Arts - Buffalo State College

number of different glass fabricating techniques. The resulting visual
effects achieved by experimenting with various colors and firing
temperatures were ascertained by carful heat control throughout
this project. Utilizing materials such as silver leaf, mica powder,
translucent, opaque, diachronic glass as well as frit size were
investigated resulted in a range of solutions that produced varying
results both exciting and at times disappointing. Applying this
knowledge, I designed and fabricated a cabochon “glass stone” and
then metal piece for the cabochon to be set within. Incorporating
handmade glass into a fabricated metal piece afforded me an
opportunity to open many more avenues of creativity and allowed
for the entire jewelry piece to be planned, designed, and executed
without having to rely on the more conventional manner of
purchasing the “stone” from a catalog. Because I had technical
and aesthetic control start to finish with both the “stone” and the
jewelry object it was placed, the resulting piece is unique in every
respect. It is an area of investigation any artist would be happy to
enjoin offering creative solutions in a decorative arena oft flooded
with commercial-only considerations prevalent in our industrialized
world.
Presentation Type and Session: Poster III
Faces On the Tree: Exploring Heritage
Through Portraiture
Julia Bottoms, Painting
Faculty Mentor: Professor Carol Townsend, Design
A person’s heritage is an intangible treasure, one that is handed
down in blood; a shared facial feature, a unique family quirk.
The research I am presenting has explored my own lineage in
a rather unorthodox way. Through an Undergraduate Summer
Research Grant, I have been able to explore portraiture as a
means of documenting my heritage. My research began back in
June when I met and interviewed local relatives, asking questions
about their lives, as well as the lives of others on our family tree. I
interviewed members from both my Greek side as well as my African
-American side. From there, I created a series of portraits of selected
family members. Each portrait serves as a window into their lives,
expressing not only a sense of who they are physically but also
emotionally with each piece containing some element of the person’s
unique personality. My research eventually led me to Franklin,
Virginia where I spent the week photographing my African-American
family and immersing myself in their culture and lives. The more
technical aspect of my research included the exploration of new
materials and methods. Originally my portraits were created with
colored pencil and chalk pastel. Through my research, I have begun
to include an acrylic base and acrylic backgrounds for a more
“painterly” effect. Also, I have continued an exploration of hand
burnishing techniques.
Presentation Type and Session: Poster VI
Exhibit in the Mezzanine Level
Arts
Facing the Music: How Music Affects the
Human Brain
Anna Dinger, HON 400: All College Honors Colloquium
Faculty Mentors: Professor Andrea Guiati, Director, All College
Honors Program and Professor Jose Henriques, Music
The title of my presentation pertains to both musical
performance and the act of simply listening to music. The starting
point of my research derives from Daniel Levitin’s book, “This is Your
Brain On Music”. It is well documented that music has an impact
on the brain. Research in cognitive neuroscience tells us that human
beings respond to aspects of music such as pitch, melody, rhythm
and tonality. In the first phase of my research, I am presenting some
background information to provide a framework of what already
is known in this field. In the second phase of my research, I will
compose a number of news stories that cover the subject of music
and the brain. To augment my literature review, I will interview
professionals in the field of neuroscience. This scholarly project will
enable me to apply journalistic techniques to communicate to a
general audience the neuroscience research being conducted on the
affect of music on the brain.
Presentation Type and Session: Poster VIII
Family: Portraits In High Dynamic Range
Joshua Coty, HON 400: All College Honors Colloquium
Faculty Mentor: Professor Andrea Guiati, Director, All College
Honors Program
High Dynamic Range (HDR) is a photographic technique in
which multiple exposures of the same scene are shot at varying
exposures. These exposures range from underexposed and nearly
black, to greatly over exposed and blown out. These images are then
condensed into a single image and then tone-mapped. This gives
the images a unique look and texture. The darkest darks and the
lightest lights are exposed normally, creating an image where both
shadows and highlights contain great detail. These photographs look
like they are paintings or made by computer graphics because the
human eye does not see such detail in nature. HDR is typically only
used for landscapes and cityscapes due to the numerous exposures
needed in order to create a final image. It is not typically used with
portraits because people tend to move and even the slightest motion
can cause ghosting and blurring. However, I became fascinated
with using HDR in portraits. It is not practical, nor conventional to
use HDR for portraits, however if it is done correctly the results are
stunning. I decided to photograph the members of my immediate
family in intimate environments; workshops, bedrooms, studies, and
other various environments to capture a more private side of their
everyday life.
Presentation Type and Session: Poster VIII
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