We dance around in a ring and suppose
but the secret sits in the middle and knows.
-Robert Frost
but the secret sits in the middle and knows.
-Robert Frost
posted by Bonnie at 2:20 PM
1 comments
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Mirrors...
Isn't it interesting how you can look at someone in a mirror, and they can look back at you, but you're not really looking at each other at all?
Just saying.
Just saying.
posted by Bonnie at 4:22 PM
1 comments
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Reflections.
I need to gather everything I've written on every blog site I've made over the past 8 or so years and find all the poems and such... they're all dated, they're all printed or saved somewhere.... at least i hope. And those diaries from when I was 9, yeah, those are probably gone. I distinctly remember throwing one away, which is entirely too bad. But it's nice, it's like a journal, sort of. I can never keep an actual journal on a regular basis, my life is just too busy and it's too confining to try to do so. But I've written stuff, in essence, on the corners of napkins all my life. What I need is a good month to just compile it all. But, story of my life, right? If only I could do that with everything, have the time to get it together all neat and tidy and then go from there. But that's just not how my life is.
I could spend half of my time writing about the other half, and I still wouldn't write half of what I wanted to or needed to. That's the craziness of the human brain... mind... a sense of self... the ability to reflect to the point of being able to sit in a room completely still forever and you'd never run out of things to think about, truly. You might die from lack of companionship (because honestly I believe human interaction is vital to life) but if you could keep your spirits up somehow, though possibilities are endless. You could create anything and everything, you could go anywhere in your mind and indulge and hate and love and cry and bore yourself incessantly and thrill yourself immensely just sitting there...
I think this might be what Ann's been talking about. She said if she locked us in our bare, blank, boring, white walled, dirty studio for a week with only our camera, we would come up with compelling photographs. I know she's right. But that doesn't stop the frustration that comes with being an artist, the constant attempts at communication... that's the essence of art, and you'll never say exactly what you mean, because it is impossible, which links back to the fact that possibilities are endless. No moment in time is the same as any other and no moment you remember that movement in time will be the same as any other memory of that moment nor will it be the same as someone else's idea about it or their changing ideas with time. You always reflect on things dependent on now, and now is so fluid it's insane. I mean, consider the fact that by the time you've registered "now" now has passed. And I don't simply mean in reflection of now, I mean physically in your body, by the time your senses have sent a signal to your brain and your brain has registered what you're sensing, it has been a fraction of a second, and the moment that caused the signal to be sent is over. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
I believe we live more in the past than in the future, even though it may seem like we're more concerned with what will be happening next, which is very true. But we can only deal with the present in terms of what we already know. It's impossible to do it otherwise. Sure, we work toward what will happen next, but the classic "we carry baggage" is such a good way to put it. Every step forward is working with what's happened already. The subconscious, a crazy mysterious place.
Freud. He gets on my nerves. Just want to throw that out there. Now of course, I have introduced him as a subject and now he will be on your mind, which is inevitable. But I think he was incorrect in many ways. And he gets on my nerves. I'd prefer to now even have mentioned him because I feel it taints my thoughts with frustration, but to not mention it would be to deny that it's part of the whole discussion and stream of consciousness. That being said, I'm not going to go into why.
Of course of course, who's to say we're really real at all? That is the worst place for the mind to go of all. But it's so fascinating! More interesting, however, is purely thinking about the immensity of time and of the galaxy and of the universe and how really small we are, and then to go the other direction, things being made up of smaller and smaller things that all do so many complicated little dances with each other to create what happens... good god because they all create these thoughts and this typing and somehow this computer and screen and key board with letters and a language, not to mention I'm on the 12th floor of a brick building, etc. And then we speculate if any of it really exists! Wow.
The beauty of the world, you have to feel it. The beauty of life and of not knowing, you have to just trust it. Or don't trust it. But trusting it allows for this intense connection to the unknown, which is so exciting and absurd! To have a connection to the fact that you can never understand anything.... I wonder if that's, in a sense, buddhist enlightenment. Interesting?
To know something as indepthly as you can is so wonderful. Maybe because it's a comfort, a beginning to feel like you know some of the unknown. And indeed, you do, because you are you and you are part of all this, and you certainly understand something. I understand that releasing myself to a sense of calm in allowing the things that I can't control to happen, instead of fighting against something like time, or more trivial fights... gives me such a joy in knowing I am part of nature. By nature I don't literally mean leaves and trees and grass and birds and such, I mean whatever this is in us that we all inherently feel but conclude comes from something different. I think those that know it best are those that don't try to question where it comes from. Impossible, I know, and maybe presumptuous. But all I know is that Religion in trying to describe such a thing and giving reasons misses the core thing about it... it's too vast to even begin to comprehend, and even the best description I once got from a very religious friend was lacking this. He said that God is exactly what I'm talking about. He's not in human form because that's what he is, that's just a very tiny part of him, and we see him that way because that is what we understand. He also includes the earth and the galaxy and stars and universe and all of the ideas that are in our brains and parallel universes and the 5th dimension and the 5th dimension of the 5th dimension (and no, I don't mean the 25th dimension, I mean literally what I said) and all of those imbossible unfathomable things that the only thing we know about them is just that: impossible unfathomable. Infinity. It goes on to infinity. All of it in the same sort of... category? list?
This is the closest anyone has ever come to convincing me of religion. But it still fails to recognize that even the thought of thinking you understand that there is something out there that does all of this is truly impossible. Or. It's just semantics, as Mom put it. And we really are describing the same thing.
And yet. Religion has it's own set of issues that maybe the purest of the pure form of it wouldn't have. Maybe as such it would really be what I'm talking about.( And then they try to convince me to convert because they are trying to tell me that this is exactly it!) But there's no need to do it as such. Everyone has their own spirituality, as my Grama so wisely phrased it. And some non-religious people are by far the most spiritual. Everyone, however has it in them.
Are people born good, bad, neutral? In using the reason I've grown up with, I would have to say neutral. But in using what I feel in my gut, I would have to say good. Because what do I feel? I feel exactly that connection with people and I know we all have it... that we all feel this same thing and struggle to define it and come to terms with it. And I think the frustration, or maybe even more so the helplessness and fear of not having control, is what makes people "bad." That and harsh circumstances, of course. But where did it being, with the first who didn't have harsh circumstances and began the cycle? Ah, utopias. Entirely possible.
But anyway? Ah yes. Knowing something in depth, like photography. It feels good because it is a comfort, and procrastination comes from the fear of not understanding. Not understanding is scary! But we look at ourselves and wonder what's so scary about this? It's not necessarily exactly the thing we are trying to accomplish. Perhaps it is the lack of control we feel we have. Isn't life for many people just a struggle to feel a control over something? It all is so much easier with companions, which is why I brought that up earlier in terms of being isolated in a space with only your thoughts, Ultimately, you would go crazy! Because human interaction is so important and so wonderful! You wouldn't go crazy because humans are inherently bad and inherently have bad thoughts, we just feel so much more than we realize. We are so out of touch with the earth and the world and nature or God or whatever it is that's deep within us. We are so out of touch with it. Friendship brings us back closer to it. And I might venture to say that if this person isolated to their thoughts had a cat to keep them company all the while, they wouldn't be so bad. Or maybe even a tree. See, the difference between being isolated in a white walled cold room, and being "isolated" in nature. Nature is part of us. Without other humans, we'd still get along. Companionship is the key word, instead of human interaction.
Though of course, human interaction is quite nice.
So. What do I possibly take pictures of, if these are my reflections? I am immensely drawn to the surreal and the absurd, and yet the serene and the beautiful and the quite. These are not opposites, but they pull at each other. I am not an opposite of myself, but I have parts of my that are very strange next to each other. Something about the uneasy fascinates us, but we never want to get too close.
Do I want to create disturbing images? My immediate response is no, but my thoughtful response is, why yes, of course! Why so quick to say no? A lack of control, of understanding, of experience, and quite simply because uneasy makes us uneasy. But limits are not my aim, and why shouldn't I create a whole 'nother realm, a world onto itself? It no different than the world I've already created with my photographs, and there's no reason I can't do it. People will all have their own ideas about things, there own ways of looking at the world, and I don't really know what's so wrong with liking an image simply because you feel it in your gut. I guess I'm different in that I'm not trying to "succeed" in life in the way people mean by that. I am trying to feel it out. That's all. Just see what happens and enjoy it as I do. Enjoy doesn't even mean happiness, it means an interest, a searching, a fascination, a discovery. So again maybe presumptuous, but I'm not trying necessarily to be main stream. I want to connect with people for certain, (again, isn't art about communication?), but... not through the way this society has created this path "upwards" for us. It is impossible that way.
What other people think is certainly important, as I have stressed the necessity and importance of interactions. We don't exist as we are without the people around us and the people that have been around us and so on. We have this code in us that helps guide the way we interact as well... which is a whole 'nother ball game.
Oh stream of consciousness, I could go on forever...
Sitting here in this room with only my thoughts.
Existentialism. That is my fascination. The realm of toys that goes with that surrealist world, pocket watches, bowler hats, gears, monocles, steam engines, copper pipes, umbrellas, vests, etc. It was all already there in me, I already loved it. I just had to realize it (first by being introduced to what it was and then recognizing it in me), and now I am working to discover it.
So maybe my pictures should be about that. A reflection of the surrealist swirl of thoughts that are always at least in the background of every step I take through time. Maybe a reference to the surrealist thinkers that have come before me. Maybe I can search to find my own way of defining it, of explaining what I mean, of communicating.
Searching. That is what an artist does. Maybe I'm more of a photographer than I even thought or realized.
I could spend half of my time writing about the other half, and I still wouldn't write half of what I wanted to or needed to. That's the craziness of the human brain... mind... a sense of self... the ability to reflect to the point of being able to sit in a room completely still forever and you'd never run out of things to think about, truly. You might die from lack of companionship (because honestly I believe human interaction is vital to life) but if you could keep your spirits up somehow, though possibilities are endless. You could create anything and everything, you could go anywhere in your mind and indulge and hate and love and cry and bore yourself incessantly and thrill yourself immensely just sitting there...
I think this might be what Ann's been talking about. She said if she locked us in our bare, blank, boring, white walled, dirty studio for a week with only our camera, we would come up with compelling photographs. I know she's right. But that doesn't stop the frustration that comes with being an artist, the constant attempts at communication... that's the essence of art, and you'll never say exactly what you mean, because it is impossible, which links back to the fact that possibilities are endless. No moment in time is the same as any other and no moment you remember that movement in time will be the same as any other memory of that moment nor will it be the same as someone else's idea about it or their changing ideas with time. You always reflect on things dependent on now, and now is so fluid it's insane. I mean, consider the fact that by the time you've registered "now" now has passed. And I don't simply mean in reflection of now, I mean physically in your body, by the time your senses have sent a signal to your brain and your brain has registered what you're sensing, it has been a fraction of a second, and the moment that caused the signal to be sent is over. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
I believe we live more in the past than in the future, even though it may seem like we're more concerned with what will be happening next, which is very true. But we can only deal with the present in terms of what we already know. It's impossible to do it otherwise. Sure, we work toward what will happen next, but the classic "we carry baggage" is such a good way to put it. Every step forward is working with what's happened already. The subconscious, a crazy mysterious place.
Freud. He gets on my nerves. Just want to throw that out there. Now of course, I have introduced him as a subject and now he will be on your mind, which is inevitable. But I think he was incorrect in many ways. And he gets on my nerves. I'd prefer to now even have mentioned him because I feel it taints my thoughts with frustration, but to not mention it would be to deny that it's part of the whole discussion and stream of consciousness. That being said, I'm not going to go into why.
Of course of course, who's to say we're really real at all? That is the worst place for the mind to go of all. But it's so fascinating! More interesting, however, is purely thinking about the immensity of time and of the galaxy and of the universe and how really small we are, and then to go the other direction, things being made up of smaller and smaller things that all do so many complicated little dances with each other to create what happens... good god because they all create these thoughts and this typing and somehow this computer and screen and key board with letters and a language, not to mention I'm on the 12th floor of a brick building, etc. And then we speculate if any of it really exists! Wow.
The beauty of the world, you have to feel it. The beauty of life and of not knowing, you have to just trust it. Or don't trust it. But trusting it allows for this intense connection to the unknown, which is so exciting and absurd! To have a connection to the fact that you can never understand anything.... I wonder if that's, in a sense, buddhist enlightenment. Interesting?
To know something as indepthly as you can is so wonderful. Maybe because it's a comfort, a beginning to feel like you know some of the unknown. And indeed, you do, because you are you and you are part of all this, and you certainly understand something. I understand that releasing myself to a sense of calm in allowing the things that I can't control to happen, instead of fighting against something like time, or more trivial fights... gives me such a joy in knowing I am part of nature. By nature I don't literally mean leaves and trees and grass and birds and such, I mean whatever this is in us that we all inherently feel but conclude comes from something different. I think those that know it best are those that don't try to question where it comes from. Impossible, I know, and maybe presumptuous. But all I know is that Religion in trying to describe such a thing and giving reasons misses the core thing about it... it's too vast to even begin to comprehend, and even the best description I once got from a very religious friend was lacking this. He said that God is exactly what I'm talking about. He's not in human form because that's what he is, that's just a very tiny part of him, and we see him that way because that is what we understand. He also includes the earth and the galaxy and stars and universe and all of the ideas that are in our brains and parallel universes and the 5th dimension and the 5th dimension of the 5th dimension (and no, I don't mean the 25th dimension, I mean literally what I said) and all of those imbossible unfathomable things that the only thing we know about them is just that: impossible unfathomable. Infinity. It goes on to infinity. All of it in the same sort of... category? list?
This is the closest anyone has ever come to convincing me of religion. But it still fails to recognize that even the thought of thinking you understand that there is something out there that does all of this is truly impossible. Or. It's just semantics, as Mom put it. And we really are describing the same thing.
And yet. Religion has it's own set of issues that maybe the purest of the pure form of it wouldn't have. Maybe as such it would really be what I'm talking about.( And then they try to convince me to convert because they are trying to tell me that this is exactly it!) But there's no need to do it as such. Everyone has their own spirituality, as my Grama so wisely phrased it. And some non-religious people are by far the most spiritual. Everyone, however has it in them.
Are people born good, bad, neutral? In using the reason I've grown up with, I would have to say neutral. But in using what I feel in my gut, I would have to say good. Because what do I feel? I feel exactly that connection with people and I know we all have it... that we all feel this same thing and struggle to define it and come to terms with it. And I think the frustration, or maybe even more so the helplessness and fear of not having control, is what makes people "bad." That and harsh circumstances, of course. But where did it being, with the first who didn't have harsh circumstances and began the cycle? Ah, utopias. Entirely possible.
But anyway? Ah yes. Knowing something in depth, like photography. It feels good because it is a comfort, and procrastination comes from the fear of not understanding. Not understanding is scary! But we look at ourselves and wonder what's so scary about this? It's not necessarily exactly the thing we are trying to accomplish. Perhaps it is the lack of control we feel we have. Isn't life for many people just a struggle to feel a control over something? It all is so much easier with companions, which is why I brought that up earlier in terms of being isolated in a space with only your thoughts, Ultimately, you would go crazy! Because human interaction is so important and so wonderful! You wouldn't go crazy because humans are inherently bad and inherently have bad thoughts, we just feel so much more than we realize. We are so out of touch with the earth and the world and nature or God or whatever it is that's deep within us. We are so out of touch with it. Friendship brings us back closer to it. And I might venture to say that if this person isolated to their thoughts had a cat to keep them company all the while, they wouldn't be so bad. Or maybe even a tree. See, the difference between being isolated in a white walled cold room, and being "isolated" in nature. Nature is part of us. Without other humans, we'd still get along. Companionship is the key word, instead of human interaction.
Though of course, human interaction is quite nice.
So. What do I possibly take pictures of, if these are my reflections? I am immensely drawn to the surreal and the absurd, and yet the serene and the beautiful and the quite. These are not opposites, but they pull at each other. I am not an opposite of myself, but I have parts of my that are very strange next to each other. Something about the uneasy fascinates us, but we never want to get too close.
Do I want to create disturbing images? My immediate response is no, but my thoughtful response is, why yes, of course! Why so quick to say no? A lack of control, of understanding, of experience, and quite simply because uneasy makes us uneasy. But limits are not my aim, and why shouldn't I create a whole 'nother realm, a world onto itself? It no different than the world I've already created with my photographs, and there's no reason I can't do it. People will all have their own ideas about things, there own ways of looking at the world, and I don't really know what's so wrong with liking an image simply because you feel it in your gut. I guess I'm different in that I'm not trying to "succeed" in life in the way people mean by that. I am trying to feel it out. That's all. Just see what happens and enjoy it as I do. Enjoy doesn't even mean happiness, it means an interest, a searching, a fascination, a discovery. So again maybe presumptuous, but I'm not trying necessarily to be main stream. I want to connect with people for certain, (again, isn't art about communication?), but... not through the way this society has created this path "upwards" for us. It is impossible that way.
What other people think is certainly important, as I have stressed the necessity and importance of interactions. We don't exist as we are without the people around us and the people that have been around us and so on. We have this code in us that helps guide the way we interact as well... which is a whole 'nother ball game.
Oh stream of consciousness, I could go on forever...
Sitting here in this room with only my thoughts.
Existentialism. That is my fascination. The realm of toys that goes with that surrealist world, pocket watches, bowler hats, gears, monocles, steam engines, copper pipes, umbrellas, vests, etc. It was all already there in me, I already loved it. I just had to realize it (first by being introduced to what it was and then recognizing it in me), and now I am working to discover it.
So maybe my pictures should be about that. A reflection of the surrealist swirl of thoughts that are always at least in the background of every step I take through time. Maybe a reference to the surrealist thinkers that have come before me. Maybe I can search to find my own way of defining it, of explaining what I mean, of communicating.
Searching. That is what an artist does. Maybe I'm more of a photographer than I even thought or realized.
posted by Bonnie at 10:14 PM
0 comments
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
But if I never write, I'll never write. Common sense, people.
I never feel like writing because I know the task ahead of my and I know it is long and time consuming. I have a lot to explain and I'd rather explain it out loud because then it seems to go faster because it's a conversation. But anyway, here goes.
So I've been here for a week and a half, or, 11 days. That's a very tiny number. Ew. I shouldn't have converted it into days. Kay, what I like better is I am in week TWO. Two of 16. Okay that sounds so much better! I have exactly one week until Naomi comes to visit, and once she leaves, exactly 5 weeks until Spring break, and 6 weeks after Spring break, and then I get to go home. Yes. I'm already thinking about going home. I like home. Home is the west coast, the bay area. Home is better than New York because that's where I grew up, that's where I have my best friends and my family, it's familiar. and all that jazz. Also. It doesn't FREEZE like me right now as a popsicle.
But anyway, New York isn't all bad. And I must have wanted to come here for a reason, right? Right. And I did. And now I'm here and I see that it is fine but not wonderful and that's fine but after this round I want to try a new place. I don't imagine that I wont stick it out for the 4 years, but I can't imagine sticking around after that.
Also. I have a hard time with new things. I said that in the last entry right? I discovered that my greatest fear is of new things in all shapes and sizes. Maybe that's linked to a fear of failure, because they always say everyone's greatest fear is failure (or maybe they don't, but I'm allowed to make things up, this is MY blog, after all). Like I said. Fear of new things. A fear of doing them imperfectly because I don't know how to do them. Or sometimes, just a fear of getting lost because I don't know where I'm going. So. When I first get to a new thing, like a new semester, it sucks. Why? Because it's a million new things all at once. But it's not like when I came to New York. I wasn't scared of New York or coming here. It's a strange distinction. I was scared of the subway and of making new friends and of crazy projects in new classes. But not of New York. You following? It's okay if you're not. So anyway, I am in a new semester. At the new part of that new semester. Right? So. Scary.
Basically I just need to re-settle in ever time. Especially since my break was so wonderful. And it was a whole month long. So I got used to it, being comfortable and relaxed and having no obligations. (It also went by really quickly but that's a whole other story. I actually got back here the first night and found myself in Tudor's room sitting on the same chair facing him sitting on the same chair in the same way at night just like we'd been the night before we both left. It was some crazy real dejavu, and it felt like I never left. But anyway.) So, this week I am more settled. That's why I didn't really want to write last week because I was kinda freaking out. I was scared of my new teacher and classes and, as always, the sheer number of classes, and of having three early mornings in a row (last semester I had 3 early mornings total, alternating, this year I have 4 total. Last year too, I had 3 total. I need my sleep, I really do, or I'm a mess. Over break I got beautiful amounts of sleep. As much as my heart desired!) Of course this simply means I have to get to bed sooner, but what if I can't? Yada yada...
So there was no true recognition of this semester yet, I really couldn't accurately asses what is going on because I know my judgment is not accurate when it is feeling the new. Logically, I know how it should be, but intuitively, I think AHHHHHHHHH (to use technical terms).
Now. The second week doesn't quite asses it entirely accurately either, but it does a much better job. And the second week is saying, "whew, okay. Not so bad." So that's where I'm at. This week is telling me that this semester is going to go much more smoothly than I of course thought the firt week. And no one is surprised that this is the analysis. Yet, I still don't think I can give a full description of how I think it will really go until the third week. Which I plan on doing.
However. I will give you what I know.
3-D is now all day on Mondays. I like this better because it gets it over with, but I also still find 3-D to be very bland and a very long waste of a day. I did, however, have this past Monday off, which was wonderful. I have the same teacher, so it's the same deal. Easy and he's nice and he likes me. I'll get through it. I almost shouldn't bother mentioning anymore because it actually serves no purpose in my life to the good side or the bad. It just kind of is. It fills some time. Unfortunately.
World Civ. is the same teacher but now Tuesday mornings. This is fine, but also sleepy. Actually, my description of 3-D pretty much fits this class too, except that it is a lecture, so I have the added trouble of staying awake.
Political Philosophy. Now here's something exciting! I have this class Tuesday afternoons. That is a lot of sitting on m ass and taking notes and not falling asleep for one day. Which is why going to be earlier is key. But my teacher seems fantastic! I was worried about not understanding, because the readings are really tough, but he is so clear and so good about explaining that I understand everything, and it's a lot he's throwing at us! I'm really excited to have a philosophy course and he seems really knowledgeable and I heard he was a good teacher and I'm just really excited to learn and for a challenge! Finally. I've been missing those liberal arts challenges... So our whole grade is based upon 3 essays. The first is 5 pages, the second is 7, the last is 10. Approximately. It'll be great to be able to have room to write so much, and to learn to write longer essays. I kill at 5 pages. Not so hot on 2 because that is NOT enough room, but I still get A's. But I haven't really tried a 10, let alone on philosophy! And we have readings every week that really don't make much sense and I'm really excited about it! Haha, no I'm not being sarcastic :)
Color Photo. This class is now Wednesday morning. I was scared of my teacher, but after today I;m less scared. She seems like she has a lot to teach. We have a lot of work to do and new work due every week, but she's going to push us to keep at it. And hey, I am a photo major right? I can't complain about a lot of photo work. Plus this is the semester to really get my color work down. Last semester was just learning, yeah? And the class dynamic seems good. The people in the class seem to all be fine so far. I do need to start thinking about what my project is going to be though, because I refuse to do nature photography of dead trees. I forgot that it's winter here. So no landscapes at least until spring starts to come. But that might be a good thing because then I can force myself to do something new that I haven't done before. It'll be good, I just have to think of what. And our first assignment was interesting because we had to do a test, either between film or paper. I did mine between two different kinds of kodak paper, and I actually found out that I like one more than the other and originally I thought the other one was the one I should get. Now I know if I want my pictures a certain way, I have a choice. And other people's projects were very informative too. Everyone learned from all of them. That was the point.
Studio Photo. This class is Wednesday afternoon. (Can you see how I might be exhausted by Wednesday?) We wont have an actually assignment for another 2 weeks, but she is showing us SO MUCH about studio photography it is incredible! Because I know none of it and she knows so much and it's just wonderful! I am going to learn go much from this class and I'm really excited to get into portraits and still lives, something I haven't been able to explore yet! I was nervous about being able to handle the class, like with color, but I think she's so good at teaching that I'll know exactly what to do and I'll be just fine :)
Yoga. Same time same teacher. Except that I'm not technically signed up for the class. I Hope to be, but otherwise I think she'll let me stay on anyways. I would like the credit, however. But I love yoga and I love my teacher!
Thursdays. My day off. WHEW. This day is intended for taking pictures. Going out and getting it done so that I don't have to worry about it on the weekend and just be able to print. This will change when I have to shoot for studio as well. And this week it is different because me and Susanna usually go out together, but she can't tomorrow so we'll go Saturday instead. It may also change due to my decision on a project, it may not ebing gong out, it may be renting a studio at school. Whatever it is. I will be SLEEPING IN.
Art History. Same teacher, earlier time. Different class though because it's modern art history, aka 1900s onward. And in my particular opinion, blech (this is also a technical term.) Of course I need to know it and of course I want to know it, but I really think it's crap. Really. I think what a lot of the artists were trying to do, their ideas and such, were brilliant ideas and innovations! But what they actually created? It horrible to look at! And I'm sorry, but first and fore most, I need to want to look at it. THEN I can delve into it's deeper meaning. So we'll see how it goes. I doubt I'll do the reading... though I know I should... My teacher's still a sweet old man though! Yay :)
Advanced Black and White Printing is on Friday afternoons. Yup, I got a freakin full week. My teacher seems really cool, though I've only had him for one class so far. He's the only black faculty I've seen, which is simply an interesting thing. Of course, besides the point. He seems very knowledgeable and like a pretty decent teacher and guy. I am SO EXCITED for this class because I really do like black and white better than color. Maybe I just need more practice with color, and maybe I just have different styles for the two and I haven't found my "color style" yet, but still. I prefer printing black and white and the outcome of my pictures. So this class is going to be all about darkroom techniques! Different chemistry, tricks, how to make negatives better, prints better, EVERYTHING! (Don't worry, I'll tell you all about it!) We will be making extra super awesome perfect prints. Period. We don't have to shoot anything, it's a printing class! What a relief. Because shooting for three classes last year was really hard! So this semester I only have two to shoot for. It's a great class to end the week with.
So my week starts intense, but ends more smoothly, which is good. I still have JSU on Tuesday at lunch which I will still be baking for (yay!) and I still will be going to Friday night dinners! No more yoga on Saturday mornings, that was just annoying and yoga is supposed to be relaxing. I dunno what's up with SDS. I will tell you when I know.
But anyway. So there's the first installment. I still need to write about friends, food and exercise, and probably some other random things. But I have to get to Yoga!
hope you enjoyed. Toodles!
So I've been here for a week and a half, or, 11 days. That's a very tiny number. Ew. I shouldn't have converted it into days. Kay, what I like better is I am in week TWO. Two of 16. Okay that sounds so much better! I have exactly one week until Naomi comes to visit, and once she leaves, exactly 5 weeks until Spring break, and 6 weeks after Spring break, and then I get to go home. Yes. I'm already thinking about going home. I like home. Home is the west coast, the bay area. Home is better than New York because that's where I grew up, that's where I have my best friends and my family, it's familiar. and all that jazz. Also. It doesn't FREEZE like me right now as a popsicle.
But anyway, New York isn't all bad. And I must have wanted to come here for a reason, right? Right. And I did. And now I'm here and I see that it is fine but not wonderful and that's fine but after this round I want to try a new place. I don't imagine that I wont stick it out for the 4 years, but I can't imagine sticking around after that.
Also. I have a hard time with new things. I said that in the last entry right? I discovered that my greatest fear is of new things in all shapes and sizes. Maybe that's linked to a fear of failure, because they always say everyone's greatest fear is failure (or maybe they don't, but I'm allowed to make things up, this is MY blog, after all). Like I said. Fear of new things. A fear of doing them imperfectly because I don't know how to do them. Or sometimes, just a fear of getting lost because I don't know where I'm going. So. When I first get to a new thing, like a new semester, it sucks. Why? Because it's a million new things all at once. But it's not like when I came to New York. I wasn't scared of New York or coming here. It's a strange distinction. I was scared of the subway and of making new friends and of crazy projects in new classes. But not of New York. You following? It's okay if you're not. So anyway, I am in a new semester. At the new part of that new semester. Right? So. Scary.
Basically I just need to re-settle in ever time. Especially since my break was so wonderful. And it was a whole month long. So I got used to it, being comfortable and relaxed and having no obligations. (It also went by really quickly but that's a whole other story. I actually got back here the first night and found myself in Tudor's room sitting on the same chair facing him sitting on the same chair in the same way at night just like we'd been the night before we both left. It was some crazy real dejavu, and it felt like I never left. But anyway.) So, this week I am more settled. That's why I didn't really want to write last week because I was kinda freaking out. I was scared of my new teacher and classes and, as always, the sheer number of classes, and of having three early mornings in a row (last semester I had 3 early mornings total, alternating, this year I have 4 total. Last year too, I had 3 total. I need my sleep, I really do, or I'm a mess. Over break I got beautiful amounts of sleep. As much as my heart desired!) Of course this simply means I have to get to bed sooner, but what if I can't? Yada yada...
So there was no true recognition of this semester yet, I really couldn't accurately asses what is going on because I know my judgment is not accurate when it is feeling the new. Logically, I know how it should be, but intuitively, I think AHHHHHHHHH (to use technical terms).
Now. The second week doesn't quite asses it entirely accurately either, but it does a much better job. And the second week is saying, "whew, okay. Not so bad." So that's where I'm at. This week is telling me that this semester is going to go much more smoothly than I of course thought the firt week. And no one is surprised that this is the analysis. Yet, I still don't think I can give a full description of how I think it will really go until the third week. Which I plan on doing.
However. I will give you what I know.
3-D is now all day on Mondays. I like this better because it gets it over with, but I also still find 3-D to be very bland and a very long waste of a day. I did, however, have this past Monday off, which was wonderful. I have the same teacher, so it's the same deal. Easy and he's nice and he likes me. I'll get through it. I almost shouldn't bother mentioning anymore because it actually serves no purpose in my life to the good side or the bad. It just kind of is. It fills some time. Unfortunately.
World Civ. is the same teacher but now Tuesday mornings. This is fine, but also sleepy. Actually, my description of 3-D pretty much fits this class too, except that it is a lecture, so I have the added trouble of staying awake.
Political Philosophy. Now here's something exciting! I have this class Tuesday afternoons. That is a lot of sitting on m ass and taking notes and not falling asleep for one day. Which is why going to be earlier is key. But my teacher seems fantastic! I was worried about not understanding, because the readings are really tough, but he is so clear and so good about explaining that I understand everything, and it's a lot he's throwing at us! I'm really excited to have a philosophy course and he seems really knowledgeable and I heard he was a good teacher and I'm just really excited to learn and for a challenge! Finally. I've been missing those liberal arts challenges... So our whole grade is based upon 3 essays. The first is 5 pages, the second is 7, the last is 10. Approximately. It'll be great to be able to have room to write so much, and to learn to write longer essays. I kill at 5 pages. Not so hot on 2 because that is NOT enough room, but I still get A's. But I haven't really tried a 10, let alone on philosophy! And we have readings every week that really don't make much sense and I'm really excited about it! Haha, no I'm not being sarcastic :)
Color Photo. This class is now Wednesday morning. I was scared of my teacher, but after today I;m less scared. She seems like she has a lot to teach. We have a lot of work to do and new work due every week, but she's going to push us to keep at it. And hey, I am a photo major right? I can't complain about a lot of photo work. Plus this is the semester to really get my color work down. Last semester was just learning, yeah? And the class dynamic seems good. The people in the class seem to all be fine so far. I do need to start thinking about what my project is going to be though, because I refuse to do nature photography of dead trees. I forgot that it's winter here. So no landscapes at least until spring starts to come. But that might be a good thing because then I can force myself to do something new that I haven't done before. It'll be good, I just have to think of what. And our first assignment was interesting because we had to do a test, either between film or paper. I did mine between two different kinds of kodak paper, and I actually found out that I like one more than the other and originally I thought the other one was the one I should get. Now I know if I want my pictures a certain way, I have a choice. And other people's projects were very informative too. Everyone learned from all of them. That was the point.
Studio Photo. This class is Wednesday afternoon. (Can you see how I might be exhausted by Wednesday?) We wont have an actually assignment for another 2 weeks, but she is showing us SO MUCH about studio photography it is incredible! Because I know none of it and she knows so much and it's just wonderful! I am going to learn go much from this class and I'm really excited to get into portraits and still lives, something I haven't been able to explore yet! I was nervous about being able to handle the class, like with color, but I think she's so good at teaching that I'll know exactly what to do and I'll be just fine :)
Yoga. Same time same teacher. Except that I'm not technically signed up for the class. I Hope to be, but otherwise I think she'll let me stay on anyways. I would like the credit, however. But I love yoga and I love my teacher!
Thursdays. My day off. WHEW. This day is intended for taking pictures. Going out and getting it done so that I don't have to worry about it on the weekend and just be able to print. This will change when I have to shoot for studio as well. And this week it is different because me and Susanna usually go out together, but she can't tomorrow so we'll go Saturday instead. It may also change due to my decision on a project, it may not ebing gong out, it may be renting a studio at school. Whatever it is. I will be SLEEPING IN.
Art History. Same teacher, earlier time. Different class though because it's modern art history, aka 1900s onward. And in my particular opinion, blech (this is also a technical term.) Of course I need to know it and of course I want to know it, but I really think it's crap. Really. I think what a lot of the artists were trying to do, their ideas and such, were brilliant ideas and innovations! But what they actually created? It horrible to look at! And I'm sorry, but first and fore most, I need to want to look at it. THEN I can delve into it's deeper meaning. So we'll see how it goes. I doubt I'll do the reading... though I know I should... My teacher's still a sweet old man though! Yay :)
Advanced Black and White Printing is on Friday afternoons. Yup, I got a freakin full week. My teacher seems really cool, though I've only had him for one class so far. He's the only black faculty I've seen, which is simply an interesting thing. Of course, besides the point. He seems very knowledgeable and like a pretty decent teacher and guy. I am SO EXCITED for this class because I really do like black and white better than color. Maybe I just need more practice with color, and maybe I just have different styles for the two and I haven't found my "color style" yet, but still. I prefer printing black and white and the outcome of my pictures. So this class is going to be all about darkroom techniques! Different chemistry, tricks, how to make negatives better, prints better, EVERYTHING! (Don't worry, I'll tell you all about it!) We will be making extra super awesome perfect prints. Period. We don't have to shoot anything, it's a printing class! What a relief. Because shooting for three classes last year was really hard! So this semester I only have two to shoot for. It's a great class to end the week with.
So my week starts intense, but ends more smoothly, which is good. I still have JSU on Tuesday at lunch which I will still be baking for (yay!) and I still will be going to Friday night dinners! No more yoga on Saturday mornings, that was just annoying and yoga is supposed to be relaxing. I dunno what's up with SDS. I will tell you when I know.
But anyway. So there's the first installment. I still need to write about friends, food and exercise, and probably some other random things. But I have to get to Yoga!
hope you enjoyed. Toodles!
posted by Bonnie at 6:15 PM
0 comments
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
And so it begins...
Alright. So I suppose I have the break to talk about. But you know. It was fabulous. That about sums it up. I'll write more about it later?
There are lots of details I could get into, and hopefully I will soon. I'm out of the regular blogging pattern, so I hope I'll pick it back up and that I'll find the time to do so. But for now, I will leave you will a summary.
School is okie dokie. Last semester was so great because it was easy and not stressful. This semester is looking like it's going to be a bit harder, and more new stuff to learn. Because I mean, last semester my three photo classes were black and white, color, and digital which were all pretty basic courses and I already know a bunch about photography so they were pretty straight forward, and I only had two lecture classes and I had 3-D and silk screening, both which really didn't have two much work. But this semester I have three lectures, two are the same but one is this really hard political philosophy class that I'm really excited about but I know is going to be really challenging, and then I have three photo classes again, but they're different, I have color again, but it's with a new teacher who is known for being really hard and giving a lot of work, and then I have studio which will be great because I know nothing about it, but also hard because it'll be all new. And I have advanced black and white printing which is darkroom techniques which should be a blast, but a class is a class, they all have work. And of course I still have 3-D. I don't know how we manage 18 credits at this school, I just don't know. 7 classes is intense! And on top of that it's art which is so much more time consuming! But it's okay because some classes turned out a bit harder than I expected, and some turned out a little easier, so it balanced... hopefully.
BUT the good news is that I really have some solid friends now, and that always makes the world better. Tudor, Taryn, Nikki, Susanna, Christian, Kitty, Ma'ayan and Michele, and then there's Spencer and a few other people who I talk to and it's cool. And people in classes who make the class fun even though I don't see them outside of class. I'll get through it. This semester I'll be working on not stressing out over things I know I shouldn't be stressing out over, and learning that life doesn't depend on me getting an A. Somehow I know it shouldn't matter, but as soon as I'm being graded on something I freak out. And I'll also be working on not being so scared of new things, because that's a lot of the stress too. New things combined with the need to do them perfectly equals stress because it's almost impossible! Impossible standards I set, I do... so I'm trying to calm down and recognize that my best shot is fine, and I know that if I don't take it so seriously, I'll actually be able to take more away from it in the end because my mind will be able to work more calmly and freely.
So that's how school's going in a nut shell. I miss you and everyone else and I wish we were all in the same place to get through this crazy shit together! I also wish I had more time to do other things, like work on SDS stuff and actually make some shit happen. I do my best, you all know I do.
There are lots of details I could get into, and hopefully I will soon. I'm out of the regular blogging pattern, so I hope I'll pick it back up and that I'll find the time to do so. But for now, I will leave you will a summary.
School is okie dokie. Last semester was so great because it was easy and not stressful. This semester is looking like it's going to be a bit harder, and more new stuff to learn. Because I mean, last semester my three photo classes were black and white, color, and digital which were all pretty basic courses and I already know a bunch about photography so they were pretty straight forward, and I only had two lecture classes and I had 3-D and silk screening, both which really didn't have two much work. But this semester I have three lectures, two are the same but one is this really hard political philosophy class that I'm really excited about but I know is going to be really challenging, and then I have three photo classes again, but they're different, I have color again, but it's with a new teacher who is known for being really hard and giving a lot of work, and then I have studio which will be great because I know nothing about it, but also hard because it'll be all new. And I have advanced black and white printing which is darkroom techniques which should be a blast, but a class is a class, they all have work. And of course I still have 3-D. I don't know how we manage 18 credits at this school, I just don't know. 7 classes is intense! And on top of that it's art which is so much more time consuming! But it's okay because some classes turned out a bit harder than I expected, and some turned out a little easier, so it balanced... hopefully.
BUT the good news is that I really have some solid friends now, and that always makes the world better. Tudor, Taryn, Nikki, Susanna, Christian, Kitty, Ma'ayan and Michele, and then there's Spencer and a few other people who I talk to and it's cool. And people in classes who make the class fun even though I don't see them outside of class. I'll get through it. This semester I'll be working on not stressing out over things I know I shouldn't be stressing out over, and learning that life doesn't depend on me getting an A. Somehow I know it shouldn't matter, but as soon as I'm being graded on something I freak out. And I'll also be working on not being so scared of new things, because that's a lot of the stress too. New things combined with the need to do them perfectly equals stress because it's almost impossible! Impossible standards I set, I do... so I'm trying to calm down and recognize that my best shot is fine, and I know that if I don't take it so seriously, I'll actually be able to take more away from it in the end because my mind will be able to work more calmly and freely.
So that's how school's going in a nut shell. I miss you and everyone else and I wish we were all in the same place to get through this crazy shit together! I also wish I had more time to do other things, like work on SDS stuff and actually make some shit happen. I do my best, you all know I do.
posted by Bonnie at 4:41 PM
1 comments
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Back in Brooklyn!
Just wanted to let you all know I'm back at school so the blogs should pick back up :)
posted by Bonnie at 7:05 PM
0 comments
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Digital Photos
And finally, digital photographs. I must say, I do love the clarity and the punched up color that my digital camera provides, though I still lean towards traditional, black and white film.
These are from my "hyper" project where we had to hype up the color, contrast, sharpness, whatever, to make it still photographic but very saturated and intense. They were more for fun and were less seriously what I want to do with photography. Though I quite enjoyed doing them!
And these are recent works that I took digitally in Prospect park. I am presenting 6 of them for my final critique.
I LOVE these pictures, the colors, the light. Maybe digital isn't so bad after all... hum... :) And the thing about digital is that you're seeing it perfectly on the screen, so they look just like that. The film pictures I showed you are really crummy quality. These I fixed on the computer and loaded the directly. Neat. Hope you enjoyed!
All images copyright Bonnie Hodul 2007
These are from my "hyper" project where we had to hype up the color, contrast, sharpness, whatever, to make it still photographic but very saturated and intense. They were more for fun and were less seriously what I want to do with photography. Though I quite enjoyed doing them!
And these are recent works that I took digitally in Prospect park. I am presenting 6 of them for my final critique.
I LOVE these pictures, the colors, the light. Maybe digital isn't so bad after all... hum... :) And the thing about digital is that you're seeing it perfectly on the screen, so they look just like that. The film pictures I showed you are really crummy quality. These I fixed on the computer and loaded the directly. Neat. Hope you enjoyed!
All images copyright Bonnie Hodul 2007
posted by Bonnie at 4:00 PM
0 comments
Thursday, December 06, 2007
PICTURES!
Hey guys! I got some work to show yah for fun! Color photo and black and white photo final projects, and silk screening the three projects I did this semester. So, nature. I'm doing nature for all three of my photo classes, but it's a little different for each. I'll post digital once I've done it, but I still have to do that. Maybe you'll notice the differences between the color work and the black and white work. It doesn't matter. I like it all. I'm done with color, black and white, and 3-D. So I have to do my digital project and my silk screening project and study for my world civ. and art history finals. Almost done... 7 more days of classes. :)
Color Photo:
This is how my final project will be pinned up on the wall for the final critique.
And these are the pictures closer up. Sorry for the really crummy quality, as usual. If you'll see me when I get home in a week, you'll see them super good quality in my portfolio! I don't know why the second one is sideways, sorry about that.
Black and White Photo:
I LOVE THESE THREE PICTURES!!!
Silk Screening:
This is the first project we did, the one that everyone loved and loves hehe of mine! I made it on a shirt and it is awesome!
This is the second project which what supposed to be a companion peice. Get it? It's toast film!
And this is the sketch for my final project which has yet to be printed.... I'm really excited about it!
Welp, that's all folks. I hope you enjoyed it. I can't wait to show you in person though, because they are SO MUCH nicer in real life. Good night!
All images copyright Bonnie Hodul 2007
Color Photo:
This is how my final project will be pinned up on the wall for the final critique.
And these are the pictures closer up. Sorry for the really crummy quality, as usual. If you'll see me when I get home in a week, you'll see them super good quality in my portfolio! I don't know why the second one is sideways, sorry about that.
Black and White Photo:
I LOVE THESE THREE PICTURES!!!
Silk Screening:
This is the first project we did, the one that everyone loved and loves hehe of mine! I made it on a shirt and it is awesome!
This is the second project which what supposed to be a companion peice. Get it? It's toast film!
And this is the sketch for my final project which has yet to be printed.... I'm really excited about it!
Welp, that's all folks. I hope you enjoyed it. I can't wait to show you in person though, because they are SO MUCH nicer in real life. Good night!
All images copyright Bonnie Hodul 2007
posted by Bonnie at 1:50 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Hey. It’s been a while! I have some time before yoga because I could be doing my silk screening sketch, but I need a break because I’m pretty exhausted. I’m going to do it tomorrow before class. I have the idea in my head so it’s all good. But yeah.
So in color photo I didn’t manage to take a new roll of slides, so Sunday when I got back from Toronto I just printed from what I had and showed them to her Monday. She said they were fine. So that’s that. Now we’re working on our final projects, which are due almost-done this Monday when we’ll have a preliminary critique so that we can fix a few minor things to make them extra perfect for the last day of class. I also think my teacher is having two of her friends who are also photographers come in and give us some feedback too, which should be interesting. We also had to write an Artist’s statement, which I’ve never really done before, and it felt like writing a college application essay, you know, the kind where you have to sell yourself. I didn’t really enjoy it too much, but Mom helped me and it turned out pretty well. Actually, Kate really liked it and said it was really good because I was learning how to talk about my work really well. So that’s that. I also need an artist’s statement for my black and white class, so I’m going to turn in the same one and he’ll tell me if it needs some fixing. My final project for color is, of course, landscapes and nature stuff. But I’m really excited about it because I’m using three different kinds of pictures. What I mean by that isn’t in terms of subject matter, I mean in terms of “shape” of the photograph. So. 35mm film is a rectangle, yeah? But sometimes it’s horizontal and sometimes it’s vertical. To make it cohesive, you would want to print them the same way on a rectangular piece of paper, aka all the papers are vertical, or they’re all horizontal. You with me so far? Okay good. Then, add to that square-shaped pictures. Why? Because some pictures are square, like medium format. But I’m not doing medium format, I just discovered while printing my midterm project that some of my pictures looked better cropped into a square. I don’t usually crop, so it took me a while to figure that one out. But since my final project is a continuation of my midterm, I was left with three different shapes, you see? So. How to make them a cohesive body of work in terms of displaying them? Because size and shape is really important to that. So I was trying to figure out how to balance the size of the squares to the size of the rectangles and it was giving me all sorts of problems until, to make a long story short, it occurred to me that I wasn’t only limited to changing the size of the pictures themselves, but that I could also change the paper. The paper is arbitrary, you buy 11x14 because that’s what they sell. But what’s to stop you from making it a thin rectangle? Or a square? A square! That’s what I did. So. My pictures will all be printed on 11x11 square paper. And then I figured out the proportions of the square photos versus the regular rectangles. Essentially, they have the same areas and that’s what makes them cohesive. Cool, huh?! If you’re not quite following me, you’ll see what I mean shortly. I’ll take a picture of them all hung as they are intended to be, and you’ll get it. But it’s neat because I love problem solving like that and then coming up with such a fabulous idea! Whoot whoot! So. Where am I with this project? Actually, almost done! On Monday I printed after world civ. and then again on Tuesday after black and white. But I was exhausted by 10 last night, so even though I could have finished the last two prints I need and want to do, I figured it would be better just to stop and go back and do those last two later. A brilliant plan. I was sooooo tired. But then I didn’t get to sleep until midnight anyways, hehe. Oh well. But YEAH how cool?
So. World civ. Same old same old. I discovered on Sunday when I was back from Canada that I had an essay due Monday. Cranked that out along with my artist’s statement and my cross-processed prints. Yup. We’re going to have one more essay due, and of course, the final exam. Yeah.
So. Black and white photography. For my final I’m also doing nature and landscape stuff. Unfortunately for this class, I still need to actually TAKE pictures… I love that I’m almost done with color, but I have much more to do for black and white. Not too too bad though, because I have about 1/2 of what I need. I mean, those still need to be printed big for the final critique, but I have the pictures themselves. Hopefully this weekend I will be shooting. Scratch that. This weekend I WILL be shooting. Sam and Nikki invited me to go with them to Long Island City to shoot on Saturday. Dunno what’s there or where that is, I have to admit. I’ll look it up. Otherwise, Central park it is! Or maybe Prospect park. But I hear it’s dangerous. I’ll bet it’s not, and people just don’t know what real danger is like. But don’t worry, I’ll definitely go with someone. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. Maybe I’ll shoot pictures both Saturday and Sunday. In fact, I probably need to, because I can’t really be shooting the weekend after because I’ll need to be PRINTING and studying and doing other final project things. Hum…
3-D. I’m basically done with that class. Just a few minor things left to do. We have to bring in all of our stuff on the last day. That’s all. Yup.
Silk screening. So. The sketch I had was not quite working. I could feel it, and my teacher told me so. Also. It was going to be a really time consuming project. I don’t have time. I have two weeks (TWO WEEKS!!!). So I brought it with me to Toronto intending to work on it, but because my heart (and LOGIC) wasn’t in it, I couldn’t bring myself to work hours and hours on it only to know I’d want to start over. So I sat on it and slept on it and all those silly things we say we do to projects but we don’t actually do, and I finally came up with a better idea that has the same elements I want but does them so much better. Plus. It’s small. Plus. It’s not as complicated to print. It’s funny because it runs in the same theme as what I’m doing in my photography. Street lamps and trees. Hehe. I’ll show you it just as soon as I actually draw what’s in my head. It should be good. And enough of that wanting to draw it in ballpoint pen stuff. That was just making my life way more complicated than it needed to be. This doesn’t have to be my life’s masterpiece. It only has too be a good final project. So using the materials I know how to use and know work, perfect. Also perfect? Being almost done with 3-D because that means I have Wednesdays to print, which are the days the studio has the most open hours where there aren’t classes so I can use it. Yup.
Uhm. Digital. Yeah. So I printed out a bunch of stuff that I scanned in, hoping to just be done with it. But he only really liked two of them, and even those, he was like run with this idea because these are what’s working, but implied I could hopefully get better ones of the same idea. I dunno. But I guess that means I technically have 2 out of 6 done. But hey, I was hoping I could get away with it being super easy. Instead, I still have to do the same amount of work I should have, hehe. So that’s what else I need to take pictures of this weekend. Digital stuff. But it’s all the same content, so I can do it at the same time which is wonderful. And since I don’t need to shoot anymore for color, that doesn’t complicate my one camera, I can only shoot black and white. Problem. I didn’t shoot any film in Canada. Nothing was interesting. I mean. There was nothing I wanted to take pictures of. It’s a city, like all other cities. I don’t shoot cities. So that means for class on Friday I once again wont have anything to work on. Oh well. I’m not worried about getting it done outside of class. What else can I do? I’m shooting this weekend and that’s how it goes.
Art History. Uhm. Yeah same old same old. Hopefully we’ll be getting out paper’s back this week because I believe I did really well and I love that good little feeling you get when you get something back and you did as well as you thought :) Grama, did you read it? Did you like it? Interesting, no? And then of course, we have our final exam on the last day of class. For which I will obviously need to study. There are A LOT of pictures to memorize… a whole semester’s worth… yikes.
So. Toronto. Was quite the experience. It was pretty exhausting, you know, traveling a million hours by train and such and being in a completely new place. But. Things of note. We went to see belly dancers, which were the most fantastic dancers ever, it was fabulous! And we went to a ballet, called the Merry Widow, which was even more fantastic if that’s even possible! There were three acts, and three sets, and a million (okay, 20) dancers who each had three beautiful costumes, in a beautiful theater with a live orchestra and we paid on $20 for good seats because we got day-of student tickets! IT WAS GORGEOUS! Both of those things were so much fun! But it was good to get back and I am looking forward to finally catching up my sleep tomorrow morning. Canadians are so nice, it’s crazy. It was actually really confusing. But some of them stiffen a little when you tell them you’re from the U.S. Lol. I don’t blame em, except that they need to realize that there are TONS of us who couldn’t disagree more with our government, and they shouldn’t stereotype until they’ve talked to me. But seriously. Nicest people ever. I’ve noticed that about other countries. We’re mean here :(
What else is new… Well my birthday’s in ONE WEEK! Cool. Birthday’s aren’t as much fun as when you were little as you get older. But they’re still excellent because for a day everyone you love and who loves you tells you so, and it’s awesome. I know I’m getting at least one package from home, and I am hoping for some others maybe and some letters and phone class from friends. It’s on a Wednesday, but at least it wont be a completely 3-D filled day. It will probably be a silk screening filled day. It’s too soon to know. My days kinda form as they go along. :)
So it’s super weird because the sun goes down at 4:30. FOUR THRITY! I don’t remember it ever going down so early! Did I already say that? I don’t remember. But the point it, garsh, I’ll bet this happens every year where I’m like what the hell? It’s so early! And then over the lovely summer I forget. Hehe. It is also getting colder. I am crossing my fingers that the snow waits until AFTER I’ve gone home so that I don’t have to deal with it until next semester. But. It might snow in the next two weeks. Which would be lame. But I dealt with snow in Toronto already, so I’m ready, I would just prefer if it didn’t come yet. And eash week it is slightly colder. That’s why I think it might snow next week, because it rains like once a week, and it’s about to be freezing temperature…
So of course, I can’t wait to come home! It is going to be fabulous. I’ll spare you repeating all the fabulous things that are going to happen. But I am pretty surprised, because this semester really hasn’t been stressful at all, except for short occasions when I am tried. It’s gone pretty well! And I even thought, well at least the last three weeks will be, but actually, I don’t think so! So far so good, they should go just as smoothly as the rest. Part of that is that I’m super on top of things. Only 18 days until I fly home! Actually, I think if I say 2 and a half weeks, that sounds shorter. So. Two and a half weeks until I come home! Yay!
So I registered for classes for next semester and my schedule is as follows:
Monday: 3-D with my same professor
Tuesday: World civ. in the morning with my same professor, Modern Political Thought in the afternoon with a professor I and hoping will be good
Wednesday: Color Photo II in the morning with the professor that will be teaching all three sections so I have no choice but I’ve heard she’s really hard and possible mean (they’re not re-hiring Kate which is sad to all of us!), and Studio I in the afternoon also with my only choice for a professor, but I think she’s pretty good
Thursday: I have no classes
Friday: Art History in the morning with the same professor, Advanced Black and White Printing in the afternoon
So I am really really hoping that politics class goes well because it has the potential of being horrible, not horrible but incredibly boring, neither but all stuff I already know, or fantastic. Fantastic, please! I am also annoyed that I have Thursday free because I would have preferred one class Tuesday and one class Thursday to balance it out. That’s how this semester is, and it works well for me to have my classes spread out like that. Oh well. I’ll get used to it because I’ll have to. I was going to take intro to science on Thursday morning, but god, that class just sounded so boring. Everyone said it was just 8th grade science all over again, I was like okay c’mon guys, no thank you. I am really really disappointed in the liberal arts classes at this school. They’re pretty awful. But. What can you do. I hope to take some good classes abroad and possibly in the summer. Maybe this summer I’ll take a class at UC Berkeley. That could be cool because I could choose ANYTHING. It would be fun. Yeah and it’s too bad about Kate, my color photo teacher, not teaching next semester because I really like her! But I can’t really take Monday morning again anyway because I need to take studio Wednesday which means I need to take 3-D on Monday if I want the same teacher. It’s complicated, but it’s all a huge puzzle of good teachers, required sections, sections you want, and the over all kind of week you want. You make it the best you can when on top of that Pratt doesn’t really have its act entirely together. Yup. So that’s that. It’ll be fine, I’m trying not to worry about it.
Anything else? I dunno. Oh haha yesterday I went to the home depot to get some woof for 3-D and you know how stores always put things right up by the cash register so you buy them even though you didn’t come to the store intending to? Well. Christmas lights! So, what was I going to do? I had to! So now I have two sets, and just as soon as I’ve posted this, I’m going to string the second one up and hopefully they’ll reach all the way around my room. Yay! What fun.
I am excited because this Friday Shabbat dinner is FINALLY at Simcha’s house again! Yay! I haven’t been to his house in a good long while and I love it there because there’s so many of us all crammed into this tiny space and it’s so happy and cozy and wonderful. It should be good :) Chanukah is coming up on Tuesday too, so that should be fun too, seeing what goes on with that around here :)
Okay, that was good and long as usual. I think I covered most things… I’m trying to think if there’s anything else… Oh yeah, so I didn’t really have a Thanksgiving, which was really sad because I love Thanksgiving! But it wasn’t Canadian Thanksgiving while I was there, and plus, I don’t think it’s as big up there as it is here in the U.S. But it was sad because everyone else I knew was having tons of tasty food and everything! Oh well, we’ll make up for it on Christmas Eve and Christmas :) Maybe I’ll get to write once more before I go home, hopefully, but I’m not sure because it is final projects and exams time. If not, I will try to write when I get home and post pictures of all the fun stuff I did. Hope you enjoyed reading :) Now I am off to lovely yoga!
So in color photo I didn’t manage to take a new roll of slides, so Sunday when I got back from Toronto I just printed from what I had and showed them to her Monday. She said they were fine. So that’s that. Now we’re working on our final projects, which are due almost-done this Monday when we’ll have a preliminary critique so that we can fix a few minor things to make them extra perfect for the last day of class. I also think my teacher is having two of her friends who are also photographers come in and give us some feedback too, which should be interesting. We also had to write an Artist’s statement, which I’ve never really done before, and it felt like writing a college application essay, you know, the kind where you have to sell yourself. I didn’t really enjoy it too much, but Mom helped me and it turned out pretty well. Actually, Kate really liked it and said it was really good because I was learning how to talk about my work really well. So that’s that. I also need an artist’s statement for my black and white class, so I’m going to turn in the same one and he’ll tell me if it needs some fixing. My final project for color is, of course, landscapes and nature stuff. But I’m really excited about it because I’m using three different kinds of pictures. What I mean by that isn’t in terms of subject matter, I mean in terms of “shape” of the photograph. So. 35mm film is a rectangle, yeah? But sometimes it’s horizontal and sometimes it’s vertical. To make it cohesive, you would want to print them the same way on a rectangular piece of paper, aka all the papers are vertical, or they’re all horizontal. You with me so far? Okay good. Then, add to that square-shaped pictures. Why? Because some pictures are square, like medium format. But I’m not doing medium format, I just discovered while printing my midterm project that some of my pictures looked better cropped into a square. I don’t usually crop, so it took me a while to figure that one out. But since my final project is a continuation of my midterm, I was left with three different shapes, you see? So. How to make them a cohesive body of work in terms of displaying them? Because size and shape is really important to that. So I was trying to figure out how to balance the size of the squares to the size of the rectangles and it was giving me all sorts of problems until, to make a long story short, it occurred to me that I wasn’t only limited to changing the size of the pictures themselves, but that I could also change the paper. The paper is arbitrary, you buy 11x14 because that’s what they sell. But what’s to stop you from making it a thin rectangle? Or a square? A square! That’s what I did. So. My pictures will all be printed on 11x11 square paper. And then I figured out the proportions of the square photos versus the regular rectangles. Essentially, they have the same areas and that’s what makes them cohesive. Cool, huh?! If you’re not quite following me, you’ll see what I mean shortly. I’ll take a picture of them all hung as they are intended to be, and you’ll get it. But it’s neat because I love problem solving like that and then coming up with such a fabulous idea! Whoot whoot! So. Where am I with this project? Actually, almost done! On Monday I printed after world civ. and then again on Tuesday after black and white. But I was exhausted by 10 last night, so even though I could have finished the last two prints I need and want to do, I figured it would be better just to stop and go back and do those last two later. A brilliant plan. I was sooooo tired. But then I didn’t get to sleep until midnight anyways, hehe. Oh well. But YEAH how cool?
So. World civ. Same old same old. I discovered on Sunday when I was back from Canada that I had an essay due Monday. Cranked that out along with my artist’s statement and my cross-processed prints. Yup. We’re going to have one more essay due, and of course, the final exam. Yeah.
So. Black and white photography. For my final I’m also doing nature and landscape stuff. Unfortunately for this class, I still need to actually TAKE pictures… I love that I’m almost done with color, but I have much more to do for black and white. Not too too bad though, because I have about 1/2 of what I need. I mean, those still need to be printed big for the final critique, but I have the pictures themselves. Hopefully this weekend I will be shooting. Scratch that. This weekend I WILL be shooting. Sam and Nikki invited me to go with them to Long Island City to shoot on Saturday. Dunno what’s there or where that is, I have to admit. I’ll look it up. Otherwise, Central park it is! Or maybe Prospect park. But I hear it’s dangerous. I’ll bet it’s not, and people just don’t know what real danger is like. But don’t worry, I’ll definitely go with someone. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. Maybe I’ll shoot pictures both Saturday and Sunday. In fact, I probably need to, because I can’t really be shooting the weekend after because I’ll need to be PRINTING and studying and doing other final project things. Hum…
3-D. I’m basically done with that class. Just a few minor things left to do. We have to bring in all of our stuff on the last day. That’s all. Yup.
Silk screening. So. The sketch I had was not quite working. I could feel it, and my teacher told me so. Also. It was going to be a really time consuming project. I don’t have time. I have two weeks (TWO WEEKS!!!). So I brought it with me to Toronto intending to work on it, but because my heart (and LOGIC) wasn’t in it, I couldn’t bring myself to work hours and hours on it only to know I’d want to start over. So I sat on it and slept on it and all those silly things we say we do to projects but we don’t actually do, and I finally came up with a better idea that has the same elements I want but does them so much better. Plus. It’s small. Plus. It’s not as complicated to print. It’s funny because it runs in the same theme as what I’m doing in my photography. Street lamps and trees. Hehe. I’ll show you it just as soon as I actually draw what’s in my head. It should be good. And enough of that wanting to draw it in ballpoint pen stuff. That was just making my life way more complicated than it needed to be. This doesn’t have to be my life’s masterpiece. It only has too be a good final project. So using the materials I know how to use and know work, perfect. Also perfect? Being almost done with 3-D because that means I have Wednesdays to print, which are the days the studio has the most open hours where there aren’t classes so I can use it. Yup.
Uhm. Digital. Yeah. So I printed out a bunch of stuff that I scanned in, hoping to just be done with it. But he only really liked two of them, and even those, he was like run with this idea because these are what’s working, but implied I could hopefully get better ones of the same idea. I dunno. But I guess that means I technically have 2 out of 6 done. But hey, I was hoping I could get away with it being super easy. Instead, I still have to do the same amount of work I should have, hehe. So that’s what else I need to take pictures of this weekend. Digital stuff. But it’s all the same content, so I can do it at the same time which is wonderful. And since I don’t need to shoot anymore for color, that doesn’t complicate my one camera, I can only shoot black and white. Problem. I didn’t shoot any film in Canada. Nothing was interesting. I mean. There was nothing I wanted to take pictures of. It’s a city, like all other cities. I don’t shoot cities. So that means for class on Friday I once again wont have anything to work on. Oh well. I’m not worried about getting it done outside of class. What else can I do? I’m shooting this weekend and that’s how it goes.
Art History. Uhm. Yeah same old same old. Hopefully we’ll be getting out paper’s back this week because I believe I did really well and I love that good little feeling you get when you get something back and you did as well as you thought :) Grama, did you read it? Did you like it? Interesting, no? And then of course, we have our final exam on the last day of class. For which I will obviously need to study. There are A LOT of pictures to memorize… a whole semester’s worth… yikes.
So. Toronto. Was quite the experience. It was pretty exhausting, you know, traveling a million hours by train and such and being in a completely new place. But. Things of note. We went to see belly dancers, which were the most fantastic dancers ever, it was fabulous! And we went to a ballet, called the Merry Widow, which was even more fantastic if that’s even possible! There were three acts, and three sets, and a million (okay, 20) dancers who each had three beautiful costumes, in a beautiful theater with a live orchestra and we paid on $20 for good seats because we got day-of student tickets! IT WAS GORGEOUS! Both of those things were so much fun! But it was good to get back and I am looking forward to finally catching up my sleep tomorrow morning. Canadians are so nice, it’s crazy. It was actually really confusing. But some of them stiffen a little when you tell them you’re from the U.S. Lol. I don’t blame em, except that they need to realize that there are TONS of us who couldn’t disagree more with our government, and they shouldn’t stereotype until they’ve talked to me. But seriously. Nicest people ever. I’ve noticed that about other countries. We’re mean here :(
What else is new… Well my birthday’s in ONE WEEK! Cool. Birthday’s aren’t as much fun as when you were little as you get older. But they’re still excellent because for a day everyone you love and who loves you tells you so, and it’s awesome. I know I’m getting at least one package from home, and I am hoping for some others maybe and some letters and phone class from friends. It’s on a Wednesday, but at least it wont be a completely 3-D filled day. It will probably be a silk screening filled day. It’s too soon to know. My days kinda form as they go along. :)
So it’s super weird because the sun goes down at 4:30. FOUR THRITY! I don’t remember it ever going down so early! Did I already say that? I don’t remember. But the point it, garsh, I’ll bet this happens every year where I’m like what the hell? It’s so early! And then over the lovely summer I forget. Hehe. It is also getting colder. I am crossing my fingers that the snow waits until AFTER I’ve gone home so that I don’t have to deal with it until next semester. But. It might snow in the next two weeks. Which would be lame. But I dealt with snow in Toronto already, so I’m ready, I would just prefer if it didn’t come yet. And eash week it is slightly colder. That’s why I think it might snow next week, because it rains like once a week, and it’s about to be freezing temperature…
So of course, I can’t wait to come home! It is going to be fabulous. I’ll spare you repeating all the fabulous things that are going to happen. But I am pretty surprised, because this semester really hasn’t been stressful at all, except for short occasions when I am tried. It’s gone pretty well! And I even thought, well at least the last three weeks will be, but actually, I don’t think so! So far so good, they should go just as smoothly as the rest. Part of that is that I’m super on top of things. Only 18 days until I fly home! Actually, I think if I say 2 and a half weeks, that sounds shorter. So. Two and a half weeks until I come home! Yay!
So I registered for classes for next semester and my schedule is as follows:
Monday: 3-D with my same professor
Tuesday: World civ. in the morning with my same professor, Modern Political Thought in the afternoon with a professor I and hoping will be good
Wednesday: Color Photo II in the morning with the professor that will be teaching all three sections so I have no choice but I’ve heard she’s really hard and possible mean (they’re not re-hiring Kate which is sad to all of us!), and Studio I in the afternoon also with my only choice for a professor, but I think she’s pretty good
Thursday: I have no classes
Friday: Art History in the morning with the same professor, Advanced Black and White Printing in the afternoon
So I am really really hoping that politics class goes well because it has the potential of being horrible, not horrible but incredibly boring, neither but all stuff I already know, or fantastic. Fantastic, please! I am also annoyed that I have Thursday free because I would have preferred one class Tuesday and one class Thursday to balance it out. That’s how this semester is, and it works well for me to have my classes spread out like that. Oh well. I’ll get used to it because I’ll have to. I was going to take intro to science on Thursday morning, but god, that class just sounded so boring. Everyone said it was just 8th grade science all over again, I was like okay c’mon guys, no thank you. I am really really disappointed in the liberal arts classes at this school. They’re pretty awful. But. What can you do. I hope to take some good classes abroad and possibly in the summer. Maybe this summer I’ll take a class at UC Berkeley. That could be cool because I could choose ANYTHING. It would be fun. Yeah and it’s too bad about Kate, my color photo teacher, not teaching next semester because I really like her! But I can’t really take Monday morning again anyway because I need to take studio Wednesday which means I need to take 3-D on Monday if I want the same teacher. It’s complicated, but it’s all a huge puzzle of good teachers, required sections, sections you want, and the over all kind of week you want. You make it the best you can when on top of that Pratt doesn’t really have its act entirely together. Yup. So that’s that. It’ll be fine, I’m trying not to worry about it.
Anything else? I dunno. Oh haha yesterday I went to the home depot to get some woof for 3-D and you know how stores always put things right up by the cash register so you buy them even though you didn’t come to the store intending to? Well. Christmas lights! So, what was I going to do? I had to! So now I have two sets, and just as soon as I’ve posted this, I’m going to string the second one up and hopefully they’ll reach all the way around my room. Yay! What fun.
I am excited because this Friday Shabbat dinner is FINALLY at Simcha’s house again! Yay! I haven’t been to his house in a good long while and I love it there because there’s so many of us all crammed into this tiny space and it’s so happy and cozy and wonderful. It should be good :) Chanukah is coming up on Tuesday too, so that should be fun too, seeing what goes on with that around here :)
Okay, that was good and long as usual. I think I covered most things… I’m trying to think if there’s anything else… Oh yeah, so I didn’t really have a Thanksgiving, which was really sad because I love Thanksgiving! But it wasn’t Canadian Thanksgiving while I was there, and plus, I don’t think it’s as big up there as it is here in the U.S. But it was sad because everyone else I knew was having tons of tasty food and everything! Oh well, we’ll make up for it on Christmas Eve and Christmas :) Maybe I’ll get to write once more before I go home, hopefully, but I’m not sure because it is final projects and exams time. If not, I will try to write when I get home and post pictures of all the fun stuff I did. Hope you enjoyed reading :) Now I am off to lovely yoga!
posted by Bonnie at 6:00 PM
2 comments
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Hey all. I have a bit of time (well, technically I don’t, but I don’t have the means to do other work right now so…) so! I am going to try to catch up on the LOTS that has happened.
Letsee… Alright I’ll go through classes. Color photo is going well, I’m doing my landscape stuff and I quite enjoy it. We are also working on a project with slides, where instead of getting them developed so that they are positive images (as slide film is) we have them cross-processed so that they are negative images that we can print from in the darkroom. My last roll did NOT work, so I have to re-shoot and that means I am super cutting it close to when it’s due. But I’ll get it done, no worries. Slide film makes for super saturated and intense and strange colors when cross-processed. So, I’ll need to get over that whole color-balancing thing, because it just wont be possible. I was going to go today to shoot, but it is dreary and I didn’t want to in this weather, PLUS I had another important thing to work on, due today, not later. So. And after the slide project, we only have one other, which is our final. We have to write up a proposal and such, an artist’s statement, and we probably are going to have to have like 10-12 perfecto prints. Fun!
World civ. is dumb. Except this week we learned about the scientific revolution, which is actually pretty interesting. Probably because what he was talking about we completely new to me, and all the other stuff I’ve heard a few times already. I’ll have another short essay for him, and the final exam. Easy peasy… and lame.
Black and white photo is going good. Last week we went to a bunch of galleries, and that was fun! The first and the last were my favorites, especially the last. I should go find the websites so you guys can look… hold on…
http://www.christiancravo.com/flash/ingles.html
http://www.fazalsheikh.org/
http://www.laurencemillergallery.com/essaydi_exhibition.htm
The middle one was my FAVORITE and if you know me, you’ll immediately see why. (hint: Steve McCurry is in my top 5 favorite photographers). So yeah, that was fun, my teacher recognized that we needed to get out of the classroom because all we ever do is have critiques because we can’t use the darkroom because there are two photo I classes at the same time who need to use it. Plus, there are three really bitchy girls in the class who drive the rest of us insane, and make the whole class un-fun. So this week we had one on one crits for like 15 minutes each with our teacher, again, to avoid the whole class situation. It was good. I am also working on my final project for that class, 10-12 final prints for the final critique, and I’m doing nature stuff as well, but also some neat glass and sunlight things, and who knows what I’ll get up in Toronto! I love black and white, it’s going well. I still like it more than color. On Monday I printed about a bazillion pictures. It was awesome.
3-D. Nothing much to say there. We have one final project we’re starting after thanksgiving. He loves me. That’s that.
Silk screening. Oh man. We are getting frustrated with our teacher. He’s a really nice guy, but goddamn annoying sometimes. He talks too much, he’s always late, he hasn’t taught us everything, and we’re only doing 3 projects all together the WHOLE semester. But. We’re starting out final project which is supposed to be awesome, because duh, it’s the final! So that’s what I had to draw up today. I have a sketch of it, and I LOVE it! I really hope he likes it. It’s way more complicated than my other ones, and I’m so excited I have to figure out all the colors and make the plates and all that, it’s going to be SO MUCH WORK but a lot of fun! I don’t have much time to do it. I’ll work on the plates for it on the train up to Canada and such. Should be fun fun. Crazy work and crazy in general, but I’m really excited about it! And isn’t that the way it should be?
Digital. We went to a printing shop, or whatever you call it, last week. Where you can print digial C-prints. Now. What on earth does that mean? C-prints are what we print in the color darkroom, so it’s the classic paper you expose to light etc. So digital c-prints are where it’s a digital image on the computer, but you print it to this awesome machine that prints it with LIGHT onto the paper!!! As apposed to ink-jet or whatever! HOW COOL IS THAT?! A lot of the seniors do their final projects at this lab. It’s super neat! The look of c-prints is just SO MUCH NICER than ink. It really just is. So that was super cool to see! And then, we also are working on our final projects, which for me is again, nature. Cool beans. We also are finally going to do something with our breakfast pictures. Like I said way long a go, those are for organizing and such. We’re going to learn a few more things over the next few classes too, and that goes for all of my classes, even though we are beginning to work on our final projects.
Art History. I wrote a kick-ass essay comparing Claude Monet’s “Landscape at Zaandam” and Paul Signac’s “Concarneau: Finshing Boats.” It’s due tomorrow. You should look up those paintings, they’re both on the Met website, and they are awesome. You also should let me know if you want to read my essay, because it’s REALLY interesting! I really enjoyed researching it (some of the time anyway…) because the stuff I learned was just fascinating! I love art history! The last thing for that class is our final exam. Oh, and I should be reading each week, but I’ve found I’ve run out of time. Oh well…
Yoga. Always awesome.
So moving on to Toronto! I’m leaving in TWO DAYS and no, it had not hit me. But me and Allison are both so excited!!! I’m gunna take a million pictures, or try anyway, and we’re gunna do so much fun stuff YAY. The train ride should be fun, though I must admit I’m super nervous about how early it leaves, delays, and crossing the border. I just want it to go smoothly, that’s all. And Allison will be waiting for me at the station, she knows exactly where it is. Whoot! I can’t wait to see her and talk a million miles a minute and take tons of pictures and see Toronto and ride a train and get the hell out of the city for a week and not have class YAY. When I get back the last three weeks of school are going to be CRAZY!
So, last night I went to a super Jewish wedding. It was tre interesting and fun! It was Rabbi Simcha’s brother David’s wedding. The food was outstanding. Oh man. Seriously. Crazy good. I could go into details, but all that really needs to be said is that there was butternut squash soup and it was the best. Soup. I have ever had. In my entire life. And butternut squash is my FAVORITE kind, but this… it was like candy! Or pie! Dessert! It was FABTASTIC you have no idea how good it was! I stuffed myself, it was all so tasty. But5 the wedding itself was really interesting, because it was an orthodox wedding. What does that mean? Well first of all it means that the bride and the groom were semi-arranged by a match-maker, and have never touched a member of the opposite sex other then immediate family in their entire, whole, lives. Seriously. And they went on a few chaperoned dates. What? I know. Then it means that the bride’s veil was completely opaque. What? It was strange. Then. It means that at the party, there is a divider that divides the room in two. One side is for the guys, the other is for the girls. They don’t mix. They don’t touch each other and rarely cross sides, let alone dance. The bride and the groom do not dance. Other husbands and wives do not touch each other in public. What? It was straight out of that famous play that I’m forgetting the name of right now. I know you know the one. I knew what to expect because I know a lot of orthodox Jewish people because that’s the synagogue I’ve been to, and there are tons in Brooklyn. But as much as I of course respect their religion, I have a few problems with it. But I wont discuss those now. But all in all, it was really fun! They lifted them up on chairs and everything, just like the movies. Hehe.
What else? I’m sure there’s more. Well of course, I cannot wait for Christmas! Christmas is my FAVORITE holiday! It is the best the best! Last night I started my Christmas list. Molly asked if I meant what I wanted or my list of what I was getting people, and I said what I was getting people OF COURSE! I never write a list of things I want, but I ALWAYS write lists of what I’m getting people, and I usually start in mid November. Hehe. I love it I love it! And I’ll be home in a month! Time as FLEW. Hehe. Time has flown, rather. I can’t wait to see everybody, my friends and all you people! YAY. Oh Christmas break is my favorite time of the whole year it is! I love getting people presents! I love the love! I love the cold, but your inside by the fire and hot chocolate and covering the WHOLE HOUSE in lights and getting the tree and decorating it and apple pie and ice cream and It’s a Wonderful Life and no school, just friends and family time OH MAN OH MAN! Hehe.
It’s still bearable weather here, but I know before I get back it’ll get pretty cold, and it’ll be even colder in January. The sun is going down at like 4:30! I didn’t remember that it ever did that! I wonder if I do that every year, forget how early it goes down in the winter and am shocked. Haha. Probably. But it’s already dark! It’s strange!
I just read the Nanny Diaries, and I strongly recommend it. It was quirky and witty and a really really good story with really excellent characters! I’m going to bring it home for Molly to read. It was really good! I’m sure I told you about my book list of like 35 books that I want to read! It is awesome. The next book I’m reading is The History of Love. Fun fun. I LOVE READING AND I’M SO GLAD I HAVE A BOOK LIST BECAUSE NOW I’LL BE READING ALL THE TIME YAY!!!
Alright, I wonder if that’s it… I think so. So, take care everyone! Maybe I’ll be able to write when I’m in Toronto! I’m headed off to print my essay and then to silk screening. Ta-ta! :)
Oh yeah, and sometime soon I promise I am going to try and post my new photography work, I’ve just been so busy! I’m bring my portfolio up to show Allison and I’m and JUICED! :D
Letsee… Alright I’ll go through classes. Color photo is going well, I’m doing my landscape stuff and I quite enjoy it. We are also working on a project with slides, where instead of getting them developed so that they are positive images (as slide film is) we have them cross-processed so that they are negative images that we can print from in the darkroom. My last roll did NOT work, so I have to re-shoot and that means I am super cutting it close to when it’s due. But I’ll get it done, no worries. Slide film makes for super saturated and intense and strange colors when cross-processed. So, I’ll need to get over that whole color-balancing thing, because it just wont be possible. I was going to go today to shoot, but it is dreary and I didn’t want to in this weather, PLUS I had another important thing to work on, due today, not later. So. And after the slide project, we only have one other, which is our final. We have to write up a proposal and such, an artist’s statement, and we probably are going to have to have like 10-12 perfecto prints. Fun!
World civ. is dumb. Except this week we learned about the scientific revolution, which is actually pretty interesting. Probably because what he was talking about we completely new to me, and all the other stuff I’ve heard a few times already. I’ll have another short essay for him, and the final exam. Easy peasy… and lame.
Black and white photo is going good. Last week we went to a bunch of galleries, and that was fun! The first and the last were my favorites, especially the last. I should go find the websites so you guys can look… hold on…
http://www.christiancravo.com/flash/ingles.html
http://www.fazalsheikh.org/
http://www.laurencemillergallery.com/essaydi_exhibition.htm
The middle one was my FAVORITE and if you know me, you’ll immediately see why. (hint: Steve McCurry is in my top 5 favorite photographers). So yeah, that was fun, my teacher recognized that we needed to get out of the classroom because all we ever do is have critiques because we can’t use the darkroom because there are two photo I classes at the same time who need to use it. Plus, there are three really bitchy girls in the class who drive the rest of us insane, and make the whole class un-fun. So this week we had one on one crits for like 15 minutes each with our teacher, again, to avoid the whole class situation. It was good. I am also working on my final project for that class, 10-12 final prints for the final critique, and I’m doing nature stuff as well, but also some neat glass and sunlight things, and who knows what I’ll get up in Toronto! I love black and white, it’s going well. I still like it more than color. On Monday I printed about a bazillion pictures. It was awesome.
3-D. Nothing much to say there. We have one final project we’re starting after thanksgiving. He loves me. That’s that.
Silk screening. Oh man. We are getting frustrated with our teacher. He’s a really nice guy, but goddamn annoying sometimes. He talks too much, he’s always late, he hasn’t taught us everything, and we’re only doing 3 projects all together the WHOLE semester. But. We’re starting out final project which is supposed to be awesome, because duh, it’s the final! So that’s what I had to draw up today. I have a sketch of it, and I LOVE it! I really hope he likes it. It’s way more complicated than my other ones, and I’m so excited I have to figure out all the colors and make the plates and all that, it’s going to be SO MUCH WORK but a lot of fun! I don’t have much time to do it. I’ll work on the plates for it on the train up to Canada and such. Should be fun fun. Crazy work and crazy in general, but I’m really excited about it! And isn’t that the way it should be?
Digital. We went to a printing shop, or whatever you call it, last week. Where you can print digial C-prints. Now. What on earth does that mean? C-prints are what we print in the color darkroom, so it’s the classic paper you expose to light etc. So digital c-prints are where it’s a digital image on the computer, but you print it to this awesome machine that prints it with LIGHT onto the paper!!! As apposed to ink-jet or whatever! HOW COOL IS THAT?! A lot of the seniors do their final projects at this lab. It’s super neat! The look of c-prints is just SO MUCH NICER than ink. It really just is. So that was super cool to see! And then, we also are working on our final projects, which for me is again, nature. Cool beans. We also are finally going to do something with our breakfast pictures. Like I said way long a go, those are for organizing and such. We’re going to learn a few more things over the next few classes too, and that goes for all of my classes, even though we are beginning to work on our final projects.
Art History. I wrote a kick-ass essay comparing Claude Monet’s “Landscape at Zaandam” and Paul Signac’s “Concarneau: Finshing Boats.” It’s due tomorrow. You should look up those paintings, they’re both on the Met website, and they are awesome. You also should let me know if you want to read my essay, because it’s REALLY interesting! I really enjoyed researching it (some of the time anyway…) because the stuff I learned was just fascinating! I love art history! The last thing for that class is our final exam. Oh, and I should be reading each week, but I’ve found I’ve run out of time. Oh well…
Yoga. Always awesome.
So moving on to Toronto! I’m leaving in TWO DAYS and no, it had not hit me. But me and Allison are both so excited!!! I’m gunna take a million pictures, or try anyway, and we’re gunna do so much fun stuff YAY. The train ride should be fun, though I must admit I’m super nervous about how early it leaves, delays, and crossing the border. I just want it to go smoothly, that’s all. And Allison will be waiting for me at the station, she knows exactly where it is. Whoot! I can’t wait to see her and talk a million miles a minute and take tons of pictures and see Toronto and ride a train and get the hell out of the city for a week and not have class YAY. When I get back the last three weeks of school are going to be CRAZY!
So, last night I went to a super Jewish wedding. It was tre interesting and fun! It was Rabbi Simcha’s brother David’s wedding. The food was outstanding. Oh man. Seriously. Crazy good. I could go into details, but all that really needs to be said is that there was butternut squash soup and it was the best. Soup. I have ever had. In my entire life. And butternut squash is my FAVORITE kind, but this… it was like candy! Or pie! Dessert! It was FABTASTIC you have no idea how good it was! I stuffed myself, it was all so tasty. But5 the wedding itself was really interesting, because it was an orthodox wedding. What does that mean? Well first of all it means that the bride and the groom were semi-arranged by a match-maker, and have never touched a member of the opposite sex other then immediate family in their entire, whole, lives. Seriously. And they went on a few chaperoned dates. What? I know. Then it means that the bride’s veil was completely opaque. What? It was strange. Then. It means that at the party, there is a divider that divides the room in two. One side is for the guys, the other is for the girls. They don’t mix. They don’t touch each other and rarely cross sides, let alone dance. The bride and the groom do not dance. Other husbands and wives do not touch each other in public. What? It was straight out of that famous play that I’m forgetting the name of right now. I know you know the one. I knew what to expect because I know a lot of orthodox Jewish people because that’s the synagogue I’ve been to, and there are tons in Brooklyn. But as much as I of course respect their religion, I have a few problems with it. But I wont discuss those now. But all in all, it was really fun! They lifted them up on chairs and everything, just like the movies. Hehe.
What else? I’m sure there’s more. Well of course, I cannot wait for Christmas! Christmas is my FAVORITE holiday! It is the best the best! Last night I started my Christmas list. Molly asked if I meant what I wanted or my list of what I was getting people, and I said what I was getting people OF COURSE! I never write a list of things I want, but I ALWAYS write lists of what I’m getting people, and I usually start in mid November. Hehe. I love it I love it! And I’ll be home in a month! Time as FLEW. Hehe. Time has flown, rather. I can’t wait to see everybody, my friends and all you people! YAY. Oh Christmas break is my favorite time of the whole year it is! I love getting people presents! I love the love! I love the cold, but your inside by the fire and hot chocolate and covering the WHOLE HOUSE in lights and getting the tree and decorating it and apple pie and ice cream and It’s a Wonderful Life and no school, just friends and family time OH MAN OH MAN! Hehe.
It’s still bearable weather here, but I know before I get back it’ll get pretty cold, and it’ll be even colder in January. The sun is going down at like 4:30! I didn’t remember that it ever did that! I wonder if I do that every year, forget how early it goes down in the winter and am shocked. Haha. Probably. But it’s already dark! It’s strange!
I just read the Nanny Diaries, and I strongly recommend it. It was quirky and witty and a really really good story with really excellent characters! I’m going to bring it home for Molly to read. It was really good! I’m sure I told you about my book list of like 35 books that I want to read! It is awesome. The next book I’m reading is The History of Love. Fun fun. I LOVE READING AND I’M SO GLAD I HAVE A BOOK LIST BECAUSE NOW I’LL BE READING ALL THE TIME YAY!!!
Alright, I wonder if that’s it… I think so. So, take care everyone! Maybe I’ll be able to write when I’m in Toronto! I’m headed off to print my essay and then to silk screening. Ta-ta! :)
Oh yeah, and sometime soon I promise I am going to try and post my new photography work, I’ve just been so busy! I’m bring my portfolio up to show Allison and I’m and JUICED! :D
posted by Bonnie at 4:50 PM
2 comments
About Me
- Name: Bonnie
- Location: United States
I am a student of Art at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn New York. I am majoring in Photography and minoring in the History of Art, as well as taking classes in printmaking, jewelry, and painting. I also blow glass and am working as a pastry chef. I just spent the Spring 2009 semester studying abroad in Florence, Italy to further my Art History and Culinary education. The summer of 2009 I will be attending classes at the Crucible in my hometown of Oakland, California, in both metal work and in glass, as well as assisting them with their annal Fire-Arts Festival. I am very interested in the history of photography, in advertising, fashion photography and magazine work, and especially in black and while photography done with film. I love darkroom work and am well equipped with printing sills. I am detail oriented and a very hard worker, and I love to create, and an extremely eager to learn. :)
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Previous Posts
- We dance around in a ring and supposebut the secre...
- Mirrors...
- Reflections.
- But if I never write, I'll never write. Common sen...
- And so it begins...
- Back in Brooklyn!
- Digital Photos
- PICTURES!
- Hey. It’s been a while! I have some time before yo...
- Hey all. I have a bit of time (well, technically I...
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