Primal evolutions
by Julie Kerl Porter
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF APPLIED
ART
Montana State University
© Copyright by Julie Kerl Porter (1977)
Abstract:
A childhood image occasionally returns to me. I am six years old making peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches for my brother, Peter, and myself. Peanut butter and jelly; Peter and Julie. I carefully
spread the peanut butter, then the jelly, over the bread and cut the sandwich exactly in half. I give Peter
his half, the square end. Mine is the round epd. That is my shape. The personal possession of certain
shapes expanded to include milk glass hanging school light fixtures; the letters "J" and "e" and paper
clips/ They belong to me and are an extension of myself.
I have been involved in an investigation of certain primal shapes which have continually reappeared in
cultures' completely separated by time -and space. As Jung speaks of archetypal roles that emerge from
an innate subconscious existence and are developed by each man and each woman; these shapes are
also archetypal. The arc is one. It has repeatedly appeared in such diverse cultures as the Aztec,
Roman, Japanese and Celtic as well as contemporary design.
The arc is a form to which I intuitively respond-, even as a child cutting peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches, and which has become an integral element in my thesis work.
A more formalized investigation of this primal form evolved through an interest in the Art -Deco
Period. As Art Deco was strongly influenced by Mexican, American Indian and Egyptian art, all of
which boldly utilized the arc, so also was I influenced by Art Deco in that it provided new awareness of
shape relationships. I have taken the shapes to which I innately respond and developed them to my own
aesthetic demands by utilizing certain contradictions.
The arc is a bold straightforward form, suggesting an architectural feeling which I have attempted to
expand upon in my work. Their size, however, is small and delicate, allowing them to be worn on the
body. The smallness, suggesting intimacy, contrasted with the impassive ' monumental Ity of
architecture, creates a paradox in scale.
The materials I have used continue the paradox. Silver is considered precious and has long been used
in,jewelry as a status symbol of wealth. Acrylic, the other major material, is common, ,a Dime Store
imitative answer to everything from plants to jewelry. I have not used these two materials solely for the
contrast in their monetary status, however. The properties of the two provide opposite yet
complimentary visual and tactile sensations. Silver is cold and hard. Acrylic is warm and waxy to sight
and touch.
While I have treated silver as an impersonal grey, the colors of acrylic are vibrant and dance, with each
other. With both materials, . I have attempted one .other contradiction, the predictable reinforcement of
patterning against the lyrical movement of flowing line..
Through paradox and contract I have manipulated the primal shapes to. which I am intuitively
associated, resulting in the evolution of a half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.; STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO COPY
In p re se n t i n g t h i s t h e s i s
in p a r t i a l
f u l f i l l m e n t o f the r e q u i r e ­
ments/ f o r an .advanced degree a t Montana S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y ,
I agree t h a t
the L i b r a r y s h a l l make i t f r e e l y a v a i l a b l e - f o r ■i n sp e c t i o n . - '
I further
agree t h a t permission f o r e x t e n s i v e -copying o f t h i s t h e s i s f o r . s c h o l a r ­
l y purposes may - be granted by,my major p r o f e s s o r , , o r ,
by the D i r e c t o r o f L i b r a r i e s .
It
is u n d e r s t o o d . t h a t any copying o r .
publication of this thesis f o r fin a n c ia l
w i t h o u t my w r i t t e n p e r m i s s i o n . '
S ignat ur e
Date
in h i s absence, .
gai n s h a l l
not be all owed,
PRIMAL EVOLUTIONS
by .
JULIE KERL PORTER
•A t h e s i s submi tted in p a r t i a l f u l ' f i Mment ..
o f the r equi rements f o r the degree
of
MASTER OF APPLIED ART
Approved:
: . (L)CR
H e a d M a j o r Department
Graduate. Ddfan
MONTANA, STATE UNIVERSITY
Bozeman, Mont ana'
A u g u s t,. 1977
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I wish t o thank the a r t f a c u l t y , e s p e c i a l l y Richard H e l z e r , Rick
Pope and Kyle Hanton f o r t h e i r s u p p o r t , encouragement and i n s i g h t .
T h e i r a c c e s s i b l e exchange has helped me t o develop and a r t i c u l a t e
my v er ba l
and v i s u a l
concepts.
I a l s o wish t o thank t he l a t e Robert A.
possibility.
Porter fo r
in itiatin g a
IV
ART I S I ' S STATEMENT■
A chi ldhood image o c c a s i o n a l l y r e t u r n s t o me.
I am s i x years old
making peanut b u t t e r and j e l l y sandwiches f o r my b r o t h e r , P e t e r ,
and m y s e l f .
Peanut b u t t e r and j e l l y ; P e t e r and J u l i e . ■ I c a r e f u l l y
spread t he peanut b u t t e r , then the j e l l y , over the bread and cut
t he sandwich e x a c t l y in h a l f : ' I g i v e P e t e r his h a l f , the square
end.
Mine is t he round epd.
That is my shape.
The personal pos­
session of c e r t a i n shapes expanded t o i nc lu de m i l k gl ass hanging
school l i g h t f i x t u r e s j t he l e t t e r s "J " a n d . "e" and paper c l i p s . ;
They belong t o me and a r e an e xt e ns i on o f m y s e l f . •
* * * . * * * * * * *
I have been i nvolved in an i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f c e r t a i n pr i mal ;' shapes•
which have c o n t i n u a l l y reappeared in cul tur es ', c ompl et el y separated
b y . t i m e -and space.
As Jung speaks o f a rc he t ypa l r ol e s t h a t emerge
from an i nna t e subconscious e x i s t e n c e and a r e developed by each
man and each woman; these shapes a re a l s o a r c h e t y p a l .
The a rc is
one.
I t has repeated I y appeared in such d i v e r s e c u l t u r e s as the
A z t e c , ..Roman, Japanese and C e l t i c a s . w e l l as contemporary desi gn.
The a r c is a form t o which I i n t u i t i v e l y respond-, even as a c h i l d
c u t t i n g peanut b u t t e r and j e l l y sandwiches, and which has become an
i n t e g r a l element in my t h e s i s work.
A more f o r m a l i z e d i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f t h i s primal form evol ved through
an i n t e r e s t in the Ar t- De co P e ri o d. 1 As A r t Deco was s t r o n g l y i n f l u ­
enced by Mexican, American Indian and Egypti an a r t , a l l o f which
b o l d l y u t i l i z e d the a r c , so a ls o w a s . I i nf lu e nc ed by A r t Deco in t h a t
i t provi ded new awareness o f shape r e l a t i o n s h i p s . ■ I have taken the
shapes t o which I i n n a t e l y respond and developed them t o my own
a e s t h e t i c demands by u t i l i z i n g c e r t a i n c o n t r a d i c t i o n s .
The a rc is a bold s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d form, suggesting an a r c h i t e c t u r a l
f e e l i n g which I have attempted to expand upon in my work.
Their size
however, is small and d e l i c a t e , a l l o w i n g them t o be worn on the body.
The s mal lness, suggesting i n t i m a c y , c o n t r a s t e d w i t h the i m p a s s i v e '
monumental I t y o f a r c h i t e c t u r e , c r e a t e s a paradox ip s c a l e .
The m a t e r i a l s I have used cont inue the paradox.
S i l v e r . i s considered
preci ous and has long been used i n , j e w e l r y a s . a s t a t u s symbol o f
w e a l t h . ' A c r y l i c , t he o t h e r major material;, is common,.,a Dime Store
i m i t a t i v e , answer t o e v e r y t h i n g from p l a n t s t o j e w e l r y .
I have n o t :
used these two m a t e r i a l s s o l e l y f o r the c o n t r a s t in t h e i r monetary
s t a t u s , .however.
The p r o p e r t i e s o f the two provi de -opposite y et ,com­
p l i m e n t a r y v i s u a l and t a c t i l e sensations:.
S i l v e r is cold and hard.
A c r y l i c is warm and waxy t o s i g h t and touch.
V
Whi le I have t r e a t e d s i l v e r . a s an impersonal g re y , the c o l o r s of
a c r y l i c a re v i b r a n t / a n d dance, with^each o t h e r : W i t h both m a t e r i a l s , .
I have attempted one .other c o n t r a d i c t i o n : : , , the p r e d i c t a b l e r e i n f o r c e ­
ment o f p a t t e r n i n g a g a i n s t the l y r i c a l movement o f f l o w i n g l i n e . .
Through paradox and c o n t r a c t I have manip ul at ed the p r i m a l shapes to.
which I am i n t u i t i v e l y a s s o c i a t e d , r e s u l t i n g in the e v o l u t i o n o f a
h a l f o f a peanut b u t t e r and j e l l y sandwich.;
vi
SLIDES
I .
C l o c k Radio w i t h A t t a c h e d A n t e n n a , 5 " x 6 "
2.
C l o c k R a d i o , back v i e w
3.
Pin, 2 i " x 2 t "
Copper,
4.
Window P i n , 4 i " x 3 & "
B ro nz e , s t e r l i n g ,
aeryI ic
5.
R e v e r s i b l e P i n # 1, s i d e . I ,
6.
R e v e r s i b l e Pin # 1,
7.
R e v e r s i b l e P i n # 2, s i d e I ,
8.
R e v e r s i b l e Pin # 2,
9.
P in, 6"x24"
S te rlin g ,
aeryI ic
bronze,
s te rlin g
2 3/4"x 2 3/4 "
S t e r lin g , aeryI i c
2 "x 3 iM
S t e r l i n g , a e r y I Ic
side 2
side 2
S t e r l i n g , bronze,
a c r y l i c , moonstone
10.
" J a z z y Baby" p i n ,
11.
" J a z z y B ab y " , back v i e w
12.
Bracelet, 2 i lx 2 i"
S t e r l in g , a c r y l ic
13.
Neapolitan Pin, 2 3/4"x1?"
S t e r l ing , a c r y l i c
14.
Streak Pin, 4 & "x3 i"
S t e r l i n g , a c r y l ic
15.
S t r e a k , back v i e w
3"x1 3 / 4 "
S t e r l I n g , a c r y l Ic
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