Gallery Visit

On a recent trip to Spokane, WA, I visited an art museum at the Gonzaga University campus called the Jundt Gallery. As I am currently working on a project that entails a commercial gallery space, it was very helpful for me to walk through this space and gain insight. I have always noticed in galleries that for the most part the walls are colored white, however in the Jundt the walls were clearly an off-white and closer to beige. This affected the individual pieces on display quite differently, there was less contrast between the walls and artwork, however it was much easier on the eyes for me as a viewer. Many of the displays were movable on an overhead track system, which is convenient to fit the needs of different exhibits. Benches and seating areas did exist in certain parts of the gallery, which is a convenience for people who wish to take a break from standing and viewing the art. Overall it was very helpful to take notes and observe all of these different aspects, and I hope in the future to be able to visit many more unique spaces.

Vision Impairment Exploration Exercise

As I am currently working on a project that involves a client with a visual impairment, I participated in an activity where I could simulate what a person with that condition can and cannot see. Myself and a partner wore sunglasses with petroleum jelly applied to the inside of the lenses, which greatly reduced our vision and made it difficult to decipher shapes, colors, light, and depth. Walking around in public spaces, I had to be guided by my partner to navigate even areas that I was relatively familiar with. Some places were much more easy to view than others, for instance, a library with a lot of natural light was far easier to see than the ground floor of a building with no windows. What I found most interesting was how some spaces seemed to accommodate more towards those with visual impairments, like ATMs that had braille and audio cues to aid with monetary transactions. Some spaces did not, however, and were extremely difficult to maneuver. This included areas with highly reflective surfaces like glass or metal. The biggest help, and something important that I will take away from this design-wise, will definitely be the use of color contrast and how much this aids in deciphering between different areas. Stairs are a good example of this, with colored strips applied as tread for better visibility between each step.

Concept Development

With this new project, my task was to remodel an old railway depot for the Pacific Northern Railway into a artist's residence, gallery, and studio. My specific inspiration for this was the angles of the roof line, as they are very unique and geometric in style and aesthetic quality. Using this knowledge and appearance, I explored the different angles and transferred them into design criteria such as sketches, abstract explorations, and 3D models.

Inspiration Photo

Looking at the roof in this particular photo, one can see the different geometric shapes used in the construction. Triangles, rectangles, and simple lines are all visible and unique. In the first stage of abstract exploration, I experimented with these shapes and the overlapping aspects of the roof line. Both thick and thin lines are used to parallel the contrast in the roof, as well as to show the layers and repetitive quality. Once I completed this part of development I converted my abstract design into a pattern on photoshop, adding color and rotating different pieces. The colors that I chose reflect the colors of the brick used on the roof, as well as the logo colors of the Northern Pacific Railway. Eventually once it looked the way I wanted it to, I sent it into a website that converts jpg images into textile designs (seen at bottom).

Abstract Exploration

Textile Design

The final stage of my concept development was using all of this knowledge and previous application and creating a 3D model. Conceptually speaking I continued with the usage of triangles, as I saw them as an integral yet simplistic element of the roof. In addition to this, I also used a pop of red to create a focal point, as well as the tie in the colors of my textile design. The model itself is made out of museum board, and I cut away parts of the triangles to once again highlight the various geometric aspects of the angles of this roof.

3D Model