gallery State University of New York, New Paltz, B.F.A.
III. Vivian Xiao is a dynamic young artist mature beyond her years. As a student in the Art, Photography and Related Media Programs at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut she has explored a wide range of approaches to art, design and film. This publication presents Vivian’s work in preparation for the Advanced Placement 2D Design Portfolio, projects in architecture and self directed design work. Vivian’s two major series of drawings and paintings investigate natural forms through a series of studies of sunflowers and sea forms. Her sunflower series
includes a range of work from representational realism to near abstraction. These images are about expressive mark-making, texture, value, and composition. Her second series explores the world of sea forms inspired by jellyfish and various deep water freeswimming marine creatures consisting of a gelatinous umbrella-shaped bell and trailing tentacles. Vivian is a consummate researcher and maker of studies. She is incredibly efficient and productive, compiling a visual lexicon of possibilities and next steps for her work. Beginning with ink and various acrylic and water based media, Vivian explores the color, composition, and textural possibilities for each of her sea life pieces. She includes environmental concerns about pollution and sea trash, adding these layers by hand and digitally to her image making. The resulting sequences are sophisticated and of exceptional quality as they offer an inspired visual response to a unique, endangered life form and environment. Vivian is an elegant design problem solver. Her two and three-dimensional design work is characterized by an investment in research through preliminary studies; documenting process and executing successful visual sequences in a simultaneously dynamic and practiced manner. Her work with two-dimensional perspective in graphite underscores her finesse with complex subject matter and the successful creation of imagined threedimensional illusion on a two-dimensional surface. Her sculptural and architectural forms demonstrate
a thoughtful and inspired arrangement of space, light and shadow. Material selection and craftsmanship are essential elements of this process and Vivian makes these decisions in a studied manner with compelling attention to form, function and an overriding aesthetic focus. She applies this same commitment to her illustration and publication work exploring pattern, line, texture, color and value contrast in combination with text, photography, layout and editorial content. Vivian’s art and design are about the power of the visual image to offer the viewer an opportunity to find deeper meaning through her work. These pieces are marvelously successful images formally while affording the viewer the possibility of sharing in the artist’s inspiration, expression and point of view. It has been a wonderful pleasure for me to work closely with Vivian this past year and I look forward to her continued growth and discovery as an artist with a stunning spirit, a humble sense of self and limitless potential. July 2014 J. Bradley Faus Program Director of Art Instructor of Art, Design, and Architecture Kenyon College, A.B. Rhode Island School of Design, M.A.E.
i
ntroduction
An artist’s Reflection
People ask me where I get my ‘talent’ from. To me, talent is built out of persistence and dedication. It forms out of a continuing process—I am never truly finished with a single piece of artwork. With each finish, I have new ideas or think of ways to improve the piece. Therefore, talent is not something to be “gotten” but the result of practice, repetition, and determination, which requires patience and a humble spirit. Being creative is not always an internal search for original ideas. I devour art and design from books, the web, the world around me, and I store them somewhere--in my head, in my journal, in my laptop—then recreate something out of the snippets of inspiration. Not every piece is a success. Flip through any of my piles of rejected scraps and you’ll see that I create less than two
percent of my ‘list’, which includes a multitude of ideas that I would like to try. But at least I show up to do some of the work. The ongoing frustration I have with my artwork is an inability to identify and express my own voice. Because of my young age, and because of my limited experience, I’ve just scratched the surface of what I want to express. Though I’m not quite there yet, I do believe that working in art and design has contributed to my tremendous growth as an artist, a student, and a human being. I’ve become a creative problem solver, a researcher and investigator, a risk taker, and a meticulous worker. I find my artistic modes of thinking and behaving key to my success in other domains of my world. They are useful in a math or physics course, for planning a film festival, or for editing a
magazine. Principles of artistic creation applies to all my other work, and I believe that my love for creating brings me to a state of focus that allows me to hone those skills. Pursuing art will continue to challenge me. A path that’s off the beaten road, risky, and difficult to stay on, it demands sacrifices and the courage to overcome fear of failure. With each breakthrough, the bar is set higher. But the challenge provides me with a space to test and stretch my limits, and propel me in directions I’d never been before. I will be an artist no matter where I go, because it is essential to my growth. In this book you will find a collection of recent works from my studio classes, extra curricular activities, and free time, including descriptions of
the conceptual and technical development of each project. I hope that through the pictures and words I can share my process of thinking and creating. I would like to thank my art teachers and mentors Mr. Noyes, Ms. Moore, Ms. Villano and Mr. Faus for their excellent direction. And thank you to my family—both at home and at Hotchkiss—who have supported me through my highs and lows, who have not hesitated to challenge me, and who are responsible for creating the environment I live in. I’m excited to see where it will take me. June 2014 Vivian Xiao The Hotchkiss School Class of 2015
i
taly Watercolor I explore beyond what I am familiar with through travel. For the past two summers I have had the incredible opportunity to appreciate and make art in Italy, on the Amalfi Coast and in Florence. Every moment that I spend with a sketchbook on my lap and my surroundings is an absolute luxury. While I’m painting or drawing a scene, I don’t feel the passing of time. I feel other changes, like the changes in temperature, or changes in what I can see. I can feel the passing of light, the passing of sounds, and the passing
of people. Capturing these changes is a form of meditation. I find myself immersed in a special place or moment in time, and the rest of the world stops moving, except for me and my immediate surroundings. The process, not the image, gives my work life. I believe the same is true about traveling. The small journeys are what make a place worth traveling to.
Florence
Florence Cathedral
Amalfi Coast
Loose Paintings of Florence
l
ake Wononscopomuc graphite, pen The Hotchkiss lake is ever changing. In the fall it is painted red and gold with the colors of crisp autumn; in the winter it is blanketed with soft white snow. On a clear spring day it glistens cerulean blue. Sometimes in the early morning, or after a rain storm, a thick layer of fog rests atop the lake, slowly dispersing until only a few wisps remain. At sunset, the lake can be pink, or purple. At night, the lights from the town on the other shore twinkle. This is our view from the art studios. The Hotchkiss landscape, a character of its own, inspires me daily with new observations and discoveries.
Drawings of Lake Wononscopomuc
s
unflower Series
GRAPHITE, ink, watercolor, acrylic paint
For the first semester of junior year we focused on drawing sunflowers, starting from realism and progressing towards abstraction. This mixed-media sequence shows the exploration of one subject matter in a variety of methods. In the graphite drawing I did a focused study of the sunflowers with emphasis on capturing weight and volume. The shriveling leaves and petals introduced varying line quality and shapes. I left parts in the leaves vague and suggestive, while keeping detail in the petals of the sunflower. Then I used pen and ink on top of watercolor backgrounds, and played with the careful
balance between a gestural background and detailed illustration in the foreground. The composition of these ink and watercolor pieces have a graphic quality. I controlled the variation of line quality and achieved different values with hatching and cross-hatching. In one piece I used leaves dipped in ink to draw on top of a tea-stained background. The delicate, thin lines of ink were extremely expressive, and contrasted with the dark bursts of graphite. In the drip paintings, I worked with loose, expressive, and gestural mark-making using paint in a squirt bottle, aiming to convey
energy and motion. I was inspired by Jackson Pollock’s work and the Abstract Expressionist movement. I started out by doing blind contours of the sunflowers, moving quickly over the canvas, then used a water spray bottle to create varying tones, textures and directions of movement. I sometimes let the liquid drip, or used tissue to soak it up and push paint around. The layers and textures convey an explosive, action-packed drama.
Sunflower Study
Red Nebula
Green Nebula
Constellations
Nebula
Big Bang
Dust
Black Hole
m
onotype Printmaking
Monotype is a fun medium to play with. I drew inspiration from the work by Jackson Pollock and Franz Kline—that feeling of movement and energy in the drips and bold brush strokes. I tried to emulate similar organic movement through playful and dramatic strokes using tissue, brushes, and feathers. I controlled light and dark values by adding and subtracting ink from the plate. I used tissue to leave bright white strokes, and brushes or rollers to add darker areas of ink. I also printed multiple layers, so that the interlocking textures and patterns would create a sense of space. In one set I used a triadic color scheme with the three primary colors, which have high contrast with each other. This created more vibration between the colors, as opposed to the analogous color schemes of blues and purples, which are much more calm.
1517
1504
1873
1520
1535
j
ellyfish Series
Ink, Watercolor, GRAPHITE, DIGITAL MEDIA
The jellyfish series is a project that explores the fascinating beauty of an alien-like creature, while at the same time conveying impacts of pollution. I began with watercolor and ink. Each piece started with an abstract watercolor background, on which I picked out forms with pen and ink drawing. In this process I explored the merging of abstraction and realism, integrating the soft, subtle changes of the background with the precise markmaking of the jellyfish. In one of our class critiques, a visiting biology teacher thought that my illustrations reminded her of plastic bags floating in ocean. After discussing with her about marine pollution, I began to push my work towards an environmental theme.
I then turned to digital manipulation. By transforming the illustrations through digital manipulation, I reflected the damaging effects of toxic chemical waste. I was inspired by the artwork of Australian artist Neil Chenery, who layers images of sea creatures with textures of tables, walls, or floors to hint at the implications of human interference. My artwork eventually evolved into the series presented here. The detailed illustrative quality of each jellyfish emphasizes my awe at the complexities of marine life, which is juxtaposed with the disappointment that such beauty has been tainted by human waste and pollution.
Metaphase
Embryo
Fetus
Meiosis
Cytokinesis
Prophase
Anaphase
i
llusion Series GRAPHITE
has control over the story, so he holds the setting in his hands. In this illustration, reality exists only through the distorted reflection.
The Illusion Series depicts the settings of Sula, The Glass Menagerie, and Fight Club, three novels I studied in English Literature. In this series I explored the cross between illusion and reality through manipulation of perspective. I was influenced by the work of M. C. Escher, who illustrated impossible three-dimensional situations on a two dimensional plane. In these illustrations I aimed to create settings that do not follow the laws of physics or reality, yet depict the distorted reality of the author’s intention.
The second piece is based on Relativity, where worlds of three different sources of gravity are interconnected by stairs. This illustration shows the world of the protagonist from Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, where he and his alter ego travel between different settings and worlds through the stairways and portals.
The first piece, based on Self Portrait in Spherical Mirror, is an illustration of the Wingfield’s apartment from The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. The apartment is reflected onto the glass sphere that Tom holds, depicting how the story is told from the perspective of Tom’s memory. Tom
The third piece, based on Escher’s Ascending and Descending, is an illustration of the town of Medallion from Sula by Toni Morrison. It depicts the rich valley in the bottom left and the poorer town of ‘The Bottom’ in the top right. A Penrose staircase—an impossible staircase that forms a
never-ending loop—connects the two locations, thus creating a visual paradox. Though ‘The Bottom’ appears to be higher than the valley, the staircase makes the perception of relative height ambiguous. This paradox represents many of the inversions in Sula, where ‘The Bottom’ is located at the top of the hill, where descriptions of birth and death intertwine, and where Nel and Sula are opposite in personality yet similar people. The illustration portrays the topsy-turvy world of Sula which blurs the distinction between black and white. At the end of the project, I learned that truth and reality can be changed when perspective changes. In artwork and in novels, creators change the reader’s reality by using new perspectives or dimensions.
Fight Club: Relativity
Sula: Ascending and Descending
i
magined Environment Graphite This piece is a study of perspective for architecture class. I illustrated a futuristic cityscape embedded with patterns inspired by computers and microchips. The challenge of this project was to draw completely from imagination. I have often worked with photo or physical references, but this project was detached from any such visual aids. The piece is large; the largest pencil
drawing I’ve ever worked on. I used a vertical format to emphasize the scale and height of the structures. Areas of dense patterns are balanced with areas of open space. The process was meditative and required focus on controlling the pencil. The most tedious part was adjusting the different values of shading to introduce depth and distance into the piece.
m
odular Design Foam core
In this project I used cutouts to create theme and variation in a series of three, centered on a modular and geometric design theme. Each piece is constructed with varying modules of diamonds and v-shapes. The contrast between light and dark value create repetition. The shape and angularity of the smaller units are reflected by the larger pyramidal composition of the structures. The three pieces are arranged in an overall triangle, making the geometric design theme more prominent due to the emphasized angularity and more engaging negative space.
a
rchitecture
wood, foam core, plastic This is a model of solar house design. The ground floor includes a two-person master bedroom, a bathroom, a large kitchen and dining area, and living room. A small second floor provides space for storage and a small study area. The staircase is a bookshelf that forms a divider between the living room area and dining hall. The architectural design reflects Japanese traditions with the importance of light and transparency. It features a long glass wall on the south face, and a bird cage inspired garden for the east and west entrances. The house acts like a frame of the nature surrounding it, and allows the residents to experience nature more intimately. The house uses light and natural materials to achieve transparency. The
bedroom will have a tatami floor, woven from straw, which is cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and remains fresh during Japan’s humid months. Most of the house will not need to rely on artificial lighting, thus enabling the residents to lead a life that synchronizes with the rhythm of the nature. The south face, which receives the most sunlight, has a glass wall that allows natural sunlight to light the living room and dining room during the day. On the east side of the house is the kitchen and dining area, so that sunlight can enter in morning during breakfast. On the west side of the house is the living room, where residents can relax in the evening and watch the sunset.
Details of Solar House Model
g
raphic Design DIGITAL MEDIA
I never took a graphic design class in or out of school. I learned in my spare time. I first started making artwork on Microsoft Paint in elementary school. In middle school I was introduced to Adobe Photoshop. In high school I started using a graphic tablet and working with Adobe InDesign. I love typography, and I am obsessive over beautiful books. To indulge in my love for printed type, I co-founded an arts publication which brings together writers and artists to showcase the creative pursuits of the school community. I’ve worked with a range of clients on commissions. I’m lucky to have worked
for people I know closely, because they are extremely gracious and will trust me entirely with their project. I have also worked with more demanding clients. I learn to balance meeting the clients needs and satisfying my own judgment. Through commissioned work I’ve learned how to manage my time and energy for meeting deadlines and working on a schedule. I cannot wait for inspiration to come to me. I must set aside time to make creativity happen. Having that discipline has helped me manage my academics and other projects. I don’t wait until the last minute to work on anything. I jump right into it, to brainstorm and explore many possibilities, then edit down to the ideas I am most passionate about.
Beyond the work you see here, design has given me a thinking framework for nearly everything— brainstorming ideas, critiquing ideas, sketching drafts or outlines, producing work, and fine tuning details. Design also puts me into a risk taking and learning arena. Most of the time I am doing something that I’ve never done before, and I just have to pretend like it’s something I can actually do. I use my design approach in filmmaking, club activities, research papers, English essays, or science labs. Graphic design is like exercise that trains my brain and hand at my project management skills.
Hotchkiss Ultimate Frisbee Logo Design
Logo Designs (Greenkeepers Student Environmental Organization, Hotchkiss Lookbook, Hotchkiss App) Waterpolo Logo Designs
I
NKredible
Editorial INKredible is an arts publication that I co-founded with four other Hotchkiss students. Hotchkiss has had many publications that showcased literature, poetry, or artwork, but few that described the artists’ process. The school newspaper will sometimes feature artists or arts events, but the stories mainly serve an informative purpose. INKredible is a magazine that blends artistry with journalism, showcasing artistic talent, and telling the stories behind the work of the artists. INK is one of the reasons I stuck with Hotchkiss— that is, I persevered through moments that I felt I didn’t belong. What I thought was lacking in the
community—the spirit of collaboration and artistic pursuit—just didn’t have a medium to express itself through. So instead of brooding in my dissatisfaction, INK gave me a chance to be proactive. Through it I connected with other artists and creators at Hotchkiss. Today, INK has become a community of artists and journalists who work together to celebrate artistic pursuit. As a leader of INK, I struggle with exercising too much control; the biggest successes occur when the unpredictable happens. One of the defining characteristics of INKredible is its nonconformity. When writers and artists come to INK, we don’t
give them many rules except for a due date, and even the due dates are flexible depending on people’s workloads. This freedom provides the opportunity for people to write about what they love, and design with their own taste. I want others to learn the way that I learned, through experimentation. The results are fantastic because the magazine becomes a collection of different voices, not just one. I’ve developed trust in my team members, and even when things don’t go the way I want them to, I can mentally handle it and tell myself it’s not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.
I have realized that Hotchkiss, though not an arts conservatory, is a perfect place for artists. Surrounded by a diversity of people, activities, and ideas, and especially people who pursue their interests to amazing levels of excellence, I am motivated and inspired. To read the full magazines, please visit www.issuu.com/inkredible
INKredible Fall Poster
Layout Design from Issues 4 and 7
g
uitar Design Permanent Markers
I have made artwork on a variety of nontraditional ‘canvases’, including bags, pencil cases, laptop covers, walls, journal covers, pants, t-shirts, and wallets—but guitars have been my most sought-after work. The design of the guitar body itself inspires the designs I draw on the guitar. I am usually in a state of relaxed focus, and the marks from my pen come from a stream of consciousness. The instrument emphasizes the lyricism in the patterns.
This body of work also shows the power that art can have when combined with another element. This is the type of work I hope to continue to embark on; artwork that crosses the boundaries or limits of what ‘art’ is usually confined to.
Lord of the Rings Guitar 魔戒吉他
吉 他 传 奇
美妙的吉他，它的起源可以追溯到公元前两
吉他，就像是在翻阅一部魔幻童话书中的
三千年前的古埃及、古巴比伦和古波斯的弹
不同章节，令人眼前一亮，浮想联翩，回
拨乐器。萧薇薇的神奇之处是把这经历千年
味许久。
演变的古老乐器直接当成了画布，赋予了音 乐乐器一种可视的表情与性格，可以想象当
魔戒吉他和宫崎骏吉他是她向大师致敬的
你捧起萧薇薇创作的每一把吉他，从魔戒吉
作品，虽然她借用了大师作品中的许多故
他到宫崎骏吉他，从飞跃吉他到四重奏吉
事人物和场景，但是奇妙的是这种借用已
他，还有日与月吉他、西班牙吉他和海之歌
经达到了第二次再创作的层次，内容复杂
却不凌乱，一切细节就像故事章节，婉转 曲折却清晰的呈现着她自己对于神话、历 史和传说的全新演绎。 在她的作品中，日与月吉他和西班牙吉他 应该是显得最简练成熟的两件作品， 日与 月吉他记录着艺术家的白日梦和夜晚灵魂 中的精灵，在西班牙吉他中她只运用了很 少的笔墨和大量的空白，就勾勒出了浓郁 的拉丁风情，这也许就是得益于她骨子里 善于运用中国画式的“留白”的东方艺术基 因。 构思最有趣的应该是四重奏吉他，下弦枕 的部位正好被萧薇薇想像成为了一颗大树 生长所需要的土壤，这块土壤正像一个巨 大的UFO，正在拔地而起飞向空中，而它
Lord of the Rings Guitar 魔戒吉他
的底部正享受着巨龙喷射的炙热火焰的滋 养，这壮观的火焰大概正是艺术家自己灵感 的写照，让人感觉妙不可言。 如果说日与月吉他和西班牙吉他绘画部分的 形状像极了一座充满热情幻想的海湾的话， 那么空白的部分就像是留出来的大海的部 分，而关于海洋的想像，我们可以在她的另 一把名为海之歌的吉他上找到答案，当你看 见它时，你或许会忍不住想：这就是一把能 够唤醒海神波塞冬和美人鱼的魔法吉他吧！ 相信终有一天，她的艺术会像那把名为飞跃 吉他里画的那只金色火凤凰一样，会经历无 数次的涅磐与飞跃，从容而自信的翱翔在自 己的王国。 2014年6月 王斐 中央美术学院油画系硕士 2010年度报喜鸟新锐艺术人物大奖获得者 2010年度百得利艺术人物奖获得者
Lord of the Rings Guitar 魔戒吉他
Spanish Guitar 西班牙吉他
Sun and Moon Guitar 日与月
Song of the Sea 海之歌
Flight of the Phoenix 飞跃
Song of Four Elements 四重奏
Ghibli Guitar 宫崎骏吉他
Vivian Xiao is an artist, designer, avid learner, and creative entrepreneur. Born in Boston, Massachusetts and raised in Hong Kong, she currently resides in Beijing, China, the country of her heritage, and attends The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut. Previously she has attended Glenealy School, Yew Chung International School of Beijing, Peking University Primary School, and International School of Beijing. Beginning her artistic pursuits from a young age with drawing and painting, she has gone on to pursue graphic design, documentary film, architecture, and technical design for theater, among other things. She is a founder of INKredible, a quarterly arts publication, co-president of the Chinese Club, which hosts the popular dumpling workshop, and copresident of the Film Club, which hosts the annual Hotchiss Film Festival. She has designed for companies Cordoba Guitars, Fung Global Institute, and GoodThinkInc. more ar twork can be viewed at
artofvivianxiao.com
Her most frequent activities are working in the art studio and taking power naps. In between, she edits, adds, or deletes items on one of her to-do lists. Among the things she does, she most enjoys making Halloween costumes, working on the school farm, watching the sunset over the lake, making fried egg omelettes, playing the Chinese card game �级 (Sheng Ji), and collecting bookmarks. One day, she would like to build her own house, direct an independent film, run an arts festival, or travel to outer space.
book design by Vivian Xiao