sequence?

Our second book assignment was an extremely confusing concept. Sequencing. You wouldn't think so, but it totally is. Some examples of books that utilize sequencing include The Americans by Robert Frank and Riding First Class On The Titanic by Nathan Lyons. I was kind of at a loss, so I decided to combine photos that had similar formal qualities as well as similarities in subject to convey the importance of taking a break from working. I think I tend to be somewhat opinionated when it comes to "adults" working too hard and too much to the point where their lives are stripped of happiness. The final book turned out to be unsuccessful, but certain images stood out as interesting individually. 

    

Right around this time we also got a chance to hear a lecture and attend a gallery opening at the University of Rochester's Hartnett Gallery showcasing the photography of Neil Cox. His work is very technical when it comes to science and mathematics. He builds his own structures that have multiple cameras attached to them, they create complex, abstract images. Since I don't have much of a photo background, most of his processes go WAY over my head. 

We're learning a lot. Photo, books, video, film, photo history, collections handling, etc. It's all goooood.  

it's been one month. Woah.

It has been a little over one month since I began a graduate program in Visual Studies at the Visual Studies Workshop in Rochester, NY. For a long time I never considered grad school as an option for myself and here I am, thrust head first into an intense new environment - being challenged to produce artworks that I have never considered and learning so so SO many new things. I'm going to begin to keep a more updated journal of my grad school happenings. In just this first month, I feel like I have experienced many monumental moments. At least noteworthy ones. If I don't write about them now, I am likely to forget or let the importance dissolve.


I also want to keep a more updated account of what projects I am currently working on. But first, I must back track. 


Our first assignment was dealing with the series as it plays a part in artists' books. I chose to take images from old toys at my grama's house and connect them creating a toy-like object. The reason that I am drawn to these toys has to do with the fact that the hands of four generations of children have played with them. 

  

     














I will post more "backtracking images" from this month SOON! 

{got by} floating, in the water singing Hallelujah

Alas, summer is in full swing. I've been home since graduation in May and haven't written ONE blog entry. The best intentions, yet zero execution. Summer has been great. Soon after leaving Fredonia I did take the time to reflect on my year and overall life as an undergrad. 


In fact, on the day before my birthday (May 24th) I took a drive up to Saranac Lake and spent the afternoon at my old summer camp, Camp Guggenheim. It was a beautiful time of reflection and rest. Lounging in the warmth of creation. 

Overall, my 22nd year on earth was a good one. The year of being an art major. Printmaking. Broken left foot. Firefly. Vampires. New friends. Goals achieved. A couple of tragedies. Hope. Graduation. Flowers. Oh life.  

  

The end is near...

This is my {it's five in the morning, i loath technology, waiting for video to render/export} face. An all too common face this time of the year. Finals week. My last finals week as an undergrad. I still have yet to process it all. I plan to do lots of reflecting once the craziness is over. Which will be soon, thursday. Sigh. Soon. Bittersweet times, dear readers, bittersweet times... 

You Made My Day

Friday, April 23rd. Drove Eleanor nearly six hours to Lebanon, PA to see The Welcome Wagon. Teamed up with my two good friends Liz and Lizzie the drive seemed to go by very quickly. It was a beautiful day for a drive and we enjoyed viewing the grand Pennsylvania countryside.    

We arrived in Lebanon and it took us quite a while to find the church. The Welcome Wagon was performing for the 250th anniversary of Tabor UCC. The crowd consisted of elderly church members and families. Let's just say...not many "fans" were there.

We were SO happy to get there! 

The music was heavenly. Vito and Monique were genuine. They performed wonderful familiar melodies and a few that I hadn't heard. Sufjan played in their band. Woah! 

They did a 'meet and greet' afterwards and I was such a giddy little fan! Truly lovely people. My summation of the entire experience... 

SUCH a worth while journey! QUITE the day! A wonderful bless-ed day! Lots of driving. Experienced The Welcome Wagon's glorious musical stylings. Spoke with Vito, Monique and Sufjan. Incredible. GREAT conversations in the wee hours of the morn on the drive back with sisterly friends. Twas good!  

mmmmMMMIX disc!

A couple of weekends ago (March 27th, to be exact) I went to the Buffalo Small Press Book Fair, held in Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum. There was an amazing showcase of artists, writers, poets, musicians and publishers. I enjoyed chatting with individuals about their work and lives. There were many precious hand made items. I was truly encouraged to see the vast amount of people working in the arts in the Western NY area. Needless to say, I came home incredibly inspired to MAKE things! 


One of my favorite pastimes is making "mix tapes" for people. I absolutely LOVE sharing music with people that I find wonderful and moving! When the melodies give me goose bumps or the beats make me DANCE. It's good. :)


My good friend Lizzie made a lovely CD case out of Bristol board for a mutual friend of ours and it has always been in the back of my mind to do something similar. Here are some pictures of some of the personalized mix disc cases I have been making!

I've been using tracing paper, ink, and thread. The transparencies of the tracing paper create an interesting effect while layering ink drawn imagery. I've mostly been just doodling on the paper and laying the pieces on top of each other - It has been great! I hope to start working with some different materials and possibly coming up with some more unified and specific imagery. Crafts!

      
  

Welcome Home, Son [Daughter?]

What I have been working on lately. With the help of my carpenter/father. An independent studio project - experimental video. Video installations are becoming a large area of interest for me. This piece is still in the intermediate stages. Outlining the process of a house structure being built. This miniature structure is primitive, but is still able to communicate the imagery of a dwelling place. 


Ideas I am exploring - residing in buildings/houses that were not built by our own hands, our attempts to adapt to these spaces and make them comfortable and cozy - and the memories that we bring with us from previous homes to these new spaces that will always be present. Attached. 

I'm really excited about this project, because I think that the end result will have a lot of visual interest. However, at the same time I am worried that these themes have been explored too often and I question whether my means are communicating anything unique. 


Do most artists feel this way about their work? Or is it just my ever-so-common lack of confidence?  


With this piece I am incorporating many elements from my personal life. Will it be compelling enough to catch a viewers interest? Or might they simply walk by without giving it a second glance? 


I want people to connect with my work. I need to learn to articulate my ideas both verbally and visually. 


I am still excited about this project. With the end of the semester drawing near, time is of the essence! May I get my act together and may my final projects as an undergrad be works that I am proud to call my own!   


Also, the song Welcome Home, Son by Radical Face has been a reoccurring melody in my life these past two semesters. The imagery! The harmonies! The rhythm! The build up! Oh Glory! And the themes it (and other songs on the album Ghost) explore, tend to deal with the notions of "home" that I find so engaging.