abstract: Rest for Machines is a fragmented novel about a woman named Tina Medina / Dissertation/Thesis / M.F.A. English 2013

abstract: The stories in Backyard Cannibals examine the thin line between connecting with another person and consuming them. They dwell in the intersections of natural and manmade worlds, exploring dislocated bodies, unexpected wildernesses, and the consequences of hunger. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.A. Creative Writing 2013

<p> The methods, experimentations, philosophies and influential artists mentioned in this thesis all form part of my artistic exploration and art from the level of cells to the large oceanic water world. As an artist of Fine Arts at the University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley, my main emphasis is to associate these concepts with my personal experiences, cultural traditions and artistic perspectives with my likes for lines, colors and spaces in what I called, Nature, Essence and Spirit. Furthermore, my artistic approach was mostly influenced by the views of artists such as, Vasily Kandinsky, Frank Stella, Piet Mondrian, Paul Klee, Dale Chihuly and Tauba Auerbach.</p><p>

<p> The artwork I strive to create infuses what interests me and is important to me all the while taking issues I feel are important to address and incorporating them as well. In the case of the exhibit <i>Spiritual Awakening,</i> the passion of creating narrative imagery in the form of a graphic novel as well as the yearning to express my faith was the vehicle to bring to light many social injustices in the form of criminal activity from murder to corruption. Though these themes have been seen in different aspects in a variety of mediums, rarely have they been conveyed all together in one package. As these three things are formed and displayed in <i>Spiritual Awakening,</i> it is meant to produce a healthy dialogue to not only see the nature of some people who lean towards criminal activity, but to also seek to become better themselves.</p><p>

<p> <i>WEATHERED</i> is a means to give back and say thanks to all who have helped me through life and offer similar aid to anyone willing to listen. Presented within the CRAIVE Lab at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Technology Park on March 4^th, 4pm to 8pm, it depicts an allegorical journey of survival, change, and rediscovery as people are reunited with their identity after separating themselves from it as a means of survival.</p><p> In the Thesis, the autobiographical forces behind <i>WEATHERED</i> are defogged, revealing a personal past of birth, growth, abuse, survival, and healing. It will further unravel and look deeper into the artwork's use of allegory, its development process, and conceptual decisions and symbolism, all in conjunction with the artist's creative growth and metamorphosis.</p><p>

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