Based on the notes you took during class, write a brief description and response to each of the Alumni presentations.

Nick Swift 

Nick graduated from St. Edward’s as an art major, and now owns his own business, Swift Single Malt, with his wife Amanda. He suggested networking at the university will help you later when beginning your career. As a small business with a new product on the market, he used connections at St. Ed’s to get a PR firm to get the word out about his whiskey. He’s also done research on his product by checking out the top-selling whiskey brands at Whole Foods. He also suggested fully researching the history of your product–which you can also do at the St. Ed’s library, as he did. This way, when you are with industry professionals, you can speak intelligently and get a foot in the door. His brand is run by a team of people–designers, concept developers, food photographers, web designers, event planners, etc. He stressed the critical importance of creatives to a business. And be patient. It will take a while to build up your name.

This was a surprise to me. As an art major, I would never have imagined that an art major from my school could develop and run a successful small business. This has definitely expanded my idea of how my degree will translate to the “real world.” I’ve begun realizing the possibilities of opening a pop-up shop after I graduate.

Rebecca Marino

Rebecca graduated from St. Edward’s in 2010 as a photocommunications major, and now serves as gallery director at Pump Project. She works in gallery–curating, collaborating with artists. She also does lots of grant-writing, event-planning, and meeting with new artists. She’s currently working on starting an artist residency program at Pump Project, with the ultimate goal of providing free studio space for artists. She wears many hats working at a nonprofit. She suggested dipping feet in different things to learn everything you don’t want to do. In addition to Pump Project, she also is an artist and photographer herself, and recently did a photo project at NASA. She also co-edits the online publication, Conflict of Interest.com, an ATX-based art/culture magazine.

I most related to Rebecca. This is my ideal job — running a gallery area with a lot of creative control, as well as multiple rotating side projects to continue working on and producing my own body of work.

Alex Roka

Alex is a graphic design alum from St. Edward’s who now works as a designer for Preacher, a creative agency in Austin, TX. He got his start at advertising agency GSD&M, as a paid intern his senior year. He learned lettering on the job there and began making simple marks and logos, badges, patches for major companies. He explained the importance of having a range of styles to be able to work for wide variety of companies. His most recent work was in redesigning SMASHPOP’s packaging.

The most valuable advice (for me) came from Alex’s presentation. Being flexible and working with others to produce an efficient design is a bit of a struggle for me. Relinquishing some of that control in order to be more successful and more effective on projects is a skill I am trying to develop now.

Taylor Browning

Taylor was an art major at St. Edward’s, and is now the assistant curator of education at ArtPace in San Antonio. She wears many hats in this role: media rep, studio tech, writer, curator, and educator. Her study abroad experience at St. Ed’s helped her in expanding her understanding of art and its role in culture. She stressed the importance of being dedicated to your major–coming in on Fridays, utilizing the studios. She had post-grad studio space at UP Collective and went to grad school at UT.

Change within yourself via expert hours?

There has been a massive change within me personally this semester. I’ve noticed that all of my free time is spent messing around on Photoshop, browsing design boards on Pinterest, and making ink drawings. It’s become a slight addiction. I’ve become so much more confident in my knowledge of programs and design principles–what makes “good” art has become clearer and easier for me to understand (and thus produce). As a result of this art addiction, my homework has felt less like work and more like fun. (Leading to me stressing whether or not that means I’m really “working”…but that’s a crisis for another time.) Working with design programs was something completely foreign to me until taking this class. Up until this point, I could see myself only in the “art world” in the strictest sense of the world — being a museum consultant, art historian, dealer, gallery director, etc. But after learning how addicting design is (not to mention how satisfying when a project really seems to “work”) it’s opened up my eyes to what other creative possibilities are out there. I’ve decided to pick up graphic design as a minor.

How I used practice time… I feel like I best fit under “I achieved my practice times very easily. 8 pts”

My largest regret thus far with this class is that I cannot seem to find more time in my week to rework assignments fully. Between my 5 other classes, internship, out-patient therapy, and 3 brand new kittens that my roommate decided to surprise me with (did I mention they have to be fed every 3 hours? Even during the night?) I felt as though I only had about 3-4 hours per week that I could dedicate to this class outside of the classroom. To make up for this, I ensured that I attended every class and actively listened to demo instructions and critiques to absorb as much information as I could in the time that I had. And despite these time constraints, I made sure to submit all assignments in a timely manner and to print out my assignments on good matte paper rather than “cheaping out” on copy paper to save time.

How I dealt with feedback… I feel like I best fit under “I understood crits of other students and knew how it applied to me and I constructively gave out plenty of it. I could teach this class if I had to. 10 pts”

I did my best to apply knowledge where I was able to, and warmly welcomed other’s knowledge in aiding me to be more successful. When working on critiques in groups, I often felt like the only one speaking. I’m not afraid of critiques–I thrive off of them. Without constructive feedback, I’d be sitting in the same lackluster spot I was in August. Critiques allowed me to recognize mistakes or areas I had not seen (or considered). Hearing multiple points of view helped me considerably in understanding how to work and re-work projects efficiently. I’ve begun using these different points of view in making my own personal projects better (I was recently inspired to open an Etsy shop).

The level of challenge I gave myself… I feel like I best fit under “I had to put some deodorant on.6 pts“

I was rather ambitious in my project concepts / plans, and I often felt as though time constraints hindered my end results. (See earlier comment..) After seeing this in effect during the first photo project, I decided to stick with simpler ideas where I could spend more time on my craft to ensure it was well-done. I figured that hyper-attention to detail on a smaller project would present better than an awesome, out of the world….half-done project.

My inventory expert experiences… I feel like I best fit under “I experienced so much extra stuff. So hyped to put that energy into the projects! Even my classmates can feel my aura of enthusiasm! 10 pts“

I went to all of Jenn Hassin’s workshops (and learned how to make paper, too!) and scored a paid internship with her along the way. I’ve spent time in her studio and have learned a lot about the business of studio art / commissioned art. I was able to take that high energy and feel inspired in my courses as a result. I also attended a few art talks around Austin and pursued a volunteer opportunity at Pump Project after Rebecca Marino’s talk in my VISU seminar. Nevertheless, it seems as though I’m now noticing design elements everywhere. The other day, I was in Trader Joe’s and it suddenly made sense to me why one of the tortilla chip bags looked “better” than the other–there was a complementary color scheme working effectively! The others were boring!! Mind. Blown.  In fact, I think I’m starting to bother my boyfriend, Luke, with all of my seemingly-constant “art talk.” (He’s a business major…) He kind of understood the tortilla chip situation, but oh well. It’s my addiction, not his. But this is an example of the kind of change I’ve had from all these expert experiences– I’m so pumped to start homework that it’s no longer feeling like work. I’m actually Instagramming a LOT of it.

SKILLS INVENTORY

1. My greatest strengths in Intro to Philosophy include: writing assignments, my grades are strong in this class.
2. For greater success in this course, I need to: review notes after class to ensure a more full understanding of the topics covered.

1. My greatest strengths in VISU I include: developing a concept for projects.
2. For greater success in this course, I need to: spend more time on assignments, complete more thoughtfully.

1. My greatest strengths in Foundations include: my craft in completing assignments, time management.
2. For greater success in this course, I need to: read the articles more thoroughly.

1. My greatest strengths in Painting I include: being bold in decisions, recognizing errors.
2. For greater success in this course, I need to: spend more time outside class practicing painting techniques (basically, don’t be afraid to “waste” paint.)

1. My greatest strengths in VISU 1100 include: actively listening / taking notes in class, putting thought / effort into class assignments (and finding meaning in the work).
2. For greater success in this course, I need to: continue to self-reflect of my own volition–continue looking for / researching artists that inspire me, as well.

1. My greatest strengths in American Dilemmas include: class participation, communication with my professor in/out of the classroom.
2. For greater success in this course, I need to: complete assignments in a quieter environment (i.e. not with my friends Justin or Kenda, who just want to talk the entire time………) to finish in a timely manner.

Computer skills:

1. My computer skills include: Adobe Creative Suite, Mac OS X
2. I still need to learn: I’d like to improve my Photoshop caliber, and learn more about video programs (such as Maya).

Research & writing skills:

1. My greatest strengths as a researcher/writer include: developing a thesis, laying out a clear structure in which to fill in information.
2. I need to work on these aspects of research and writing: not getting so obsessed with the layout, focusing more on content.
3. I learn best & accomplish most when: I am in an environment with some background noise (i.e. with music playing, a distant TV on, others present–but working also! Not with J or K!) during the morning / early afternoon.

ACTION PLAN

Visual Studies I

1. Rather than being discouraged at own work in comparison to others, allow comparison to inspire you to continue learning / growing.

2. Spend more time developing own style / aesthetic.

3. Don’t rush through assignments.

4. Don’t beat yourself up about “not finishing quickly enough.”

5. PRINT THE NIGHT BEFORE, LEXI.

6. Start on assignments the day they are assigned.

7. Communicate better with Bill / Tuan when confused on what’s wanted in an assignment.

8. Rework projects rather than just submitting the first one.

9. Remember to incorporate a balance of variety / unity to avoid chaotic projects.

10. Get inspired by others via Pinterest, artist websites, to help guide themes as you develop your own.

The goal of this assignment was to create a linear, non-representational and non-functional sculpture inspired by a series of blind-contour drawings done in class. This sculpture was phase 02 of my Line Inventory Project (in Foundations with Alex). I went about this challenge by cutting up the cardboard back of an old drawing pad and adhering the strips together with strips of tape and black yarn.

The strongest aspect of this work was my ability to create a piece that was interesting from 360 degrees. This sculpture can be tossed in any direction, and will still appear different and eye-catching. The weakest aspect was my choice in washi tape for the final product, as it was not very sticky and I often had to re-wrap sections. Underneath, the piece is held together with a strong white painter’s tape. This form could be improved with a stronger choice in tape for a final layer (rather than the washi), and then perhaps painting the tape a glossy black. Conceptually, I could have considered why I chose yarn and glossy tape to contrast with the matte brown cardboard. Technically, I could have used a hot glue gun to better attach, and then cover with a different type of tape.

For this assignment (Visual Studies I with Tuan and Bill), I had to create a three-dimensional collage from photos I took on S Congress that demonstrated my view of this area of Austin. I went about this goal by taking a black and white image of a flyer-laden street post I’d taken, painting over it with red and yellow watercolors, cutting the painted image into strips, and rearranging hastily onto a piece of bristol as a support. I wanted to recreate the effect of old ripped posters on a street post (much like the image of posters on a street post), a sight common to S Congress (and most of Austin).

I think the strongest aspect of this work is the contrast in color, from harsh blacks to soft reddish-pinks. It makes the photo appear to be an eye-catching (yet faded) old poster. I think the weakest aspect is the backing. Looking back, it would be more interesting on something with a bit more texture (as old street posts have). Conceptually, I could perhaps have done a series of these, featuring different images (and color schemes) of poles in Austin. Technically, I would also have used less water in the paint, as it made it difficult to adhere. Overall, I wanted the work to be faded and rough, as if it had seen many days stapled to the street post.

Part 1:

Last Monday, 6 VISU majors at St. Edward’s gave presentations to my Visual Studies Seminar class. They talked about their work, upcoming projects, and gave some advice to the class of young artists. Below in this post, I have made some bullet points of major ideas expressed by each presenter.

Rachel Broussard — Art Major

– go see art around Austin (Harry Ransom Center, UT Landmarks, EAST, Pump Project, etc)

– inquire about Student Professional Development Funds, due Oct 1

– visit shows, on campus and off

Caelan Navarrete — Art Major

– Make outside work, and document your progress

– Experiment w different materials to find your own “style.”

– Make mistakes.

– Take all the classes you can — take advantage of the courses you take, and try new ones that interest you.

Shelby Savage — Graphic Design Major

– Influences help with creating a consistent design (hers include Wes Anderson, nostalgia, and old film)

– All visu majors (not just GDES) should go to Tuan’s workshops!

– She uses Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, etc to create her work

Paul Young IV — Graphic Design Major

– He’s currently making a book (inspired out of his love for typography)

– H did the music dept. posters and logo for first-year writing course

– Join the AIGA (Paul Barnes speaking at next meeting) and network with fellow graphic designers in Austin

Crissy Smith — Photocommunications Major

– Did a photo series with the Austin Fire Department, did a ride along (made documentary out of the experience)

– Photography has grown with lots of hours put in, patience, persistence

– Ask questions, talk to profs, make connections (learn outside classroom)

Juliana Ramirez — Photocommunications Major

– Sarted art collective (FiC) with some friends from UT, grew it into the Mom Gallery, where she is creative designer.

– Learn to talk about your work: what interests you? why do you do what you do?

– Constantly think about your portfolio

– Create something you wouldn’t normally — go outside your comfort zone

– Don’t be afraid of critiques, ask questions

– Utilize professors + sketchbooks (make lists, drawings)

Part 2: Post the links for four websites that you find compelling. Add a summary for each link explaining why you chose them.

http://byhula.com 

Hula (real name: Sean Yoro) is a painter that I came across very recently–he’s been in the media lately for his exquisite hyperrealist paintings done whilst standing on a paddle board. In addition to an appreciation for his work, I’m intrigued by his website due to its stark contrasts. The palate used in his site is sharp blacks and whites, which allows the paintings themselves to command attention.

http://justinwebbstudio.tumblr.com

I’m drawn to painter Justin Webb’s website mostly because of the type of scrolling experience one has while browsing the tumblr account. Unlike most other websites, one just scrolls to the right / left to view his playful indoor scenes. The whole experience is one of whimsy and nostalgia.

http://www.kinfolk.com

In a bit of a departure here, Kinfolk is a lifestyle magazine aimed at young creatives. It advocates a slow lifestyle of careful balance. I’m drawn to the typeface and inviting neutrals used on the site. The whole aesthetic is one of coziness–achieved in soft grays, dull blues, off-whites, and faded tans.

http://www.hauscollectivesa.com

This website belongs to an art collective / pop up shop in San Antonio that was started last year by a dear friend of mine. I love the color scheme used throughout site (which also translates to all of their physical materials–posters, cards, etc). The light pink, balanced by elegant black font and delicate black and white photographs, inspire me to utilize high contrast colors in my own work to add visual interest.