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My dreams schedule for Semester 2 would be having classes Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. My first class, a creative writing class would be in at 11:30, and last until 12:15. I would actually have time to eat (woah!) and then my two following classes, Foundations for Art and Design and college algebra, would be back to back, ending before 4:30. My other classes would be American Experience because it’s required and a communications class because I find those courses very interesting.

My Four Year Plan would be more difficult, considering St. Edward’s does not have any architecture programs, and considering I am not sure of my major. I hope to intern every summer though, and to study abroad my Junior year.

Part 1

For each class ask yourself the following:

My greatest strengths in English include: creative writing, memorizing definitions, and communicating! For greater success in this course, I need to: spend more time editing my work and become less attached to sentences that hold me back. My greatest strengths in Typography include: open mindedness, interest in learning new material, and great connection with professor. For greater success in this course, I need to: learn how to use space and make my art more simple and clean. My greatest strengths in Intro to Communications include: my willingness to embarrass myself for a good presentation, my interaction in the class, and my open personality. For greater success in this course, I need to: research what part of communications I am the most interested in! My greatest strengths in Ecology and Environmental Systems include: my prior knowledge in the subject and my interest in the environment For greater success in this course, I need to: read the textbook more frequently Computer skills: My computer skills include: being able to work many Microsoft programs and somewhat being able to Adobe programs (work in progress) I still need to learn: more about Adobe programs Research & writing skills: My greatest strengths as a researcher/writer include: creative writing is my strongest suit, but I improved greatly on research based writing in my English course this semester. I need to work on these aspects of research and writing: having a better idea of my “voice” in a research- based paper. I learn best & accomplish most when: I am shown, I am helped hands-on, and when I am given different levels of trials, like “rough drafts” ACTION PLAN Choose one class that you are struggling with or are not doing as well as you could. Well Visual Studies was this class for me; I could have made more of an effort to explore what I could photograph on S. Congress because frankly I have never felt less artistic inspiration. 2. Spending more time reflecting on myself for what I wanted to learn from the course. 3. I could have switched professors 4. I could have asked more classmates for help and advice 5. Spending more times on the reflections 6. Taking care of my time management 7. Getting more rest 8. I could have been a better artist 9. it seems I probably would have benefitted from cutting about 8 hours of work out of my 3D project since my teacher did not like my use of different materials. 10. I could have defended myself and classmates less so the professors would not have had a distaste for me.

part 2

I could edit this.

“Straight Outta Chevy Chase” is a Radio Lab segment that begins explaining how Peter Rosenberg is living in an environment where he doesn’t fit in. I felt a personal relationship to this because I felt I didn’t belong at a school when I was younger, and it led me to feeling bullied and eventually leaving the school. The segment goes on to explain a beautiful message that can be relevant in countless situations; the concept that with the passing of time, we grow further and further away from the origin of anything, whether it be a memory, a feeling, and a tragedy. The concept of hidden truth that Hollis explained in her presentation is expressed in this, as our memories will sometimes hide what truly happened.

In relation to a person’s being, everyone is unique, and therefore nobodies talents can be easily defined. If memories are altered, then stories are altered, but no matter what, people never say any unwritten story the exact same way. For me, telling stories is a crime as I am usually the only one laughing, but writing stories? That is a different ballpark. It’s the same with art. I love photography but if I am given a camera and am told to take pictures of anything other than the sun rising over the cost or the mountains swooping down, as though the trees would never end, then I will not excel. When I see beauty in nature; I see art that is worth preserving for the rest of my life.

Matthew DeFeo: This artist expressed the importance of internships. Yeah, yeah, so I’ve heard, I thought, but then he went on to explain that not only is it good for future employment, but he said you learn a great deal of experience. Matthew explained how you would be able to web and make relationships within the industry, art or any you choose to do. Something interesting he added in was how confidence can make all of the difference.

Sanjo: This artist explained that everyone must learn to accept their failures and instead of mourning over them, learn from then, and pick up where you left off. “Grit” was a word he used as she talked about getting back on the horse, and eventually learning how to be the best you can be. Mapping out a plan or sketching an idea will also help build a stronger idea of what we are doing.

Hollis: This artist’s concept about art being with lies is very interesting, and I found it to be true in many of my the past art I have studied in art history classes. It is a major theme that is will reveal what is really happening only if you analyze it hard enough, like Hollis’s replications of the storms and her perfect circles. The most interesting thing Hollis pointed out was when she showed her picture of the chairs; they were a combination of memories, hazed of time, and changed with the language, knowledge, and images of the passing years.

 

Sybil: This artist’s work did not begin with paint on canvas, but with music, as Sybil was a musician before joining the visual world of art. She has many other skills though, including writing, photography, and video making. The most important thing I learned from her is to hold on to your independence; by this I mean she felt the same way as I do about my art: never allow others to tell you how to create or to change yourself. She touched on the importance of absorbing what is around you at all times, and how staying true to how you are and what you need is crucial.

 

Tuan: This artist’s style stood out to me like a sore thumb; how I wish I could sketch or create the way he does. He touched on the importance of keeping up with your work, no matter how busy your schedule may become. Tuan spoke of patience, also, and how certain programs and mediums we might have to work with along the way are tedious, but doable.

The Review of the Armin Mühsam exhibition:

 

The Armin Mühsam exhibition artwork could be described as modern, inventive, and I find the use of straight angles, bright colors, and geometric shapes particularly attractive. Though the first impression of his pieces are plain, when one looks harder you can make out the way he uses space and details to create an original production. Armin’s landscapes remind me of art that I would personally love to make myself, since I am a huge fan of architecture.

Beeler: improv actress and set designer; this woman is a successful, smart girl who was handed opportunities that she never rejected “when doors open, walk through them.” She was very involved in the “hide out”, painting their backdrops every few months for the new shows. She has an agent for her acting, and she has been working with that and strengening her acting skills for about six years. Her group, with her husband in it, have done of 550 shows in the past 9 years. Recently she opened up a satellite coffee bar. Beller’s senior show consisted of oil paintings of food, which was more popular than she ever expected; she has continued doing them and sells them. Something that meant a lot to mean that she mentioned “create the things you want to exist in the world”; this is something i’ve always lived by with my art. Another things she said, “I like to make people’s ideas come to life”, really struck me as thoughtful.

Overall she gave me the most confidence of any of the speakers thus far.

Marino: I really enjoy how the pump project is geared to help the poor artists who make up austin and strive to find an affordable studio. Another thing she mentioned was how her studio tries to work with kids and influence art in their lives and thats so important in my life. I love how theie community is so open and how the 22nd and 23rd will be open to the public for anyone to see the art. Her astronomy work is beautiful, and really interests me. Her connection between the dirty, damp street and the sky really captured my attention. Her jello- rock mold piece was really pretty.

Dockery: her presentation was much shorter, and I didn’t feel as much of a personal connection to her work because i am not much a photographer.

Marshall McLuhan was an artist of his time; by this I mean he understood the styles and mediums of his generation and generations to come. ‘All Media Us Over’ expresses McLuhan’s belief that one cannot change what is going on around them, that they must just accept the times and events at hand.

Marshal discusses the impact of televisions in the 19^th century, but as predicted the technology of the now and of the future is not limited to TV’s. Other modern forms of technology like computers and smart phones allow people to express themselves in new ways, and to always remain connected to things around them. Social media is a good example of how people express their creativity with one another. This is both good and bad for a few reasons. Bringing people together and allowing new methods and mediums for channeling communication and creativity are things technology have brought to our world. On the other hand, the fear is that people are more involved in their devices than the world around them. Creating memories and exchanging conversations are things the modern day have in some ways hid away.

Art and communication have a lot in common to me; both are interoperated entirely differently by people of different back grounds, ages, and likes. Marshal McLuhan showed me through his work that there is a common ground for all types of communication and art in technology.

http://woodyfarris.com/index.html

 

Woody Farris’s acrylic on canvas.
This man is an artist who worked in Austin for many years but now lives in a smaller town outside of the city. He has been painting his whole life, his work changing and evolving over time.
His gallery inspries me mostly because of the colors. I chose three of my favorite works that I saw to post.

I absolutely loved the TA’s blogs. Not only were they professional, but they were unique.