Amber Pacheco
- Jul 5, 2021
- 5 min read

2014 My Thesis Show

Updated: Jan 8

PREPARING

For me, art, is a process. From start to finish I want to relish in every moment. After setting up to sketch out my second portrait, I began to feel excitement again. I can't wait to start painting my self portrait and wash my mother's portrait.

This series investigates the relationship between memory, the photographic momento and portraiture painting. Working from photographs of my mother and myself, I began with three large representational acrylic paintings. Rather than focus on virtuosity and the ability to paint well, I am interested in the act and labour of painting as an homage to people that I care for. As a result of this realization I seek to experiment with the process of painting and elevate its meaning to new importance. I seek to demonstrate the beauty of experimentation and the futility of a final product, through the meticulous labour evident in the details of the piece, then washed away in the purposeful destruction. After the paintings are finished I will launder them, allowing for multiple outcomes in how the painting will be destroyed. Subsequently I then reevaluate the piece and focus on key areas I specifically remember about that subject. I seek to demonstrate the importance of the moment, not only in the literal translation of the work but also within my own memories and experiences. Moments are unique and hold important pieces of memory embedded within it.

While painting I will also be capturing every moment through stop motion photography to create an animation that records the process and destruction of the works. By documenting the process I reinstate the notion of the momento, working from the photograph, to the final ‘snap-shot’ the experience comes full circle. With this in mind, I want my work to evoke craftsmanship and emphasize the artist as a work of art rather than the piece itself. I take reference from the constant documentation of the Internet, through painting moments of memory captured in photographs and documenting this process through video. Therefore through the destruction and manipulation of my work I believe I am able to convey a meaning of impermanence, while the paintings themselves serve as a tangible record of the experience.

Despite the fact that it's 4 am I'm finally beginning to feel motivated again. I often think what will I do after school? I guess I never thought it would arrive so soon, the end of my university career.

After chatting with Ivan, the UWAG curator, I was feeling a bit discouraged and unmotivated. Because of the number of students in my graduating year I would most likely only have enough wall space for one painting. So naturally I thought about not continuing the rest of the series . However I have found some motivation, despite the hour.

Original Posting Source: http://thingswelove-fine473-475.blogspot.com/2014/02/sometimes-i-want-to-go-off-grid-but.html

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Sometimes I want to go off the grid. But then I remember, there's no internet there. The human species is a naturally selfish and curious creature. We are constantly seeking new answers and confirmation of our own self-actualization. The opinions of others have seemingly wedged themselves into our everyday lives.  Don't believe me? Have you checked Instagram, Twitter or even Facebook today? If the answer is yes, than your probably like me and the thrill of posting something, then seeing the notifications of this and that person liking your photos is exciting. However if you said no, than you will eventually today, it’s just a matter of time. Recently I was driving with my grandparents, elderly immigrants from Portugal born in the late 20's. Now with that being said, it is hard to believe all the new and different things that have been invented in the time they have been alive. I wonder how crazy it must have been to go from a small farm in Portugal with no electricity to now, electrical devices that are on your person at all times, no wire required. I digress; my grandmother was questioning me about my phone, as I was about to type in an address on the GPS application. I explained to her that it had Internet and it knew our location, along with allowing you to listen to music, check emails, send messages and call someone. I distinctly remember my grandmother’s response, "wow that's a smart phone", and it finally dawned on me how smart my "smart phone" actually was. I don't know if that's amazing or scary. On the one hand its handy always being connected and being able to share every moment with people. Whether that is through blogs, vlogs, posts or tweets. On the other hand, what happen to privacy and living in the moment? I have seen people at concerts or shows, filming it on their phones and actually watching it through the screen! Photos and videos are nice because they serve as a permanent record of your experience. However if capturing that moment starts to interfere with actually experiencing it first hand, than I think that's where you need to draw the line.

"If I went around vomiting all the time and shitting everywhere and saying its art, it wouldn't be, it would be a bad digestive problem." -Tracy Emin

With this in mind, I want my work to evoke craftsmanship and emphasize the artist as a work of art rather than the piece itself. I take reference from the constant documentation of the Internet, through painting moments of memory captured in photographs and documenting this process through video.

"BLANK SLATE"

Reflection (Bleach. Wash in Warm Water. Tumble Dry.) Top, 2014

Growth (Do not Bleach. Wash in Cold Water. Tumble Dry) Bottom, 2014

Acrylic on Canvas

The exhibition will be open March 20 until April 5, 2014 at UWAG.

Opening Reception: Thursday, March 20 from 5:00-8:00 pm Featuring artworks by: JoAnn Ball, Michelle Chen, Megan Colley, Ken Cooper, Sophie Côté, Audrey D’Astous, Lindsay Margaret Davies, Sarah E. L.Faucher, Bailey Felkar, Harneet Heer, Danielle Hoevenaars, Alice Xiaohua Huang, Lauren Jenniskens, Teresa Laudenbach, Warren Lebovics, Miranda Lynn Marcotte, Shiori Mine, Katy Missio, Muhammad Moghees, Andreea Nemes, Amber Pacheco, Kimberly Jade Reid, Nicole Robinson, Madhulika Saxena, Julia Scappatura, Lauren Seifried, Élyse Shemilt, Tiya Sisson, Jennifer Yen San So, Minsang Song, Dan Timmins, Alcina Wong, Amanda Zimmer.

Blank Slate stands as an expression of the art school experience, a beginning and an end. The journey starts with a world of possibilities: skills to be developed, mediums to be explored and contemporary concerns to be addressed. The blank slate provides a canvas for expression, to be manipulated by the individual artist as they come into their own practice. Upon graduation we again wipe our slates clean and from this end begin our futures. The first mark we make on our slates may be a challenge, but it is a challenge that promises something great.

The fourth year students would like to acknowledge the generous support and donations from: The University of Waterloo, University of Waterloo Fine Arts and University of Waterloo Art Gallery.