WP3: Fourth Post

After researching the background of my sculpture and its sculptor, my perceptions of “Story” have altered dramatically. William King grew up in Florida where his father was an engineer and his mother a school teacher. He father actually built the house that they lived in which inspired William’s brother Blake to become an engineer. His father dealt with many bits and pieces and was able to construct them in a suitable manner. This heavily influenced King’s work through set pieces that had slots to connect them. Researchers have divided King’s career into two sections, before “Self” and after “Self”. During his first ten years he constructed sculptures that were based on observations of people. He used abstraction to convey satirical or political arguments. However, most of these pieces were one entity and were made out of similar materials. The 1957 sculpture “Self” was a career defining creation that embodied both his past work (abstraction of observations) and future work (attached and assembled creations). I feel as if “Story” and “Self” are cousins because the both employ long legs, a fragile appearance, a uniform outer skin, and a mock-hero contemplating his life story.

King had many influences in his life, but one of the most prominent was his mother. Viewed as a powerful and respected woman by King, his mother told him to follow whatever path he wanted. One grand example of this is when his mother gave him $100 and told him not to come back to Florida for 20 years. She wanted him to chase his dream of becoming an artist and for him to create his own path. It seems that he had a deeper connection with his mother than his father, possibly because his father worked long hours and was more compatible with his brother, Blake. In his sculptures, King portrays women as powerful and confident with abounding charm and delight. Men are shown as exaggerated beings bent on success, even if that requires rudeness or aggression. Women are shown as more straightforward while men will put on “societal disguises” to get what they want. Using this information, I am still a little divided when assessing “Story”. While the sculpture does comply with King’s affinity for “figures of society”, it has attributes of both sexes. Evidence such as the cigarette and disproportionate body parts point to a male character, while the long leg symbolizes power and is usually a trait of women. However, when one factors in that he was heavily influenced by the females in his life the decision leans in the feminine direction.

Overall, this is a classic King piece for the post-“Self” era. It embodies his juxtaposition of human warmth and social artificiality and contains set pieces that have been crudely put together. Taking simple human gestures and flipping their meaning upside down is a King trait that is present in this sculpture. Also, using aluminum helps contribute to a lightweight and delicate feel that appeals to pathos of delight and lightheartedness.

WP3: Third Post

With the sculpture I selected, there are multiple ways to analyze its rhetorical strategies, appeals, and concepts. One prominent feature in the sculpture is the use of shadows. When the shadows change, so does the rhetorical argument. During one session with my sculpture, the shadow from the massive leg made it seem as if the figure was crossing its legs and indeed had two legs. This contributes to the reality of the figure and is interesting that it only occurs at certain time periods during certain days. When viewing the figure from the right side I noticed a multitude of new rhetorical appeals that contribute to a variety of arguments. First of all, I observed that the leg, especially the between the knee and ankle, was extremely emaciated. Yet when I directed my eyes to the foot I was shocked at how elongated it was. The juxtaposition between the elongated foot with a bump on the top and the smooth, thin leg was intriguing and perhaps represents that the first step in doing something is the largest. Another juxtaposition I noticed was between the arm that was in close proximity to the torso and the leg which extended far from the torso. I felt as if there two conflicting feelings within this figure. One persona wanted to stay sitting and relax with a cigarette while the other wanted to leave this safe haven and explore the world. However, it was ironic that the foot was supposed to represent freedom, yet was bolted down, not able to move. The arm was loose and could swing with the wind, yet wanted to stay close to its owner and safety.

When viewing the figure from the side and a little behind I became aware of how prominent the shoulder blade was since it protruded to a great extent. It made me wonder if our shoulder blades really stick out that far. The buttock was also blown out of proportion and had small indentations so it wasn’t a perfect curve. I was intrigued because the shoulder blade gradually descended into the back while the buttock was simply a semi-circle with no smooth connection between it and the torso. This piece tinkers with our normal perceptions of body parts and challenges us to question what is “normal” or “attractive”.

One final concept is the presence of two bumps on top of the cigarette. It is assumed that the viewer recognizes these as two fingers holding the cigarette in place. In society the accepted way to hold a cigarette when smoking it is with one’s index and middle fingers. If one looks closely though, the picture doesn’t make sense. Looking from the side, the cigarette is visible with two bumps above it (the fingers). However, in reality only one finger would be visible with the view of the other one being blocked by the first one. A play on perspective is meant to make sure the audience can identify with the object, even if it’s in an unorthodox way.

WP3: Second Post

“Story” by William King is an intricate piece of art that can be interpreted many different ways. I feel the title plays a prominent role in addressing the argument because not only does the sculpture have a story to tell, but he also observes the stories of the public. Context shapes the argument greatly with the sculpture being outside and susceptible to the elements. There are two buildings, one parallel and the other perpendicular, that are in close proximity to this sculpture creating an enclosed environment. Facing the street creates an ethos of contemplation with the figure observing the lives of everyday people. Many features such as hue and visual hierarchy contribute to appealing to the common man. The entire entity is the same shade of silver with little variation which creates a unity within the piece. Silver can be seen clearly on both light and dark days and is thought of as sort of a middle ground. One example of this “middle ground” is a silver medal which is between a gold and bronze.

With all sculptures, but especially with this one, perspective is important. Looking from the side the only visible parts are the upper arm with a cigarette and the outstretched leg. These prominent features promote leisure and relaxation. Observing the piece from the back reveals more about its rhetorical strategies. Some factors contributing to pathos of relaxation are the fact that the left arm is resting on the stool, the figure is positioned off center, and the cigarette is visible over the top of the shoulder.

The material used to construct something is important when analyzing its argument. This piece is made out of aluminum which is a common element. Again we see how the argument appeals to the common man and his story. Another useful concept to consider is the era in which it was created. “Story” was created in 1970, a time when smoking wasn’t as frowned upon as it is now. People would smoke in the evenings after a hard day’s work in order to relax. I can imagine this figure sitting on the front porch during the evenings and observing the strangers that walked by. One important feature of this piece is that it is hermaphroditic, not focusing on one specific gender. This is an example of a high level of abstraction in order to appeal to a wide audience.

It is always wise to analyze the author along with his creation. “Story” was a gift by Blake King to the Sheldon Art Museum in honor of Norman A. Geske. It is possible that this creation is based on the story of Norman’s life. Maybe he lived a tough, stressful life and finally got to relax during retirement. He story was winding down yet he observed the stories of others from his front porch. Obviously, Norman must have been a positive influence for Blake King to donate this sculpture to the museum. With so many rhetorical strategies in play here, this piece can portray its argument to a diverse and widespread audience.

WP3: First Post

During my lifespan, I have dabbled in many forms of the arts. However, looking over my past I have realized that my experience with art-objects is limited. Most art projects I develop are paintings or drawings, essentially 2-D in nature. Part of the reason I lack experience with three dimensional pieces of art is because it involves more work and materials. With drawing, a pencil and paper are all that is required. Sculptures can entail metals, nails, clay, or plastic. A lot of effort must go into gathering these materials and constructing them. For major sculptures some welding or heavy machinery experience may be necessary. The biggest difference I see between the two dimensional and three dimensional art forms is the ease of creation. Creating what you want is fairly simple with pencil and paper, especially since mistakes can be erased in seconds. This process is much more difficult with art-objects because the material is so durable. Accordingly, it is harder to shape the material into the desired form and even more difficult to undo unwanted actions.


The small collection of art-objects that I have made consists of pottery, puppets, and collages. With pottery it is easier to fix mistakes because the clay is wet and can be mended with ease. Clay can be added or removed which affects the overall end product. During fourth grade I created a paper Mache puppet in the form of a dragon. Using materials such as felt, glue, google eyes, paint, and markers I decorated my magical creation. I had to consider how the puppet looked from all angles, making sure there wasn’t a dip in quality. This is one component that is present in 3-D objects such as sculptures, a 360 degree viewpoint. Finally, I have constructed multiple collages during my academic career. While collages could be considered two dimensional creations, I have made some that have protruding objects creating multiple dimensions.

In my opinion art-objects can be analyzed deeper or at least in a radically different way than more traditional art. The physicality of this type of art contributes to a more realistic feeling that connects with the viewer. Knowing this, I must delve deeper in my analysis of my sculpture than I did in the photograph. One dramatically altered element is context because I must take into account that this sculpture is outside and the reason it was placed in the exact location that it’s in. Sculptures are not as easy to alter as drawings and paintings, but when constructed with care they can portray a very prominent argument. Even with my miniscule art-object background, I realize that there are a multitude of angles that one could analyze a three dimensional piece of art.

WP2: Final Draft of Comic

Author's Note:

Choosing option 2 eliminated some of the frustrations of writing an essay but also introduced some unique challenges. My goal was to create a comic strip that portrayed a relevant argument via unorthodox comic strip conventions. Although humor is a major element of comics, I wanted to make sure there was a concrete message readers could glean from my creation.

I chose to address a topic I feel very passionate about, Taco Bell. The founder of my favorite restaurant passed away a few months ago so I figured I could implement this into an argument dealing with fast food. In my Statement of Purpose I stated that I wanted my audience to realize the impact that fast food and the celebrities that endorse their products have on American lifestyle. Having a world class athlete like Lance Armstrong advertising tacos full of processed meat and cheese is fairly contradictory isn’t it?

Many alterations to my comic were made throughout the process to perfect my argument. At first I envisioned a seventeen panel comic that contained interviews with three high profile celebrities. After teacher feedback I realized that it would be difficult to produce that many high quality panels in such a short time period. Therefore, I cut out panels depicting Mr. Bell rapping, T.I. and Lil Wayne in jail, and the entire Robert de Niro interview. Additionally, I combined two panels, one portraying the funeral and another close up of the reporter, into what is now the second panel of the comic.

I tried to differ from traditional comic conventions as much as I could. One example is drawing speech bubbles that extended outside the specified boundaries of the panel (panels 2 and 9). With panels 3, 4, and 5 I tried to create a sense of continuity via curved lines connecting the three panels. All these panels deal with Lance and it made sense to connect them in some fashion. Also the panoramic panel of Lance on the bike breaks up the monotony of square panels. Creating a panel consisting solely of a thought bubble was another way to undermine the conventions of comics. The final structural alteration I made was a triangular shaped panel which helps to accentuate the choices 50 Cent must make. A triangular shape makes the reader feel like they are in 50’s shoes and must make a decision.


I strategically placed color within each panel to amplify part of a character or to call attention to an item in the scene. For example, in the longitudinal panel of Lance biking I colored the taco to make sure the audience would recognize it. With the increased detail in the panel I feared the taco would be missed in all the commotion.

In order to put an emphasis on the celebrities and their importance I introduced a high level of detail on these “icons”. Also, I eliminated most of the background in celebrity scenes to put an emphasis on the attire of the celebrity and what that says about their character. Scenes with celebrities and other characters consisted of a background to help create a sense of normalcy to the situation. Increased levels of abstraction on the other characters helps the audience relate with these “normal” people.

Statement of Purpose

Final Draft of Comic:

Sunday, January 17, 2010 was a sad day for America. A great man, Glen Bell Jr., the founder of Taco Bell, died. He launched Taco Bell restaurants in 1962 and eventually expanded his empire to 5800 restaurants.



A large crowd gathered to commemorate this great man. Many celebrities showed up including Lance Armstrong, 50 Cent, and Robert de Niro. Our interview team caught up with some of the bigger names there and got insight into their connection with the deceased man and his legacy.


Our first interviewee is world renowned cyclist, Lance Armstrong. "I remember riding my bicycle to Taco Bell when I was a kid...it was 50 miles away".

Lance's favorite pre-race meal was three gordita supremes with a side of nachos. "I just loved the atmosphere Glen implemented in his restaurants. It helped me focus for my races". In lieu of Glen's death, Lance has agreed to offer his latest Championship bicycle in a raffle. Forms will be available at every Taco Bell in the world. Additionally, a quality road bike will be raffled off at every Taco Bell.

Unbeknownst to the public, Mr. Bell was an avid rap fan. He never made it in the rap game, but became pals with some of hip-hop's finest after becoming a successful businessman. Rap's greatest were invited to this momentous event. However, two of Glen's favorite rappers, T.I. and Lil Wayne, couldn't make it to the funeral due to imprisionment. One rapper that was able to make it to the funeral was 50 Cent. He reminisced about his experiences with Taco Bell.


"I had a troubled youth, but Mr. Bell helped teach me values and morals".

Generosity is one value Fiddy learned from Glen. He is allowing Vitamin Water to be sold at Taco Bell with all profits going to helping troubled youth.

Glen's presence stretched into Hollywood, with him having close friendships with high end actors such as Robert de Niro. When we interviewed him about Mr. Bell he stated, "Oh, I remember Don Bell. He would help you out no matter the cost as long as you maintained the friendship by returning favors". Robert said that Glen provided inspiration for many of the roles he persued, most notably Vito Corleone in The Godfather II.


In order to pay his debt to Don Bell, Robert de Niro is producing a movie based on Glen's life. De Niro will play the great Mr. Bell Jr., it's predicted to be his most astounding role since Don Corleone in The Godfather II. Mr. Bell was a motivaiton to many. He led by example and is a wonderful case of the American Dream come true. He preached kindness through tasty food. Many big names in popular culture wouldn't be where they are now if it wasn't for Mr. Bell. Hopefully after hearing this kids will add Mr. Bell to their list of role models, right after Spongebob.