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Title	*You Are Here
Artist	Sears, Ben
Subject - LCSH	Art, Modern Ball State University--Students
Exhibition Date	2009
Artist Statement	Throughout much of my artistic life I have been fascinated with the skill of realism. It always seemed to be something that someone could only do if they really put his or her mind to it. I have still admired abstraction and expressionism, but I enjoy the satisfaction that comes with completing something that has taken a long time and looks exactly how I wanted it. Last summer I bought a set of 120 colored pencils, which motivated me to explore the world of colored pencil artists. At first glance I was fascinated by the realism and attention to detail that many colored pencil artists were able to achieve. Artists like Linda Hardy or Elizabeth Patterson I thought were not only good with their use of the pencil, but also created works that were insightful and meaningful. One of the problems I have always had with realism when attempting it myself is using color effectively. I never had a teacher that told me which colors were most effective in certain situations, so I felt my colors were either too flat or too bold and didn't achieve that realistic tone. Once I began researching colored pencil artists, I took it upon myself to challenge my abilities by trying to replicate the technical quality of the more established artists. The Dadaist movement of the early 1900s has had an impact on my mindset and my creative process. I enjoy the ability to find complex meaning in simple, found objects. An artist that I have looked at is Richard Prince, who simply took a number of car hoods, painted them and hung on the wall. Ever since I got my driver's license when I was 16, I have been obsessed with driving. Two years ago I took a summer job as a driver for Donato's, and despite the occasional nonexistent tips, it was the best job I've ever had. When things got stressful in the store, I knew that once I got out and into my car it would always get better. To me there is nothing that can compare to the open road and being able to go wherever you want. I also find it interesting that every person can have a unique outlook on driving, even though it is something that almost everyone does. I feel that there is some beautiful imagery from the road, but people generally don't notice it because they are too focused on getting from point A to point B. I am interested in the existing metaphor that parallels life and the road. There are sudden turns, dark tunnels, highs and lows, and they all have to start and end somewhere. I have explored that metaphor by applying it with colored pencils that relate to life and the road. Beginning with birth and ultimately death, the series looks at certain points in everyone's lives as expressed through imagery from the road. Some of the drawings have more to do with specific events in a person's life, while some are more conceptual. Special Thanks to: my family and friends, Abi, my faculty advisor, GEE, John Hodgman, PC 996, Cookie Monster, the INTERNET, Maruchan chicken-flavored Ramen, The Mars Volta, GIMLI, SON OF GLOIN, and everyone else who contributed and inspired (especially financially).
Instructor	Gee, John P.
Subject - TGM	Art Drawings Pencil works
Time Period	2000s (2000-2009) Twenty-first century, C. E.
Medium	Wax colored pencil
Exhibition	Spring 2009 Thesis Exhibitions
Physical Dimensions	72 x 42 cm.
Media Type	Still image
Original Format	Art Color images
Digital Date	2009-06 (Loaded); 2010-04-13 (Metadata revised)
File Format	image/jpeg
Digitization Equipment	Nikon Coolpix 8700 Digital Camera
Collection	Ball State University Student Art Collection
Collection URL	http://libx.bsu.edu/collection.php?CISOROOT=/BSUArtists
Copyright	Copyright 2009, Ball State University and the original artist. All rights reserved.

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