The Bearded Child Film Festival

Panel Discussion

Last thursday I attended a Panel discussion at the downtown UTSA campus. This panel discussion, Moderated by Justin Boyd, consisted of Dan Anderson ,director of the Bearded Child FF, Chris Cogburn the No Idea Festival director, Michele Monseau director of 3 walls, and Jason Kahn "cut" record label director. The topic of the discussion was entitled DIY & the Avant-Garde.
The discussion, held in the Frio Street Buildings Riklin auditorium, made the point to talk about the situation of the present artist community in the United States. Discussions varied from technology affecting the artists process and the way an artists represents themselves to the Art initiative set forth through the election of Barack Obama. Each person on the panel had the opprotunity to share with the audience their inspirations and driving factors that make them the artist they are. The discussion gave me a chance to hear new means to push my artistic direction.

Film Festival

On friday the Bearded Child Film Festival took place in the same room the Panel Discussion was in. Directed by Dan Anderson, the Bearded Child Film Festival is a traveling screening showcasing "experimental" films from artists all over. Compared to other film festivals I have attended, this one was the most interesting/entertaining to me. Many of the Films had an emphasis on humor which I really enjoyed about it. There were however, quite a few varieties of film and video works there. Lasting about an hour and a half, the festival showed what someone can do on their own. Director Dan Anderson puts a lot of work into selecting quality videos and films to screen, and it showed. For thorough insight into the details of the festival check out myspace.com/beardedchildfilfestival

The McNay

I recently made it out to the McNay art Mueseum for the first time. I had previously been on the grounds of the museum but had yet to go in. The main focus for my visit at the McNay was the Tobin art Galleries, specifically the American Concepts and Global Visions from the AT&T collection. AS a photographer, I was most interested in the dissection and viewing the photographic medium, however, there was some paintings and Sculpture in the round that interested me. In the AT&T gallery there were various pieces by artists including Ansel Adams, Andy Warhol, William Wegmen, Man Ray, Walker Evans, and Many others.
What I stressed to look at the most was admiring the process that each artist went through. Each piece was displayed well and it was nice to read a bit about the different means of photographic processes. Gelatin Silver prints composed most of Ansel Adams' work, where other artists like Michael Rovner had Chromogenic prints. Others there were ektacolor, Dye transfer prints, or Toned photogravure.
I spent a little time in the older sections of the McNay but didn't spend much time there. I really enjoyed the newer portion of the McNay, as it seemed to complement each piece more than the older, spanish style architecture of the old wing. It was the focus of lighting and material in the new building that provide a contemporary museum environment. Overall it was my first formal museum visit in almost a year and it really was exciting to see.

[re-seet]

The most recent video piece I produced entitled [re-seet] was intended to be a self-portrait revealing a theme of religion. Many forms of religion exist today and it is life's physical experience which nutures this aspect of our lives. [re-seet] or Receipt is my stab at revealing these things about myself, Nature being the constant. In using an actual receipt to symblolize myself, the piece of paper floats about the outdoor world seeing and experiencing a variety of things. One shot specifically resembles my feelings toward Catholic Christianity, the denomination I was raised under.