In my freshman year here at Marywood U, we where told, as art majors, to fill our sketchbooks with as much as possible so they can be reviewed for our portfolio review. So, since I don’t tend to work in my sketchbook, I figured the best way to use up as many pages as possible is to make a 3 dimensional art piece with the papers. Also, I have a tinge of pyromania in me, so I naturally wanted to work with fire.

That led me to create this piece.

To make, I controlled the fire by outlining in water where I wanted the burnt edge to end. I did this for every page, continuously getting smaller to create a declining void. To add, I rubbed ash into each of the pages to darken them. It became this.

During my review, my reviewer was very interested in this and was hoping to get it into the pool of work being voted on for the next school year’s annual Foundation Year Exhibition. Although flattered, I am not as pleased with this piece and wanted to make one that was better, more official, and finalized. Something that can stand on its own.

So I made a new piece.

In its own sketchbook, I made a larger burn piece with more variation and darker ash. Being on a larger scale, it is deeper, using more pages. I also lined all of the edges of the papers with tape to give it more of a structured border.

Each page can be flipped through, but it looks best with them all together. It evokes doom and darkness. Like a hole you can slip into and fall forever. A void if you will.

With this new piece, I also incorporated the cover of the sketchbook in with the work.

I figured that burning the cover would add a layer of intrigue. It displays what it is while also giving you a peak at the void inside.

This new piece will be reviewed by the faculty and decided whether or not it will be included in the exhibition, so wish me luck!