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Megan Lewis Assignment #2

Townsend’s work is original to say the least. It’s whimsical and eye catching sculptures and wall hangings really had me looking all over the place trying to decide what I wanted to look at first. His incorporation of different shapes and colors also intrigued me. I also loved his use of regular items to make a bigger picture. It was almost like looking at an eye spy book, trying to figure out what everyday item I would come across next. One of the small details I loved best about Townsend’s work was the dead birds. The first one I saw when I realized what it was made me smile, and then when I noticed that he also incorporated them into his other works I was extremely pleased. My favorite work though was definitely “Gathering/Blocked Cloud.

It is clearly the simplest of his pieces but it was the one that kept my attention the most. First walking into the gallery I almost overlooked it, so when I did finally notice it, it was like finding a surprise. It was only constructed with wood and charcoal but it was like stumbling upon a miniature world. I loved the 3D chairs and ladder versus the 2D drawing it lead up to. It was a really imaginative idea and I loved the contrast between the real life objects and the imaginative drawing.

Overall the entire show was amazingly creative and well thought out. All the pieces were placed exactly right so that they all flowed together. I greatly enjoyed spending time examining each piece and finding new and amusing things each time I studied them. I also love how the artist’s creative works really made you pay attention to the detail but the big picture as well. All the items involved worked together to be an intriguing and extremely unique experience. I loved the entire show and would definitely be interested in seeing future work.

Eric Gustitus Assignment # 2

Travis Townsends exhibit was quite interesting to say the least. It had many attributes which caught my attention the second i walked in. It had great sensibility, awareness, and a knack for catching peoples attention. Everything seems to flow along with one another. The way everything was presented was different than anything i had seen before. There was a sense of mobility throughout the pieces of art

My favorite piece was the gathering blocked cloud. It was very small compared to the others which was different but it had caught my attention the most. The colors were plain but it represented a strange feeling. The small chairs were an outstanding fixture to it. The brick layers added a sense of structure to the piece also.

This show was a great sight for sore eyes. I believe the overall meaning was to show that in everything theres art. Also that everything in the world has a meaning or has had a meaning to it. His lecture really answered a lot of questions that were put in my mind when i was wandering around looking at each piece of work. He had a neat way of describing what he was inspired by saying that it was of good and evil. This exhibit was one that i will surely never forget.

Rachel Harris Assignment Two

Walking into Travis Townsend's exhibit titled "Ideas Rebuilt in My Garage While Contemplating Good and Evil"; I was immediate wowed by the extent of the work put into the works of art. The sculptures caught my eye with their intricate pieces and obvious tedious construction. The pieces themselves had hidden areas that held smaller pieces of work such as tiny chairs and tiny ladders. There were a few two dimensional pieces that went well with the three dimensional pieces. Together they showed a mathematical ways to the artist’s thinking and work.

The piece I was most interested in was “Another Tankard”, the largest piece in the gallery. It seemed meticulously and almost obsessively composed. The piece consisted of wooden pieces, string, and many other objects such as paint cards from hardware stores. I was drawn to this work because there was no one thing that had just caught my eye with the piece. I was constantly looking and finding new things to observe.

Travis Townsend’s lecture intrigued me in the beginning as he spoke of things that inspired him: creations, satellites and tanks. I enjoyed hears about how his work was never finished. He would constantly work on his pieces, sometimes taking things apart and putting new things together. I was also interested in how he said he had “stolen” his wife’s color palate for her jewelry, and how the colors seemed to fit in very well with the natural feeling of the wood that Travis worked with. As he was talking, however, Travis would mention things like how the titles of his works, and the works themselves were “stupid” or “dumb.” I never really understood why he would say those things about his works that he seemed passionate about making but his words seemed to turn me off to his works. Even though I thought his works were still fun to look at, the wow factor seemed to have disappeared at his words. Overall, I did enjoy the exhibit and would enjoy seeing the evolution of his pieces over time.

Deanna Barnes Blog Assignment 2

The exhibit entitled "ideas rebuilt in my garage while contemplating good and evil" by Travis Townsend was interesting and thought provoking. As a whole this exhibition was very cohesive all of the individual pieces worked very well together. The pieces are arranged in an organized manner with the largest pieces in the beginning and end while the smaller pieces are in the center of the exhibit. Similarities can be seen in all of the works, they all have bright vivid colors against the rich colors of wood. The artist has chosen to display the works in very creative and different ways. Most of the two-dimensional works do not have frames though some do have frames that are hand drawn on the wall. Some of the sculptures are mounted on blue blocks while others are laid on the floor. The artist uses string to link some of the sculptures that are on the floor to pieces that are mounted on the wall, which was a very original idea.

The piece that was most interesting to me was titled “Gathering/Black Cloud”; this piece was so interesting to me because it was so tiny. When I first saw the exhibit I did not even notice this piece was there. It was also interesting to me that the artist chose to put such a small piece into a collection of works that are so much larger. Even though it is so tiny is was so intriguing and I spent more time analyzing it than I did on any of the larger sculptures. This piece is almost void of any color except for the color on the wooden ladder. This piece seems to tell a story of a bird that was at the base of the piece but eventually climbed the ladder and has now found a safe haven in the clouds. The drawing in pencil of this bird on the wall was very creative and different from anything I have seen before. This bird can be seen throughout the entire exhibit though I do not always understand its purpose.

When I first looked though the exhibit I did not understand the concept at all but when I read the artist’s statement I understood his intentions and the exhibit very well. I related to the artists ideas about a commercialized world and I like that his pieces are telling a story though all the layers of each piece. When I analyzed some of the sculptures I noticed that each piece has so many random objects on it, like tools or maps or notes these random objects tell the viewer a story about the people who would have used them. The way that the artist expressed his ideas was very creative and thought provoking.

Amber Weaver: Assignment #2

The current exhibition at the Haas Gallery is interesting. The display is by the artist Travis Townsend. The exhibition consists three dimensional pieces with a few works complimented by two dimensional pieces. All of the pieces seem to interact with the rest. And in some cases, the three dimensional pieces even connect with the walls via string. Each piece seems to be related to the next. For example all of the selections contain similar colors, similar materials used, similar details such as doodles and little chairs, and the construction process.

All of the pieces in the exhibit are interesting to look at. I really enjoyed the two dimensional pieces over most of the three dimensional selections with the exception of the one titled Another Tankard. This piece is a gigantic conglomeration with multiple layers of wood, random splashes of paint, doodles, ladders, little chairs, string, and other little elements mixed in to create this thing that in a way looks like a tank or an odd shaped barge. It’s really obscure looking. It makes you wonder what exactly it is. I like how there were little chairs inside of this construction and miniature ladders on the outside. The addition of these little objects make you want to shrink down and go inside the contraptions. Which is what the artist was going for, I think.

I was fortunate enough to go to the artists presentation about his work. Before I heard the talk about the work I thought the works were quite nifty to examine. But after hearing what Travis Townsend had to say about the work and his opinion of it made me just shrug it off. In his presentation, he mentioned that his work was about warfare, satellites, and creation. He also mentioned that his work was more about the process of creation. For example, Another Tankard was changed multiple times. He cut pieces off and added other pieces to make it better. He liked the fact that he can go back in and change things and that he is never really done with a piece. But the thing that really turned me off to his work was the fact that he thought his work was “stupid” and “dumb”. This statement leads me to believe that he really doesn’t care about what he was creating and that he wasn’t passionate about his work. This changed my whole perspective on the exhibit. I went from “wow these things are kinda cool” to “eh, okay those things are just things” all in a matter of a few minutes.

Lee Patton Assignment Numero Dos

When I first walked into Travis Townsend's exhibit titled "Ideas Rebuilt in My Garage While Contemplating Good and Evil", I didn't know what to look at first. The works had a very craft-like and made at home feel to them, however many were much more complex than your average craft project. I really enjoyed the sculptures that had interior spaces that you could look into. They definitely helped to make the work much more interesting as you got closer to it. I also really liked the "Target on the Wall" piece, because I really enjoy the simple and abstract quality of it. As a whole, I think the works go well together, and the wall pieces help to keep things interesting instead of having only the jumbled sculptures. I also thought the pieces that were connected to the wall with a string were a nice touch to the exhibit, and gave those pieces much more dynamism than if they didn't have the wall attachment.

While the works I found excited me the most were several of the sculptures, I decided I wanted to write about the small and fairly simple piece titled "Gathering/Blocked Cloud". That piece just seemed so strange to me in context to the others, although the other pieces individually were much more complex. It had such a simple structure with several tinytown chairs and a slightly larger scaled ladder leading to a brick cloud with a deceased bird on top. I think I found this work so interesting because of how simple it was, but still made me scratch my head when trying to figure out a meaning. The ladder and chairs were pretty crude in their design, which gave a child-like feel to them. However, the pencil drawing on the wall with the dead bird made it slightly erie and farther from the youthfully constructed chairs.

I enjoyed hearing Travis talk about his work, even though it was a slightly disorganized lecture. I found it interesting that nearly all of his works are never really finished, and that they are as he put it "constantly evolving". One of his inspirations for his work is a man named Martin Purier who creates really interesting sculptures out of wood. He also draws inspiration from his wife; especially colors she uses in her jewelry, and his collaborative partner Brandon Smith. He had a fun and positive attitude which complemented his almost childlike work style.

Maryam Cristillo Assignment #2

I really enjoyed Travis Townsend’s exhibit and the concepts surrounding his work. The exhibit was very playful and looked interesting from far away. Getting closer to each bulky crafted wooden piece with projecting arms and wheels I found to be interesting. What really intrigued me was the drawn sketches of web like cell formations, random bird heads and military tanks that appeared on the walls and drawn onto his crafted works. The way Townsend left a fingerprint or documentation on his works like the measurements and other markings made it more personal. I enjoyed the contrasting small and large, colorful and mute, and the funny names methodically given to each piece to open further dialog with the viewers. As a whole the exhibit was like entering a different world where the viewer became a giant in comparison to the small objects Townsend created. There was consistent woodwork in all his pieces that held the exhibit well cohesively. The slight bright colors touched here and there were effective and did not overwhelm the structures he created at all. I was very interested to find out more about the artists process and who inspired him.
My favorite piece had to be the Gathering/Blocked Cloud. Its one of Townsends smaller pieces yet I felt it was most effective out of all of his works simply because it was so small. The small empty chairs made me feel like a giant that scared away a small population of people who were just climbing the ladder to crawl through the wall. My favorite thing about this piece was the fact he drew brick like shapes on the wall where the small ladder lead up to. The playful tension of the absence of these little people and the yet the indication that they were once there made the exhibit so much fun!
Townsend’s lecture began with answering the question I had about the process of creating his pieces, his inspirations and experiences. Townsend described his work as always evolving towards something but never quite reaching a completed state. Working mostly at home in his studio, a place he finds solace and the creation of his art pieces to be a lethargic process, was a pleasant surprise to him after completing his graduate degree. Townsend’s inspiration for his color palate comes from his wife’s artistic work. Also Charles Simons is another artist he was inspired by to create the small chairs that made the viewer aware of the scale shifts between the larger crafted objects and the small.
Lastly Townsend described some of his work as revolving around good and evil, politics, and how the viewers interpret his pieces. Some of his craft objects are crafted as if they could possibly be wheeled about and function, when of course they cannot. That playful quality was something I first noticed about his exhibit and also the spontaneous construction and ideas crafted in his studio are strongly presented and appreciated.

Brooke Knepp Assignment #2

The exhibition by Travis Townsend was very interesting and unique. The exhibit itself did not seem to flow together in a certain way but all of the pieces had similarities. I liked how two of the bigger pieces displayed on the floor had attachments to the wall with string. It made me look deeper into what was in front of me. I also noticed that a lot of the artwork had targets on them which I really enjoyed because it was so different. The colors that he used were warm pastel-like colors that fit very well with the idea of the exhibit. What I found most interesting about the exhibit was how the artist used different types of wood for all of the pieces.

The one piece that I really liked was the picture I have displayed called "Target on Wall". This piece was made with acrylic and mixed media on plywood. I really liked this piece because the artist took something so simple, a target, and made it into art by adding different colors to the rings. The target also appears to be on a brick wall which adds so much detail to the piece that it looks real. This piece is also very abstract with its circles and squares which I enjoy to see in artwork.

I think the artist did a good job of displaying this exhibit and I believe his work lives up to his statement. I enjoyed seeing how he creates pieces that display good and bad, like the war tanks he used in this exhibit with calm colors all over them. There are good things and bad things about war and I think he displayed them very well. I like how he mixed so many different things in his pieces from little doodle drawings on random pieces of wood to creating huge objects from the little doodle drawings. I also liked his choice of color and how they were mostly warm tones considering some of the ideas he talked about were a little disturbing. I enjoyed seeing this exhibit and it made me think of art in a way I would have never thought of.

Eric Shirk - Blog Assignment 2

Today I went to Travis Townsend's exhibit and it was definitely the most interesting thing I had seen in a while. I loved how Townsend has set up his show. All of the wooden pieces seem to flow together pretty nicely with how the strings are positioned on the floor. Also, I feel as though all of the work kind of influences one another in that some of the pieces were sort of the same basic shape and a lot of them are made by using the same types of shapes to create them. The framing was very interesting in these pieces because there was in fact none. The lighting of the pieces sort of framed them in so to speak from the rest of the room. I think the reason these pieces work is because they are so abstract that they really grab your attention. Also, every piece is sort of its own little story because you can see how much time and effort was put into making it. The only thing that i would say does not work so much is the strings on the ground. It makes them not look like part of the piece.

The piece I was drawn to the most was one of the smallest ones there ironically. I was drawn to this piece because it was so small I almost looked over it and when I saw it I realized how delicate and intricate it was. The colors are fairly plain. They are basically a wood grain color for the chairs and ladder and black pencil for the art on the wall. The technique used to make this art looks to be sculpting because I am guessing he cut the wood to make the little chairs and ladder. Also, another technique used was drawing the art on the wall above the ladder. The pattern is also nice and the layout of the piece. The layout is interesting in that all of the chairs are on the right and only one is on the left. It is also interesting how the ladder leads up to the drawing.

I think this art is purely displaying the amount of time and effort people go through trying to make art when they are making art all the time and don't even realize it. I think this because all his pieces are made from art that other people he has tough had through away and so forth. I think the main point for this art is to show everyone that they really need to see what art is and not let it fall through the cracks.

Cate Striplin- blog assignment #2

Travis Townsend's "ideas rebuilt in my garage while contemplating good and evil" was an intriguing show to say the least. A bustling room of enamored students, all paying particular attention to the intricacies of the exhibit. Built and rebuilt, seemingly-workable gadgets and colorful cloud-like weapons of mass destruction deeply confuse the psyche of the viewer. Travis Townsend is on to something. The exhibits incongruent yet cohesive style leads you to wander into the world of the artists chaotic mind only after feeling for the little birdies and wee families that inhabited the space in time long past. Tiny scribbles, interior scenes, signs of a rich history all but forgotten decorate the tiniest wall spaces on his contraptions. Wood, paint, charcoal and rope stand out as the main contributors in the creation of Travis' pieces. All the futuristic, yet elementary, machinery lines the walls of Haas Gallery. Linked together by color scheme and material... and little birdies. I was taken by one piece, probably the simplest of all.

"Gathering/Blocked Cloud" is a piece in the show that is almost missable. Being taken by mammoth assortments of collaged war vehicles, "Gathering/Blocked Cloud" served as a breath in the noise of the surrounding pieces. Tiny simplistic four-legged wooden chairs all serve as an audience to a little bird that is sketched on the wall. A single tall latter reaches up to the birdie offering a way down or perhaps a means up to a nice view, or an uncertain death. It is a thought provoking piece. Much more said in this one, with many fewer words. The unassuming runt of the bunch.

This exhibit was not what I had expected. The pieces had a much more home-made, crafty type feel than that of what I was expecting. I was not displeased.

Travis Townsends work was everything he said. He thoroughly embraces the "unplanned... oddly familiar, nearly useful-looking sculptures" and brings them to life. The "previous inhabitants" are apparent and their remanence creates an undeniable past that proves on a subconscious level that each piece has existed at a previous time and place. Each piece as I moved around the room was slightly more convincing than the last, solidifying the work as a whole as valid and curious. I began unsure of the sketching on the wall, and the carnival colors, but by the exiting piece I was convinced and drawn back in for round two.

Erica LoPresti - Blog Assignment #2

The second I walked into the gallery, and saw Travis Townsend’s, works I was amazed. I stood still as my eyes wandered from one piece to the next. There were big wooden contraptions displayed on the floor, which caught my attention immediately. Every creation is different in its own way, but, at the same time, they flow into each other. They are all made of wood, some with acrylic paint, and some with charcoal, but the entire collection was the same color scheme. Some of the bigger pieces were displayed on large light blue blocks. Others, were either panels on the wall, or, displayed on the floor without a light blue block. A few of the creations on the blocks or on the floor were actually attached to the wall to continue the creation. The works aren’t just alike by color and materials, but they are also a central theme. They all have tanks, dead little birdies, miniature chairs, and more, incorporated into one another.

The piece that caught my eye the most was, “Gathering/Blocked Cloud,” a small piece right on the floor where you walk in. This creation is made of charcoal and wood. The charcoal is a drawing on the wall in an interesting design of bricks with a dead little birdie standing on top. There is a small, wooden, delicate ladder leading to the birdie with cute, miniature chairs (also made of wood) surrounding the base of the ladder. Some of the chairs have light blue paint on one side, and some have none. The ladder has specs of paint on it and is somewhat crooked. I love this piece because it was the only small piece in the collection, and drew my attention immediately. It also really makes me use my imagination. It is so tiny, cute, and dainty that it makes me want to be miniature and live in it.

Travis Townsend explains how his works start out as small doodles of tanks, dead little birdies, and designs for contraptions. It is clearly noticeable that they find their way into his wall drawings and paintings, and the contraptions are actually created. Townsend explains how his process is labor intensive, and how he layers paint, saws the wood into smaller parts, scrapes it, reorganizes it, then repaints it. Most of Townsend’s work is choppy, layered, and glued, which fits hand in hand with the process of making it. He also explains how he tries to make each painting evolve a different way. This is also visible through his creations because many are similar, but have qualities that make them different from each other. For example, some of them might me layered differently, or birdies and tanks may be placed in different positions. Overall, Travis Townsend’s artist statement clearly explains his artwork; it visually communicates what he tells us it is about.

Francesca Pizzurro Assignment #2

The exhibition in Haas Gallery by Travis Townsend is simply amazing. As soon as you walk into the gallery, it feels like you have stepped into another world. The pieces all fit together and are so creative that they truly stand as a strong exhibit, yet individually they shine as well. I really enjoy how the artist incorporates his sculptures with his wall hangings. The exhibit is very imaginative, like a child’s world full of abstract structures and gives a mind-boggling atmosphere of fun and life. All the works influence each other beautifully and really fit with what the artist is trying to portray. I really get the sense of time and reconstruction from this exhibit. I also get the feeling of renewal and life! In my eyes, there really isn't anything that does not work.

Of all the stupendous art work; my favorite is probably the least visible and the smallest. My favorite work of art is Gathering/ Blocked Cloud. As I walked through the room, I really was drawn to this small piece. I felt as though I was a giant in a small world, fitting into the feeling of a child's imagination, which I previously stated. I thought the piece was extremely strong through its simplicity and imagination. I really enjoyed his use of space, actually his lack of use, and how he made it that small. I actually had to crouch down to examine it, which I actually enjoyed due to the fact he made the viewer get involved with his work. He used wood and charcoal for this piece and actually drew the clouds and bird on the wall. I liked the ladder to the clouds with the abnormal bird looking down at the chairs, which seemed to be set up in almost a circle, like an audience. I also liked the use of bricks, (in most of his work actually) which gave me the feeling of a tall building, though he didn't even have to draw out the bricks as a wall. When I looked at this piece, I felt like I wanted to climb the ladder to achieve the clouds and to sit upon them with the bird. I really enjoyed the playfulness of this work of art.

The gallery in a whole definitely portrays what Travis Townsend was trying to achieve. His work is all about time and slow process. He is also obsessive compulsive with his repeated targets, military tanks, and strange birds. His structures are all reused and recycled which I enjoy greatly, but also for the fact that it gives his structures the history that he wants to show. The use of wood and certain markings are seen throughout his works, which really bring them together for a historical and modern world. I also like how he has holes to look through and art within art. It really gives the sense of playful and it helps with viewers finishing the meanings for themselves. For instance, I got from the exhibit that this was my own world, full of creative and abstract houses and obstacles like jungle gyms. I really felt like a child (though I always do) just by walking into the bright colors and abstract formations of the structures.