Sara Hutson: Senior Work

Author/Artist Name

Sara A. Hutson, Murray State UniversityFollow

Files

Academic Level at Time of Creation

Senior

Date of Creation

Fall 12-4-2016

Artist Statement

I have a great love of both music and art. As I have sampled different medias, I have been looking for one that will allow me to reconcile the two, and so I have taken an interest in creating package designs and album artwork for CDs. This also allows me to work in my love of illustration and typography, and combine them into a product that is a bridge between art and music. For my imagery, I target scenes of familiarity. I like to work with things we see so often that they blend into the background because they automatically connect to the viewer. Then I like to twist an aspect of it so that is once more abstracted, and takes more time to decipher.

I am also interested in the use of mirrors for their challenge of space and complexity of meaning. In my research on mirrors, I have become fascinated by their ability to be a bridge between reality and fantasy. Mirrors possess the unique ability to reveal truth, they can confuse by extending a space, they can create infinity, or they can be small windows into a space that we can never truly inhabit. I hope, as I work with CD package design, to find a way to work in mirrors and take on a greater dimension of thought and composition in my work.

My influences include (there is definitely a graphic designer we have studied that I know designed hundreds of albums. I wanted to look at his work, but I cannot remember his name.) Also, Al Hirschfeld, for his descriptive line work in his illustrations. I adore the fluidity of Louise Fili’s typography, Saul Bass’s illustrations, El Lissitzky’s unique abstractions, and Lucian Bernard’s combination of typography and illustration. In terms of mirror artwork, I like to reference Michelangelo Pistoletto, for his incorporation of the viewer; Yayoi Kusama, for her creation of infinite spaces; and Robert Smithson, for his mirror concepts.

Advisor/Mentor

Jim Bryant; Nicole Hand-Bryant; Dale Leys

Description

I typically work in Illustrator and InDesign, working on images where the typography describes texture or sounds involved in the subject. The first thumbnail, Silence, is an example of this. I took a quote by Leonard Cohen, and described the sounds of crickets by overlapping use of the word to visualize the sound of cricket chirps.

Another interest of mine exists in mirrors and drawing. The 19th thumbnail is an image called Infinity Traffic. I am interested in the use of mirrors for their challenge of space and complexity of meaning. In my research on mirrors, I have become fascinated by their ability to be a bridge between reality and fantasy. Mirrors possess the unique ability to reveal truth, they can confuse by extending a space, they can create infinity, or they can be small windows into a space that we can never truly inhabit. I created Infinity Traffic within a familiar space that confuses what is reality.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Hutson, Sara A., "Sara Hutson: Senior Work" (2016). Professional Practices (ART 399). 2.
https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/art399/2