• Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • art
  • lifestyle
  • fashion
  • beauty
  • Shop

Jessica Libor

~ Studio Journal

Jessica Libor

Tag Archives: MFA

Beginning a new painting: Magical Creatures

12 Thursday Apr 2018

Posted by Jessica Libor in art, In My Studio, Inspiration, Shop

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

advice for artists, art, art expert, art school, artist, beautiful, beautiful art, beautiful paintings of women, classical realism, contemporary art, contemporary female artists, contemporary realism, creative, creativity, drawing, emerging artist, emerging artists, female artist, how to be an artist, how to paint like the masters, inspiration, inspiration for artists, jessica libor, MFA, pafa, painter, painting, pennsylvania academy of the fine arts, social entrepreneurship

It’s always the first day that it goes the quickest. After that, it is all about refining the details. Here is a unicorn painting inspired by my visit to the Met Cloisters and seeing “The Hunt of the Unicorn”. Click the video to see the time lapse!

You could spend forever on a painting, but it’s all about the quality and focus of the time you spend on it. Blocking out all other distractions and focusing all your mind and skill on the painting is like a meditation practice. I am always surprised by how much more quickly and better quality work comes out of a painting session when I’m in this state! I read a book once that described this state as “flow.” Perhaps it deserves a post of its own!

This painting I’m currently working on, “Magical Creatures,” is not completed, so be on the lookout for another post about the finished painting.

In the meantime, my recent painting after Fragonard, ” The Chase,” is completed, with a limited edition print run available in my shop. The prints turned out beautifully…every little brushstroke is captured in detail, and each one is on acid free archival quality paper that is velvety and smooth. Hand signed by me! To grab yours, click here.

Advice from a Whitney Biennial Curator

01 Tuesday Apr 2014

Posted by Jessica Libor in Artist Profiles, Exhibitions, Inspiration, Journeys, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

anthony elms, artist advice, curator, emerging artist, graduate student, ica, institute of contemporary art, jessica libor, MFA, pennsylvania academy of the fine arts, philadelphia art, whitney biennial, whitney bienniale

Far right, Anthony Elms

Far right, Anthony Elms

Last week I met for coffee with Anthony Elms, one of the curators for the 2014 Whitney Biennial.  I wanted his input on a performance art piece that I have been thinking about doing for a while, and Mr. Elms was kind enough to meet with me.  Anthony was the perfect person to ask because of his background working with performance artists.  I also liked the exhibiting he curated, “White Petals Surround Your Yellow Heart,” which gathered together artists who dealt with themes of adornment, clothing, and self-presentation.  He currently works as the Assistant Curator at the Institute of Contemporary Art.  (Another exhibition he curated: “A Unicorn Basking in the Light of Three Glowing Suns”.  Love it!)  To learn more about Anthony Elms, click here.

Anthony Elms speaking at the Press Preview for the Whitney Bienniale.  Photos courtesy of Zimbio.com

Anthony Elms speaking at the Press Preview for the Whitney Bienniale. Photos courtesy of Zimbio.com

I dropped by the ICA early to check out the galleries before meeting Anthony.  The ICA has an impressive gallery space with soaring ceilings and fascinating work that screams cutting edge.  I was particularly fascinated with the videos, and enjoyed taking them in.

Institute of Contemporary Art

Institute of Contemporary Art

Mr. Elms met me in the lobby, and we walked over to a local coffee shop.  Anthony has an unassuming air, with a dapper style accented by large colored glasses frames which betray an occupation in the arts.  Once we had out coffees in hand, we settled down to business.  I asked for specific advice about my performance project, which poses special challenges because it involves animals in a public space.  Mr. Elms gave me some great project-specific advice regarding my idea.   Obviously a thinker, he paused to consider what he was saying, asking specific questions, and gathering information before responding.  When I asked for general advice for young emerging artists, he mentioned two  qualities that he looks for in the work he selects for shows as a curator.

The first quality he mentioned  is commitment to the vision, dedication.  It must be obvious that the artist is serious about their work.  This comes across in how extensive their work is, and also how much work and effort the artist is putting into their practice.

The second quality he mentioned was that the artist be “asking interesting questions.”  When I dug deeper for more specifics, Mr. Elms explained that these interesting questions may be about the medium that they are using, a certain subject matter, or even about the art world.  “Work that makes you think,” he said.

So, the advice in a nutshell was to be committed to your practice, and ask questions with your art.  A perfect combo of technical, hard work and brainy intelligence.  That’s where things get tricky–it can be easy to fall on one side of the other, placing all your efforts as an artist into concept with little thought to technique, or making technique heavy work with little content.  The trick is the balance between the two.

We parted ways cordially, and I promised to send a link to documentation if my performance piece comes to fruition.  Thanks to this conversation, it seems like it could be possible.

Please don’t hesitate to SHARE this post with your friends who might find it helpful or interesting, and don’t forget to subscribe to this blog by clicking the FOLLOW button at the top of the page so you don’t miss a post!  Thanks guys, and until next time, happy creating!

 

Artist Studio Shots

28 Friday Mar 2014

Posted by Jessica Libor in In My Studio, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

artist, emerging artist, female artist, MFA, pafa, painter, Philadelphia artist, the female gaze, women painters

Recently my good friend Mike Grasso took some studio shots in my studio at PAFA.  We had a great time figuring out the photo shoot, and it was a perfect day to take the pictures as the sun was streaming through the windows.  Thanks so much Mike!!  For any fellow artists, if you’re interested in getting studio shots, contact me at jlibor@jessicalibor.com and I can put you in touch with Mike.

Below: studio shots of Jessica Libor at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Studio 818.  All images copyrighted by Michael Grasso.

IMG_9864IMG_9866IMG_9875IMG_9879IMG_9869IMG_9870IMG_9878IMG_9884IMG_9886

The Fourth Wall Panel Review: A public art critique

13 Thursday Mar 2014

Posted by Jessica Libor in Uncategorized

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

art critic, art expert, art school, art students, artist, beautiful art, crispin sartwell, fourth wall, how to be an artist, jessica libor, MFA, pafa, painters, pennsylvania academy of the fine arts, philadelphia artists, school, six names of beauty

IMG_4626

On Tuesday, March 11, 2014, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts presented its sixth annual Fourth Wall Panel Review.  The literature accompanying the event describe it thus:

“[The Fourth Wall is] A unique event designed to shed light on the review process employed within the contemporary art world.  This panel brings together a curator, artist and author to consider work submitted by MFA Thesis students in the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Graduate Program.  The afternoon will conclude with the selection of three students whose work the panel believes demonstrates the most professional promise.  Join us as we try to collapse the wall between artists and the procedures that determine their opportunities.”

For students in the program, this was optional to participate in, but we were strongly encouraged to submit our work to be reviewed.  Many of the MFA2 students did indeed participate, which is no small feat of bravery.  As artists it is common to feel that your soul is being exposed when your artwork is shown, and the vulnerability of having your work not only shown on a large screen in front of hundreds of people, but also critically discussed by strangers to be heard by everyone, truly takes courage.  I know that some of the figurative artists in the program chose not to participate because they knew their work would not be what the judges would favor.  For me, I was more curious than anything else.  My recent work seems to divide people between favor and dislike, so I was curious to hear what the art critics had to say.

The critics were as follows:

Alex Baker, director of Fleisher/Ollman Gallery, Philadelphia.  Previously, he was senior curator of contemporary art at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) from 2008 to 2012.  Formerly Curator of the Contemporary Art at the Pafa and Associate Curator at the ICA (Philadelphia), he has organized many exhibitions of note.

Josephine Halvorson is a painter who lives and works in western Massachusetts.  Her work has been exhibited internationally and she is represented by Sikkman Jenkins & Co. (New York) and Peter Freeman Inc. (Paris).  She is the recipient of several grants including the Fullbright Fellowship and the Tiffany Foundation Award.  Halvorson is a critic in the MFA painting department at Yale.

Crispin Sartwell teaches in the art and philosophy departments at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA.  Sartwell is the author of a number of books on aesthetics and art, including The Six Names of Beauty.  His work is featured in a number of prominent publications, as well.

The afternoon started with a packed house, with numbers dwindling as the hours went by.  The first round, the critics went through every one of the 35 student’s work, talking about the strengths and weaknesses of it, and what they liked or disliked.  By the end of the first round, I had a pretty good idea of who the final five would be based on the comments and aesthetic leanings revealed by the critics.  It seemed that Alex Baker was the most postmodern leaning, with Crispin Sartwell arguing more conservatively, with Josephine Halvorson a balance between the two but leaning more postmodern.  All three were extremely articulate in letting the student body know why they were making the decisions they did as they cut the artists out round by round.  I found the whole process  terribly interesting.  It was a very weird vibe…knowing who made the work, but listening to strangers talk about it whereas you know the makers as your friends, and know the back stories to each piece.  IMG_4628

IMG_4631

The event was clinical and competitive by its very nature.  I was glad that I participated, however, because I gained valuable insight into how my work is understood by different people.  I’ve come to the realization that some will love your work, some will not, and that’s ok.  Do we really want to make work that pleases everyone?  The work you make is valid because it’s your expression.  And the truer you are to who you are artistically and aesthetically, the more satisfied you’ll be with your work–and the more fun you’ll have.  And if you believe in your work and what you’re doing, people will see your conviction, and your audience will come naturally.

Many of the students felt that this 4th wall was much more helpful than other years.  Part of that was the fact that David Dempewolf, a resident seminar critic at Pafa, was monitoring and keeping the critics on track.

At the end of the afternoon, the winners were announced: Katie Petrillo, Tiffany Tate, and Mary McCann.  An all-female cast!  The work was an eclectic mix.  Katie’s work is a mixed media mind-bending mix of optical illusions manipulating depth of field through tromp l’oeil and sculpture within clear shadowboxes, inspired by her own unique sight experiences.  Tiffany’s work is photography, transforming the ordinary and mundane sights of life into meditative, beautiful moments.  Mary’s work is an imaginative mix of sculpture inspired by stories and tales, and contrasting ink drawings that look like universes unto themselves.  Congratulations to these talented and hardworking ladies that I am honored to call my classmates!

Left to right, Katie, Tiffany, Mary

Left to right, Katie, Tiffany, Mary

Really, though, the work that was displayed at the 4th wall this year was all spectacular.  The work was solid and well thought out, with each person’s body of work a unique and multifaceted gem.  Each one of these artists who participated is really a winner in my book, because I see each of you with true professional promise.  Cheers!

Feel free to share this post if you found it helpful and educational.  Also, don’t forget to subscribe to my blog if you’d like to be notified with each new post!

Tender Missive: an installation by Jessica Libor at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

29 Friday Nov 2013

Posted by Jessica Libor in Exhibitions, In My Studio, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

artist, beautiful art, chalk drawing, contemporary art, contemporary artist philadelphia, drawing, drawing rembrandt, durer, gilding, gold leaf, Graduate Student MFA, Installation Art, jessica libor, large drawing, letters, love, love letters, Master of Fine Arts, MFA, pafa, pastel drawing, pennsylvania academy of the fine arts, Philadelphia artist, rembrandt, romantic art, young artist

Detail 1 Tender Missive by Jessica Libor

Detail 1 Tender Missive by Jessica Libor

This month I was able to exhibit an installation called Tender Missive in installation room 849 at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Tender Missive was an interactive installation that involved over 450 diverse love letters from men throughout the century such as Edgar Allen Poe, John Keats, Richard Steele, Lord Nelson, Byron, Pierre Curie, Alexander Pope, King Solomon, Mozart, Ludwig Beethoven, King Henry the VIII, Benito Mussilini and even Adolph Hitler. The letters were written to the women that these famous (and infamous) men were romantically involved with, whether it was their wives, fiancees, or lovers. The letters are all historically accurate, but all presented in the same manner. Each has been printed in a different handwritten font on parchment paper and dipped in coffee to age the letter appropriately. The letters therefore all have a distinctive look, with no two being exactly alike. What is striking is the sweet vulnerability underneath the letters, even written by men who have committed horrific acts against humanity, in some cases even executing the women they wrote these love letters to. There is a realization that the feelings of love and affection are not only reserved for good people. There is also the question of the women involved with these men—was their romance worth the cost?

Detail 2 Tender Missive by Jessica Libor

Detail 2 Tender Missive by Jessica Libor

When the viewer walks into the installation room, the letters are seen covering the walls from floor to ceiling, layered on top of each other like dragon scales. On the far wall, a warm sepia toned pastel drawing of a forest covers the wall, drawn on white paper, and accented with gold leaf. The drawing has an antiquated feel, as if etched by Rembrandt or Durer. The gold serves to add a precious element to the drawing, and brings out the warmth in the letters on the walls. Also, depending on the lighting, the gold either shimmers to life or recedes into the drawing. The drawing serves as the symbolic presence of the feminine as a contrast to the masculine presence of the letters, and also brings to mind the setting of A Midsummer Night’s Dream or other romantic forest setting where lovers might meet.

Tender Missive by Jessica Libor

Tender Missive by Jessica Libor

Tender Missive by Jessica Libor

Tender Missive by Jessica Libor

Tender Missive by Jessica Libor

Tender Missive by Jessica Libor

Back view of Tender Missive

Back view of Tender Missive

Front view of Tender Missive

Front view of Tender Missive

Writing pedestal, feather and ink bottle for viewers to use

Writing pedestal, feather and ink bottle for viewers to use

Detail of Tender Missive

Detail of Tender Missive

Pastel/chalk drawing with gold leaf as part of Tender Missive by Jessica Libor

Pastel/chalk drawing with gold leaf as part of Tender Missive by Jessica Libor

Detail of Tender Missive drawing by Jessica Libor

Detail of Tender Missive drawing by Jessica Libor

Detail of drawing for Tender Missive by Jessica Libor

Detail of drawing for Tender Missive by Jessica Libor

Detail of Tender Missive drawing by Jessica Libor

Detail of Tender Missive drawing by Jessica Libor

Detail of Tender Missive drawing by Jessica Libor

Detail of Tender Missive drawing by Jessica Libor

In the center of the room, an altar-like pedestal is set, with a pile of parchment paper and a glass ink bottle with a falcon feather resting inside. This is an invitation for visitors to pen their own love letter. The original instructions were for the visitors to write the love letter, tear it up, and place it underneath the drawing, where the residue of the chalk had darkened the floor. I had torn up a letter and placed it there to show visitors what I meant. However, of all the people who participated in the writing of the letters, none of the visitors tore up their letters. At the end of the installation, the pile of letters was whole and not torn. As one of my professors explained about the behavior, “No one wants to tear up love.”

IMG_4297

Love letters from viewers to a memory or person

Love letters from viewers to a memory or person

As the viewer exits the installation, there are five letters placed on the bare far wall for them to closely examine. These were letters I found particularly thought provoking: from left to right, John Keats, Adolph Hitler, Benito Musselini, King Henry the VIII, and Lord Nelson.

The installation was lit by several warm spotlights that focused on the drawing and the letters, so as to create strong shadows beneath each letter. The effect was meant to be warm, theatrical and almost candlelit.

IMG_4335

It took me a week of preparation before the installation room opened, but once it was opened there was a positive response. I once again found the interactive part of the installation very rewarding and fascinating. I love that people were moved enough to participate, and hopefully it provoked questions about our ideas of love and romance—its worth, its reality, its cost, and the importance of what the character of the person is you’re involved with, not just the romance of the relationship.

Tender Missive was open at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts from November 23-27th, and is now closed.

Jessica Libor in her installation Tender Missive

Jessica Libor in her installation Tender Missive

 

The Rending

24 Thursday Oct 2013

Posted by Jessica Libor in Exhibitions, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

art film, artistic, beautiful art, film, fine artist, Graduate Open Studios, graduate program, Installation Art, jessica libor, MFA, pennsylvania academy of the fine arts, philadelphia art, pre-raphaelite, romantic art, sculpture art, student, video

IMG_4244

This past weekend I exhibited my first installation piece, The Rending. It is a combination of video and interactive sculpture elements. I would like to thank Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the staff there for allowing me the chance to exhibit, and for the ample help and support in setting up the installation. The Rending was exhibited October 19, 20 and 21, 2014, in conjunction with Graduate Open Studios.

The centerpiece of The Rending is the video, which I could not have produced without the filming and technical help of my friend Michael Grasso. Thank you for your patience and assistance! Also, there would be no star without Julianne Kelley, who did an amazing job getting into character.

The Rending starts before you enter the installation, with the request to remove your shoes. Once the viewer removes their shoes, they pull aside a pink silk curtain to reveal a semi-darkened room, with the video projected onto the far wall.

IMG_4183

IMG_4192

IMG_4231IMG_4194As the viewer steps inside, they are stepping over 14,000 rose petals that are covering the ground. The scent of fresh roses permeates the room. The viewer may watch the video standing or choose to sit on the cushions placed in the center of the room, covered with a pink and gold tapestry cloth. If the viewer looks up, they are confronted with their own image surrounded by rose petals, reflected in a rectangular, gold-framed mirror. The mirror hangs at approximately nine feet above the ground by four gold chains. The audio of the film, with a soft, siren-like voices, also lulls the viewer and allows them to step into a dream like state.

The Rending has a reflective mood that is meant to be experienced by one or two people at a time. The video plays on loop, which allows for the viewer to watch it a few times if they choose.

This was my first time exhibiting an installation, and it was a very positive experience! I thought Graduate Open Studios would be the perfect time to test the idea on strangers who had no prior contact to my work. I stayed close to the exhibit during the times The Rending was open, working on a painting, but paying attention to how people responded and how I felt working in this medium. In a way it is more instant-gratification, like theatre. You immediately get a response from viewers, and engage them more directly by encouraging participation with your art. My favorite part was seeing people’s faces as they emerged from the installation. A lot of people seemed happy and uplifted, and a few told me they were really touched. Everyone had a unique response. I also enjoyed hearing people inside the room as they responded to seeing the thousands of petals, and to different parts of the film.

Julianne Kelley, star of The Rending, enters the installation

Julianne Kelley, star of The Rending, enters the installation

Mary McCann in the installation

Mary McCann in the installation

IMG_4195

I want to thank everyone who came out to see The Rending, and for my fellow students and professors who made this such a great experience for me by participating in and supporting this venture. I hope to do more in the near future, as an extension of my paintings and drawings.

PORTFOLIO

Free Visioncasting Mini-Course for Artists: make it your best year ever! Click here to get it.

Free Visioncasting Mini-Course for Artists

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 254 other subscribers

Follow on Instagram

Click here to follow Jessica on Instagram!

PBS WHYY Interview

Click to watch my interview for Articulate with WHYY PBS

 

Top Posts & Pages

  • How to Paint Like the Masters: Part 6, Painting the Ebauche
    How to Paint Like the Masters: Part 6, Painting the Ebauche
  • How to Paint Like the Masters: Part 7, Window Shading and Glazing
    How to Paint Like the Masters: Part 7, Window Shading and Glazing
  • Christian Birmingham's World of Fantasty
    Christian Birmingham's World of Fantasty

Archives

Listen to the Podcast

[convertkit form=5087986]

Powered by WordPress.com.

 

Loading Comments...