Winter 2009 Course Schedule

Well, I'm pretty excited about the classes I'm taking next semester:

ANTHRARC 284 Aztec, Maya, & Inca Civilzations :: T/TH 1-2:30 LECTURE, T 3-4 DISCUSSION
This course focuses on the rise and fall of the ancient civilizations of Latin America. Two major goals are to expose undergraduates to an anthropological perspective and to a comparative perspective. The geographic focus is on two key regions:

1. South America (Peru and Bolivia); and
2. Mesoamerica (Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras).

The South American societies to be studied include the Chavin, Moche, Chimu, Wari, Tiwanaku, and Inca. The Mesoamerican societies to be studied include the Olmec, Zapotec, Maya, Mixtec, and Aztec.

ARTDES 231 Concept, Form, & Context III: Nature :: M/W 8:30-11:30 AM

One of a series of three required freshman/sophomore studio courses that focuses on problem solving, problem generation, and the development of ideas. Each incorporates reading, research and writing components that integrate critical thinking and language skills with personal expression, and focuses on structured projects that encourage the development of transferable conceptual and formal skills.

ARTDES 261 Penny W. Stamps Distinguished Visitors Series :: TH 5-6:30PM

http://www.art-design.umich.edu/ev_lectures.php?aud=e&menucat=ne

ARTDES 300 The Human Body as an Armature :: M/W 1:30-4:30PM

This course focuses on anatomy and the function of the human body and its relationship to space and human identity. Students will examine, manipulate, alter, fashion, model, adorn, deconstruct and reconstruct, perform, fabricate, protect, extend, augment, and document the human body through the creation of wearables, small spaces/dwellings, sculptural appendages, drawings, performances, videos, and/or photographs. Students will be introduced to contemporary and historical creative thinkers and makers who derive ideas from the study of the human body.

ARTDES 300 Recycling :: T/TH 7-10PM

This course explores meaning within the physical materiality of an artwork and discusses sustainable art practices along with the reusing or re-purposing of cultural materials. A variety of methodologies will be covered, more specifically 3-D sculptural practices, but will also include performance, conceptual, 2-D, and digital medias as applicable to the classroom dialogue. In this course, students will learn how to create work without going to the art supply store.

DANCE 462/SAC 404 Screendance :: TH 8:30-11AM

From Maya Deren to Merce Cunningham, to music video and beyond, this course will explore the unique challenges of capturing and creating dance for the camera. Through class screenings of film and video work, class exercises, reading and discussion, students will learn about various historical and contemporary issues and approaches in combining dance and the moving image. Students will work alone and in small collaborative groups to create their own works integrating dance and video. At the end of the course, students should be able to articulate meaning in dance on film or video and discuss, analyze, and critique both student projects and "professional" dance screen works. Through creative projects, students will develop their own visual style and an increased proficiency with digital video cameras and editing.

Frustrations

This is the piece of paper that says I can take Dance 462/SAC 404 next semester. No one seems to be able to make it electronic for me.

I have been to:
Dance School
Art School
Music School
North Campus Registrar

I shall now send out an email to many people in hopes of being able to take it. Grrr.

TRASHY.

Photo Credit: Vince Roberts

http://www.michigandaily.com/content/2008-12-09/art-and-design-students-turn-trash-fashion

Nine and One Half Hours

Nine and one half hours.
That is how long I was in the print studio.
Seven and a half to clear the background.
Two to print six prints (with mixed litho and etching ink....bad idea, DAMMIT PEOPLE).
Three more layers to go.
Pictures ensue...

Layer 1 Print, Layer 2 Print, The board with the background cleared for Layer 3

Court C

So I just finished editing my final piece for TMP 3 and I have some time to go back and make changes if I feel the need to (it's due Tuesday). I wanted to post what I have so far so that I could get some feedback. The assignment was to spend time in a place and then make a piece in reaction. I spent my time in a racket ball court in the CCRB (and I also spent quite a bit of time having Cadence rehearsals there too, which might explain how the piece came about). Please comment!

The End is Far Too Near

I've written more To Do Lists than notes this semester. Edit. Items in BOLD are still left on the list...

To Do (The Rest of the Semester in Order by Due Date):
1. Spanish Paper
It must be a story of some kind using the grammar we've been taught this semester. At least two pages. I have yet to start. DUE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5 @ 2PM
2. CFC Final Project
It was a half semester research and make something type of project that has to be related to culture. My project has something to do with the idea of faith as opposed to religion in American culture. I am lost as to what to make, which is really really REALLY bad. Need an artist statement. DUE TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9 @ 8:30AM
3. ADP 3 Field Research Project
My project is on apples and local, in season foods (too bad apples are now out of season). I need to finish designing product labels for my locally made applesauce. DUE TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9 @ 11:30AM
4. TMP 3 Final Project
This is about exploring a space over time. I'm making a video that shows the juxtaposition between me, a ball, and a racketball court. Dance for the camera FTW. I need to film and edit everything. DUE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9 @ 1:30PM
5. Printmaking Portfolio
This includes finishing my 6+ layer reduction woodcut (I'm on layer 2), an etching (which I am still cutting into), a group lino thing (have to start), and all of my other prints from the semester (need to print a few more of some of them). DUE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12 @ 9AM
6. ADP 3 Group Project
Trash to clothes. Gotta finish. Shiiiit. DUE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12 by 5 PM.
7. Spanish Final MONDAY, DECEMBER 15 @10:30AM
8. Penny Stamps Makeup Paper
1 page, based on a Ted Talk (or podcast of lecture I missed). DUE DECEMBER 18

The Night Before Thanksgiving-Family Movie List

1988-Oliver & Company (I was 1 month old!!!)
1989-The Adventures of Milo and Otis
1990-Rescuers Down Under
1991-An American Tale: Fivel Goes West
1992-Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
1993-Cool Runnings?
1994-The Santa Clause
1995-Toy Story
1996-101 Dalmations
1997-Anastasia?
1998-A Bug's Life
1999-James Bond: The World is Not Enough (Dad, Nathan, Kathryn)/Toy Story 2 (Mom, Laura)
2000-How the Grinch Stole Christmas
2001-Monster's Inc.
2002-James Bond: Die Another Day
2003-The Cat in the Hat
2004--National Treasure
2005-Pride and Predjudice
2006-James Bond: Casino Royale
2007-August Rush
2008-James Bond: Quantum of Solace

Nattúra

Bjork put a new song out not too long ago feat. Thom Yorke called "Nattúra."

It all started back with the Bjork/Sigur Rós free concert in Reykjavík that I missed by 2 WEEKS this summer.
It has spawned a website which facilitates discussions concerning environmental issues as well as research and development specifically pertaining to Iceland's sustainability. Check it out: http://nattura.info

Trashy

I think we're going to call our clothing line "Trashy" haha. I attached a skirt to the dress, but I don't know how I feel about it at this point in time...I want to redo the pleats. They're driving me INSANE. EDIT: They look bad. I'm redoing them!

hybriddd.

I have an idea for my hybrid...FINALLY. An eye w/ a vagina for the pupil that's crying/bleeding BUT it's a detached eyeball with feet instead of the large optic nerves. I had a long conversation about whether or not I would try eating human flesh if given the opportunity right before I started drawing on my board last night. That combined with the fact that I cleaned out a slaughterhouse when I was in Iceland this summer lead to me hanging the eyes from meat hooks on tracks...

Images of board in first stages of carving:

Images of board as I draw and add to the image. The pics were just taken quickly in photobooth so they're in reverse and thus look like it will when printed:

The inspiration pics:

Have a nice day!

This is the final video for my CFC sranger/volunteer project. I was a greeter at a church so I decided to translate the idea to another community: North Campus.

TMP 3-Made up story about an old photograph

O Hatshepsut, born of Amun-Ra
Reigning woman king of Upper and Lower Egypt
Restorer of Karnak, builder of temples
Respected by people of all times

Falcon Pharaoh’d flew into the horizon
To weigh her heart against the feather
Memories erased from walls and minds
To continue a lineage of men

Ma’at cast her back to earth
Body and tomb lost to time
Until the birds once again had flown
From horizon to red earth anew

Betwixt her legs was restored
Manhood to reign
With wisdom of histories
And heart of a woman

William Deir Mott
Progeny of the revered
Draped in the finest cloths
Overflowing with greatness

A young and restless babe
Cried with an iron lung
Giv’n every whim
On the tip of a golden spoon

Grew to be a young man
With thoughts unlike his peers
Wanted to spread wealth throughout
His inheritance worthless unshared

His goodness stretched too far
Self lost with each piece bestowed
Sunset on a shell of remains
Red earth bones for the birds to pick.

the candlelight flickered with a breath of
jazz sucking up the silence of the air.
wine glasses stood almost empty
as the weight of our bodies
sank into the reflection
of gleaming eyes in bare dinner plates
no one spoke.
but speaking was unnecessary
because we all understood.

Dumpster Dress.

Trash to clothes update: the dress goes past my boobs now. Awkward picture. I'm not sure how I'm going to end it. I think my originally sketched shape will not be so flattering. I may make it more of a full skirt...I hope I have enough canvas (otherwise I'll just head back to the dumpster). I also think I need some kind of a color accessory or jacket to go with said dress. I'm thinking a nice red to pop (don't know where the materials for that will come from). I need to scavenge.

ADP Midterm

So apparently I am really good at ADP. I thought I was going to get a D on my test and I got a 95%. How the heck did I do that? Oh well, maybe an A is in my future for this class (so I might be able to stay on the Dean's List. Oh my god, I'm a nerd).

Freshman Year Figure Drawings

Have I mentioned that drawing is not really my thing? I just like doing big expressive pieces. Don't take these for being exacting depictions of what I see. They're more just like me needing to get my emotions out on paper, but not through words. I like some of the quick ones I did, but I'll explain what they all are a little I think.


Final Drawing for Drawing 1, Fall 2007. We had to do a self portrait from only our eyes up. I like fetuses. You should know that already.



Drawing w/o looking at the paper. Pencil jumps where eyes jump. Fall 2007.



Quick 30 second gesture sketches. I cut it out, but this paper said: Happy Vagina Day! on it because it was February 14.



These are both head studies from Winter 2008. I probably spent 20 minutes on the one on the left and 5 on the one on the right. I like the idea of people with their eyes closed and sleep, I've just noticed this. Yeah, I suck at drawing.



Fall 2008 Piece. Drawing with only 4 tones. All I used was charcoal and an eraser. It was very messy and challenging, but I remember the satisfaction I got from working this way. I liked it.



Fall 2008. I remember splitting early from class to "catch a train" home for Thanksgiving. I just wanted to get out of there, but there's something I like about it. Black and White conte.



Another charcoal + eraser piece using only 4 tones. This one was nice. It's a bit smaller, but I was really getting it that day :)



Winter 2008 conte figure drawing. Probably 10 minutes. We drew her a lot so I made her stick thin self sleeping on some clouds...



Winter 2008. Ah yes, the portrait with your creature. I screwed myself over on this one. I actually drew myself while upsidedown but I was holding my shirt so I could see where I was looking so now it's not believable....I had a fairy thing last year.




Winter 2008. HUGE drawing on butcher paper with charcoal. Man I liked doing these but they were kind of a bitch. I had to stand on a stool to do the top and I can't really do proportion, but I liked being able to wipe parts off and build layers.



Winter 2008. First assigment of the semester. Drawing fabric. I like mine except for the fact that I have/had a fear of contrast in drawings at that point in time.



Winter 2008. Another large charcoal on butcher paper.



Winter 2008. Final drawing. Oil sticks amongst other things. View is all out of wack. it just didn't end well. I started making these weird artistic choices because I thought they made me cooler. Yup. I doubt anyone is reading all my comments on these drawings. Why are you wasting your time? YOU go draw something (or go live a life).



Winter 2008. Oil sticks. My loves. I like this drawing. I would be hanging in my apartment right now if it would stick to the wall, but it's being stubborn.

An Odd Weekend.

I am supposed to be doing work. It is basically 3am and I am not doing work. I think I need to stop trying to write in Spanish and go catalog...here I go...any moment now...working...so I can get sleep...it's really happening...yeah...

this is halloween

This is SO me.

http://www.xmarkjenkinsx.com/outside.html

From Trash to Fashion

For ADP 3 we're taking things we would throw away (or things we found in the trash) and making wearable clothing out of it. I found one of those hanging canvas shelving units for closets in a dumpster (the hanger was broken) and I am making a halter dress out of it. So far it's the best thing I've done without a pattern. I have the top to just below the boobs done and it's all I want to work on these days. I'll update pics as I make progress.

Woodcut #2-Head for an Exquisite Corpse

EDIT: I printed 4 prints of this woodcut today after class (and it only took me 2.5 hours to do + cleanup!) and they turned out really well. I did two black on white, one black on an orangey color (I think I'm going to scrap that one), and a black on green. I will post pictures as soon as I've taken some. I thought it would be safer to let them dry fully on the rack then to try and take pictures while they're still wet and my hands were inky. I'm very happy, but I need to get working on my suicide board hybrid image b/c it's supposed to be transferred and it's nowhere close!

2ND EDIT: Endi didn't like my background. He said it was beautifully cut and that the worms would have popped better if I'd left the background black. I liked how busy it was. I wouldn't listen to him except that before I cut the background he said it was one of his favorite designs and I'm open to crit. I made a mylar stencil though so I'm going to ink a field everywhere except where the worms are and make a black field over my orange-y one and one of the b&w ones (to see if he's right). I am also going to do a color field and then use the other half of the stencil to just ink the worms and have a solid color background with a much smaller black field. I don't really want to cut my block any more. Ana also suggested using thin Japanese paper to stencil and then it would take some of the ink and I could use it to collage later so I may try that too.