The IEA welcomed Scott Stevens, Lee Somers, and Elisabeth Pellathy for a residency over the week of March 27th. Scott, Professor of Printmaking at the University of Montevallo, Lee, Professor of Three Dimensional Design at the University of Montevallo, and Elisabeth, Professor of New Media at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, came together to collaborate on a project centered around Alabama’s Cahaba River, a free flowing river that connects Birmingham to Montevallo and contains some of the greatest biodiversity and historic significance in the South. The primary themes of interest in the Cahaba River centered around the natural environment, the human history that stretched from the Civil War to the Civil Rights movement and beyond, and its ecological and geological features that fed local economies, such as coal, limestone, and iron ore that were key components to the foundation of the iron industry in the area.

Throughout their residency Scott, Lee, and Elisabeth collaborated on laser etched acrylic plates which could then be used for both relief and intaglio printing. Each produced images from their own research on the Cahaba River and layered their images on top of each other to produce a series of prints. Each print contained multiple layers of the history and environmental features of the watershed and the hand of each artist, with photographic, CAD generated, and images from 3D models contributing to each piece. Additionally, a presentation and discussion was held where each artist spoke about their artistic backgrounds and work, how they came together to collaborate on this project, and their research they did to contribute to the Cahaba River Watershed Project.

Below is a sample of photos from their residency:

(L to R) Lee, Scott, and Elisabeth prepping plates for printing

Pressing second pass of layered print

Discussing print with IEA co-director Joseph Scheer (second from left)

Lee and Elisabeth inking plate for intaglio printing

Evaluating an intaglio with Elisabeth's image

Elisabeth wiping a recently printed plate

Two layered print with images by Scott and Elisabeth (note: print appears wavy because it was photographed while still wet)

Two layered print with images by Scott and Lee (note: print appears wavy because it was photographed while still wet)

Three layered print with images by Scott, Elisabeth, and Lee (note: print appears wavy because it was photographed while still wet)

The IEA was joined by Ray Ferreira of Brooklyn, NY, for an artist residency over the week of March 13th. Ray, who received his MFA from Hunter College in 2016, uses Englishes, Spanishes, and body languages to explore ways, which his body is manifested and manifests worlds, and ways his body aims to create a different ontoepistoethics. He views his texts as modular, pieces coming into and out of existence, stretching across spaces, times, and matters.

Throughout his residency Ray split his time between recording sound and video and putting together a layered composition of processed video and audio recordings. Ray melded together video he shot of the snowy weather conditions experienced during his residency (which was enough to close the University for one day) with hand gestures and shadow play with spoken word processed audio to produce a piece that touches upon themes of loss and memory. Ray also produced a small series of digital prints from past and present work.

Below are images from Ray’s residency:

Still from Video Work

Still from Video Work

Digital Print

Digital Print

Digital Print

The IEA welcomed Laura Splan, of Brooklyn, NY, for a residency over the week of February 20th, 2017. Laura, an alum of Mills College in Oakland, CA, explores the intersections of art, science, technology, and craft who explores the material manifestations of our mutable relationship with the human body. Much of her work is inspired by experimentation with materials and processes (blood, cosmetic facial peel, digital fabrication), which she mines for their narrative implications and untapped potentials. Her recent work uses biosensors (electromyography, electroencephalography) to create data-driven forms and patterns for digitally fabricated sculptures, tapestries and works on paper.

During her week at the IEA, Laura focused on creating 4K digital animations derived from bio-metric data, specifically EMGs and EEGs. These took the form of colored, moving lines that starts out with only a few onscreen and gradually amassing to the point where only tiny movements can be seen if one looks close enough. These animations were created by entering the bio-data into code created in Processing which read it into animation files that would sometimes take up to seven hours to render a 30 second clip. Laura also composed a three channel animation that spanned across the three 4K displays in the TSI/Harland Snodgrass Gallery and gave a small, informal presentation to Professor Barbara Lattanzi’s Interactive Media class.

Below are some images from Laura’s residency:

Laura Splan editing animation.

Animation on Three-Channel 4K display

Presentation to Interactive Media Class

Cassandra Hooper, of Croton on Hudson, NY, joined us for an artist residency over the week of November 14th focusing on works of print media. An professor in printmaking and art of the book at SUNY Purchase, Cassandra’s practice involves watching the world carefully, recording flashes and near misses that express the ever-present tug-of-war between public and private self, individual and society, human and nature. She makes images that aim to simultaneously reveal a crucial moment of defenselessness while admitting the impossibility of denying our own fragility. Her pictures depict a space of time laden and reflexive, playing with the tension between the emotional landscape and the slow unraveling of the narrative. These dramas play out in scenes constructed of the detritus of suburban female experience—the awkwardly defiant posture of a child, the outcast chair, overgrown gardens, domestic spaces of bygone eras, drawing on experience of performing rituals of vulnerability as a child, a mother, and the nebulous space between those roles.

Over the course of her residency Cassandra focused on a series of laser etched wood block prints and a series of photo polymer plate prints. IEA Co-Director Joseph Scheer and Aodi Liang worked extensively with Cassandra with all of the various processes in translating Cassandra’s photo compositions from digital files to physical prints through use of the Epilog laser cutter, WLS polymer plate maker, Takach etching press, and the Stienmesse and Stolberg flatbed offset press. A large series of work was produced in multiple editions for future shows and exhibitions.

Below are images from Cassandra’s residency:

IEA Co-Director Joseph Scheer and IEA artist Cassandra Hooper viewing work from Cassandra's portfolio

Joseph and Cassandra viewing work from Cassandra's portfolio

Joseph demonstrating techniques for using the Stienmesse and Stolberg Flatbed Offset Press

Cassandra and Joseph printing with the offset press

Woodblock prints fresh off the offset press

Cassandra signing her work

Cassandra laying out polymer plate prints with Aodi Liang

Woodcut print

Woodcut print

Polymer Plate Print

Polymer Plate Print

The Institute for Electronic Arts (IEA) is currently accepting applications for one week, New York State artist residencies for Visual Arts projects.

Applications for these opportunities are due by January 4th, 2017.

For more information and to apply please visit our Apply page

The Institute for Electronic Arts is currently accepting applications for one week, New York State artist residencies for Electronic Media and Film projects.

Applications for this opportunity are due by August 19th, 2016.

For more information and to apply please go to our Application page.