Artist Review: Allan Wexler

Allan Wexler is an architect who also works in the fields of design and fine art. Wexler's works explore the community, as well as human activity. He designs furnitures, buildings, and even utensils as props for everyday human activity. His idea is to elevate human's daily lives. I find his works unconventional and very functional for everyday lives, which is something I would like to make. In one of his work, Two Too Large Tables, he creates two elements in one piece. In the first part, he uses stainless steel and wood to construct an odd looking shaped table and thirteen chairs. In the second part, he uses thirteen chairs to extend up to become columns. The columns support a large stainless steel plane, which function as a shade. Wexler's work is located at Hudson River Park at 29th Street in New York City. I think this piece says a lot about his ideas.

http://www.allanwexlerstudio.com/architecture/08_architecture.htm

Why I choose Illustration

The process of illustrating an image is what I find enjoyable yet challenging . I enjoy mostly working with basic drawings of furnitures or living rooms, from traditional mediums such as acrylics, watercolor paints, and pencils, to illustration digitally. I would scan my drawings onto the computer and work from there. I like that digital illustration in design allows my drawings to be more precise and representable. What I found most challenging is working with color gradient tool on Adobe Illustrator. Mixing the colors to create 3D effect of the furniture is not always easy. Sometimes it would take me hours to figure out the right color. But I think the time and process it takes to make a good design is definitely worth the experience to help me improve.

I will continue working with illustrating furniture designs and possibly combining digital photography with my drawings.

Artist Review: Frank Gehry

In my senior year in high school, I took a trip to Downtown Los Angeles to photograph some famous architectural buildings for my portfolio. While I was wandering around, I have discovered the Walt Disney Concert Hall designed by the famous Canadian American architect, Frank Gehry.At an early age, Gehry was influenced by his grandparents to build models of cities out of wood scraps. He was also inspired to use materials such as steel and chain link fence. He later graduated from the University of Southern California's School of Architect. When I first visited the concert hall, I was fascinated by its sophistication and the undulating surfaces that embodied the construction. The entire exterior of the concert hall is made of stainless steel. I am impressed with how the stainless steel building creates a shimmery facade, which

revitalizes the surrounding neighborhood of Downtown Los Angeles.

This is the original sketch of Walt Disney Concert Hall

http://www.laphil.com/philpedia/wdch-overview.cfm

What is important is the journey, not so much the destination

In this postmodern age of cultural transformation, design is at the crossroad. While questions of beauty and decoration may not be as important as the great questions of politics and economics, it has a noticeable impact on everyday life that I find fascinating. The purity of the past in which different traditions evolved in isolation is no longer viable. I have come to see that the future of design is eclectic, drawing inspiration from various spaces and cultures. As an immigrant, I have seen first hand how cultural differences can energize a person’s spirit. I believe art is one of the most profound aspects of a culture, and design is a form of art that impacts most people on a daily basis.

From an early age, I was aware of design. My mother is the type of person who always experiments with new looks and new styles. For a long time, my mom would take me to the interior furniture store to remodel our house with the latest style in Taiwan. I have always enjoyed reading new European styles in the magazine there. When I moved to the States, the television show, Extreme Home Makers, caught my attention. I realized that environmental design was a way to combine my passion for art with my interest in this expanding field. Since then I have acquired a steadily broader sense of how interior design differs from country to country and even from neighborhood to neighborhood. Houses are not trivial. Even if we often take them for granted, they are our main site for living and one of the most powerful means of expressing imagination and individuality.

I believe aesthetically pleasing art and design should be for everybody. During the summer, I enjoy visiting the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. I have discovered many fabulous effects the designers have put into their works, ranging from the type of flooring and wall colors to the type of fabrics and furnishings. One of the most amazing design that caught my attention was Kim3 International Furnishing. The designer blends its own antique and eclectic styles into the furniture. I was fascinated that even antique furniture can bring luxury to home. The style has more of an Eastern influence, which is more similar to my cultural background. Kim3 International Furnishing also has a peaceful and serene style which makes me feel comfortable. On my free time, I also enjoy working on basic drawing, illustration, and designing mini project such as making 3 dimensional interior models.

I am passionate about exploring new ways to combine art and style of my native country Taiwan with the robust and diverse artistic traditions of the United States, my adopted homeland. By expanding my career goal into further direction, I am eager for opportunities in design/ media arts so that I can develop my interests in interior design in the upcoming years.