This paper supports the Masters of Fine Arts exhibition, a collection of sculptural pieces, at the Tipton art gallery in Johnson City, TN. from March 21st through March 28th, 2011. Raising the Machine showcases my exploration of forms using fabrication techniques found in metalsmithing and other media. Discussed within are the concepts, techniques, and materials used to create the forms including images and works from the exhibition.

The Master of Fine Arts exhibition, Undesirable Forms, presents a collection of paintings and sculptures that focus on the repulsion and discomfort a woman can experience within her mind and body. These works were exhibited at the Tipton gallery, in downtown Johnson City. The pieces included in this exhibition consist of encaustic paintings on panel, and sculptures created from plaster life-casts. The ideas discussed in this paper are influenced by Julia Kristeva and Sigmund Freud’s work relating to the abject/grotesque female body. This paper also discusses inspiration from other artists, such as Natalie Frank and Helen Chadwick, who work with psychological subject matter and the female body.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the management policies of the Springville High School Museum of Art, and to arrive at an estimate of their effectiveness by means of a comparative analysis with fundamental elements of generally accepted good museum management.Materials from the booklet, So You Want a Good Museum by Carl E. Guthe, were used as basic criteria for making the comparison which included investigating the following factors: (1) goals and purposes, (2) collections, (3) organization, (4) administration, and (5) activities.A survey of literature, visits to museums, and interviews with museum administrators were made to gain a knowledge of museum management. Data were acquired from these authoritative sources; as well as by investigation of the Springville Museum's premises and records, local publications, and statements made by present and former administrators, members of the Board of Trustees of the Museum's Association, and other civic authorities.

For most of the period since his death in 1844, at the hands of a maniacal mob in Carthage, Illinois, there has been doubt about which portrait of Joseph Smith, first president and founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, best represented his physical features. This work has attempted to accumulate as much information about his features as was available for the purpose of establishing the true image of the man. The discoveries made by this study are listed in the following discussion.

The writer's reason for making this study is a felt lack of taste and a general misunderstanding and misuse of the visual arts in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She is convinced that art, generally considered as a matter of personal taste, is actually a matter of professional judgement. A characteristic of our time is the "do-it-yourself" trend and to make up ones own mind about everything without any consultation of authorities and also a loss of feeling for integrity in productions of the human mind and hand which broke down the fences against kitsch and opened up the way, not only into man's environment, but also into his thinking. May the reader find in this study a help towards a better understanding and a greater awareness of the problem of kitsch.

The purpose of this study was to determine Mahonri M. Young's philosophy of art as recorded in his personal writings and the writings of his contemporaries—particularly his close friend, Jack Sears. Magazines, books, newspapers, and miscellaneous unpublished materials such as letters, theses, scrapbooks and personal papers were examined for the purpose of becoming more familiar with the character and personality of Mahonri Young. From these sources of information the following was attempted: (1) to record anecdotes and experiences which may have had some significance on the development of his philosophy, (2) to glean from his own writings his feelings and attitudes towards art and artists, and (3) to categorize his basic ideas and determine his philosophy.Mahonri M. Young was an excellent teacher of sculpture, drawing, and etching and helped pioneer the modern realist movement to America. Stressing the importance of good draftsmanship, he disliked the modern art trends and favored those artists who emphasized human characterization. He preferred painting and sculpting genre scenes and became famous for his laborers, cowboys, and prizefight objects.

My work addresses the importance of self-identity within the Black culture of the United States of America through the depiction of an African American boy who must look into himself to overcome a difficult bullying situation. Animation as a medium is an ideal tool for interrogating the Western perspective of identity through cinematic storytelling. Using established animation methods, I created a visual narrative to portray the impact self-identity has on an individual's actions in certain social conditions. The film expands the medium of animation to subvert the narrative expectations of bullying and presents the idea of identity as a nonconforming concept. Making use of animation as a tool to analyze identity presents the notion that cinematic storytelling makes a cultural change.

Alexander is a story of overcoming the fear of personal artistic expression. Alexander is the son of an affluent family who was found to have musical talent at a young age. Alex grows to enjoy music, but rote exercises alone begin to disillusion the promising musician. Regardless, Alexander dutifully practices piano exercises daily, bored by the lack of creative stimulation but afraid to openly admit it. After an accidental music note sparks his imagination, Alexander escapes into fantasy: a colorful visualization of the original music he creates. Within this fantasy, a warm, supportive community leads Alexander to his most significant source of inspiration: the Muse, an embodiment of his passionate creativity. As Alexander ages, reality begins to cloud his fantasy. Fearful of rejection, frustration and indecision over expressing himself in reality begin to outweigh his joy. Indecision leads to hazy inspiration, and Alexander's Muse becomes weak and colorless. The musician knows he must make a choice: commit to the narrow view of what his family believes art to be, or openly fight for his form of creativity. After seeing his own reflection in the piano, Alexander glimpses life without honest self-expression. He ultimately chooses creativity despite fear. This courageous action is met with real comfort as Alexander's artistic expression finally finds him community in his real world. The paper accompanying my film deconstructs process and influences. I first discuss the importance of Japanese animation and musical theatre to my story and art direction. I then examine how queerness inspired my character creation, and how subverting traditionally gendered traits can encourage creative freedom.

Seeds of Doubt is a two-dimensional (2D) animated film that explores how anxiety can stifle personal growth. The film demonstrates how accepting and coping with this anxiety can help you return to a place of calm and allow you to blossom. Roma, a young witch, struggles to use her magic to successfully make her crops grow. Her lack of confidence leaves her stuck inside the greenhouse until she is ready to move on to the tomato fields outside. She must first re-center herself and overcome her self-doubt before it consumes her completely. This idea is sourced largely from my own personal experience with anxiety as a teenager and how this affected my relationship with myself, my family, and my art.

The evolution of animation in the United States and its resulting classification varies significantly from its global counterparts. Through a convergence of complex cultural, regulatory, and entrepreneurial influences, the medium's experimental artistic principals have remained firmly rooted in the mass-production style studio pipeline codified by Hollywood. Through the advent of academically centered animation education, the development of the internet, self-distribution, and the growing affordability of industry level hardware and software, the industry has expanded beyond the traditional narrow scope. This re-globalization of entertainment in the United States encourages an auteur approach to animated filmmaking that is challenging the strict association of animation as a children's medium.