Project Blog 4

llc-picture-documentation

I felt very confident as we presented our final project.  Everyone knew the material and it was evident that a lot was learned through this LLC class.  I learned that there are a lot of factors that make education such a huge Wicked Problem, such as money, location of school, and the material being taught in these schools, etc.  Questions were brought up such as what was our favorite part while conducting this presentation?  I would have to say the interview process was my favorite because of all of the new information that was learned.  I got to see how someone who works for a University saw education and it’s wicked problems.  I feel a little sad knowing that this wicked problem will take a lot to fix, since it is happening all over the world, in elementary, junior high, high school, and of course, college.  Education is surrounded by Wicked Problems and connects to homelessness or becoming jobless because of how expensive school can be.  This makes me appreciate what my parents do for me and how I am here at St. Edward’s University.  Being here made me realize of all the wicked problems that goes on, not only in Austin but all over the world.

Blog Post #12

This may sound cheesy, but this class is probably my favorite.  At first, I thought that this class was just going to be on time-management and how to study in college (which I found helpful), but as time went on, we got more and more presenters.  After I realized that there were artists, graphic designers, photographers, and game designers coming into class to share their experiences, I became really inspired.  Seeing how the different artists have come so far has really kicked out all the doubtful emotions I had about majoring in art.  Every presenter has given their background and what they have done to put themselves out there, which I find helpful.  I have gotten to see many different type of art and styles that these artists use, which is something that I struggle with.  I have not found the style I want to work with so looking at all the different art works has really opened my eyes to new ideas.  This class has helped me more than I thought it ever would.  The lectures are always interesting, captivating, and engaging.

Blog Post #11

Part 1:  Coming into this class I admired Hollis Hammonds for her knowledge and free-spirit, but I wasn’t sure what type of art she produced.  When she presented, I was blown away and thrown off guard by the complexity of it all.  Hollis’s work ranges from sculptures to drawings, to comics, etc.  Throughout the slideshow, I had no idea what to expect because her work holds such a high standard for variety.  I focused on the meaning behind her art and how all of them kind of related to each other, no matter if it was a sculpture or drawing.  Hollis focuses on disasters such as fires or tornadoes and the loss and pain is evident.  What I found extremely unique was the projector that created fire-like movements onto her drawing of a house burning.  I had never seen this before and I think that she is definitely an artist that can beat the whole “starving artist” statistic/concept.

In Alex Robinson’s presentation I was typically more drawn to the Dahs and Dits series and the Open Spaces, Dirty Cysts series.  He work in extremely visually pleasing to the point where I want her art in my home.  Her simplicity is inspiring because sometimes too much… can be too much.  I think that she has different styles, I feel like every single piece of work she does is similar and matches.  Her series are made with different mediums yet they all match somehow.  I definitely enjoyed the aesthetic of her work.

Tammie Ruben’s ceramic sculptures as so unique.  I have never seen anything like this before and that is what reached out to me.  Finding your own style in the art world is tough and something I struggle with.  Tammie’s work is so distinctive because of the objects and colors she uses.  Anyone can just put random objects together and called it a sculpture, but Tammie takes her time to carefully mold and place each object to each other, making the perfect fit.  Her work is extremely attention getting and could resemble a kid-like sculpture, but when looked at closely…. It is clear that the art was made with a lot of effort and took such a long time to make.

Bill Kennedy does not have the art that grabbed at me on his website so I can’t tell you exactly which ones they enjoyed, but they are the colorful edited ones that resemble movement and cells.  His work is just mind-blowing.  I have always been interested in photography, but I never knew that this work really existed.  The way that he incorporates photography and then his own style by editing and getting it to a point where it doesn’t even look like the original photograph absolutely mind boggles me.  I have to say that he is one of my favorites because they are so visually appealing and when you look at the title of his work and then back at the art work, you try to find your own way of interpreting it.  His art lets the audience view it with an open mind, creating whatever they want with it, sparking imagination.  I am impressed and could see myself doing something like what he does, which is shocking because I would have never thought I would.

I enjoyed Joe Vitone’s work, especially because they are published in black and white.  Although some of his work was done in color, black and white seems to be his favorite edit for his photographs.  When he edits his photos with a color effect, they seem to be the same type of style, bringing a lot of green and bright pastel colors out.  I thought that his work was very interesting because it focuses on nature and its uniqueness.

Part 2:  5 year plan

Hopefully by the end of my freshman year or sophomore year, I will be involved in a club or organization to explore my abilities and style.  Sophomore year I will study abroad to somewhere that is filled with art and inspiration such as Paris or Greece.  By moving somewhere like this for a semester, I will gain so much knowledge and hopefully be inspired by all the art that the place holds.  By my junior year I want to intern somewhere that will be helpful in the future, such as in an art therapy place or museum.  By senior year I should be steady at this internship and be involved in things to help me in my future, such as getting involved with art therapists and shadowing them or continuing to make art and getting it noticed.  After I graduate, I will want to move out of state to go to graduate school, depending on what I want to do specifically with my life, I will move to a university that is best.  Moving out of state will hopefully broaden my style of work and inspire me in different ways.

Blog Post #10

  1. Listening to the speakers, Gary Gattis, Eva Tran, and Bryant Wood, on Monday caught my attention and was mind opening. Gary Gattis is a CEO at Spacetime Studios and he introduced the history, game industry overview, design and art specifics.  I found Eva Tran to be extremely interesting because I could relate, due to the fact that she works in the art department.  I learned that she uses Photoshop, illustrator, and other tools.  She is a skilled 2D/3D artist who focuses on visual and interaction design.  I found this to be relevant to me because of my interest in art.  I learned that she incorporates art with game design, and I wasn’t sure how that worked until this presentation.  Bryant Wood is a game designer at Spacetime Games, which I found fascinating.  I didn’t know much about game design before he spoke on it, or rather before this class.  Hearing from different types of game designers and role they play while creating the game.  I learned about the popular games that they have done and how they work.  Although the games weren’t familiar to a lot of us, you can tell the amount of hardwork and dedication that they put in to their games.  The atmosphere of Spacetime Studios seems interesting and is very new to me.
  2. How did you find your style when photographing/editing/painting/drawing? It is so hard in the art world to be creative.

Blog Post #9

Part 1: Matt Lankes is a St. Edward’s University alumni photographer, specializing in portraits of people in their environments.  He presented his photographs on faces, such as Winona Ryder, Robert Downey Jr., America Ferrera, etc, places he’s been such as peru, advertising, Boyhood, LiveStrong, and Fast Food Nation.  One of his photographs is feautured in the Smithsonian, which I find extremely impressive.  Lankes showed different perspectives and various uses of cameras.  In the advertising section, he showed the class his photographs that were supposed to reflect different time periods.  He used older cameras and different techniques to make it seem like they were taken at that time.  This stuck out to me especially, because it showed how versatile and unique his work is.  I found this presentation to be extremely interesting.  I have always been really interested in photography, but after Matt Lankes presentation, I felt really inspired to buy a camera and start photographing interesting things.

Part 2:

http://the100thmonkeystudio.com/art-therapy-internships.html

This is an internship that would help me explore my career path as an artist/art therapist.  By taking this opportunity, it would help me utilize my fine art skills while teaching small groups of children art techniques.

http://blantonmuseum.org/get-involved/internships/

Being an intern at the Blanton Museum of Art would be a really great experience because I would work on meaningful projects and gain knowledge with the guidance of museum professionals.

https://austinfilmfestival.com/about/get-involved/internship/

This would be a different internship that I would be interested that is not as “art” related.  Although it is a film festival and obviously does involve art, it is a different path that I would go on, whereas regularly I would intern at a museum.

WiP Project Assignment 3: Step B – Blog/Reflection

wipcommunityinterview_elmacantualdrete-3

I interviewed Elma, from the Admissions Office , to dig into the complexity of the Wicked Problem surrounding education.  I chose to interview Elma because she has seen many students apply for financial aid through the admissions process.  With her knowledge between working with the admissions team and also attending St. Edwards University, she provided insight to this topic.  I brought up the questions that were listed in the link.  These questions led to conversations about students, the affordability of college education, and the outcome of education.  This Wicked Problem is difficult and problematic, as we see education everywhere.  Most people attend elementary, middle school, high school, college, and even graduate school.  There are cases where students drop out after or during high school, or even middle school, just because they can not afford it anymore.  Don’t get me wrong there are cases where people drop out just because they don’t want to be going to school.. which is a whole different Wicked problem, within this Wicked Problem.  I believe that education is extremely important in one’s life and should be continued and used to it’s full extent.  I understand the problems such as affordability that come along with attending school and consuming knowledge, but I believe it is worth it in the end.  Having an education will benefit everyone and there are always ways to make education more affordable such as public schools, applying for grants and scholarships, and financial aid.

Blog Post #8

Roel Martinez (Academic Counselor)

The information that was given by Roel Martinez, the academic counselor was extremely helpful as I learned what kinds of classes we should be taking, varying throughout majors.  He was very comforting in the fact that we could just stop by their offices and they would be there for us.  He also spoke a little bit on Study Abroad programs and how it is manageable to stil graduate in 4 years.  It is nice to have someone there for you and want to inform you and help you with your academic life and that’s why I found this presentation useful.

Meghan Ryan (Study Abroad)

I learned during this presentation that I should take advantage of the opportunities that St. Edwards gives.  I was already planning on studying abroad during college but when hearing this presentation, I was definitely more inspired.  Seeing how many people study abroad and hearing positive feedback from their experience makes me extremely excited.  I learned that it is best to study abroad during my first or second year because I am not focusing on my major and the courses I will be taking my third and fourth year.  Because it gets more intense during those years, it is best to study abroad next year.

Ysenia Valdez (Cabra)

I really liked this presentation due to the aesthetic of the magazine.  I thought that Ysenia spoke clearly and presented what exactly they do in this club and what they publish.  I think that this magazine looks really professional and creative.  During her presentation I found myself wanting to speak to her about the application process and when the best time to apply is.  I think that I could add some positive and creative ideas to this group and magazine.

Marissa or Shelby (Command G)

During this presentation I learned about the graphic design program and how they plan to expand their knowledge and sharpen their skills.  This club seems really interesting to me, especially since I have never been exposed to design until this past year.  Because I am taking this class and an Art & Design class, I have learned about design and I find it really interesting because I can relate it to my interests.  I am interested in Architecture and I feel like taking these design classes can open up my eyes and introduce me to Architecture.  I think this club can introduce me to a lot of other design factors.  I knew design had to do with computers, as well as drawing and planning but when the presenter showed us the website, I realized all the different things you can do.  I will definitely be checking out this club and try to open my eyes to new things.

Brittany Fucik (Art Student Group)

I was so happy when I heard someone was starting an Art Club because I had recently learned that we didn’t have one.  I can’t wait until this club gets the ball rolling and things come together.  I will be signing up for this club and will do my best to participate as much as I can.  Brittany seemed really interested and involved in art, which I found comforting because I know that she wants to get others involved as well.

  1. I believe my future is very much planned and I’m skeptical about it. After majoring in psychology and art and graduating from St. Edwards University, I plan to go out of state for graduate school.  I want to experience school and different environments which is why I am so determined to go out of state.  After that I want to travel for a few years and hopefully settle down in my favorite place.  I will then open up my own business, working with kids that have disabilities, using Art Therapy.  This is what I have planned for my future and although I have everything planned out, I know this might not happen.  The thought that this might happen scares me a little because this has been my dream.   I also feel like my mind might change and I would want to just focus on art, rather than psychology and art.
  2. I plan to study abroad next year during the spring semester to Italy, Greece, or Paris. I find all 3 of these places to be extremely captivating and inspirational.  I know that all of these places have a lot of art and buildings that could inspire me.  I would love to study abroad anywhere just to get the experience of the wonderful opportunity.  Studying abroad will be hard because I will be far away from my family and friends, but I know that I could not pass up this opportunity and definitely take advantage.
  3. I am not part of a student group, although I wish I was. I plan to join the art club that is in the making because I was in art club in high school and it was a great experience.  I love art and I feel like I belong in that club.

Blog Post #7

I enjoyed Camille Dollins’ presentation due to her creativeness.  Every project she showed was eye-opening and caught my attention.  I related to her the most because I am a DIY project kind of person and creative, just like her.  I liked her projects because they were all so neat, precise, and original.  She showed all of her works such as screen prints, t-shirts, her homemade essential and body oils, and even a stress reliever that is in the form of a coloring book.  My favorite project of hers would have to be the coloring book and the homemade essential oils.  These projects surprised me because they are so creative and useful.  The fact that the coloring book is included in a box that includes other stress relievers such as candles, worry stones, and even coloring pencils.  The biggest takeaway that stuck with me was her advice of being careful with certain businesses.  She gave her advice by saying that there will be always people in the future that will take advantage of the art work produced by us and they will not want to credit or pay us correctly.  She learned this by going through it and working for a lot of shady businesses until she learned that she should create her own things and research all the business parts of it.  She created everything by scratch and learned many things by going through these experiences.  When Camille talked about her projects and experiences it opened my eyes and brought a clear understanding of the real world and it’s hardships in the art world.

Blog Post #6

  1. My greatest strengths in Rhetoric & Composition II include: staying on task, pre-search and research, writing with thought, choosing credible sources, etc.
  2. For greater success in this course, I need to: go to the writing center so they could help me revise my papers.  By doing this, I will learn from my mistakes and hopefully won’t have any more obvious little mistakes.

My greatest strengths in Foundations of Art & Design include: the ability to sketch, follow instructions, include my imagination into my drawings even if they have to be simple.

For greater success in this course, I need to: do my projects earlier so I am not rushing in the end trying to make everything the way I want it to be.  With correct planning and enough time,  I wouldn’t have this problem.

My greatest strengths in FSTY-1121-01 include: being able to connect with others and include my opinions.

For greater success in this course, I need to: reach out to the people in my seminar when I have questions because they are from different classes they do have different outlooks.

My greatest strengths in FSTY-1321-01 include: the ability to use my creativeness and imagination to invent new things to solve problems.

For greater success in this course, I need to: take a nap before so I am well-rested since it is a night class, lasting 3 hours.

My greatest strengths in Presentational Speaking include: the way I talk about topics that matter to me and others.

For greater success in this course, I need to: overcome my fear of public speaking by practicing and getting more comfortable.

My greatest strengths in PSYC- 2301-04 include: my drive to study and get everything down so that I am prepared for quizzes and tests.

For greater success in this course, I need to: study efficiently, instead of spending so much time studying, make a way to study that gets everything down in a reasonable amount of time and benefits me.

My greatest strengths in VISU-1100 include: applying the study habits that we learn into real-life.

For greater success in this course, I need to: talk to the professors more to find out what other courses there are like this one.

Computer skills:

  1. My computer skills: are exceptional, I would say I am a tech savvy person.  Although I would say I am pretty good with typing and applications, when I came to St. Edward’s I realized there are people that know a lot more than me.
  2. I still need to learn: applications such as photoshop.  I would really like to get into this to expand my knowledge and creativity.

Research & writing skills:

  1. My greatest strengths as a researcher/writer include: the opinions I put forth in my papers are straight-forward and I will back them up.  I have always been into creative writing so I feel like that is a good angle I go with.
  2. I need to work on these aspects of research and writing:  finding sources that are more credible, which can be found right here at the St. Edward’s Library.
  3. I learn best & accomplish most when:  my professors are engaged and enthusiastic  about the subject they are teaching.   I also enjoy projects and creative group discussions.

ACTION PLAN

Choose one class that you are struggling with or are not doing as well as you could.  I feel like I am not doing as well as I could in Psychology, especially because it is my major.  I know I will do better in Psychology once I get deeper into the field and narrow it down to a certain topic.
Now make a list of 10 ways you could improve your performance in this class.

  1. Be more engaged.
  2. Take more accurate and beneficial notes.
  3. Go to tutoring.
  4. Email my professor or get together with her when I have questions.
  5. Study the past quizzes and tests.
  6. Get there early to speak to teacher or stay after when I am struggling.
  7. Get together with classmates to study.
  8. Do homework earlier to avoid stress.
  9. Take water so I am not sleepy and focused.
  10. Study at the same time and in the same place everyday.

Blog Post #5

Table of ContentsTable of Contents
Circle Book ProjectCircle Book Project

Part 1

  1. The goal of this assignment was to create an accordion book that represented 7 different circle drawings. This project is called the Circle Book Project.  There are many factors that played out with this project, being that every circle had to be used with the circle tool, could only use the black ink markers that were assigned, and followed all 7 subjects of the different types of themes.
  2. I had to measure and cut 10 4×4” squares to give me the room to make a title page, table of contents, and the 7 different circle themes. I had to assemble the 10 squares being that they were separated by 4, 4, and 2.  I glued the strip of 4 squares onto the other one, then attached the strip of 2.  When that was done, I folded and scored the paper down to make the book flat.  I then got into the part when I followed the instructions by the themes.  I completed this project by collecting my supplies, labeling each of the 7 squares, and getting to work right away.

Part 2

  1. The strongest aspect of this work is that it was done critically, neatly, and with thought. I tried my hardest to plan each drawing and make sure that when placed next to each other, it created a sort of aesthetic and theme.
  2. The weakest part has to be the fact that I became a little impatient and didn’t allow the pen to dry on the paper before writing under it. This made a couple smudges which made it look a bit messy.
  3. The project could be strengthened conceptually by using a different style of book. The accordion style is not my favorite kind and being that it was a circle project, it could have been a circle book instead, to follow the theme.
  4. Some of themes that were included in the 7, could have been different being that it is hard to judge. For example, it is hard to judge whether the drawing the asymmetrically balanced.
  5. Overall, I think my project followed the guidelines and did an exceptional job. With the few mistakes and smudges, my accordion book was nicely done and was fun to make.