Junior year!
September 5, 2010
Curtis
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Hooray or Junior year! School is in full swing (well, kinda) and I am ready for the semester. I don't have class on Fridays, so I've only had one day of classes. That day, was surprisingly full.

It started off with projects II. At 8:30 (woo hoo). We began by watching a three hour movie on Maya Lin, then finished at the PMA. After that, I had my intro to Art Therapy, which turned out to be quite interesting, though it is yet again another class that is all women... and me. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with girls. However, there are times when I need a man friend. My life is an ocean of estrogen. And its overwhelming.

I'm really looking forward to my Mondays because I'm taking a glass class and ballroom dance. Hopefully glass won't be another collegiate debacle, much like my foray into screenprinting and photography... Well, at least its in the crafts department. And I think it's with the new professor, Alexander Rosenberg. Ballroom is just another dance class that I can take for fun and not feel like my motor functions are challenged because it's a style of dancing that most dancer aren't familiar with. That being said, I'll still probably look like a fool next to all the graceful dancers.

Oh yeah! I'm back on campus. Now I am living in Furness (which is totally NOT the worst building!)! I am an RA on the 4th flo souf side. Which, incidentally is down the hall from my studio! That's right! I have my own studio now! It's more of a cubicle in a shared space, but I'll take it! Here are some pics of the abode and the studio.

There is also and ikat that I did over the summer. More updates to come as the semester actually gets in gear. Seriously, why did we start school on the Thursday before Labor Day? That's like 2 weeks of no Monday classes.

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It seems that Michelle has taken everyone's summer rest as an opportunity to monopolize the blog. So I'm going to post every now and then to mix things up.

Let's see.... I just got back from South Korea last week! Words cannot describe the amount of awesome that trip was. Prof. Mi-Kyoung Lee set it up. Which was awesome, but also done so in a very Mi-Kyoung fashion. If you know her, you know what I mean. We got to visit many museums, attend lectures at Ehwa Womans University and Sookmyung Women's University. And spend some time on beautiful Geoje Island. I would post pictures up, but I have apparently lost the cord to my camera, so I am now waiting on one to be shipped here. You will then see some pics.

I am currently doing an internship with The International Opera Theater. Its very challenging so far. I'm helping create costume and set pieces for the opera "La Bisbetica Domata" which is an original adaptation of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew". It's nice because I have this opportunity to gain experience in an area that I am normally not exposed to and work in a way that I usually don't.

For some reason I'm really nervous and excited to start Junior year. I feel like Korea was just what I needed. I'm feeling refreshed, renewed, creative, and I'm ready to work! However, at the end of the fall semester, all Junior Craft majors have to go through juries in which you present your best work and can potentially be kicked out of the program (they hardly ever do though). It's also an opportunity for awards, if your work is good. I doubt I'll receive any awards or anything, but it'll be nice to try. So, I really need to spend the summer working and trying to develop my ideas more.

I'm currently eating vegan quiche. Which is surprisingly good. I don't know why because quiche is everything NOT vegan. It's like eating vegetarian babyback ribs. It just doesn't go. But this does. Why?

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Year in review
May 14, 2010
Curtis
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Well. It seems that my sophomore year has come to a close. Lets summarize some of the events that occured... I went through a change of major, an apartment, the first year of an ROTC program, lots of hours in the studio, lots of failures, a few successes and a pregnancy. Well, NOT a pregnancy, but a lot of things regardless.

I really do think that switching my major was the best choice for me. It's been difficult because I really had to catch up with where everyone else was, but I don't think that I'm too far off now. I definitely feel that I still have a lot of work to do, but I know that I CAN.

BOO-YAH bitches!

I have NO idea how grades are going to turn out. Apparently there was this paper or something due in my African Dance class, but I wasn't really aware of it. Until the last day of class. But I did do it. After I found out about it. And I DID send it in, but I don't know if he got it. Or read it. Or gave me a grade for it. So... I have a creeping feeling that my 1 CREDIT ELECTIVE is going to wreak havoc on my already mildly sullied GPA. blah.

Let's see....

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Coming to a close
April 13, 2010
Curtis
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Well, sort of anyway. The semester is starting to wind down. Only 4 more weeks left! Sophomore year has gone by soooo fast.

It's been good though. I really fell like I'm becoming more resolute in my work. I've been having difficulty lately with making pieces that felt completed or even made me happy. It's been challenging to get through, but I think that I'm in a direction now. I have to go now because constructed surface is about to start, and I have to give a presentation on Petah Coyne, a sculptor (you should look her up, her work fascinates me).

More to come.
Pics included yo.

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AHHHH!!!
March 26, 2010
Curtis
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So this week... CRAZY. I had 2 critiques, 3 papers due... WHAT THE HELL?! Why did everything fall on the same week? So after much frustration and an all nighter, I have finally completed all the required work. However, I don't think very well.

My projects critique was possibly the worst one I've ever had. SO. BAD. But I don't want to dwell on that. I don't think the other disciplines in crafts take fiber that seriously. At all. But that's ok. One discipline in particular are rather asshole-like to fibers peeps.

In a few weeks they're having a zombie ball in the Gersh. I think I'm going to go! Hopefully.

Have you seen that new show "minute to win it"? It's soooooo crazy!! Well, during one of our collective fibers late nights in the studio, we had a brilliant idea of a fibers field day. Will report back on this.

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so what can be said of the events that have transpired over the past few days? not much. nothing. at all. Except snowwwww.... tons and tons of snow. Which has meant a few snow days. But other than that, really nothing has been going on.
I've been learning how to dye more lately. I even did a potato dextrin resist on some silk organza. Which I will be using for my projects class. Projects... What is projects, you ask? Well, possibly one of the most ambiguous classes ever made. Basically, you make shit. that's about it. I have not been working on any of the work for that class, which is a problem. A big one. Blah.
Oh yeah! I'm going to be getting a new tattoo soon! I'm getting a Japanese styled half sleeve! I'm soooo excited for it. I'm having the outline done on March 11, and everything else to follow....

Oh attached are some pics of dyeing. Enjoy mofos!!!

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So come and visit me. Almost ALL of my classes are here.... At least I picked a studio with good lighting.

i seem to be going a little crazy lately... I JUST sent my rent in today. Fortunately as long as it gets there before the fifth, I'm good.

Psychology is going well... I was trying to do some reading for that class the other day... In the library. It was soo warm, and the armchair was sooo comfy, and the reading was so boring (in an interesting way), and I wanted to sleep soooo bad! But that librarian was hovering over me like a vulture. Watching.. waiting... ready to wake me up at any moment.

On a side note, I LOVE acid dyeing! I've dyed multiple spools of monofilament crazy amazing colors!
However, it is now time to go to African Dance, so away I must go. Like the wind. I'm gone.

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First week...
January 27, 2010
Curtis
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Well... As of Monday I've had all of my new classes for the semester... And, for the most part, they're enjoyable. Abnormal Psych with Paul Nolan (the most awesome of teachers)- I actually feel like a real college student now because the required text is not only an actual college text book, but came at a college text book price ($140 oh joy)
Constructed Surfaces with Warren Seelig and Mi Kyoung Lee - Both awesome professors. Unfortunately, I am in a class of 30. 29 of those 30 are females. I KNOW that by mid-semester, they will all have synched up and will be catty and bitchy at the same time. NOT looking forward to it.
African Dance (AGAIN) - nuff said
19th Century Gothic with Cathy Robert (not Robert like Robert Downey Jr., but Robert as in silent t and soft r...french) - Well... she walked into class saying "ooo! you all must be kinda kinky for being in this class" and then proceeded to tell us how Gothic art "turns you on". She's definitely a character. I had to buy just about the whole damn UArts bookstore for this class... 7 books including Short Stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Flowers of Evil, The Portrait of Dorian Grey, something I've forgotten, and WUTHERING HEIGHTS. When I came to college I was fervent about my dislike of that book and how pleased I would be if I went through my collegiate career without ever having to touch that book again. Now.... I'm stuck with it. DAMN YOU EMILY BRONTE!!!! DAMN YOU!!!!
Projects - Well. Not much to say about this class, except that it's huge and ambiguous.... (that's what she said)
Intro to Color and the loom - I forget the teachers name... I think it's Mary something.. She's very excited about this class... (and this is yet another where I am the only owner of a y chromosome, among other things) Apparently weaving is the most tedious form of art made. EVER. And apparently I screwed mine up. Soooo.... We'll have to see where this woven whatever ends up....

I can't really think of what to add to my thoughts about my classes just yet. I'm sure by the end of the semester I'll be thinking "WHY?? Why did I sign up for these???", but for now they are enjoyable.
I'm in the library right now and just heard the weirdest moan from some old lady... It was a cross between pain and taking in of much needed caffeination. riiight....

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Soooo....
December 21, 2009
Curtis
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It has been a very... stressful semester. But I made it through! My grades, however, are still TBD....

I know I kind of pretty much disappeared off of the face of the planet, but there was a reason for that. Finals week. Finals week. finals. week. I am amazed I made it through without a) killing myself b) accidentally poisoning myself with any array of art supplies I was using while dining on popcorn and monster (a traditional art school meal) c) falling asleep while crossing the street or d) going postal and blowing up at either my instructors or fellow students. For now, the only classes I am worried about are child and adolescent psychology and intro to photo. My psych class only has three grades in the entire semester: a midterm, a 10 page paper analyzing three films, and the final. For all of you who missed my midterm from hell, I ended up getting a C on it. I have no idea how that paper went though. The professor is so oldschool and strict (which is refreshing but a pain in the ass for me) that I'm pretty sure that when I get my paper back it's going to be full of red lines and corrections with a big "YOU ARE STUPID" written across the top. That paper was very.... confused. I'd rather not talk about it. Don't bring it up again until I find out that I actually passed that class and my GPA didn't go to shit.

Screenprinting was, in and of itself, just all over the place. Great class, great instructor, but the resources suck. It's a bitch to find studio space to work when there ALWAYS classes in there. We had to do 30 editions with at least six runs and eight colors, so all in all I did 180 runs. Go me. I'm pretty badass, I know. The crit went surprisingly well.

Friday was an awesome day. First, I find out I got a job! I shall now be working in the fibers studio in the resale office and thereabouts. From this point on, I will only be addressed as Grand Lord, Master and Emperor of the Fibers studio. Any other title shall be taken as an insult; severe punishment will ensue.

And then, I had my fibers crit. I was really... unsure whether my professor would like my pieces. But, she really liked the body landscape one I did and she actually bought my object transformation piece!!!! I knitted (how the hell did I do it???)for what seemed like forever and another forever, linen thread. THREAD. FREAKIN' THREAD. I don't EVER EVER EVER want to knit with thread again. EVER. It was so tedious and frustrating. But anywho, I made it into an armband and coated it in matte medium. Then I painted it in deep reds and violets to make a bloody kind of bandage looking thing. It was pretty gross when it was done. But she liked it. My other project was a necklace I made out of condoms. That's the one she bought. A condom necklace. Condom. Necklace. I felt soooo accomplished when she asked to buy it. I won't let it get to me at all, but OMFG!!!! Best day ever.

Oh yes. It snowed. 2 ft. It was very beautiful. But a pain in the ass. So apparently when William Penn first established Philadelphia, he was fortunate enough to experience a wintry storm of the same caliber as the one I we had. How lucky. He liked it. He LOVED it. In fact, he loved it so much that he decided to marry it. But then he was like, "wait. the snow isn't a physical being, so i guess I can't marry it. Darn. There goes my day." Embittered by the cruelty of the snow that left him broken-hearted, William Penn thenceforth decreed that "whenever it snows in Philadelphia, we shall not plow it! We shall run over that cold hearted bitch with our carts and carriages like she ran over my heart!!!" Which is why the streets do not get plowed in philly. As per the high rate of accidents.

Yeah. So I know I owe ya'll lots of pictures. I hope to get them soon. As in, I hope I get off my lazy ass and upload them onto my computer. So, expect lots of pictures sometime soon! OooooooO! Exciting! Maybe I'll even post them as a Christmas Present?! OoooooOOO! SO EXCITING! SO FREAKIN' EXCITING!!!! Yeah. I think the extremely LARGE amounts of caffeine and sugar that became my entire diet for the past two weeks are starting to screw with my brain. And stomach. And liver. I'm the picture of health right now. healllllllllllllthyyyyyyyy..................

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Currently I am sitting. With Ms. Samantha Anderson. In the cantina. We are enjoying a nice afternoon lunch; I had a veggie burger and Ms. Anderson had a taco. We both had fries. They we quite delicious. But the fries. Oh the fries, fries, fries. What god invented the french fry, I wonder....? Did he simply reach down with his mighty scepter, take aim at the beautiful potato, and, with well choreographed swirl of robe and dramatic stare, transformed the humble little spud into a golden prince among convenience foods? Oh the ridges and mountains of gold I trace with my fingers as I decide where to begin. I notice a few dark spots or blemishes. I rip them off and throw them away immediately. You are too ugly and disgrace the name of french fry!! Away with you, bronze filth! You do not posses the glory and privilege of being called french fry! But oh! The others! The golden beauties! How they smile and sparkle with salt! Glorious, glorious, glorious! I thank thee creator! Thou dost fill me when I have no money with only a smattering of your love. You scent is an ubiquitous perfume I wish to wrap myself in. Oh how I love thee! I once asked for thy hand, but thou turned me down, leaving a heavy, salty feeling within me. Just allow me to be around thee! Intoxicated me as I devour thy flesh! Oh how you love it! Your reward me! I love thee.

*

I think I actually hate fries....

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