Jamie Myres ART399 Portfolio

Author/Artist Name

Jamie MyresFollow

Files

Academic Level at Time of Creation

Senior

Date of Creation

Fall 12-5-2023

Artist Statement

Jamie Myres Artist Statement

When I set out to create something, I have one main goal in mind: to make the creative process as fun as possible for everyone involved, at every step of the way. I use saturated colors, nostalgic imagery, clever concepts, and most importantly, humor to invoke a positive feeling in my audience. I want them to walk away with a memorable experience, so memorable they tell their friends and laugh together as a result of something I made. My practice is mainly based in graphic design and fiber objects, but is expanding to include other media and found objects.

In the brutal jungle that is girlhood in public schooling, you have to fight for survival everyday or else you are cut from the watering hole. In the words of Cady Heron, “I can’t even watch… and I saw a snake eat a cow!” For me, I found safety in humor. Everyone loves to laugh, and they love people that can make them laugh consistently. It was a trait that came naturally to me, and one I didn't realize I had until much later. It is a part of me, just how it is a part of everything I make no matter how hard I try to be serious. My brain is constantly a chaotic battlefield, with so much going on it often feels like there is nothing going on at all. It feels like there is always a new diagnosis, a new medication, and a new problem to fix. With my art I want other people like me to be able to take off their armor, lace up their clown shoes, and just have fun.

I taught myself a number of techniques and mediums when I was very young so that my dolls could have a pimped out lifestyle. Being an 8 year old single mother of several American Girl dolls was very labor intensive. Learning to crochet and use the sewing machine opened up a whole new world for me, and I never looked back. Crochet remains my favorite process. There is something special about looking at a crocheted piece and knowing the time and effort that went into it. Knowing that with my hands and a simple tool I can be connected with thousands of women throughout history because of the same hobby is extraordinary.

My love for graphic design came later with a class I signed up for my senior year of high school. I was told by my peers that it was an easy A with no work. That was in fact not true, as the class had gotten a new teacher. Mr. Allison had a blue mohawk, an impressive portfolio, and a class full of kids that wanted a free period. I ended up loving it, so much so I made graphic design my major. I like how graphic design presents a puzzle to be solved; here is the information, follow these rules, and be successful in the end product. Even the driest of pamphlets can be made interesting through my perspective. Recently I created a set of Instagram ads, featuring any product. I chose Gloworm, a toy from the 80s that is just plain silly. With this choice in combination with my design style, it was inherently humorous while still coming across as a successful advertisement.

As I approach my upcoming BFA thesis, my goal is to allow my audience to have fun in the gallery setting. I aim to create an memorable interactive experience. Hale Ekinci’s piece titled Pinky Promise showcases a blend of mediums in a humorous way, with a deeper meaning in mind. I love the way she effortlessly crosses these two ideas. Digital artists like Sam Lyon utilize an insane art style to make the weirdest renderings possible to draw in a specific crowd. I wish to someday draw in my own crowd. Yayoi Kusama creates an intricate, immersive experience simply by covering the whole space with polka dots. The idea of transforming an entire atmosphere is incredibly intriguing to me. These artists inspire me to push the boundaries of what I know, and create to the best of my ability. The future is my very own oyster, and I can’t wait to see where my art career takes me.

Advisor/Mentor

Jim Bryant, Gregory Scott Cook, Mike Martin

Description

This exhibit is a cumulation of some of my most recent and best graphic design work. I have been working hard to find my style as a graphic designer. My Work shows that I like to incorporate bright colors, consistent themes (seen in my stinkhole menu), and humor into my work (GloWorm Ad)

Photo Credit

N/A

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Myres, Jamie, "Jamie Myres ART399 Portfolio" (2023). Professional Practices (ART 399). 149.
https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/art399/149