Base14 » Fine Arts

A New Phase

Alysha — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:23:56 +0000

Now that I’ve been working solely as a studio artist for a bit of time I have begun to notice a pattern. My pieces are beginning to pile up around me in the studio. Already I feel as if I’m gathering my treasures like some ancient Egyptian ruler, preparing my tomb for future archeologists to discover and pick over long after my time is passed.

But this to me is a bizarre and depressing way to think about my art. The solution I have reached is to explore fragility; to essentially give my work a life cycle. This most recent piece made of silk, spruce and cotton thread is patiently waiting for when I release it out into the world where it will flourish in the most vivid activity of life while it is slowly battered and dematerialized into nothingness.

Ah, the sweetness of letting go.

Coyote Song

Alysha — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 03:29:02 +0000

Time for some recap. Coyote Song is a mini collection that I put together in September, 2011. Originally inspired by the song from The Seedy Seeds, it was how I made my transition between undergrad and grad. “I’m not afraid of what you got… singin’ your coyote song.” I used natural dyes made from materials found within walking distance of my studio and rust that had accumulated within the dye lab, allowing me to fully bond with the new environment I was living in. I used a shibori technique on crepe silk to emulate rock landscapes and kept the designs casual with a touch of sass. The accessories (including this clutch) are made out of the same tree stump that was used for dye. Serene, right? See the full set of looks here.

MFA Show Preview

Alysha — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:09:39 +0000

Tomorrow is the opening of the MFA show at Indiana University. I will be displaying my recent piece Moment, finished in November 2011. It is an exploration of the limits and possibilities of dyeing and felting. I used natural dyes to create basic tones of gray on wool roving which I then blocked out into areas to create a portrait before felting it into a piece. To the textiles orientated, this process in itself is a bit of a geek-fest. Felting has many inherit difficulties (such as shrinkage) which make it difficult to have enough control over the work to create an image.

Moment presents a memory, soft and gentle. It is a moment of enlightened euphoria, affected by the haze of memory but with a physicality of surface firm enough to grasp onto. The choice of process reflects the necessary patience and resolve required to hold onto memories and maintain convictions. Distortion is unavoidable in both felting by hand and in the process of remembering moments. The resulting softness of the felt makes it desirable and conveys my own sense of longing for things past. (closeup)

Oh, Hello Again

Alysha — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:32:35 +0000

I believe it’s time to introduce you to my studio. It’s a cozy space with one big desk, plenty of Base14 movie posters and just enough white space to keep me at ease. Last fall I relocated to Bloomington, Indiana where I am working on an MFA in Textiles. Since then I have been producing a vast array of work and trying to find my orientation within the world of contemporary art.

My work from the last six months has continued with themes from my senior collection such as topography and mapping, and has introduced investigations into memory, personal relationships and how I spend my time.

If you are in the Indiana area, you can view my new work starting on the 15th at the MFA Exhibition in the Grunwald Gallery of Art.

Some Kissies for You!

Alysha — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 23:34:11 +0000

It’s been one year now since I first introduced the “Kissy Kiss” necklace. To celebrate this significant anniversary, I am now happily offering it for sale! After all, ’tis the season for little tiny kisses and big time lovin’. Each eensey person (only 7/8″ tall) is handmade out of clay, painted and glazed. Because every piece is made individually, each necklace is unique. You can get your own little pair of lovers for only $40 USD, but make sure to hurry because this production run is as tiny as these cuties!

Paper OS (Stop Motion Photoshop)

Tyler — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 01:25:44 +0000

Earlier this year I was in a motion media theory class where, for a final project, I decided to examine the way that digital tools are designed to emulate old-fashioned physical tools. For example, Microsoft Word is a typewriter emulator. iTunes is a jukebox emulator. Skype is a telephone emulator, etc.

So I set my sights on Adobe Photoshop, which is an emulator of a darkroom and an art table, and ended up with the above video art piece. You can view the YouTube page for the full description and theory discussion, but just to summarize, I used a combination live-action video and stop motion animation to simulate Photoshop occurring in the physical world. Whereas the digital usually imitates the physical, by inverting the process I call attention to its strengths and weakness as a user interface design methodology.

Heavy stuff, huh? Well, if you don’t like all the theory you can just watch it and laugh at how funny looking Windows 95 is by today’s standards. Haha! Look at that copy of Norton.

Girl, Where You Been?

Alysha — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 09:19:03 +0000

Sorry everyone, but it turns out that I am very bad at maintaining a life/blog balance. I have been so busy working on cool things that I forgot to share them with you!

Since Tyler has started to release character designs, I can finally post pictures of my favorite new ring. Based on a character from The Girl and the Fox, this clay figurine is a loveable little scamp that is sure to charm his way into your heart and attract attention. Seriously, what’s better than having a little snow fox friend with you all day?

What do you think? Want to see him for sale on Base14 merch?

Meet Our New Protagonist: Ilona

Tyler — Sat, 01 May 2010 01:56:31 +0000

Now that we’re finally wrapping up our eight-month-long production of The Girl and the Fox I can start leaking some more tantalizing details of just what the new film is all about. First off, I’d like you all to meet our main protagonist: Ilona [ee-loh-nah]. She is a nine-year-old girl who lives with her parents and siblings in a cold, lush forested region. Ilona takes after her mother in appearance, but after her father in fervor and tenacity. Having been brought up as the daughter of fur trappers, she is unafraid to brave the dangers of the wilderness alone. But as we’ll see, it can sometimes lead to trouble.

Here are the two main model sheets our animators and painters used during production:

Ilona’s character design was inspired by a number of sources, most notably Alysha’s concept designs for her fashion line this year, but also by the work of the Australian artist Ghost Patrol. The original idea and story was driven by this theme of children and woodland creatures in cold weather, with a flair of mystical qualities interwoven throughout. Her clothing and features had to be a perfect balance of an old-fashioned hunter/trader society while still making it apparent she was a girl, especially with that hood on for most the time. The tiny skirt helps a lot.

The design style also is an evolution of some of the elements used in Duck Heart Teslacoil, specifically the simplistic facial features, such as black dot eyes and single-line mouth. Much of this was adapted to keep the character design simple, since we needed to make it easier for a larger pool of animators to draw her. Still, Ilona can show a wide range of emotions and poses. She was certainly the most difficult character I’ve ever had to design for a film, but I’ve been happy with the results and hopefully our audiences will be, too.

A Little Recognition

Alysha — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:56:08 +0000

Every year Purdue University has a juried exhibition Westwood, the President’s home. Out of the 34 pieces on display this year, three were mine. Last Tuesday I got to attend a reception where I took pictures. Pictured here is “Overlooked.” Also on display were the “I Like Bike” shirt and a weaving. I am incredibly appreciative that Purdue has such fantastic opportunities for young artists to display and sell their works. This is the first long-term exhibition that I’ve gotten to be a part of and hopefully there are many more to come.

Base14 Heart Everyone

Tyler — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 06:38:54 +0000

Here at Base14 we like to celebrate the holidays just as much as everybody else, and what film better commemorates the spirit of of Valentine’s Day than our own Duck Heart Teslacoil? I mean, it’s got the heart right there in the title! So in honor of Valentine’s and to officially launch our newest merchandising subsidiary, Base14 Greetings, I am proud to present the official Duck Heart Teslacoil Valentine’s Day Greeting Card! Absolutely free! Just follow these six simple steps:

Download the .pdf file.
Print page no. 1 on a letter-sized sheet of paper.
Print page no. 2 on the reverse side of the same sheet.
Cut out the greeting card along the indicated crop lines.
Fold the card along its spine.
Give it to someone special!

Happy Valentine’s Day, y’all!