Tag Archives: art

Personal Blog

Art Rant

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I am taking an art history class. The course is entitled “Northern Mannerist and Baroque Art.” Now, the casual observer might make the mistake of assuming that in this class one would learn about Northern Mannerist and Baroque art. Perhaps you would talk about Mannerism until the middle of the term, then talk about the Baroque the second half of the term. That seems like a logical assumption, right? Ha! Fools!

We started off the class talking about the Northern Renaissance in the lowlands, because, of course, it is important to know about the Renaissance before talking about Mannerism, so you know where it came from. A few weeks worth of classes, actually, just to be sure. Around midterms, we were finally getting into Mannerism in the lowlands, and as we neared its end, with the Baroque and Peter Paul Rubens right on the horizon, what do we do? We go back to Germany. We go back to *before* the Renaissance in Germany.

Then we get into the Renaissance in Germany, and talk about Albrecht Durer. Now, I’m as big a Durer fan as the next girl, and I know it’s important to talk about him to see where later German mannerism comes from, but we spend class after class after class on Durer. Then we touch on German mannerism. Then student presentations.

Now, in the last week of class, we FINALLY get to Peter Paul Rubens. We have two days to talk about the Baroque. TWO FRICKIN DAYS!!!!!!! AGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Be aware this is no new phenomenon. When I took the second art history survey class, which was to cover Medieval to Modern art, we got stuck in the Renaissance again, and barely scraped Baroque at the end. Look, I like the Renaissance and all, I know it’s important, and I know it’s Dr. Levin’s “thing,” but as a senior art major, I feel *severely* under-educated in the realm of art history. Ask me anything about the Renaissance, Italian or Northern, and I can probably answer, but Romanticism? Impressionism? Modernism? I am utterly clueless.

And it pisses me off.

But, alas, such is one of the disadvantages to going to a teeny tiny liberal arts college. I wish Sheldon could have taught an art history class. Art history with Sheldon would have been an awesome adventure, if museum trips with him is any indication of his presentation of the material.

Bleh

*end rant*

Personal Blog

For Really Real Life

Another tasty Thanksgiving dinner complete. Hooray! It’s always nice to see my family, especially since I’m in school and don’t get to see them much. In spite of all my fears about graduating, today I’ve been feeling pangs of want to be out of school. I want to clean out my room and Stuff Collection and sort and throw things out. I want to clean the basement and set up a workplace down there. I want to go through things, and see what can be given away. All these things would take a longish, extended-stay-at-home time that I’ve been craving for awhile, though.

Talking to the puppet folk at UConn left me in high spirits, but I’m certainly going to have to spend a good amount of time, a year at the very least, building a portfolio. Whether I do this by getting a related job (John Hickman worked for a puppet place in Tennessee for a year and suggested I check it out) or working on my own (can’t wait for Dave and Brendan’s combined playwriting efforts to complete, wee!) I do not know.

There are all these looming things about my student loans if I don’t go straight to grad school, and I’m going to have to find some way of supporting myself in the meantime. I’ve considered looking into places that need digital image database work done, since that is the sort of work I’ve been doing for the college’s slide library. Just have to find a place with a need, I suppose.

At any rate, I’m not as panicky as before. I would fret and fret about my senior show, and Sheldon would comfort me not to worry too hard about it (but his method of doing this was pointing ahead to post-graduation, which I should spend more time worrying about) but I’ve stumbled upon something that could make for a good exhibit. So no, though I’ve made at least 5 glass armadillos, that certainly won’t be my senior show (it was a good method of clearing my mind), color fade vases might be the right direction.

I still have much to meddle with and figure out, but I think things are going to be okay. It’s just that, after spending your whole life looking ahead to these very short significant time slots–grade school to high school, high school to college–looking ahead and seeing “the rest of your life” waiting ahead is rather intimidating. At least I’m not in the boat alone.

In lighter news, some friends from high school are visiting tomorrow, and I am very excited to see them all. It’s been a year since I last saw any of them, and I’m looking forward to catching up.

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

Personal Blog

Collin: “What you don’t know is that plot’s catting to kill us all right now…”

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Crunch crunch crunch, that is the past week or so, leading up to this one. It’s going to be a busy one.

This weekend has been another one of visiting friends. Dave visited Friday night, and watched some cartoons with me before he went to see the play, while I spent the latter part of the evening napping. We chatted about the shutting down of 2D animation studios, and puppetry, and this and that.

Saturday Ken () came up to help me in the studio, which was really nice. He helped me make some large vessels, and gave me some ideas about how I make my armadillos. We worked practically all day long, and then helped Che pack up and clean out his show. We went to Guadi’s afterwards; it’s nice when you are so ravenous from the day that any meal tastes like it was sent from the heavens! YUM! Unfortunately, I was so exhausted by the day in the studio that I slept for the time afterwards before the play, so no work was accomplished.

That evening I went and saw The Beloved Community. They did a great job with the script that was given to them. Toooooooo many issues! On the up side, I did get to see Alison and Eric, which was great, they’re always a joy to be around. I also got to say hello to Evan later in the evening. With so many visits, it would have been logical for me to venture out and play the whole evening, but I was so tired.

I really am becoming a hermit this term. But, I think it’s working in my favor. Eh, oh well, time to write that art history research paper…

Personal Blog

Hooray for Halloween

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Halloween was good fun, even though it’s been one of the more mellow ones I’ve experienced.

Thursday night, Crack had a pumpkin carving party, which was really enjoyable. Just a bunch of people hanging out and gutting pumpkins (or in my case, watermelons) and eating candy and the like. I worked really hard making a gargoyle mask, which I am very proud of:

I used a rehearsal mask as a base, which worked out really well (and the rehearsal mask still survived!). It’s nice because it fits perfectly to my face, and is really comfy.

So, my Halloween was mostly spent gorging myself on candy, and watching cartoons and History Channel specials, and playing games. Overall, I’m glad I stuck with my goal of not doing ANY work after 4:00, and had a good time.

Making the mask was a good release, and I really think there needs to be more mask-related holidays. I say we revive Carnival. Anyhow, back to work.

Personal Blog

“Are you in Love with her?, “Well, that’s a bit strong”, “Oh…are you in Like with her?”

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It has been the weekend of visits! Homecoming brought such lovely visitors at Ken, Evan, and the beautiful Alison Furlong, along with many others that I did not see because I was so busy.

It did not end there, though, as I arrived at my glass slot, tired and unmotivated, who should I see but Nathan Whitfield–the genius (though he denies it firmly, I know it’s true, he can’t hide it from me). Seeing Nate is always a trip, he always has adventurous stories to share. He even helped me blow glass, as Anne had to leave the slot early. Hooray for visits!

Speaking of visits, 2 Days!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Personal Blog

Straight-Short-Haired Lisa still eats Candy

This weekend was nice. Since it has been established that I will be spending fall break in Connecticut, I wanted a chance to hang out with my friends in Louisville. So, Saturday I spent the day with Brendan and Ken. It was just the refresher that I needed.

Having just gotten paid, we went to the comic book shop with the sole intention of me buying myself a treat (I’m trying the whole goal-reward system with all this work I have to do. I got a lot of work done this week, I get a treat. A little operant conditioning never hurt anybody ^_^ ). I bought the first four volumes of the Bone comics. I love this series soooo much, but I always get my fix from Brendan’s collection, and I decided I wanted to start getting them for myself. Four volumes at a time seems reasonable, don’t you think?

Anyway, after chilling and reading comics and being sucked in by VH1 at Ken’s place, Brendan and I went back to his home for a sketchbook party. It was really nice to draw for fun again, and I think it was very refreshing for me. I spent that night eating buffalo wings, going through my books, and having a pleasant phone conversation with Carleton (which are always fun and awesome).

A successful weekend: I got to rest and be refreshed, but I did not do so by being a slacker and idling the whole time. I was hoping to be able to catch some time with today since she was in Kentucky, but the paper I have due tomorrow, the midterm I have tomorrow, the improv show I have tomorrow, the newspaper copy editing I’ll have to start on this week, and the constantly increasing pile of programming assignments I have due makes it seem like that will not get to happen. Curses!! Alas, back to work…

Personal Blog

I am QUEEEEEN!

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As I was teaching the Glass I kiddies how to gather today (and unintentionally creating a batch of hard asses, because I completely forgot to offer them the option of using a glove. Toughin ’em up I say! *cough* oops) I realized something.

I am the only senior glass major, and thus am undisputed queen of the hot shop. This means one very important thing…I have total control of the music we listen to in the studio! Muahahahaha! There is Woody to contend with, I suppose, but he is not an art major, and thus I take precedence.

Now, don’t get my wrong, I didn’t mind Ken( and DH’s reign of Phish and Pearl Jam for the past couple of years in glass, but it’s nice to realize that you hold musical power.

Hehehehe! *dashes off to make hot shop mix cds*