Unfortunately I don't have a definitive answer here. But the purpose of this website is to be my online portfolio and a place for me to explore my technological creativity. But hey, I'll keep you posted if I find the definitive purpose of life.
The Three Body Problem (2008, translated 2014) by Liu Cixin (English translation by Ken Liu) is the most scientific science fiction book I've already read, drawing from quantum mechanics and math in a detailed and believable (to a chemist) way to construct an unforseeable future. Exploring ancient history, 20th century Chinese revolutions and their influence on academia, immersive video games, stewardship of the environment, and the unknowability of the universe, this first installment of Liu's trilogy slowly unfolds at the beginning and builds in pace as you continue.
You can now reach this website at annaperkinsart.com! Very *professional* of me.
It was a hard decision...but I nixed the sidebar on most of the pages. The top nav is mostly sufficient for this kind of website, and everything looks more modern and simplistic without the extraneous sidebar. I have left it on the (newly created) blog page for organization purposes and as extra navigation for the artwork pages, which are subdivided by medium.
I have *hopefully* fixed the footer such that it stays down at the bottom of the page even when the content is not very tall. Should now be sufficiently compatible across browsers so that it at least doesn't float in the middle of the page over the content (looking at you, IE). This website should work across browsers, but please use Chrome (for my sanity).
I have also improved the mobile compatibility so that the text isn't tiny, and the (rare) sidebars disappear so that they aren't competing with the content.
I am pleased with how my website looks and functions - all that's left to do is fill out the "about" page...the hardest part. Like, should I write it in a professional way? Would that mean it has to be in third person, like I'm writing myself a recommendation? Who is the target audience here, potential customers or my friends? Should I talk about myself as a whole person or just about my artist experiences? Yes, I am procrastinating on answering these questions by finding more coding improvements.
Jeff Donaldson Stone Singer, 1996-1999 Acrylic on canvas 66" x 36"
I have completed fleshing out the artwork section of this website! The most important part, of course. I have the "easy" parts left, like filling out the "Contact" and "About" sections. Easy to code, not easy to write. How much should I share about myself with the internet? What do the actual professional artists do? I'll have to do some more research on that. I know that a lot of them list their past shows and residencies and accolades...I'm 23, so there's not that much to put on such a list. Especially since I haven't been working my entire life toward becoming a professional artist. Sure, an artist was the first thing I ever wanted to be, but going to school kicked that idea out of me (for a while). You have to do something "useful." You can't do anything fun because fun things cost money, and fun things don't make you any money unless you're one of the select few who can network and market yourself to be successful. I could go on...
I'm excited that I have figured out how to include an image gallery, so you can click on and expand the works you want to take a better look at. Certainly, the paintings section is the most populated, but please also take a look at my drawings and sculptures. I will hopefully finish this website in the next couple of weeks.
When I semi-recently visited the Everson Museum in Syracuse, I had the pleasure of seeing the Jeff Donaldson exhibit. An African-American modernist painter inspired by jazz and African history, his work is riddled with patterns and symbols (many Egyptian glyphs, musical instruments, religious symmetry, politcally-charged movie poster satires). You can browse some of his work here. A personal favorite of mine is "One for Bear Den."
AnnaNeo is revived as a website featuring my art! That's right, annaperkins.com is not available, so I am using this domain that I have already been paying for despite the defunct state (since 2015) of AnnaNeo's previous hosting service...couldn't bring myself to let it go.
Anyway, now that I am a *young professional* I suppose it's only right to keep a *professional* website with my *very professional* art. Yes, I have sold paintings (professional) and have obtained an art degree. Oh yeah, and a BS in Chemistry. I plan to populate this website soon with paintings, writings, and webdesign resources, but for now I think I'll take a break since I've spent about ten hours today making this website. For now, you can check out my deviantART account for my recent paintings.
One cool thing I'll leave you with is the link to the 2018 RoCo 6x6 exhibit. This awesome annual event is a unique show where anyone can donate a 6" x 6" work of art of any medium (there are many paintings but also sculptures, collages, drawings), and the Rochester Contemporary Art Center displays them and sells them to benefit the museum. Famous artisits, hobbyists, children, and people who work at paint companies (like me) submit works anonymously, and the buyer receives the artist's name and contact information to help foster a sense of community. This year, I was able to make a donation, and my painting has already sold! Since the submissions are anonymous, I can't reveal until July 6th which one is mine...Stay tuned!
