The purpose of this study was to investigate the personal success of using photographs as source material for woodcuts or other relief prints, and to determine how my selectivity, editing, and execution would enhance the content of these works. I proposed to create a body of woodcuts whose subject matter would be based on photographs dealing with the scenes and legends of Texas.

Although drawing had offered me many avenues for image exploration and mark making, it lacked the actual physical relief surface that was a natural part of the printmaking plate process (i.e., intaglio plates or relief surfaces). Sculpture allowed the images and marks to be realized dimensionally in the round; therefore, the images became objects.

For this project, I explored the relationship of order and disorder within ten pieces of mixed media works. For the purpose of this paper, "order" is defined as the unity of all parts and details of a whole, standing in their proper relationship, each playing its own role without interfering with the functions of any other part. "Disorder is a force or combination of forces that unsettles or disarranges.

In order to more fully explore this problem and to uncover important aspects of my work and work processes, I posed these questions to be answered after the completion of the five books: 1. In what ways am I able to synthesize the traditional concerns of the literary and visual image into an Artbook format? 2. To what extent am I able to develop this synthesis into an aesthetically valid and personally satisfying expression of my own artistic philosophy? 3. In what ways does this development represent and/or reflect what appears to be another major shift in my art, toward a more conceptual, two-dimensional or cognitive expression? 4. What does this attempt and the resultant image symbolize for me?

This study explored how implied texture was used to give meaning to figural imagery. Several questions were answered in proceeding with the creative project: 1. Did implied texture abstract the figurative image? If so, how was content affected? 2. Did implied texture act as an obstruction to content? 3. Did implied texture act as an integral part of content? 4. Did implied texture exist as a separate entity from content?

The purpose of this thesis project was to explore my decision-making process as it took place during the act of painting. I was interested in how my paintings evolved, either naturally or through a critical stage. Resolving a work which was in a crisis between success and failure was an important part of the creative process and required definite purposive action on my part. In this connection, I explored the nature of the decisions which either redirected my work toward a successful conclusion, or toward its abandonment.

For a year I have tried to be as far away from painting (painting in a strict sense, i.e., two-dimensional, canvas, glazes, washes, etc., as possible. I successfully built a quality body of work that was formally sound and conceptually sophisticated, far surpassing my original "fiddler crab period." Now, having grown my other claw I wanted to approach painting in a comparative relation to my other body of work. Specifically, I wanted to show the valuable visual possibilities ready to be investigated in my paintings. For this reason I did not want to completely abandon painting, nor did I consider halting production of my three-dimensional pieces.

At the time of writing the proposal, one part of me wanted to move ahead and explore the new territory, while another part wanted to understand what I was leaving behind. I proposed to examine the following questions in order to resolve this dilemma: 1. What common personal themes or ideas are behind my work? How can I clarify and refine these themes to make them more manifest in my work? 2. Do I need to investigate new materials in order to express and explore my concerns? 3. Can I form a relation between my use of imagery and materials? Could new materials or objects replace this imagery? 4. Are new formal strategies needed that would link the use of my materials, objects, and imagery?

In the past few years it has come to my attention, via comments and overt responses, that sensual suggestiveness is present in the imagery of my work. My interest in the female figure goes back to the initial years of my undergraduate work and the anatomical study of the female image. I have since found that adding certain types of feminine attire to specific and idealized female attributes has, in turn, increased the sensual, rather Pavlovian responses of the spectator. This is accomplished by creating commonplace images such as the stockinged leg, the slit-skirted waist and thigh, and the female foot in a high-heeled shoe. My problem was to investigate the fetishism and iconography of selected popular cultural images of the feminine-sensual type in order to discover how i could make my images more sensually suggestive.

I Investigated the use of unpremeditated and reactionary methods of composing to arrange the landscape and figurative elements in my paintings. Though it may not necessarily be the case, these paintings may appear to have a narrative structure. The media, graphic imagery, and figure/ground relationships have given me a feedback loop, a guide by which I pictorially arranged the remainder of the developing composition. The painting revealed its identity and direction in this way to me. The application of a comic book style was the other consistent form with which I composed.

The purpose of this problem was to investigate the advantages and possible limitations of horizontal, vertical, and contour laminating to the sculptural form. Specific questions were set forth to help determine the different aspects of these types of lamination. The specific questions for which answers were sought are as follow. 1. How complex a design can be executed by the laminating process? 2. How close to the design will the initial lamination be? 3. What are the best methods of lamination for each process: types of clamps, types of wood, types of glue, dowels and weights? 4. How successful may these lamination techniques be combined? 5. As the work was in progress, which became more important-- the surface quality or the form? 6. Will laminated forms remain stable?

The objective of my creative project was to decorate vertical and horizontal shapes using low-fire glazes with added organic materials. I experimented with the materials as introduced into the glaze formula, applied to the forms, and fired at low temperatures to obtain useful decoration for the ceramic medium.

This is a method in which designs as a whole are not pre-planned or pre-arranged, but are developed by applying layers of color. This is an additive method for obvious reasons, and it is subtractive because shapes can be covered with opaque paint or very intense stain. Transparent layers of color applied over existing colors cause hue changes, and the process creates subtleties resulting from one color showing through another.

Movement, whether conveyed through an actual motion or a gestured implication, remains an underlying theme in my creative process that started with my earliest works. I explored different aspects of kinetic sculpture, because I am seeking new ways to create motion such as experimenting with circulating air, wind, and the use of water features. I created a series consisting of three to five kinetic sculptures which do not rely on sound or direct viewer manipulation.

The focus of my work is the incorporation of three-dimensional sculptural forms into the design of my garments while still maintaining the functional purpose of the garment. Origami paper folding is the inspiration for the sculptural forms. The major endeavor was to explore and solve the relationship between the organic human forms and the geometric forms created by the origami paper folds. This presented a challenge of exact precision. During this process, I experimented with different fabrics, which can accommodate the sharp creases and retain the shape. A variety of folding patterns were also explored. Although the design should be innovative and creative, the final garment must be wearable and comfortable.

In 1993, 38.9 million people were covered by a 401(k) plan, up from 7.1 million in 1983. The rapid growth of 401(k) and other defined contribution pension plans may alter retirement patterns of older workers. Previous research showed that the spread of defined benefit plans, with sharp age-related incentives first discouraging and later encouraging retirement, contributed to the early retirement trend of past decades. Defined contribution plans differ along several dimensions, especially in their smooth rate of pension wealth accrual. Data from the Health and Retirement Study show that retirement patterns have begun to change as defined contribution plans have spread. Estimates indicate that the financial incentives in defined benefit pensions lead people to retire almost two years earlier, compared to people with defined contribution plans.

This study describes the role of rural women and their importance in the success of microfarm projects. Microfarm cultivators can increase their income levels through trade of agricultural products. By adopting self-sustaining methods, the cultivator saves money and does not need to rely as much on goods and services from outside resources to increase food production efficiencies in microfarms. This goal can be reached in part through careful planning and construction of the microfarm facility. In addition, in developing phases of the microfarm, the external resources may possibly be a mechanism to increase expansion and knowledge. Microfarms are an important option for the third world countries and poor people worldwide.

This report analyzes the economic impacts of the Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine, Texas. The economic impacts are analyzed using the IMPLAN impact modeling system developed by the Minnesota IMPLAN Group. The analysis evaluates construction activities by Baylor-Grapevine as well as procurement spending and employment. Additionally, the impact of ancillary facilities surrounding Baylor-Grapevine and the impact of patient visitor spending is also reviewed. Total recurring impacts of procurement spending at Baylor-Grapevine, employment at Baylor-Grapevine and its ancillary facilities, and visitor spending will generate over $227 million in economic activity for the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. This activity will support more than 3,300 direct, indirect, and induced jobs paying over $138 million in annual earnings.

Online airline ticket booking system is one of the essential applications of E-commerce. With the development of Internet and security technology, more and more people begin to consume online, which is more convenient and personal than traditional way. The goal of this system is to make people purchase airline tickets easily. The system is written in JAVATM. Chapter 1 will introduce some basic conception of the technologies have been used in this system. Chapter 2 shows how the database and the system are designed. Chapter 3 shows the logic of the Web site. In Chapter 4 the interface of the system will be given. Chapter 5 tells the platform of this system.

The first segment introduces the background information on the use of paños as art by prisoners and how I appropriate the same materials to create and record my own cultural mythology. The Statement of Problem and Questions are about how and what cultural information is chosen in creating a visual mythology. The second segment explains the invention of the mythology by describing why certain experiences were chosen, specifically those of the graduate school experience. Also the development of self-representation through self-portraits is described. The third segment explains the symbolism used in the imagery, such as the cacti as cultural indicator and palimpsest. The fourth segment is a conclusion involving the realization that feeling caught within a hybrid culture is an important part of my identity.

Although the study of surface segregation has a great technological importance, the work done in the field was for a long time largely restricted to experimental studies and the theoretical work was neglected. However, recent improvements in both first principles and semi-empirical methods are opening a new era for surface scientists. A method developed by Bozzolo, Ferrante, and Smith (BFS) is particularly suitable for complex systems and several aspects of the computational modeling of surfaces and segregation, including alloy surface segregation, structure and composition of alloy surfaces and the formation of surface alloys. In the following work I introduce the BFS method and apply it to model the Ni-Al alloy through a Monte-Carlo simulation. A comparison between my results and those results published by the group mentioned above was my goal. This thesis also includes a detailed explanation of the application of the BFS method to surfaces of multi-component metallic systems, beyond binary alloys.

The following paper reveals some aspects of my thoughts about art. The works discussed are featured in my M.F.A. exhibition. All works are mainly based on the ideas of absence, self-reference and utilization in art practice, even though each piece approaches the subject from differing angles. My dissatisfaction with preconceived notions in the contemporary art, rooted in art history, has shifted my focus from concerns of the direct, physical presence of artworks to the indirect or indecisive elements of their context. From this position I have felt free to explore the paradox of self-reference that is involved in performance. In addition, by transferring art works to functional objects, I have found a way to infuse everyday life with my art, and vice-versa. The ambiguity of interpreting artworks with language means that I present this paper with photographic documentation of my artwork. Combined, this will give a clear indication of the thrust of my graduate studies and the current theatrical direction of my art.

This article discusses about the author’s identity related to the experience of being in the United States for one third of his life, and away from his native country, Japan. He uses photographic images as a tool for finding his identity. Those images are combined and painted with paraffin wax as finished pieces. The extra layer of wax on the photographic surface is treated as a metaphor for the fuzziness of memories and dreams, as well as a boundary, which lies between author’s two familiar spaces, the United States and Japan. His visual influences are shown to include photographer Henri Cartier- Bresson, painter Giorgio de Chirico, and sculptor Alberto Giacometti.

This research project evaluates the effectiveness of specific music theory instructional strategies in terms of D. A. Kolb’s theory of experiential learning and Kolb’s typology of individual learning style. The project provides an original methodology for the adaptation of music theory instructional material to the individual learning style types described in Kolb’s typology. The study compares the relative effectiveness of two music theory instructional sequences, one of which is adapted for all of the learning style modalities described in Kolb’s typology, and the other adapted for only a limited number of Kolb’s learning style types. In order to compare the potential “learning outcomes” produced by these instructional sequences, a detailed study is proposed, in which computer based instruction (CBI) will deliver the instructional sequences to research participants and electronically record the participants’ responses. The current study demonstrates the effective aspects of the original methodology and suggests methods for the successful adaptation of music theory instructional material to individual student learning styles.