Rachael Padilla

Modern Technology

I've spent many hours editing footage to share on platforms like this one (among others). While I've been doing that, my smart phone has been working silently in the background. For all the ways that I use technology, I was completely unaware that my phone was automatically making videos with all the photos and footage I shoot. This lovely little video was automatically titled, "Spring". Well done, modern technology! 

2022-08-24 23:40:17 +0000 UTC View Post

Tuesday Update

Working on the set up for an instruction from the Marina Abramovic Method! 

Trouble viewing? Try this: https://vimeo.com/742443334/743a0d8149

Dancing Clips

This movie is made from a set of photographs shot continuously, in consecutive order. Much like stop motion or a flip book, the photos flash briefly to show motion. At the time it was photographed, I thought that photos as opposed to a recording of the motions, would capture more of the dynamic motion of the double circle skirt. A regular recording may often blur objects in motion.

https://vimeo.com/742027173/966...

It's a good day!

It's rained every day for a week or more! Join me for a walk in the lush, green woods!

Action Pants

This piece was originally performed by Valie Export in 1968. It's typically seen in a series of six posters printed in 1969. It was performed by Marina Abramovich in 2005 at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. It was a part of her 7 Easy Pieces series in which she performed 7 pieces for 7 hours consecutively over the course of 7 days.

This is my interpretation and performance of a classic piece of performance art. I chose to use a prop I'd created myself, as opposed to an authentic ...

Work in Progress: Writing As Art

After extensive tests on boards last week, I finally started the meticulous work on a large piece of art!

https://vimeo.com/740448818/c8ca9f3106

Tuesday Update: Complain to a Tree

I'm off to a busy week! For this Tuesday update, I thought I'd share another installment of the recorded and edited instructions of the Marina Abramovich Method! This instruction involves voicing all my complaints to a tree. As has been the case with most of these exercises, I am surprised by how thought provoking a simple action is. 

While I find Abramovich's early work very challenging and uncomfortable, her later work (including all of the instructions included in the book), cha...

Sunday Art

I took a lovely Sunday morning stroll through one of my favorite art galleries!

https://vimeo.com/739448083/25a0b59765

Writing Test

This is a test. As I delve deeper into an exploration of conceptual art, I am compelled to conduct some tests. Using a scrap piece of wood, I prepared it in the same way that I intend to prepare the surface for a larger piece. With an initial coat of gesso, then a coat of polymer paint for household purposes. 

This has the potential to make the words themselves works of art. As opposed to traditional art, where the brush strokes create an ultimate picture, the words I spell out bec...

Slow Walk

An afternoon under the overcast sky along the river! Join me for this slow walk! 

Tuesday Update

A little about some performance art and its props! I've been working on my own version of "Action Pants". First created by Valie Export, and later performed by Marina Abramovic. 

Magdalene 3

The final installment for the footage I shot for the Mary Madgalene series. I've often found that the stories surrounding her speak to betrayal, grief, and loss. I attempted to embody that within the paintings and performance pieces.

Legends of Magdalene extend far beyond biblical texts, which ultimately combined several Marys into one. One legend tells of Mary wandering in repentance in the desert until her clothing wore thin. She miraculously grew fur to cover her body. There are dep...

Magdalene 1

This is the first of the videos I created for my "Magdalene" series. 

Process of Mindset and Mood

I haven't thought of a great name for this piece. But upon completing the Abramovic instructions of "Look At Your Reflection", I was inspired to do this. Just in case you haven't seen it, here's the link: https://youtu.be/Kzf2-wnxFm0

I've already shared that when looking at my reflection for an hour, I saw a lot that my mind couldn't reconcile. I saw faces I didn't recognize, and those I did. Not all of which were my o...

Completed!

This year marked the worst wildfires in New Mexico history. People were displaced from homes and lands that were in their families for generations. There’s a town that had been functioning on a drying out reservoir of water. Due to the devastation of the fires, that water is now contaminated. Which means that the residents have about a month of water left.

Since I feel so deeply connected to New Mexico, I felt compelled to paint this.

Bound to Nature

I've focused a lot of my energy lately on performance art. It seems an appropriate time to share more of my original performance pieces.

Tuesday Update

Everything that's going on this week!

Work in Progress

My work lately has been heavily focused on performance art, but I’m still painting! This piece features the silhouette of a coyote. Another work for the “They Call Me Coyote “ series.

Reaction to: Look At Your Reflection

While it was fresh in my mind, I recorded my thoughts and observation to "Look At Your Reflection". An hour is a long time to stare at your own face, and I was surprised by what I saw. 

Abramovich Method: Look At Your Reflection

For this instruction, I sat in front of a mirror, looking at my reflection for an hour. I intended to record the entire session, but my camera didn't make it that long. This is the first 22 minutes. This was more intense than I'd imagined. The eyes begin to play tricks and the physical fatigue of sitting stationary for an hour is very real.

While I often create my own performance art, I feel that these instructions are invaluable to improving my own work and fueling creativity!

Mess Piece

A reading from "Grapefruit" by Yoko Ono.

Splash

Beat the summer heat: splash around!

Pow, pow, pow...

Recent events in the news reminded me of this piece. I like it a lot. I felt like what I did to the music and the visuals really told the tale. Looking back and looking forward.

Bubble

Blowing bubbles is such fun! There's also something very soothing about it, almost meditative. I think that I've recorded the action several times for the sake of performance art, but this version is my favorite!

Rain

Ever since I was a kid, I've had the overwhelming urge to run out into the rain. Perhaps it's because back then, growing up in a desert, the rain was so rare and precious. I don't live in a desert anymore, but the urge to feel the rain is ever present. 

A Trip to MOCA

I went to see an art exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Atlanta! As soon as I got home, I recorded my thoughts on the exhibit to share with you. The exhibit is called "Because the Sky Will Be Filled With Sulfur" from artist Jeremy Bolen. It includes photographs, sculptures, video and assemblage. 

Tuesday Update!

Thank you! As I go about the business of being an artist, I couldn't do it without you!

Marina Abramovic Method

For this instruction from the Marina Abramovic Method: Blink your eyes rapidly, looking from side to side. 

She elaborates on this instruction:

To change what you see, change how you see. Blink as quickly as you can and turn your head from side to side. Your surroundings will temporarily fragment. What will your mind strain to piece together first? Examine how you feel when a familiar vision is incomplete. Examine where your eyes wish to pause when you do not allow them rest....

Cup Nood

Enjoying a cup of noodles, and still marveling at the story of the founder! I built a model of the Cup Noodle recently and as I do, I'd done a bit of research. Here are a few additional facts about these fascinating noodles! 

"Lighting Piece"

Continuing with my exploration of the disciplines and instruction provided by great artists before me, I completed another prompt from Yoko Ono. 

These instructions are meant to be completed, then contemplated. I've added the additional step of recording them to share with you!