Sunday, October 28, 2007

I only needed to make six tentacles, because I already have two.


Lots and lots of things are going on right now. Nothing to do with my IP, and I'm ok with that. I made my halloween costume this week and I think it's awesome. It's the first real costume that I have ever made for myself, and I think I did a damn good job with it. I am an octopus. I have six artificial tentacles because I already have the two legs. Sara and I were sea creature friends, we had bubbles last night, but they did not work so well. I think it was the temperature. I think that this really is the first halloween, at least in the past few years, that I really loved my costume. It has always been a last minute thing and I have always been upset with the result. But that's mostly because I don't think through what I want to be so early on. Juliana was little red riding hood and Genevieve was Pocahontas. We were the best group walking around the streets of Ann Arbor, better than all the girls with their butts hanging out, better than all the guys dressed as some form of beer product. We were totally the best. Ha. Basically this was a great halloween weekend and the fun isn't over yet. I'm going trick or treating with the family at the Natural History Museum soon. I haven't seen them in a long long long time and miss them. Especially my neice, she's going to be a butterfly. I hope she doesn't get scared and fly away when I come up. I think I need to start getting ready for that actually. More dressing up...gosh halloween is so cool. Can't it be every day?

Monday, October 22, 2007

Can't everyday be like today?

Today during IP, I was trying to do research and brainstorming about my project. I needed that time to think and really process what my work is about. I'm still a bit confused, but less so than I was. I know why I am doing it now and I understand what is important to me about them. I am less interested in the process than I am the final paintings. I need that gap of understanding to be lost on the audience. I like the fact that they won't necessarily get the correllation between the data sets and the paintings. I talked with Anne (one of my IP professors) and she reiterated the point that I should be researching phsycological aspects of these, e.g. why am I so obsessive, how do I think of these things, what makes me do the things I do. I agree with it fully. I am back on track and feel really good about the project again.

Also, when I was doing research today on Agnes Martin, I stumbled upon this woman named Xylor Jane. She is my salvation. I have felt so lost for so long about my research from other artists. I mean, I can find people that work with color, I can find people that work with grids, I can find people that work with mathematical formulas, but never any that did all of it. I thought I was the only one. WRONG! And never more glad to be wrong. Xylor Jane's work corresponds so well with everything that I have been working on, not only recently, but the entire time I've been in school. Here's her artist statement:

"Xylor Jane's work draws on mathematical algorithims to make intricate and staggering installations. Deriving her patterns from often basic arithmetic exercises (such as the Fibonacci Series or prime numbers), she deals in both complexity and simplicity, finding hidden curiosities and subtle patters amidst swarms of numbers. Her rigorous execution highlights the personal touch and commitment she brings to each piece."

I mean, wow. She is me. I emailed her asking her for, well basically her biography, and I also asked for help with my project, hopefully she will be able to. I am so totally back on track. I feel so good about my project and not so lost. All in all, today was a great day.


Here's Xylor Jane's website if at all interested:
http://www.xylorjane.com/index.html

Sunday, October 21, 2007

This is seeming more and more appealing


https://www.workandtravelireland.org/home.aspx

Can't I just go back now?

No,
wait,
got to finish school first.
Geez, I keep forgetting that.

Friday, October 19, 2007

Wow, just wow



I feel the need to introduce this to everyone. We used to watch this every day in Ireland. I want you to notice the odd forms of seduction and affection throughout the entire video. It's so good.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Confused much?

Yesterday I had my midterm critique for IP. It didn't go too well. I'm frustrated because my professors are not giving me the feedback I need to proceed. They keep talking about my presentation at the final show, when in fact, that's months away, and I need them to ask questions about my project. About my concept. About the form. I need them to ask me questions so I can find the right answers. Well anyways, I was frustrated to the point of not being able to do anything yesterday.

Today I sat down with my painting professor and told him why I haven't been giving my all in class. It's mostly because when I'm in the art school, I feel guilty not being in my studio working on IP. I think I'm brainwashed. He said he understands and really helped me find a way to apply my IP into the painting class. I'm finally motivated to work on these paintings for his class. Also, I asked him to look at my IP work and he helped me loads with that as well. I mean, I feel so much better now that I have talked myself through things, and I think I am just going to have to get outside help from people sometimes...or most of the time. This is not a bad thing.

Also one of the reasons I was feeling bad about my paintings is that I am planning on making 15, when in fact I have yet to finish my first one. This is partially because of the paint that I was using. To counter this, I went out and spent nearly $200 on new paint...I need to find a grant. If anyone knows of any organization that is willing to fund something like this, I need it.

Or, if you want to help me fund it, that would be great as well. HAH!

Friday, October 12, 2007

Some like to call her Reg Spek

So on Tuesday, right after my nap and right before I had to go to work, I checked my emails and happened to have one from my brother. In said email, there was the offer of free tickets to see Regina Spektor on Wednesday at the Fillmore in Detroit. So I was like, alright yeah totally. So on Wednesday Juliana and I went to see Regina and it was so great. We only kind of got lost trying to get there...oops. The show was amazing, without all the special effects that most singers usually use. The whole show was just her, a piano and sometimes a guitar and her wonderful voice. Basically it was simply awesome. During the encore she finally played Fidelity, which is about the only song that I really know of hers. Juliana and I wanted to get out before the huge crowd so we were leaving as this other song came on. So, this song, I have been trying to figure out who sung this song since I was in England, being placed on hold by Vodafone, where a song was repeating over and over. I liked the song but didn't know who it was by and tried to find out, and I finally have...I can't explain how much I was freaking out. It's a good song.




On another note, I am currently watching the Matrix, and finding correllations to Buddhism all over the place. I mean, pretty much the whole movie is about the Buddha and his lives. Just a discovery that's blowing my mind. Apparently this week is full of those.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

It was long I swear...wait, what?



This is a video some girl made of the walk home from the Burren College in a previous year from ours, but I just wanted to show everyone what I was walking past every day in Ireland. Then maybe we'll all be on the same page for why I have to go back.

Critique about video: I wish she had kept every step of the walk in there and not cut anything out making it that uncomfortably long video that you almost don't want to finish but do at the same time. It would have been much more affective. BUT, I also understand it's a pretty cheesy concept and still makes me happy just to see it all again and feel like I'm still there.

Have fun.

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Eyelids are drooping...

So from Sunday at about 5:30pm until this morning at about 11:30am, I had been in the art school every hour except for about three and a half. I have not slept more than about 4 hours in the past few nights...and I had an exam this morning. I am slightly delusional, and by slightly I mean a lot more than slightly. This is an interesting path I am heading down, it's not very promising for a sleep filled school year, but hey, I think I'm ok with that. Sleep can't be that important right? My reward for working so hard...sleep. I'm going to bed, and yes, it's rare that I go to sleep before 1, so be proud.

Sleepy.
Sleepier.
Sleeping.

(The word has lost all meaning)

Monday, October 08, 2007

International Show

This past month all of the students who studied abroad were invited to submit pieces to the International Show that they worked on in their respective foreign countries. I submitted three pieces, an installation, a set of paintings and a grouping of photos.


'The Ultimate Rotation'
This is a piece that I attempted to install at the Burren College, but did not have access to a bed nor a way to hang the projector from the ceiling, hence the reason that I wanted it in the show. I don't know how successful it is in the end but I am glad I was able to finally wrap up the loose ends.


'The Rolling Hills of Ireland?'
These are exercises in the abstraction of the idea of a landscape. I took colors and forms from the area around the Burren to create these. (A non-landscape form of these paintings are what my IP is all about)


'Close Encounters of the International Kind'
The print quality on these is poor but I just wanted to put something in that showed the people that I met in Ireland. I plan to print all of these out with good quality paper, so they'll look prettier, and yes that's the technical term.

I plan on posting more pictures of my artwork as the paintings I'm working on currently start to take shape.

Saturday, October 06, 2007

Apparently I'm on a kick.

I just really like all these music videos and think that everyone else should as well.



I mean, it's Rogue Wave, how could you not absoposolutly love it? Maybe I'll come up with another one to share, who knows.

On another note, why is it effing 85 degrees out? It's October earth, stop with the summer, we don't want it anymore.

Friday, October 05, 2007

All my friends say that of course it's gonna get better.



I really like this video as well. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I've been playing a lot with the idea of color recently. I also really just enjoy the song, regina's voice, and pretty much everything about her. I wish her voice was mine, oh and her hair, well pretty much I just wish I was her.

This is another song I've been enjoying maybe a little bit too much recently. Again, it just fits with my life. When I say that I don't necessarily mean the words, but the song, the music is what gets me most of the time. I rarely actually listen to the words of a song. Sometimes I all of a suddenly understand a song, sometimes I never do.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot.

Everyone. Don't think you can walk all over me. Because you can't. You may have been able to before, but I've changed and you'll get a handful if you decide to fuck with me. Just remember that.

Cellphone's Dead



I'm going to have to say that this is probably one of the greatest music videos of all time.



This is just a great song. I've been listening to it a lot a lot recently. I don't know why. It just fits my life right now? Don't ask, 'cause I don't know.

Beck is so amazing.

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Is it late?

On average I leave the studio at about 2am. Is this late? Too late? Or no? I don't know anymore. I just don't sleep it seems like. I think I need to find a better solution to going to bed so late.

Yeah.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Realization is Key

I just realized that it's been almost a year since I went to Ireland. I think once that one year mark hits, I am going to have a mental breakdown. Mostly because it doesn't seem like there's anyway that a year could have passed. I don't understand time, it just keeps speeding up. Pretty soon I'll be graying sitting in a rocking chair on my porch. I mean, that's what I plan on doing. Certain parts of me can't wait, others can.


I think these spray paint fumes are getting to me. I'm gonna go get some fresh air.

Monday, October 01, 2007

October, what?

I can't believe it's October already. Every time a new month has rolled around this year I have been in utter disbelief. It feels like 2007 is not real. I mean, looking back on it, this year has been full of adventure and holy god a lot of traveling, but there are parts of me that wonder where the year went. Time is speeding up. We're already into our 5th week of school, that seems a bit crazy to me. Maybe it's just me, but 2007 has been a year going at 2,000 miles per hour. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, it's just a thing.