Method behind the Title

When 'Calibration' was chosen for the show, it was at that point untitled. So i used my handy dandy.... FACEBOOK and surveyed the land... Jane Jun an MFA student and teaching assistant at the University of Missouri, with whom I went to undergrad at Towson University, sent me this article. Here is a pic of her work I snagged from FB :) Thanks JANE!

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2008/12/calibration/

Calibration Critique- Christel Turingan

When looking at the work, "Calibration" in the graduate gallery, it was the first art work to catch my eye and draw me in. The work of art is composed of very intriguing forms, shapes and colors that invites the viewers like myself to keep looking at it. There is a little boy depicted in the painting with these squiggle like curves coming from his ears. His eyes are closed with his hand in his mouth. When looking at the expression of the young boy I felt a sort of sympathetic feeling. I felt sorry for the boy who seems to be silenced by the surrounding chaos. The boy gives the impression of not being able to speak with the surrounding chaos of colors and curves. What could be interpreted as chaos maybe is what he hears or is surrounded by at home. His eyes are close and the use of color the are some blues which give the sense of sadness. Contrasted with the warm cool colors that could be interpreted as fire, fury or chaos. My interpretation of this artwork is that there is boy silenced by the surrounding chaos in his neighborhood or home. He may live in an area that is less fortunate and is surrounded by these graffiti like symbols. He is saddened and silenced from all the chaos surrounding and enclosing him, trying to feed into him. This artwork is very beautiful and could have many different interpretations which intrigues me. The boy could depict sadness or serenity. Multiple interpretations for an artwork is very captivating and makes the viewer want to go back and keep interpreting and seeing it from different perspectives. This artwork and style keeps me wanting more.


Christel Turingan

Calibration Critique- Trista Jacob

In the painting “Calibration” artist Elizabeth Dabecco uses color in a way that immediately catches the attention of the viewer. The use of the bright vibrant color palette contrasted with the cool muted blues within the center of the painting evokes a feeling of intensity or discomfort. 

            The composition of this piece is very circular with the outer area of the painting framing the inner part of the painting.  This draws the viewer’s eye to the center of the painting which appears to be the focus of the painting.  The use of line within this painting also adds to the importance of the center of the composition with outside shapes almost spiraling in towards the center creating an implied line.

            The main focal point of this paining is a very young boy.  He is literally blue, and the expression on his face implies that he is also emotionally “blue.”  This boy seems to be distraught or worried about something which really stuck me as odd because it is not often that a child of this age would have this type of look on his face.  At this age, most children do not have a care in the world.

            It appears that the text or graffiti surrounding the child could be the cause of the emotions that this child is feeling.  The text is jumbled and unclear as to what it says.  It is made of very bright neon like colors.  It could almost be viewed as graffiti on a city building.  The text also seems to be surrounding or consuming this child, and could probably be interpreted as either escaping this child, like bad thoughts, or going into the child, like bad influences.

            The space within this painting is quite ambiguous leaving the viewer unsure of where this could be taking place, or if it is even taking place in any specific place.  Because the painting is composed solely of the child and the text surrounding him it seems that maybe this isn’t necessarily graffiti on a city building, but the text is standing for something greater than that.

            In interpreting this painting, it is clear that it is loaded with many different symbols, yet is left ambitious enough that it can be interpreted in many different ways.  In my interpretation, it seems that the text is not just meant to simply be text or graffiti, but maybe pressures from society, or even home.  It could represent his memories from some type of argument that his parents were having that he overheard.  In this case I would interpret the text as something that the child is trying to escape from or push out of him mind.

            I think that the choice of the color within the text could possibly be a symbol for the bright life and joy that this horrible event that this text represents has taken away from the child leaving him blue and dull.

            The way that the text has been left illegible could represent that innocence of a child.  It could symbolize how when something bad happens a child may know that something bad has occurred, however because of their innocence they are not really sure what exactly has happened, or the extent of its seriousness.

            Overall, I feel that this painting could be suggesting the emotional toll certain events can have on a child, and how some of these events can impact their entire life if they are traumatic enough.

Trista Jacob

Calibration Critique- Erin Jeuther

Hello Elizabeth, My name is Erin Jeuther and I am in Dr. Ciganko's criticism and aesthetics class.  Recently we took a trip to visit the Graduate Show and I was immediately drawn to your painting 'Calibration'.  Dr. Ciganko asked us to write up our first impressions and feelings that came from the paintings.  I would welcome any response to what I had to say about your painting, insight, or corrections of my theory of your work.  Your response would be greatly appreciated especially since after hearing my fellow classmates I quickly realized that some of the things that I had thought others did not agree with. 

When I first looked at this piece I was drawn to the colors, they are vibrant on a black background.  The colors to me are relatively warm with mixed cools.  There is a young boy in the upper left side with what appears to be something along the lines of graffiti surrounding him like pooled liquid words.  These words travel up the right side of the painting and travel right into or out of the child's right ear.  I think emotionally I am drawn to this because of the imagery of the boy - I also really enjoy the very strong and bold strokes that were used.  This painting is very loud and in your face but comes at you with a subdued sort of loudness, somber as a relfection of the young boys face.  Could this boy be being built by what he hears - or as a young growing artists are these beautiful marks and curves and painterly strokes of color coming from within, some sort of inner beauty and complex thoughts.  
So many questions could be asked of this painting.  Some of the emotions that really come out of me when I view this painting, such as puzzlement, because of the intestine twisted looking graffiti coming out of or building up the young boy. I also am hit with some sort of sympathy because of the boys face, he seems to be confused and maybe in some sort of distress the more that I look at him.  A person this young maybe should not have to be dealing with the situation that he is in currently in that state that he is being depicted and it certainly makes me feel somber even with the chaotic nature of the lines and curves consuming the painting.  

I would welcome your statement on what your thoughts are on this work, some sort of rebuttal or clarification on what your thoughts were on creating this piece.  Thank you very much! 

Erin Jeuther

Calibration Critique- Julie Kuntz

Elizabeth Dabecco,

I have been assigned to write a criticism on one of the works in the graduate art show that I found myself most emotionally drawn to, and I have chosen your artwork, Callibration. We are supposed to email our criticisms to the artist. Please feel free to email me back with any feedback or reactions to my interpretation. 
 

Elizabeth Dabecco’s artwork Calibration is comprised of beautifully colored lines and shapes that have been established with the use of spray paint and oil. The bright lines on such a contrasting dark background lead your eyes around the canvas, through the child’s ears, and back around again only to pick up additional details that had been missed before. It holds my attention and keeps me wondering about the potential meaning behind it. I read the chaotic lines as sound waves representing all that is chaotic around this small child. He seems to be overwhelmed by all that is going on around him and exhausted from attempting to take all of the loud clutter in and interpret it clearly. Yet, he seems to be on the brink of becoming desensitized to it all. All of the chaos has become a part of him that he cannot shake. He is now one with all of the commotion through his intestines morphing into the madness. 

Julie Kuntz

Calibration Critique

So happy to report that students in Dr. Richard Ciganko's class at IUP, were assigned to pick a piece from the Graduate Art Forum, that was juried by Marie Cochran, that they responded to and write a critique. The critiques were sent to me, and I want to SHARE THEM :) By the way the piece is 'Calibration'. This is the best pic I have, but it has since been worked on, so it looks a little different now.