Art Gallery Experience

While on Spring Break, I visited the Frye Museum in Seattle, which was showing a Chinese exhibit on scroll paintings and traditional art pieces. Exhibit space is very big, and was dedicated entirely to one exhibit, so around the thousands for square footage. Walls are all permanent throughout the museum, pedestals and stages for different art pieces are brought out for different exhibits, but most stages were put away in storage. The lighting in the museum was entirely track lighting, with moveable lights for showing in different directions or locations. Natural light is evident in the design of the gallery space but isn't a major factor. Most light came from artificial lighting pieces. The exhibit doesn't have an exact path to follow and the gallery is pretty openly laid out with hallways and corridors stretching to all different parts; yet most people I observed would stick to the right entrance that goes past the gift shop. Walls are almost all white, standard for a museum. Very aesthetically pleasing but not big on color overall, possibly the designer wanted to not distract from the artwork on display. 

Visual Impairment Exercise

       In my research to better understand visual impairment in the real world, a partner and I applied a visually impairing cream to some sunglasses and attempted to walk through public areas. The biggest challenged going through these areas was obviously finding differences in surface are for walking. We found that contrast in color between different levels in in pathways was the most effective in traveling effectively. 

    We also had to be able to see close up with door handles and an ATM machine. We found that signage with larger type and red lettering was easier to comprehend. 

    Natural light was also much easier to see and differ from artificial light, but differing between a mix of both was another huge challenge. This was literally an eye opening challenge for both my partner and I. It made me appreciate the visual capability I do have and that texture and grip underfoot help so much more then you would ever think. 

Concept Development: Train Depot Remodel

       The first step in finding your inspiration for the concept of a building remodel is to visit the site and delve deeper into the historical roots and ideas that fill the walls of that space. I found this sun bleached tie of rope at the bottom of a tempered glass window sill and saw more then rope. I saw a structure wrapping and creating its own shape and form around itself, being self reliant. The artist that I have consulted with for this project is an independent kinetic sculpture builder who relies on his self for funding and for ideas with his project. I saw a correlation between the two and knew I had found my inspiration object for the project.

     
         The second step would be to explore the shape and values of the object and create a two-dimensional "parti" design that correlates to my object but is also abstract enough to build from in the coming process. I found these large looping shapes bound with the swirl and tie of the rope structure and bound them all together in a tight shape that soon became my final 2D design.


           From the 2D design I started thinking more volume based ideas and played around with the idea of 2D and 3D working together in a concept model. I constructed my model from Styrofoam and simple card stock paper, colored with the different tints and shades found in the original photograph I took at the depot. My 3D model is meant to be viewed from any angle and my "parti" design is easily noticeable with it's matching shapes. I enjoyed the entire process through and through, and I am even more excited to start designing the building itself!