Monahan,+Victoria

flat =Artist Statement= //**I am Victoria Elizabeth Monahan, or Victoria Elizabeth Monahan is I. You see, to me art is everything. So that is what I create; everything. From paintings to collages, rubbings to sketches, 3D and 2D, abstract and actual, but most of all I create inspiration. A mixed-media artist, if you will. This word inspiration only comes in a few forms, from other work and current problems in society and of course, from my imagination. The most common held belief is that in order to create art you have to have an imagination. No, this is wrong, in order to create a piece that is both worthwhile and meaningful, you need inspiration. Inspiration is key. It forces you to get riled up and, because all human beings possess emotions, it gets you angry enough to start movement towards change. That is how I create my pieces.**//

=Marking Period Three=  This marking period, I have been doing mainly research. For some reason, I haven't been very inspired lately, so because I generally get inspiration through other's work and society, I have been sitting back and observing. I want to make things, like paper and canvases and canvas rugs, I want to do it all, but I don't have any ideas to jump on.

My current projects consist of: =Marking Period Four= This marking period I have been doing a lot of projects around my church, specifically for fund-raisers.
 * coffee sleeves collection
 * I usually drink at cup of Wawa coffee a day, and use a coffee sleeve because it is hot. Well, I really dislike wasting, so I have been collecting them in the bottom of my locker, and am planning on maybe painting them, and making some sort of piece out of them. Plus, they have a nice texture, that I would like to use. I have previously made a piece that says 'peace' in all caps, painted green, made out of these coffee sleeves, and am considering make a series.
 * starbucks quote series
 * For a little while, Starbucks printed quotes on the sides of their coffee cups. And, since I am pretty intrigued by quotes for some reason, I used to clean the cup and cut them out. However, they sadly discontinued their quotes, so this project really hasn't been going anywhere. The few that I did have, I framed with nice paper, and then frames them all again, on an even larger paper.
 * painted frame portraits/ 3D centerpiece
 * So, my friend broke this nice picture frame, that had a lot of fine details, and knowing my love of mixed-media, gave it to me. From there, I used my paint markers, to make it colorful, and hot glued the pieces back together. Now, since I did that, I have two possible project ideas in mind. The first being to take pictures of people holding the frame, with their face in it and make some sort of series. The second was to make a still piece, glue the frame to some card stock, and create some sort of 3D garden come out of it.
 * screen-printing
 * I went through a little screen-printing phase, while at my Fleisher internship last year. However, this project has lost momentum because I don't really have the tools to do it.
 * print-making
 * I went through a large print-making phase, which was starting from take Saturday Uarts classes, from there I learned many techniques and applications, and basically fell in love with the art form. However, I found that I don't have much patience or perseverance to stick to carving and printing and all that. But, I have made some, and am pretty proud of the outcome. The only thing is I can't think of what to make a print of. Oh, there was also a little phase over the sumemr where I made cards for everyone, and I made a print of three crosses to give to my mission trip leaders.
 * packing tape transfers
 * This was something that I learned at Uarts as well, and thought it was super cool, so I have been using it in pieces, but not as much as I would like to.
 * re-peat 'The Soloist' cover
 * I read the book 'The Soloist' sometime last year, and while I really loved the book, I liked the cover as well. So, I have been meaning to take a photo of either a person or a landscape, and mimic it.
 * decoupage tin
 * Decoupaging is something that I was introduced to at my internship at Fleisher, there was decoupaging everywhere, and since then have really wanted to decoupage my something of my own. Consider it mixed media, completely 2D.
 * quote series
 * As I briefly mentioned earlier, I am intrigued by quotes. So, I have been collecting quotes in a folder for future use. There are literally hundreds in there, which I have yet to use.
 * random photography
 * Another phase I went through was photography. Because I used to go biking everyday down Valley Green, I was very inspired by the beautiful scenery around me, so I started bringing my digital camera with me. I am very heartbroken that I no longer have the time to go biking, but plan to re-start perhaps this summer.
 * finishing the sequin tree piece
 * This is just a small project, where the centerpiece is a tree made out of rainbow sequins, however, I got stuck on the branches, and have yet to pick it back up.
 * finish the fold-out book of quotes
 * Because I love quotes, as you have been told numerous times already, I have written my favorite quotes in this accordion book that I made back in middle school, yet the designs that surround the quotes aren't quite finished yet.
 * using the 'inspire' print piece
 * This is a part of the printmaking craze I went through, I carved a block that simply said 'INSPIRE' because, honestly, I couldn't think of anything else I wanted to carve, and it is kind of one of my favorite words. I have used it in a piece, that is hanging in the hallway outside the main office, a piece that I just had a burst of inspiration one night, after a week's worth of stress. It is bright, and unlike my usual work, but I like it quite a bit.
 * painting my bed frame
 * Well, I am not sure if this qualifies as a project, but I have been meaning to paint my plain bed frame, and decorate it. However, with college so near, I don't think I am going to get around to this one


 * **Glass Bead Bracelet Sets**
 * This is a fundraiser for my church. We have been discussing ways to make money for World Vision, and have come up with the typical bake sale and bucket drops and all that, so I took matters into my own hands, and started making bracelets sets to sell. Last Christmas I had a couple of packs of glass beads lying around, so I made a set of bracelets and eventually gave them to a friend on mine as part of a present. She loved them, and since then I have been meaning to make more for presents. However, I figured it will fit better as a fundraiser. The plan is to buy a pack of glass beads, stretchy string, and start making them by hand. Then, once that pack of beads is done, I'm going to tie them together with a scrap ribbon or string or something, and attach a piece of paper that explains where the money is going and whatnot. I actually just started this project yesterday, and am excited to get the ball rolling.




 * **Aprons**
 * This is another fundraiser for my church. One of my youth leaders came up with the idea, and I loved it. So, we decided that between us we would make a few aprons from whatever scrap fabric we had as prototypes, and then let the youth decorate them. My youth leader didn't get a chance to make any yet, but I have made one out of a ripped bed sheet, and hand stitched the whole thing. Then hand stitched a handkerchief on as a pocket. I brought it in and everyone loved it, and I am now working on making more.
 * **Metal Flowers**
 * I have a habit of collecting random things, and have over time gathered quite a bit of metal pieces. Everything ranging from pieces of wire to bottle caps to all types of scraps. I got sick of it taking up so much space, so I started thinking of ways I could use it. Well, I am pretty interested in 'trash art' and came across a photo of something similar. From there, I have started to make flowers by piecing together the different metal pieces. I'm planning on expanding from just flowers, but I haven't decided to what just yet.
 * blah