Apple picking

    

I had signed up for this trip, we left at 9AM and returned at 4PM, it involved:

School-bus ride to Ipswich (MA), about an hour long

Short hayride, some people were afraid of all of the bees

Pick your own peck of apples, I filled the bag and then some with mostly Cortland apples

A few hours to roam the Orchard's store and see animals.  There were several aggressive free-roaming geese.  I took most of my photos here.

Go to a beach for two hours.

I took photos while I was there for my Visual Language homework (12 black/white abstract photographs inspired by the word "converse".  The photos in this post are not part of my project.)

Classes

My schedule for this semester.

Visual Language: This class applies academic/formal terms to art, and requires attention to observe and to utilize this language (ie. assemblage, composition, negative space, etc).  For homework, I have to write a 1-page paper and do a powerpoint presentation about an artist of my choice, and turn a concrete (not literarily) thing/object into abstract; I don't find this difficult, because I've practiced this type of thinking in the past.  What I haven't done much is to integrate culture and history to my artwork.

Form Study: My homework is to make the Bird's Nest Bowl from Woman's Day Magazine, watch DIY videos, think about this experience, for this class.  I think that future projects will be the hardest part.

Intro to Western Art: The professor sounds like David Sedaris, and both are funny.  The class is held in the auditorium, with almost all of the incoming class, about 490 students.  The professor stands up on the stage, and he talks while presenting an image-based (not text-based) slideshow.  Homework is to read part of the textbook and write a 1-page paper about a single piece of artwork in a local art museum; I'm looking forward to writing this paper.

Out of Arabia (seminar): Lecture-based.  We're learning about Arabian architecture/art and how it relates to their cultural mindset (ie. veiling/covering the Kaaba for respect and humbleness seems to relate to veiling people).  Homework is to read two articles.

Intro to Film and Video: The class is in a special film screening/viewing room (absorbs sounds, black room). Our future project is to work in pairs to take the "portrait" of a person or a place.

Drawing: I think that this will be my most difficult class.  We cannot listen to music in class.  Our professor talks a lot, in metaphors, and he is intense about the parts of the drawing process.  Homework is considered one of the shortest assignment: 6 hours blind contour drawing done with the opposite hand that we draw with.  At least 5 drawings of each foot, and of the hand; about 30 min. per drawing. He says that for these first two weeks, the drawings (end result) don't matter (he used a different phrase than this), and that our focus/observation on the object is key.

MFA: Ori Gersht

I walked to the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) today to see Ori Gersht's exhibition.  MFA: Ori Gersht

Some of his pieces, especially: Pomegranate (video), Big Bang (video), and a frame from Big Bang (very large print, Big Bang frame).

I found his pieces beautiful/pleasant at first, then violent/gory/disgusting/injust, afterwords

I took notes in my sketchbook about his gallery and ended up filling-up/finishing my sketchbook!  Now I'm on my next sketchbook.

Before going to the MFA, I bought a big, metal, rolling-cart.


Click on images to make them bigger.

 

First day class

My first class happened today.  It was Form Study, from 8AM-1PM (or 12PM, today).  It went in this order:
Professor introduced the class
We paired-up, by name, interview the other person, then present the person to the class
Professor explained the syllabus
We walked to Landmark.  Not suppose to speak, had to be aware of surroundings.
We checked out the "cage" (where you can sign-out tools and equipment)
Each person got instructions for a project
Class ended an hour early

I found out that I will only have 5 more Form Study classes this semester, because 2 classes are on holidays/days-off.

On our walk, I learned to not wear heels.

My first assignment is from Woman's Day Magazine.  It's instructions on how to make a bird's nest bowl, an arts and crafts project.  My professor wants us to experience what it's like to conform to strict rules, and what it's like for "people who usually don't do art" to make art.  Bird's Nest Bowl

It's an interesting concept to have art students follow strict rules, but I don't like to do these types of arts-and-crafts projects.  I think that we could've been assigned a different type of project.

After class and lunch, I took a 30 min. (power) nap, and walked to Kennedy and Tower, both are part of MassArt, to sign up for Apple Picking and a comedy event, and to figure out some other things.  Then I went to Landmark, 15 min. away, to Staples to get the card-stock for my Bird's Nest, and Shaws for food and trash/recycle bins.  It was all pretty heavy to carry back to my dorm.

Later, I went to the MassArt library (only art/reference books), Wentworth library (very little fiction books), and Wentworth cafeteria to bring food back to my dorm.  I checked out a lot of books, so that was also heavy to carry.  The books are about design, sociology/psychology, and a couple classic fictions.  There doesn't seem to be leisure books here.

My roommates and I don't like social events, and even though I tried several social events, I still prefer being by myself (ie. walking to Landmark alone, listening to music).  Especially in the city here, to be alone is more of a rarity, because there are so many people.

In the US

I am in Maine.  There were multiple complications with my flights, but I'm here.

I am packing for college now.

Dance, typhoon

I've been practicing dancing with the Neili High School dance club.  The students in this club are super nice, and there is always a student showing me what to do.  We practice under an overpass.  At 3PM, classes end, and we roll out 6 mirrors from the basement/parking-lot, and get the speakers.  An iPad holds the music.  We start with stretches and exercises.  Then, we break off into the group that rehearses the dance-routine, and the group that I'm in, to practice some basic footwork and exercises.

I have attended 3 practices, from 3-6PM, 6 days a week.  It's a 30 minute trip to NLHS (walking and train-ride).

On 2August (Thursday) was a typhoon, so there was no practice.  I couldn't go that day anyways, because I had previously done 2 consecutive days of practice, and my body was recovering; I couldn't really move; I was a zombie that day.
At night, I took some pictures of the outside, from inside.  Above is one of the photos that I took that night.  I enjoy looking outside at night, especially when there's a storm.

I'm practicing the arm-wave now.  My flexibility is better than before, and I have more strength.

NLHS dance performance

Flower painting 3

This is an observational watercolor.  I painted too many lightly-tinted (watered down) layers.  But, the sketch of it works.