Workshop with Lex Randolph

Not So Cuterus, Chaz Howkins, 2017, pen on paper

Not A Penis, Chaz Howkins, 2017, tights, stuffing and thread.

I attended an artist's talk by Lex Randolph at their exhibition Human Becomings at Paper Mountain which was followed by a workshop with the artist.  We were encouraged to use a range of textiles to create artworks which relate to our own gender identities.  I created a drawing which relates to the idea of my body reminding me of my biological sex, which I can often overlook.  I also created an arm made out of stuffed tights and sewed the words "can always be bigger" into; this is due to my insecurities about my arms and how they are simultaneously my favourite and least favourite feature as I'm well aware that they are far from as toned as they could be. 

Metal Workshop Outcome

Jerry, Chaz Howkins, 2016, metal

I decided that I wouldn't be able to create something which was relevant to my practice during the electric welding workshop, so decided to create a giraffe out of metal.  After snapping the blade of the electric saw, I used an angle grinder to cut the metal pipes to the right size.  I then used the electric welder to attach the pieces together and the angle grinder to create the patterns on he body.

Concrete Workshop Outcomes

Concrete Fluidity, Chaz Howkins, 2016, concrete

Concrete Fluidity, Chaz Howkins, 2016, concrete

I carved the gender fluidity symbol into a block of styrofoam so that the concrete would cast with the symbol raised on its surface.  Gender fluidity is often dismissed as an identity, so I wanted to cast the symbol in concrete to create a sense of permanence and validity.

Concrete Casting Workshop

Wooden mould

Concrete mixer and moulds

Remains of the mould

During this workshop I created a wooden frame to act as a mould for the concrete and then carved my design into a block of styrofoam and placed it in the bottom of the mould.  I then poured the concrete into the mould, left it overnight to set and dismantled the frame to remove the solid concrete block.

Vinyl Moulding Workshop

Clay covering object

Pouring in the vinyl

During this workshop I watched a demonstration of how to create a vinyl mould.  This is a very time consuming process and I didn't feel I could make it relevant to my practice so I decided against casting an object of my own.

Screen Printing Workshop

Screen Print Series, Chaz Howkins, 2015, screen prints

Minimal Zombie, Chaz Howkins, 2015, screen print

I found the screen printing process to be quite time consuming and frustrating at times, though I feel my outcomes were quite successful.  The image I used of a zombie Barbie works well as the ink adds a dark, gritty feel to it, which when juxtaposed against bright backgrounds creates quite a bold image.

Face Casting Workshop

Alginate being applied to face

Face covered in plaster and scrim

Face Cast, Chaz Howkins, 2015, plaster cast

I found the face casting process very uncomfortable as it felt like being buried alive, but I am happy with the outcome because I found it very interesting being able to view my own face from another person's perspective.

Plastic workshop outcome

I created this series of rings by firstly sticking newspaper lettering onto acetate and then trapping it between two ends of a piece of plastic softened in the oven.  These rings are a follow-on from my 'antiloveheart' rings, as they carry the same sentiment, subverting the expectations of what might be written on a ring.

Plastic workshop outcome

After experimenting with a few processes, I found that the tin foil and bubble techniques were the most successful, so went on to create a series of pieces.  I turned the pieces of plastic into rings by simply neatening the edges with an electric sander and super-glueing them to a ring base.

Plastic workshop outcomes

Plastic and tin foil necklace close up 

Plastic and tin foil necklace

Bracelet

Plastic bubble necklace

After being shown a few processes of how to manipulate plastic, I cut some pieces of plastic and softened them in the oven to create jewellery from.  I created the tin foil necklace by trapping and squashing a piece of tin foil between two pieces of plastic which had been softened in the oven.  The bubble necklace was created by heating a piece of plastic with a lower melting point than the other pieces and squashing it against another piece of plastic to join them together.

Plastic workshop outcome

Assemblage, Chaz Howkins, 2015, Plastic and mixed media on board

After using the vacuum former to create a bubble in the sheet of plastic during the workshop, I decided to fill the bubble and mount it onto wooden board to create a three dimensional assemblage piece.  I filled the bubble with items I felt reflected childhood and femininity, such as toys and clothing, alongside juxtaposing items such as cigarette packets.

3D Animation Workshop

Learning how to create and manipulate shapes 

Experimenting with pre set animation effects

Toothbrush nearing completion

I really enjoyed this workshop and, though it could be frustrating at times, I think this software could be very useful for future work.

3D Animation Outcome

Our task for the morning was to create a 3D toothbrush using Maya, which we then animated in the afternoon to make it jump over a cup.  I think this workshop was very useful in learning the basics of how to use the software and I will be able to use these skills in the future to create more complex animations.

Metal Workshop

Impaled, Chaz Howkins, 2015, metal and Barbie parts

After learning how to weld, I decided to create a sculpture using Barbie parts and metal rods.  As I rarely work in 3D, I encountered a few problems whilst putting the piece together.  I didn't plan out its structure as throughly as I should have, meaning it didn't stand up how I imagined and I had to attach an extra rod between the base and the body of the doll.  Also the piece is quite back-heavy so appears to be close to falling over.  However, I feel I learned from these issues that I sometimes work needs to be planned out in more detail rather than being created spontaneously.  I think the resulting outcome is quite successful as the innocence of the doll is destroyed by its disassembly and the juxtaposition of the harsh metal.

Metal Workshop

Welding Experiment, Chaz Howkins, 2015, metal

After not being able to attend a metal workshop in semester 1 due to the tutor being ill, I caught up on the workshop at the start of semester 2.  The first task we were given was to weld two pieces of metal together.  I feel that welding is a useful skill and the colours produced on the metal made the outcome more visually interesting than expected.  

Print workshop

Zombie Barbie Etching, Chaz Howkins, 2014, etching

Red Zombie Barbie, Chaz Howkins, 2014, etching

Coloured Zombie Barbie, Chaz Howkins, 2014, etching, fine liner and watercolour

I think the gritty texture created by the etching really compliments the dark subject matter, making this medium very appropriate for my work.  I enjoyed this process and though it was quite time consuming, I think I will be using this process again as it creates very dramatic outcomes.

Print workshop

Plate after being drawn on

Plate after being submerged in acid

Finished plate after being inked

Plaster workshop

Wax Skellington, Chaz Howkins, 2015, wax

Our brief was to create a wax cast of a piece of fruit; I first considered casting various fruits such as bananas and a lemon to put together to create a figure or doll but thought this may be a little over ambitious.  Instead I carved a Jack Skellington face into an apple to make it appear like a smaller scale pumpkin carving and created a wax cast of it.  I feel the end result was quite successful as the texture of the wax makes the face seem aged and somewhat eerie.

Plaster workshop

Creating the clay walls 

Removing the apple from the plaster

The three parts of the plaster casing and removed apple

I found the process used in the plaster workshop quite interesting though felt it was rather long and tedious, while I am pleased with my outcome I feel I could create a similar piece using a simpler technique.

Painting workshop

Model, Chaz Howkins, 2015, acrylic & pencil on canvas

In an earlier photographic series, I captured my zombified Barbies against plain white backgrounds with bright lighting, to make them appear as if they were posing as models.  These images were quite striking as it made the dolls appear more human despite their blatant mutations.  I chose to base my painting off one of these images as I felt the strong composition would translate well into paint.  I feel the use of rich colours and violent brush strokes adds to the sense of grotesque while making the doll appear fairly lifelike.