NEW BLOG

I've started a new blog that will be much more focused on my artwork and research - less personal jargon. This blog will stick around for that shtuff. 
Feel free to follow me at meganmageesullivan.blogspot.com! Thanks! Peace!

Fare thee well, 2010

This past year has been remarkable in many ways. Although I must say, I could never really categorize an entire year as being UNremarkable. I've got a terrific existence and I always have, despite the fact that as an adolescent it may not have been realized or appreciated. For as long as I can remember I have been surrounded by wonderful people. It is a blessing I can't quite fathom. Because of my own insecurities I have difficulties understanding why people that I consider to be intelligent, witty, driven and honorable would choose to include me in their lives. What I'm getting at is - I'm so thankful for friends. They make for laughter, adventure, support and are a constant reminder of our intrinsic human need for relationship and community.


Some notable individuals from this past year in my life include - Liz Campbell, my housemate, confidant, and BFFL. Lizzie Reid, artist extraordinaire, fellow ENFP, and late night conversationalist. Jon Gabriel, the embodiment of Liz and I achieving our goals, movie lover, prankster, and energizer bunny. Christina Hart, musical genius, listening ear, and wise beyond her years. Katie Brennan, talented, hilarious, jovial, fellow blogger, and arts lover. John Brennan, genius architect, photographer, fellow questioner, and potter (haha?). You all make me want to be a better individual. It encourages me to know that you are also inspired by the beautiful mystery that is our Creator and awestruck by His grace. I'm grateful for the times we shared in 2010 and look forward to more *good times, good times* in 2011.   


As I was reflecting on the year, thinking about what some of my "favorite moments" have been, I noticed that most of them corresponded with live music. In 2010 I saw many amazing shows - The Welcome Wagon, Brand New, Arcade Fire, The Low Anthem, The Swell Season, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Jars of Clay, Vampire Weekend, Josh Ritter and Ben Kweller. Each show brought with it various memories and musical highs. I don't think I can pick a favorite.    


At the risk of this being the LONGEST blog entry ever, I still want to include {2010: A Year in Photos}. These are a few of my favorite images from the past year.

Fare thee well, 2010. You really were swell!               

It's Christmas! Let's be glad!

After Liz and I finished up the last of our work for the semester, we finally had a chance to get some decorating done for the holidays. We bought a little tree and put up some decorations and made garlands out of popcorn and cranberries. 

Sufjan's Christmas music has been a staple this holiday season as well. Of course! I've decided that my favorite album is Hark! Vol. 2. Here's a sweet little cartoon. 

Work Share

On Friday the 10th, the MFA students at VSW participated in an event called "Work Share" where as first year graduate students we were given the opportunity to have our work seen by the greater VSW community. We were set up in the student gallery like a science fair. The seven of us each had a table with our books and statements and some of us hung our prints on the wall. Our final videos were on a computer at the entrance to the gallery so people could watch them at their leisure. It was a very valuable afternoon. I got a ton of feedback on my work and am pretty excited about some of the conversations that took place. 

Jessica looking at my SHTUFF! Photo by Sarah Weedon.

Oh, the shame of today.

Today I woke up with a migraine. It was so excruciating I couldn't bare to move. I ended up asking Liz to rifle through my drawers and inevitably venture out to my car to get me my medicine. Such a good friend. I stayed in bed through all of the daylight hours - most of the time just lying there, but after the pain became more bearable and I could stand to open both of my eyes I watched a lot of Hulu and posted several blog entries. My head never stopped hurting, but a bit after 6 p.m. I decided that I couldn't waste my day completely and drove to the studio to do some last minute tidying up. While I was converting a video file that was taking too long, I took a trip to Wegman's to pick up a few groceries. While I was at the store, I walked past the greeting card section and a realization hit me like a brick wall...today is my dad's birthday. By this point it was after 8 p.m. and although I knew he would probably be asleep I gave his cell phone a call anyways. No answer. Then the house phone - my mom answered and sure enough, dad was in bed, asleep already. Ugh. I am the worst daughter ever. I've literally been so wrapped up in my own selfish little grad school world for the past several weeks that I didn't even remember my own father's birthday. I am the worst daughter ever. 


Well, at the risk of someone reading this and exposing my disgusting emotional sentimentality. I love my dad A LOT. Thus why I feel terrible. We don't say it as often as we should, but I literally do not talk to him when I'm not in Clayton. And I don't go home very often. Him and me - we aren't phone people. My mom forces me to be a phone person and then gets mad when there are long periods of silence during our "conversations". I wish she would just get text messaging. Anyways, I love and respect my dad. He is a hard worker. He wakes up cheerfully every morning and is a good whistler. He has amazing self control. He built our house and has a garden and bakes really good pies. And he thinks he's pretty funny, which he is. He loves Jeopardy and the History Channel and show tunes. The only sport he follows is the World Poker Tour. He likes birds and vintage things. We get along quite well. I'm going to call him first thing tomorrow morning, but until then, I just felt compelled to pay tribute to my FAJA. ("Faja can you hear me?")

Holga Love

I bought a Holga this semester and took some photos. I really enjoyed the process of not knowing how the final images would look. Slowly, but surely breaking away from my digital comfort zone. Overall, I'm pleased with the outcome, they are quite mysterious looking. I didn't process them myself, but I did scan the negatives. In the future I want to use colored film. 

I could only upload the thumbnails, because my other files are currently too big, but I think you can get the general idea. 

Fall

Fall is my favorite season. I love the colors and the temperature and the scarves and the quiet and the walks and the piles of leaves...sigh. This fall went by much to quickly for my liking. Here are some pictures taken this fall. A few were used in a book I made this semester, others are just adding to my ever growing collection of photos that may or may not be used for anything, ever. 

Once winter hits in full force, the exterior photos will be much more sparse. Bare fingers on a metal camera - sometimes it just can't be managed.