home work

Studio Today 2/6

2012-02-06T20:30:00.002-06:00

Bad, quick snapshot of a painting I am working on.

The X I am making.

A painting in the works to the left, as well as the hot tub sculpture in parts.

Operation: HOT TUB

2011-12-28T19:11:00.005-06:00

After about a year of searching, I have finally acquired a hot tub. I have been wanting to incorporate the fiberglass/acrylic shell of a tub into a piece, but have had little luck tracking down a free one. I was recently in Phoenixsville, PA and along side of the road my boyfriend and I spotted free, abandoned spas. The images below are of the spa we heaved into a pick-up truck, brought back to his house, and then I proceeded to saw it into sections. The following day we stacked all the pieces of the hot tub back into the truck and drove it back to my studio in Brooklyn. It was quite an effort to say the least.

Me with whole hot tub.

The underbelly of the basin.

Aftermath of the Sawz-All.

STUDIO Holiday Party

2011-12-28T19:09:00.002-06:00

11/14 Work in Progress

2011-11-14T09:04:00.006-06:00

A wall installation I am working on, still not quite done. Better image to come soon with not as harsh of light.

A wall painting in progress.

Building a boulder.

Small boulder mock-up.

Living Arrangement: Kansas City, MO

2011-10-29T19:14:00.003-05:00

An installation view of the show 'Living Arrangements' in Kansas City, MO put on by PLUG Projects. The piece at the end of the room is the installation I made specifically for the show. The paintings on plaster panels are also mine. The other artists included in the show were: Alika Cooper, Julie Green, and Tom Gregg.

The piece I made for the show. The title of the piece is 'Tear Peak' and its materials are: Acrylic, vinyl, wood, drywall, foam, nails, laminant, and vertical blinds on wall.

My Studio Right Now

2011-10-19T21:24:00.007-05:00

A wall installation I am working on.

Sneak Peak

2011-09-21T18:24:00.003-05:00

Here is a sneak peak of the piece I installed at PLUG Projects in Kansas City. This image was taken with my snapshot camera- so better quality and lighting to come soon. The piece is titled Tear Peak and it is 66x96in made out of Acrylic, vinyl, plastic, drywall, wood, and nails on wall.

Living Arrangements

2011-09-21T18:15:00.005-05:00

I am in a group show opening on Friday in Kansas City at a new gallery called PLUG Projects. I visited Kansas City to install a wall installation along with some other plaster paintings. The group show is titled 'Living Arrangements' and if you are in the area you should take a look! It will be up for the next six weeks. http://www.plugprojects.com/

NEW STUDIO!

2011-09-21T17:59:00.006-05:00

I have moved to Brooklyn, NY to start a yearlong residency with the Marie Walsh Sharpe Art Foundation Space Program in D.U.M.B.O. I am so excited to be moved into my new studio and start working again. The space is amazing and I feel very fortunate to be working in such a beautiful space. I am here with 16 other artists who have studios on the same floor.

A view of my studio.

The view to the left.

The view to the right.

2011-08-24T09:09:00.004-05:00

MOVING MOVING MOVING MOVING MOVING MOVING MOVING MOVING MOVING MOVING

MOVING MOVING MOVING MOVING MOVING MOVING MOVING

I am moving to Brooklyn in one week to start a residency at the Marie Walsh Sharpe Art Foundation's Space Program in DUMBO. Once I get settled I will post some pictures of my new surroundings. I will be living on the edge of the Park Slope/Crown Heights neighborhood with my friends Ben Peterson, Lee Johnson, and Dani Sigler. More to come soon.

'Off the Wall' at Caldwell College

2011-08-24T09:02:00.005-05:00

I just finished installing for am upcoming group show I am in at the Visceglia Gallery at Caldwell College in Caldwell, NJ. The show is titled 'Off the Wall' and there are four other artists in the show as well: Cordy Ryman, Stefan Gunn, and Jackie Brown. Here is a link to the press release:

http://www.caldwell.edu/news/off-the-wall.aspx

Press on Small Crowd

2011-07-07T16:57:00.001-05:00

Check out this review on the New American Painting blog about our show up at Mixed Greens:
http://newamericanpaintings.wordpress.com/2011/06/28/small-crowd-risd-mfa-painting-grads-at-mixed-greens/

Small Crowd at Mixed Greens

2011-07-07T16:28:00.010-05:00

We are having a show at Mixed Greens this summer!  The show will be up from June 16th-July 8th.  It shows all the graduating RISD MFA painting students.
www.mixedgreens.com
www.risdmfapainting.com

Corydon Cowansage(left) and Field Kallop (right).

Nell PainterCorydon, Field, and myself.

Myself(left) and Keith Allyn Spencer(far right).

Mike Schreiber(left) and Collin Hatton(right).

Collin HattonAnna Plesset(left) and Mike Schreiber(right).

Out of Practice in NYC

2011-07-07T16:15:00.007-05:00

I am part of a group show curated by Nudashank, a gallery from Baltimore, located at a pop-up summer gallery hosted by Art Blog Art Blog.

No more school

2011-07-07T15:49:00.010-05:00

The following pages are selections from my masters thesis in Painting at RISD 2011.

The last images of my studio at RISD.

Spring Mid-term Reviews

2011-07-07T15:43:00.005-05:00

Most of the work shown here is still in progress. I am planning on using these pieces within larger works.

Wintersession at RISD-my studio right now.

2011-02-11T20:39:00.009-06:00

An installation view of some pieces I have been working on in the last month. The wall piece on the left is titled 'The Burial' and it is the first piece I constrcuted in 2011. It is unlike anything I have ever made, but I am excited about the new direction.

A painting on fabric...still working on this one. The rock sculpture pictured above goes with this painting.

Detail.

A large wall installation.

Detail.

Some fabric samples I am contemplating on incorporating into the work.

Final Critique of Fall Semester

2010-12-16T20:50:00.004-06:00

The newest piece I just finished two days ago. It is a wall painting that uses window blinds, acrylic paint, carpet, wood, and plaster.

The piece on the left keeps evolving into different versions.

These are some small painting studies I have been working on. I am using them as samples and as ways to look at materials.

Group Show News

2010-12-16T20:00:00.002-06:00

I am very excited to announce that my fellow RISD painters and I have gotten a show at Mixed Greens Gallery in NYC. It will be a show that follows our thesis show in Providence. The dates are June 16th - July 8th. We are all really excited about this. Check out the gallery's website! http://www.mixedgreens.com/

The newest iteration:

2010-12-16T19:56:00.002-06:00

The main component in this piece is the painting that I showed at my mid-term critique. It keeps expanding, now there are pieces of wood and paint on top of it, as well as carpet and a painted frame on the wall around it.

A trip to the Met.

2010-12-16T19:51:00.002-06:00

An installation on the roof of the Met by Doug and Mike Starn titled 'Big Bambu'.

Amazing 18th century French porcelain.

Mid-Term Reviews

2010-12-16T19:45:00.002-06:00

An installation shot of the work I had for my mid-term review.

Dining Table

2 x 8ft
Wood, acrylic, and various found materials

When the Wall came crashing down...

2010-12-16T19:42:00.000-06:00

Hello.

2010-10-12T23:59:00.003-05:00

I am back, it has been a while since my last post. I got consumed with the start-of-school hectic rush. But, now I am starting to settle in to the rapid pace once again. Below is some work that I made over the summer and into the start of school. Also, if you haven't already heard, I finally finished working on my website! www.katiebellstudio.com The website is a more put together version of this blog and has more images of my work along with other things and links to some friends websites. Please feel free to take a look!

Studio Work:

2010-10-12T23:46:00.004-05:00

Studio desk.

Studio.

Not so sure about this piece....I kind of abandoned it.

A detail image of Bedroom Wall.

Bedroom Wall.

An installation shot in my studio. The painting on the right goes with the small sculpture a couple of posts down.

Some small studies for possible larger pieces.

A small sculpture used to make a painting.

Feeling so brand new...

2010-08-28T20:00:00.013-05:00

Hello! I am back, after a bit of a summer hiatus. Summer in Providence has been full of changes for me and my surroundings. After returning from France, I have been settling into my new apartment and my new, plush, second-year studio at RISD.

NEW STUDIO.

My brand new studio! It is huge.

The painting on the wall to the left is the thing I am working on currently. It is a stretched, sewn canvas/linen combo on top of a painting on the wall. It is still in process.

The painting/wall collage on the far left is also in process. I have layered a number of building and home materials directly onto the wall. I envision paint playing a major role on the final paper surface.

NEW APARTMENT.

The street my new apartment is now located on.

My new kitchen.

The main room in the apartment with a loft/desk area.

An image of Water/Fire in Providence, a celebration that takes place downtown various times throughout the summer. It mainly consists of a lot of people watching bonfires on the canal.

Confessional by Katie Bell and Daniel Arango

2010-08-14T13:59:00.011-05:00

Summer in Pont-Aven

2010-07-17T19:28:00.003-05:00

During the month of June, I was asked to be a teaching assistant for a summer program that Brown University hosts at the Pont-Aven School of Contemporary Art (PASCA) in Pont-Aven, France. I was a TA for a drawing and a printmaking course which each met twice a week. There were 30 total students in the program, 4 faculty members, and three TAs. The following photos are documents of my experience at the school and also the various trips we took on the weekends. Pont-Aven is an amazingly beautiful place and it was really inspiring to be making work in a location with such a complex art history.

2010-07-17T19:16:00.005-05:00

The outside of Pont-Aven School of Contemporary Art.

The four faculty in the middle, myself on the right with the founder of PASCA and Hope (the other TA) on the left with Gwen, who is now in charge of PASCA, and the dean of summer studies from Brown University. We are standing in the main gallery where the faculty show was hanging at the end of the program.

Me working in my studio at PASCA.

My cleaned up space for open studios.

Still not sure what to call this piece...but it is a small acrylic on plaster painting sitting on wood and vinyl.

A detail.

Another painting I made with acrylic and graphite on plaster.

2010-07-17T19:08:00.002-05:00

A large drawing (5 x 8ft)- acrylic, vinyl, and graphite on paper.

Three other works that were included in the show. The two smaller pieces are acrylic and watercolor on plaster and the drawing is marker, vinyl, graphite, and watercolor on paper.

2010-07-17T19:02:00.001-05:00

Interieur/Exterieur, Dubois Gallery. Hope Hardesty (right) and Katie Bell (left).

2010-07-17T18:59:00.001-05:00

On the last day in Pont-Aven we opened up the studios to the public. The faculty and the other TA and I had shows in the gallery spaces.

2010-07-17T18:48:00.001-05:00

The Port in Pont-Aven.

A lecture given on Gauguin by the founder of PASCA, Catherine Boyle Turner.

A show I co-curated in the student gallery at PASCA.

The studios at PASCA.

Images from Pont-Aven

2010-07-17T18:37:00.002-05:00

Amazing seaweed in the River Aven, this was taken really close to the school.

A delicious meal I had in Pont-Aven.

Rospico Beach, Port Manech.

The river that students would draw from, it is about 100ft from the school.

A view from out my bedroom window in Pont-Aven.

2010-07-17T18:34:00.000-05:00

The public toilets in the center of Pont-Aven.

2010-07-17T18:32:00.000-05:00

Moule et frites!

2010-07-17T18:27:00.000-05:00

On the bus to Mount St. Michel.

2010-07-17T18:24:00.001-05:00

Seaweed on some mussels at Rospico Beach, about 15 min. from Pont-Aven.

2010-07-17T18:21:00.001-05:00

On all the bus trips we took each bus had a TV screen at the front that was a direct recording of where we were going....weird.

2010-07-17T18:19:00.000-05:00

A barn falling down just on the outskirts of Pont-Aven.

2010-07-17T18:15:00.000-05:00

First Year of Grad School: complete

2010-05-29T15:51:00.003-05:00

This is the installation shot from my final critique of the year, which took place in my studio. I showed two major wall pieces and a grouping of small sculptures.

2010-05-29T15:46:00.003-05:00

This piece was the first that I made after my mid-term critique.  In considering the feedback I received from that crit, I decided to work from activities that I do at home instead of depicting them through imagery.  I began by concentrating on verbs that I do in my apartment (sorting, stacking, washing, cutting, folding, etc. etc.) For this piece I used the verb stacking as my launching point and used that motion to build the piece.  This painting is approx. 5x5ft.

2010-05-29T15:45:00.001-05:00

Detail

2010-05-29T15:43:00.000-05:00

Detail

2010-05-29T15:41:00.001-05:00

One of the pieces from my final critique. It is approx. 10ft x 4ft.

2010-05-29T15:40:00.000-05:00

A detail view

2010-05-29T15:37:00.002-05:00

A grouping of smaller sculptures from the final critique. The stack of objects I am hoping to work on much more so it becomes really large.

2010-05-29T15:35:00.001-05:00

Another small sculpture. Acrylic on paper mache on carpet square. Still not sure about this one yet....

2010-05-29T15:33:00.000-05:00

A small sculpture I made for my final critique of the year. It is about 3ft tall.

Spring 2010- RISD Mid-term Review

2010-04-23T22:29:00.001-05:00

An installation image of the work I had up for my Spring Mid-Term Review at RISD.

2010-04-23T22:28:00.000-05:00

Toast
22 x 30in
Acrylic, graphite, and vinyl on paper

2010-04-23T22:25:00.001-05:00

Clock/Radio
26 x 40in
Acrylic, graphite, and vinyl on paper

2010-04-23T22:23:00.001-05:00

An image of one of my sculptures next to one of the drawings. This sculpture has a constructed, unreachable microwave sitting on top of it.

2010-04-23T22:15:00.004-05:00

This was the main focus for my mid-term review. This is the live.make.work station. I think of the piece as combining by interests physically with domestic activity and art making activity. My work has always depicted domestic spaces and routines, so I thought I should make a piece where I could blend those processes of living and making. This sculpture has social and private spaces. This view (above) is the social side to the sculpture, a space for lounging and entertaining. The opposite side of the piece is for more private tasks. The interior of the sculpture is filled with my own clothing and bedding.

2010-04-23T22:15:00.001-05:00

2010-04-23T22:13:00.001-05:00

The private living space of the live.make.work station. It has a work station desk, shelving for storage, an oven for cooking, drawers for clothing, and a bathing area.

2010-04-23T22:08:00.000-05:00

A detail view of the live.make.work station sculpture

Glamour shots with the textiles...

2010-04-23T22:05:00.001-05:00

2010-04-23T22:04:00.000-05:00

Long Overdue.

2010-03-20T20:56:00.001-05:00

These are some objects I have been collecting as a color study for my work. Although, it has kind of turned into a piece on its own. I view it as a live and make station.

2010-03-20T20:54:00.001-05:00

This is a new drawing I am working on-it's about 5 x 8ft. I have been thinking about incorporating pattern more into my work. This piece has some prints and rubbings of different patterns within in.

2010-03-20T20:52:00.001-05:00

I stretched paper for the first time ever a few days ago- it turned out pretty well- although still a bit unsure of this painting- it's still in process. This is acrylic and graphite on paper.

2010-03-20T20:49:00.003-05:00

Some new paintings I have been working on. I am thinking about them as studies for going in an installation or drawing later on. The paintings are acrylic on Styrofoam with vinyl.

2010-03-20T20:47:00.001-05:00

2010-03-20T20:46:00.001-05:00

Trying to think about building paintings instead of making them-this one turned out a bit corny but I still like it.

2010-03-20T20:44:00.001-05:00

Some studies I have been painting on styrofoam- not sure about them yet. They may eventually go in something else later.

2010-03-20T20:35:00.002-05:00

I will post more pictures later-but this is an image of a piece I have in a show called Totemic at The Gelman Gallery at the RISD Museum. It turned out to be a pretty cool show-will post more later.

The end of Winter-session.

2010-02-20T17:20:00.003-06:00

Two weeks ago wrapped up the end of my machine knitting course and winter session. For my final project I made a sculptural installation, which basically turned into some really cool pillows. Eventually, I would like to make a lot more of the pieces to make it more sculptural and abstract. Possibly different forms and shapes that can fill up a room. For now, they kind of just look like pillows, which is ok too. So, below are some images of the piece and also the open house my class had a couple of weeks ago.

2010-02-20T17:18:00.000-06:00

My final project for machine knitting class.

2010-02-20T17:17:00.000-06:00

A view of the sculptures/pillows on my bed.

2010-02-20T17:16:00.000-06:00

An installation shot of my piece at the open house. 

2010-02-20T17:14:00.001-06:00

The various garments students made in the class.

2010-02-20T17:11:00.001-06:00

My knitting class setting up the show before the open house we had to celebrate the end of winter session/our knitting machine class.

I am a Knitting Machine

2010-01-31T11:14:00.002-06:00

The first sweater I have ever made! It turned out pretty good for my first one. Although the sleeves are different lengths and I had to unravel my knitting for about 7in. because I made it way to long above the arm wholes. This is why there is a bit of messiness around the neck. I am so happy to have it completed though....it took me about 40 hours...so hopefully the next one won't take me nearly as long.

2010-01-31T11:12:00.000-06:00

A back view of my sweater.

2010-01-31T11:10:00.001-06:00

These are all of the samples I have made so far in my machine knitting class.  There are about 25 of them and they all use different knitting techniques.

2010-01-31T11:04:00.001-06:00

These samples are various techniques. I really like how the gray one with the red turned out. I will be using that pattern for another larger project to come.

2010-01-31T11:02:00.001-06:00

More samples! This one is a stripe pattern and then bunched together at various points.

2010-01-31T10:57:00.003-06:00

A close up view of some of the samples. The white fabric is made by using pleating techniques and the purple one is using short rowing; which is where you put the machine on hold for portions while constructing it.

2010-01-31T10:55:00.001-06:00

Various samples I have made on the machine knitter.

Machine Knitting

2010-01-11T09:22:00.002-06:00

For the next six weeks it is winter session at RISD, which means everyone is taking one concentrated course. I am taking Machine Knitting, something I know nothing about, but am very interested in how knitting could effect my sculptural forms. The images below show what I have been doing this first week of class.

2010-01-11T09:21:00.000-06:00

The machine knitting studio.

2010-01-11T09:19:00.000-06:00

My knitting machine!

2010-01-11T09:18:00.000-06:00

A close up view of the machine knitter.

2010-01-11T09:15:00.001-06:00

The first attempt at my homework assignment...it didn't really turn out... there a lot of messed up parts you cannot see in this photo.

2010-01-11T09:13:00.000-06:00

My first assignment still on the machine, in process...

2010-01-11T09:12:00.002-06:00

My first assignment drying on a towel in my bathroom. Once you finish the piece, you wash it in the sink to allow the fibers to relax. The assignment was about making a stripe pattern and then repeating it three times.

2010-01-11T09:09:00.001-06:00

A detail view of my first assignment for machine knitting class. We had to make a stripe pattern based off of an image of a landscape.

End of Semester

2009-12-17T17:46:00.001-06:00

My studio set-up for my final critique of the semester.

2009-12-17T17:45:00.000-06:00

2009-12-17T17:44:00.000-06:00

2009-12-17T17:43:00.000-06:00

Detail of the installation.

2009-12-17T17:41:00.000-06:00

Drawing from my final review- approx. 3ft. x 4ft.

2009-12-17T17:40:00.000-06:00

These are some of the screen prints I have made lately.

Current Happenings:

2009-11-22T09:11:00.001-06:00

The current state of my studio.

2009-11-22T09:10:00.001-06:00

A new painting I am working on- its acrylic on a really thin piece of Birch wood.

2009-11-22T09:08:00.001-06:00

A drawing done from a set-up in my studio.

2009-11-22T09:06:00.001-06:00

A small set-up in my studio that I am using to draw from.

2009-11-22T09:03:00.001-06:00

A still-life I have set up in my studio right now.