Recounting the Final Weeks of First Semester

Tomorrow is New Years Eve, 2013...We're Still Here...
Ready For More!

Hard to believe the first semester at the New York Academy Of Art has come and gone already. It's been a wild ride, and a while since my last post with this month being a superhuman push to get everything done, scrambling to catch up after the week away from school due to Hurricane Sandy. Since it's been a while, I'm including almost 60 images here from the last part of the semester, which is still just a tiny fraction of all the experiences in the last few weeks.

I spent about 14-16 hours a day, 7 days a week at the Academy, about half that time in class and the other half in studio. Here's a shot of my studio by the end of November:

My Studio, working on "Self Portrait #4".

I was told by many current second year students as well as many graduates of the NYAA that "It's incredible how fast the time goes here, soak up every second." 
It's true. I can't believe how fast it all went.

Another thing commonly mentioned has been, "It's an unbelievable amount of work and the first semester is the toughest and most demanding." I thought I was prepared for anything thrown at me...I can now say without hesitation that it has been one of the most intense and challenging experiences I have ever had. The sheer amount of information passed has been overwhelming, frankly impossible to absorb all of it, it'll take years to fully digest even a small fraction. In the first month of class I felt I had learned more than I had in the last 12 years of my own personal studies, research and painting full time. Towards the end of the semester, just the classroom information alone was so dense and deep that I literally felt that my brain would explode.

Aside from the immense growth from class-time and homework, the experiences and knowledge gained during the countless conversations with other students has been just as enlightening, educational and inspiring. The community here constantly amazes me and never ceases to energize and motivate. It is an honor to be a part of this magical and surreal place. 

Tearing it up at the NYAA...

Now, a week into winter break, getting a bit caught up on my sleep, I can't wait to be back. I miss the energy, passion, stimulation and constant push of creativity and ideas. 

Before I get into the main body of this blog, first thing I'd like to do is to send out a HUGE THANK YOU to all my Teachers and Teacher's Assistants (TAs) for everything that you've imparted to me this semester. I have so much gratitude for the time, energy and passion you put into your work and in turn your students. With the almost impossible expectations I had coming into the program, though I tried not to have any, it's easy to say without a doubt that I never expected it to be this good, this fulfilling, this humbling, this intense and this immediately life altering. I am moved beyond description by what I've learned in such a short time. Only time will tell how I'm able to manifest it into my work and life. I am thrilled to have 3 more semesters to dig deeper and go farther...
THANK YOU!

Il Maestro Wade Schuman Critiquing our 4th Self Portraits, Painting I.

Randy McIver, the Anatomy Genius working with
our Ecorches in Constructive Anatomy I.

Randy with his amazing Ecorche.

Steven Assael, Master Draftsman pointing out the
"Shadow Shapes" in one of his sketches, Drawing I.

Another one of Steven's remarkable drawings.

I'm just at the very beginning of the process, the treasure hunt, still wandering though a forrest, I have a map but can't quite read it all, or understand it all, but I know treasure awaits, and as I struggle to understand the directions and work my way through the heavy undergrowth to break free (from my own ego?), I am acutely aware of every step, every scent, every sound and every beautiful moment of light streaming between the tall trees, dappled against the wet leaves through the steam rising from the softly wet mossy forrest floor. I am not lost, I am wide awake, and I know that the true treasure lies not in some buried cave but within the process, the way and experience unfolds into truth and growth. This is the real gold.

My Anatomy Class with Randy McIver at the Helm on the last day,
our Ecorches displayed.

Below are some moments, memories from the last month of the NYAA Fall Semester 2012. Some images have captions, some are grouped into similar events with the titles and descriptions above. For those reading this who are not now, or have not ever been a student at the New York Academy Of Art, feel free to contact me with any questions about my experiences thus far, there's only so much I can put here in the blog.

Spring semester starts January 21st. Come visit the Academy!
In the meantime, wishing everyone a healthy, happy, creative and successful 2013!

Process Images of "Self Portrait #3" Using the "Dead Palette", 3 Colors:

Cool Black, Flesh Ochre and Yellow Ochre.

Oil on Canvas 40" x 30" ©Ian Factor 2013

Stage One

Stage Two

Stage Three

Stage Four

"Final" 

Aleah Chapin, my studio neighbor!

Aleah's Workspace.

"Deck The Walls" 2012! 

Dean Peter Drake!

Alonsa Guevara working the welcome desk!

Gaetanne Lavoie painting the singers!

Shannon Kenny in the spirit!

NYAA Marathon Drawing Night: 9 Hours and 4 models!

A few of us enjoyed the dedication of the old "Sargent Room" to my dear friend and mentor Everett Raymond Kinstler and the unveiling of his portrait of Christopher Plummer at the Players Club In Gramercy Park. That's Sargent's painting of Edwin Booth, the founder of the club.

Ray accepts the honor of the new "Kinstler Room".

Christopher Plummer speaking about sitting for Ray.

Kathleen Marie Skirvan and Kerry Roy Thompson
in the "Booth Bedroom" at the Players Club.

A few priceless moments during my journeys around the Academy...

Sometimes a power nap on the studio floor is in order.

Guno Park, setting up the projector for a lecture.

Dan Thompson drawing demo.

Cozy in the Library - Madeleine Hines and Bill Logan.

Alexis Hilliard in the front lobby.

Sarah Elise Hall at the front desk
practicing with her new "Commuting Hipster" look.

And in the midst of the semester I moved to a new apartment in the East Village.

LOVING the neighborhood and proximity to school! (Thank you WS!!!)

Wade Schuman gives a three hour tour through the MET, 

a completely awesome experience. His knowledge is unfathomable

and his passion and enthusiasm for teaching is unmatched.

Mid-Year Crits for the second year students...Incredible showing of some spectacular works and some very intense critiques. Two full days, Damn! (No pressure...)

A few of the studies I did for my "History and Theory Of Composition And Design Class:

"Edge Resolution" assignment - 6"x6" Monochromatic study, oil on panel.
Copy of Ruben's "Study of a Head" from the MET.

Detail of imprimatura stage from a Baroque Modality
assignment, final piece is 18" x 24" Oil (Still in progress).

Another Detail of imprimatura stage, Baroque Modality.

Here's a selection of some of my "final" works for Painting I.

I completed 17 paintings for this one class alone.

Final Crit Day.

Here's my final Self Portrait Assignment, Painting I.
We had to do a self portrait without a literal
physical representation of our current selves.
This is me as an old chess player in
Washington Square Park, NYC.
48" x 36" Oil on Canvas (Still In Progress).

Self Portrait #4 - Oil On Canvas - 60" x 36"
For those who know the area, this is right in front of the NYAA,
looking West on Franklin St, the Academy flag flying overhead.

...and last but not least, studying for my Anatomy Final Exam,
Coffee and Bones. 

Post-Script Blog on Hurricane Sandy, Jenny Saville and Will Cotton Master Class Workshops and other assorted highlights from the fall at NYAA!

By Ian Factor (MFA 2014)

Well here we are coming through the first weeks after Hurricane Sandy. The good news is that the Academy was untouched and is fine, but is still, at this moment, without power, as is most of the rest of NYC below 39th street. Classes have been cancelled all week and we hope to get back in there Monday, depending on when the power goes back on in lower Manhattan.
(At the time of publishing this Blog, the power was back on after a week away and classes are back in session at the Academy, business as usual!)

Darkness - The financial district during the black out.

I'll avoid sounding like the news stations and try to focus on the last couple weeks at the Academy BEFORE we evacuated for the storm Sunday during the Jenny Saville Weekend Master Class. Yes, the weekend with Jenny was cut short by a day and a half, but I was able to get some great shots of the setup and the start of what was turning out to be some incredibly interesting exercises.

Jenny Saville Master Class!

Below are several images of Jenny working with the students who attended the workshop. It was incredible. I was lucky enough to spend some time speaking with her about her work and process and had the great fortune to have her visit my studio for a quick critique of my current self portrait in progress. The students who had the opportunity to learn from and speak with Jenny were all glowing with excitement and gratitude.

This past weekend was the Master Class with Will Cotton, which was very different from the Jenny Saville Class, equally amazing and mind opening. 
Will is an incredibly approachable artist full of knowledge and more than willing to share it all with the group. His demo was inspiring and the workshop was a once in a lifetime opportunity to work along side this master while having his wonderful and insightful critiques and observations for two full days. Here are a few images of the workshop:

Will Cotton Master Class Workshop - Will's Demo of his approach.

It's been quite a few weeks here! Mind boggling how much has happened since my last entry, so much experience, so much wisdom being passed down from such incredible artists and teachers. B elow are some random photos from gallery visits, studio and classroom times, sketching the Sorolla masterpieces at the Hispanic Society and a few other great moments...
I hope these images give you a glimpse of the intense density and amount of information and inspiration here at the NYAA from 8:30 am till midnight 7 days a week.

Students at the Forum Gallery's "Self Portrait Show".   

Wade Schuman and students at the Forum Gallery's "Self Portrait Show".  

Self Portrait in the 3rd floor studios.

Randy McIver teaching anatomy, pelvis in hand.

 

Arm Study, Sculpture Studios.

Sculpting from Life in the Sculpture Classrooms.

Coffee Break on the 4th Floor.

Painting I - Still Life in the 5th Floor Classrooms.

Painting I - Still Life in the 5th Floor Classrooms, pig foot. 

Sketching the Sorolla Masterpieces at the Hispanic Society.

Steven Assael Torso Demo in Charcoal.

Painting I - Still Life in the 5th Floor Classrooms, fish parts. 

Painting I - Still Life in the 5th Floor Classrooms, fish steak.

Self Portrait work in Studio, 3rd Floor.

Wade Schuman with his Color Charts.

Below are some images of my recent classwork, some still in progress. Some Graphite sketches and lots of self portraits in the first year...self reflection time.

Graphite Sketch from Drawing I - 18" x 14" - Ian Factor.

Self Portrait In Progress, Oil- 30" x 15" - Ian Factor 

Self Portrait In Progress, Oil - 40" x 30" - Ian Factor

Self Portrait Sketch, Graphite - 18" x 14" - Ian Factor

Self Portrait In Progress, Oil 40" x 30" - Ian Factor

Now, back to the studio.

Till next time...


Ian Factor (MFA 2014) will be blogging here throughout the year about his first year at the Academy and moving to New York City.  You can also follow more of Ian's experiences on his blog: Ian Factor's New York Academy of Art Experience.  

Reflections of the First Week at the New York Academy of Art

Steven Assael Drawing Demo : Drawing I, First Day of Class, 2012

I've been trying to come up with catchy and witty metaphores and analogies to describe my first week here at the NYAA, and for a week I haven't come up with anything that comes close to describing this immense experience. Perhaps beginning a novel would be the only way to aptly describe everything that's transpired since Orientation on September 10th...but that won't happen at this late hour with more painting to complete for tomorrow, so...
I'll try here to briefly describe and express the my overall impressions over the last 10 days or so,
doing my best to keep from exagerating and sounding too cliche or romantic.

Remember the first time you fell in love...REALLY in love?
Time stopped when you were with that person, together all day, staying up all night, night after night, eagerly and passionately anticipating the next day, re-energized by the newness, the amazement, the total absorption in the experience, you were learning, sharing, laughing, maybe crying, you coudn't stop thinking of this person, all day long, you fell asleep with them in your mind (if not your arms) and woke to the same, night after night, day after day, you ignored your freinds, your family didn't hear from you, you were lost in bliss, exhausting yourself as if you were a starving castaway on a deserted island suddenly plopped in front of an all-you-can-eat buffet...trying to devour and savor every moment,  and every moment was like a thousand years of experience, you felt so alive, so connected, so empowered so impassioned. Drained and full at the same time.

This is sort of what this week has been like.

Then it's also like the first time I traveled to Italy, I thought I knew good deal of the Italian language but when I arrived I realized I was basically iliterate, didn't speak a word of the "real" language, was mostly just making it up as I went along, "Street Italian" as they called it. I was not an infant but felt like one in many ways. My eyes were wide open, sensing everything as if it was for the first time, incredible beauty everwhere I looked, magic, power, grace, demonstrations of the intense potential of human creativity and willpower, every conversation tore open my mind and launched me into a new realm of thinking and understanding, it was as if I was seeing the world brand new again, as a child. The inspiration rushed through me, pulsed in my veins and physically dropped me to my knees in awe more than one time.

This is also sort of what this week has been like.

The first week convinced me that the New York Academy Of Art is the most important, magical and powerful institutions and communities in the world for the study of contemporary figurative painting, drawing, sculpture, and printmaking...there is no equal.

I am surrounded by and studying with just over 100 of the most dedicated, talented, disciplined, focused and driven figurative artists I have ever known. Every one of my instructors is so brilliant, knowledgeable and passionate about what they do that it's almost surreal.

Considering the intense level of talent, drive and desire to do and make greatness, the overall community here is like a giant family. There is naturally competition amongst all of us, but it's focused, healthy and channeled in positive, productive and supportive ways.

I'm am beyond honored to be a part of this incredible place.

I'll be putting together some more specifics of what the first week was like, composing an example of a typical (14 hour) day here at the Academy, and will be posting it next, but this is just a primer.
My next blog will have some more photos too.
In the meantime, here's a quick and dirty sketch from Steven Assael's Drawing Class, pictured above.
It's 14" x 11" Graphite on Clay Coat paper.

Graphite Sketch on Clay Coat Paper, 14" x 11"  ©Ian Factor 2012

Now, back to the studio.

Till next time...

*(I'll be posting a new blog every other week on the Academy's Blog site, then it'll be posted here on my own blog. To see it first, and for other Academy Blogs, news and updates, check it out: http://newyorkacademyofart.blogspot.com )