some paintings for grad school application

**steve kim** · January 29th, 2007, 06:55 AM

hello everyone!

just got done with school and now i'm applying to grad school of all things.

these are the newer paintings of mine that I submitted for my application portfolio. they are in reverse chronology. i kind of hit a snag with the simplified/sketchy heads, but I do like the two most recent paintings.

cheers!

i also have my statement about artwork (deals directly with the paintings) and statement of purpose (slightly biographical, and why i want to teach) in case anyone is curious about what's going on in the ol' noggin.

**Orifice** · January 29th, 2007, 06:58 AM

hey I like it! You got your own style. The first one was kinda hard to read, but its all good. The blurry schmearydness of it works fine. I like the penultimate one aloth.

**DanielC** · January 29th, 2007, 08:45 AM

Very nice work !
Fifth one is really nice

**Zaknafain** · January 29th, 2007, 10:08 AM

great stuff... must look even better in real life.

The last one sucks

but the rest is really great...

**Mike Dutton** · January 29th, 2007, 12:45 PM

I think these few images cater well to your artistic statement (very well written by the way), though the floating heads look like experimentation to figure your self out rather than your vision having already been realized. For instance, the last one is a bit too similar to the one above it, while the one above it is far more successful. Since these are in reverse chronology, I assume you figured a few things out in the final image, before creating a much stronger image the second time around. The first two images are really lovely.... I hate it when people namedrop (I've kicked the habit myself), but I will just say I like how well you've managed the influences you've got going on in these. It's familiar, yet fresh.
Good luck on your app. Looking forward to seeing what happens in the next couple years.

**Dougbot** · January 29th, 2007, 01:26 PM

These are really great. The first is super awesome.

**James Kei** · January 29th, 2007, 01:46 PM

These are beautiful.

-JK

**asoir** · January 29th, 2007, 01:59 PM

ack! last post for now and off to draw i swear ;P

incredibly beautiful. first and second are utter brilliance.

**Scorned1** · January 29th, 2007, 02:54 PM

This might be a little insulting to what everyone commented so far and I may be called an idiot after this. Those who want to can go for it. I love reading hate messages.

About the artwork here I have so far cannot connect anything with what you wrote in your “Statement about artwork” and “statement of purpose” with the artworks here and on your website. Sure you have a lot of feeling that you certainly expressed that in what you wrote. But writing it out and expressing it out are two completely different things. You wrote are something that I like to called “Young Torture Art Crap Feeling” thesis that a lot of teachers/colleges had read over and over that a lot of artists feel at right around your age. The floating heads are somewhat chaotic and unclear. Which is complete the opposite of what you wrote because you have a very clear understanding about what you think about how art should works to communicate the message. How is the subject matter of heads from the neck up, a person (mother) holding up a baby and a woman looking straight forward with another woman looking sideway really what I am quoting here “I hope to once again be the student, to reach new levels of humility, self-reflection, and whatever else graduate studies have to throw at me” from your statement of purpose. Perhaps it is the way you are painting it that is all of those qualities but not the subject matter. Your work may very well be very abstracted and I perhaps I’m not qualified to judge it but still I am comparing what you wrote about your feeling and the works you are presenting and I don’t see that you have accomplished what you set out to do. Maybe doing political and in your face subject matter are what you should think about doing. Because those are what IMO might be more of your liking rather than just peaceful and gentle pieces you are presenting here. You are certainly full of rage and you are not expressing it in your pieces. Combine your personal style with a more powerful subject matter and see what you could do. Go for it.

I'm really sorry if I hurt your feeling with what I wrote above.

P.S. I like how you use your use of colors.

**I.was.ink** · January 29th, 2007, 03:20 PM

Sup Stevealicious!
I was recently back at school for some workshop drawing and I was staring at your 1st painting in the gallery for a while.
I really like it a lot! I didn't even know it was you who had painted it until I saw the little plaque at school...and I said, "whoa, way to go Steve!"
Keep up the good work!

btw, where would you be going for grad school?
-Oskar

**Mike Dutton** · January 29th, 2007, 03:53 PM

Scorned1 wrote:

You wrote are something that I like to called “Young Torture Art Crap Feeling” thesis that a lot of teachers/colleges had read over and over that a lot of artists feel at right around your age.

Your point may have been worth mulling over if you didn't phrase this so ignorantly.

**steve kim** · January 29th, 2007, 04:09 PM

mike> if you were to see the pieces in person you might like the last one a little more. i was a little disgusted with myself when I finished it, but somehow it grew on me. i appreciate your comments either way though.

scorned> everything you quoted is from my proposal, which is really talking about my interest in teaching and education in general. if you did indeed read it, you would know the answer to why i don't want to address the social/political issues i mentioned in my paintings. basically, there are plenty of artists who have 'illustrated' social/political problems in the fine art space, but what have they achieved? only more discussion within the circle of fine art. artists use society but don't give back to it. I'd rather give back directly, through education. this was my thesis and the whole point of my statement of purpose.

my statement about artwork deals with the paintings more directly. i've edited my original post to alleviate any confusion.

I think you just don't like my paintings and that it's an excuse for you to get on a soapbox. that's fine, i know how my paintings are perceived in the context of this kind of forum. just realize that you are attacking instead of critisizing, and that has nothing to do with how much you "love getting hatemail".

oskar: i'm applying to UCLA as a kind of crapshoot. when i get rejected i'll broaden my choices for next year. i'm going to keep it in LA though. I visited NY and i don't think i like it there much

**DSillustration** · January 29th, 2007, 05:08 PM

i LOVE this one.

**Djohnston** · January 29th, 2007, 05:15 PM

I wasnt going to post until I read this:

"I think you just don't like my paintings and that it's an excuse for you to get on a soapbox. that's fine, i know how my paintings are perceived in the context of this kind of forum."

I think you're wrong about that. I think many people find this stuff a breath of fresh air, I know I do. I can't remember If I have commented on your work before but I definitely remember it and it most definitely has impacted me, so much so that I remembered your alias on here and when I discovered your name under the thread title I clicked it immediately.
This is some seriously engaging and beautiful work, I hope to see more of it.

-Daniel

**duddlebug** · January 29th, 2007, 05:19 PM

These are lovely, i wish i could see them 'in the flesh'...

How big are they?

**Aly Fell** · January 29th, 2007, 05:34 PM

Got to echo the sentiments above! Great work! They just get me on some level. I love the work on your website too. Good luck Steve!

**steve kim** · January 29th, 2007, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by Djohnston

I wasnt going to post until I read this:

"I know how my paintings are perceived in the context of this kind of forum."

I think you're wrong about that. I think many people find this stuff a breath of fresh air, I know I do.

Yea, I think I messed up with that one, i don't mean to generalize even though I just did. I guess what I mean is that while I love the work that is shown here--it's what I originally wanted to be, a concept artist--i brace myself for the worst when i post

Thanks for your comments.

duddlebug: most of them are small. 24x24" or thereabouts. the last two are 30x40"ish. the last painting along with two of my older pieces will be part of a group show @ billy shire, culver city l.a. county if you're in the area

**Boogieman** · January 29th, 2007, 08:45 PM

This is great!
I remember a post by you from something like 16 months ago, a book thingie, loved what you did back then and you aint gotten any worse

The pink/purple head is awesome.

**Simon Boxer** · January 30th, 2007, 01:13 AM

Really cool style. I checked out your website and have seen some of it on CA before.

I love the Nerd piece - very novel, it made me laugh and then sympathise.

**poise** · January 30th, 2007, 01:25 AM

these are really something. I love the baby with the green head.

!

**I.was.ink** · January 30th, 2007, 01:29 AM

Those pics you posted dont do it justice Steve!
So here are some pics I took of the first piece. I think you guys can appreciate the subtleties in that first piece a bit more with these pics.

Name: steve's pic.jpg
Views: 745
Size: 178.9 KB

Name: steve's closeup.jpg
Views: 747
Size: 181.2 KB

Once again, great work steve!
yargh!

-Oskar

**steve kim** · January 30th, 2007, 09:46 PM

Originally Posted by I.was.ink

Those pics you posted dont do it justice Steve!

i really need to revamp my setup for shooting work. i use cross polarized lighting to kill the reflections and glare, but it's killing the texture too. back to the drawing board...

great pics btw, thanks for making me look good