April 28th

Today was fun to see everyones pieces. I found this piece to be the hardest to decided what to do. I had the hardest time, and it seeemd like I was not the only one after talking with everyone. Everytime we walk in to a critique everyone says theres are terrible, but really they are actually good and interesting. I really liked my feedback, and I completely aggree that I need more to push my idea on being eaten by ads in life. Plus I thought the idea to place a mirrir in my oiece to show that "look u are the comsumer." so you havnt fun!

April 23rd

I missed today and I will do an article...

April 21st

Todays class was fun; but it made me feel uneasy. The images we looked at were a little over the top, and intense. The use of the body is always in interest to me, I find it so georgous. When flesh is shown through in a piece of artwork manys times will it be charged with being pornographic. I completely dissagree; I find that when nudity in done in todays work is out it is classy. Its out out there to use the function porn does, it is displayed better

April 16th

Barbara Schrieber came to visit our class today. I think that she was my favorite of all our visitors in class. I enjoyed her bubbly personality, and her extremely interseting work. I love how she does smaller paintings, she seems to be so practical. If she doesnt have the money or health for some materials she finds another way to get her job done. I really enjoyed watching her show she children pieces. I love her humor through art, there is always a time to be funny:) she seemed like a very cool lady. everyone in class that day seemed to be engaged and intersted by her work, and if she could keep all of our attention for that long; she must have been intriguing and talented.

April 14th

In class today I was so relieved to hear our blogs were pushed back. To be completely honest I don't remember what we did in this class:) I think we had a discussion like we usually do, and this may have beent he class we talked about our schedule, and our next project.

Yeah, I think that was it. I was happy to see our final wasn't on May 2 like the syllabus said, because I am going to be out of town. Anyway, I'm pretty sure we just discussd the plans for the end of the semester. It was nice to get organized.

April 9th

I had so much fun in class today. I loved visiting the Picket's house and seeing his work environment. It gave me great insight into how an artist lives, it was fun for me because I knew his wife Lauren from my graphic design meathods class. I also, got to go to smelly cat on my way and I thoroughly enjoyed my coffee. I found his mural to be ASTONOSHING, it was beautiful. I had fun asking questions about the prosess and juust racking his brain with little questions I had. It was an overall beautiful day and we were outside and enjoying the art. It was fun!

April 7th

It was a nice an relaxing day in class for me. I got to sit back and just give classmates feedback on their work, since I presented mine on the wed b4. I enjoyed seeing everyones work; I really enjoyed Sheldon's piece about his childhood.

April 2

I really enjoyed seeing how other students intrepreted the assignment of time. Everyone seemed to have a different twist on things. It was fun to hear, and see; but when it came for me to present I felt confident with my piece. I had been told to not be so literal, so I stepped out of the box and was definetly not literal. I was kind of disapointed with my critique; hearing what everyone had to say kind of put me down. I am used to critiques and not taking things personal, but for some reason it kind of bothered me. I'm worried I'm not going to get a good grade, and I really tried to take my last projects critique and utilize it. I guess I just still didn't do what I needed to.

March 31

I thoroughly enjoyed the guest speaker on Monday this week. His work was very different from anything I had seen before. I had trouble understanding it at first; he was explaining it but for some reason I just didnt understand how wedging clay made those images. I think I kind of understood it by the end but at the same time I was still a little confused. I found that to be fun abouthis work. Not always being able to understand art makes it fun to look at. I also thought he was an intetesting character, I like how different his style was.

March 24th and 26th

We didn't have class either day this week, feel better Melena!

March 19, 2008

Today was kind of an uneventful day in class. I did get some feedback about my idea, my classmates liked it but Maleana told me I need to stop being so literal. I spent the rest of the class trying to think of something I could do, and all I became was frustrated. What is the line between literal and non literal? I must b a fine line because everything I think of I find some way say is too literal. I am extremely frustrated with myself, and my ideas for this project.

I decided I wanted to do something dealing with me being so far from home and missing my close friends and family. This will bring my piece close to me and more meaningful. Thats pretty much all I have, I am completely stumped!

McColl Center March 17, 2008

The last exhibit we saw at the McColl center was interesting, but really didnt tickle my fantsy, if you know what I mean. This exhibit was REALLY amazing! I loved it! I was so cool that we could interact with a lot of the pieces, and the artists had somewhat of a goal to scare us as the viewer. My favorite piece was the one with plastic plates raised off the ground with water and an engraved mirror inside. The mirror created somewhat of a skull image on the wall and it was on a platform that we as the viewer were supposed to walk on. When you attempt to get closer to the skull image to investigate, it disappears. Just like when I was a child and I thought the boogie man was under my bed and I would create it all in my head, and when I would look he would be there. "He was uncatchable" if that's a word? I would the concept very intriguing. I had a nice time talking with an artist named Howard upstairs, and all in all this was a very enjoyable trip:)

March 12, 2008

I found Cai Guo Qiang work to be very exciting and beautiful in the end. His work seems so planned out and organized. He is very skilled with an unpredictable media such as gun powder. I loved his work, I would love to try something like this someday. I love the element of surprise; I mean you think you know what it is going to look like once the explosion occurs but the media is so unpredictable that you never can quite tell. I find that so interesting; I could see where in some cases it would be frustrating and in others amazing. I also enjoyed the way he works, with a team and collaborating. I could see myself doing something like that.

It was nice to get outside today, and receive those magazines. I thoroughly enjoyed getting out of the class room.

March 10, 2008

Today we viewed some interesting artists on the projector. I really enjoyed the graffiti art! For the longest time I have been into doodling words and phrases, I love text! I was doodling one day at my job, making a sign for the store. And my boss really like it, and decided to let me design all he signs in the store. He decided to go an old fashion way and use chalk, I LOVED it!!!! I took it from there, I had about 12 boards labeling the store in neat fonts that didnt repeat themselves, with little drawings on them. I would get complement all the time, I had a blast! I would love to work in advertising where i can play with text and mess with design. I really enjoy manipulating lettering into showing emotion or a topic of some sorts. Graffiti has always been really neat for me, I just think its so beautiful and intriguing.

Feb18&20

Monday I thought that our identity project was due, becasue I had not been there the week before. The benefit was I was done, but the down side was that we spent this class time discussing our ideas. This could have been very beneficial for me in my ealier stages. Not that it wasn't beneficial because I was able to toy with my piece and make it better from thers advice in class. I enjoyed getting out of the class room and getting to know more of the people in my class. It was nice to sit outside with our coffe and talk about art.

I thoroughly enjoyed our visitor on Wed. I found her stuff very cool. I love all of her references to the renissance. I love the renissance! She was very comfortable with us and she made me feel welcomed, and comfortable to ask questions. I think I took a lot with me from what she talked about with making her art help her travel, and how she has done so much in the art community. You just have to get yourself out there, and make things.

Feb 25&27

Monday I enjoyed seeing everyine's different takes on the identity project. It was my first time really participating in such an open assignment, so to see all directions people took was astonishing. I was really impressed withthe people who do video and sound stuff, because I have never been taught anything like that and it kind of sparked my interest in maybe trying it sometime. I'm glad that we got the first critique out of the way, and i kind of have a better understanding of how the class is going to go the rest of the semester.

I was upest the we didn't get to see the guest artist on Wed. I was looking forward to it becasue Melana spoke so highly of him/her. But maybe another time:) I did enjoy looking at the archet. stuff bc I hav never gotten a chance to see their stuff, and I know we have a great program. The washer and dryer I found weird because I thought it was just an experiment someone needed ot do, i didn't think it was reall meant to be a piece. I found it odd that all it was, was a washer and dryer taken apart and labeled piece by piece. My favorite part of the day was definetly when we saw the barbie project. I found it hilarious!!!! It was also great to get feedback on my piece. I'm glad I got my main idea accross well, and overall I am happy with it. I really appriciated the reccomendation to continue adding things onto it as I grow. I think I might just do that.

bad week Feb 11&14

This week I did not go to class either day. On Monday I was sick with the flu. Wednesday I missed for a horse show I had with the school equestrian team. This is excused, but was very inconvinent. I feel like I am very behind, and I am not prepared for my first project. I feel like I am creating this piece with no guidance, and that kinda freaks me out.

I am on the UNCC Equestrian Team and we had a competition in VA on Wed. I recieve a letter to excuse me from class, but I have not recieved my letters yet. This makes me extremely anger and puts me in a bad position with my professors. So I still had the flu on Wed. and had to compete, plus miss class.

Mint Trip Feb4&6

We went to the Mint Museum on Wed. and it was very entertaining. I have never been very interested in fibers, but the exibit opened my eyes to some very cool work done through fiber. I enjoyed the glass pieces the most though. I loved the boat piece!

Meaning MakersJan. 28&30

This week we discussed a formula that opened up my eyes to new ways view works of art. It was interesting on Monday when we got to see everyones interpretation of the colection assignment. Everyone interpreted it in a different way. Today was very interesting, we viewed one of Melana's pieces,a nd I found it very interesting to analyze her piece from our own perspectives, and not til the end of class did we find out what the true meaning of her piece was. I enjoyed breaking the piece down and analyzing its meaning. I like the idea of artists being "meaning makers" because in retrospec thats exactly what we are doing when making works of art. We want to bring accross a certain meaning to our audiences.

McColl Center Jan. 14&16

I like how this class is very open and discussion is so easy in class. I felt like today I could voice my opinion in and open free of judgement environment. I thought it was interesting to disect ideas and learn more about classmates ideas and how if everyine is from say me. It really demonstrates how diverse our brains are form eachother.

I had a lot of fun at the McColl center this week. I had already seen it hat exhibit with Kristen Rothrock, but is was fun to look at another time and in another prospective. I enjoyed being able to see the studios, and learn more about he center and residency. My favorite piece was the one with all the label with misconceptions stitched on them. I love how simple the appearance is, but there is SO much more meaning behind it. All the way down to the cheap candy dishes symbolising pedestals. It was overall enjoyable experience.