Casual Time-City Life

This previous weekend I took a trip to New York city with the university's Art bus. I go to the city with plans. There are special things that I always want and "need" to do. Accompanying me for a short time was my friend Angela. The angel that she is tickles my insides with sarcastic humor. We find ourselves playing roles of characters that we make up as we go along. My favorite game to play with her is copy-cat. She does it better than I.



Angela and I were together for the ride to the city, then we hung out in Chelsea. Going through the galleries we expressed our views on the art works. She so easily criticizes what she dislikes with articulate speech. Whispering she says, "I find this incredibly boring. I'm going to wait outside. You can look around if you like, but I can't stand it in here." I feel so inexperienced in criticizing modern art, or abstract expressionism. My only comebacks is the confession that I'm not sure how to criticize it, and I find my judgements being reserved to comments like, "I'm not sure. It's not really my thing." Angela on the other hand seems to enjoy the more ridiculous art pieces that appear to be more of an obscene joke rather than a painting. I expressed to her my sincerity to understand art within the context that it is created for rather than to say, "that's total crap."



My objectives for the city were completely touristy. I had plans to go to the galleries. Following that, I wanted to take pictures of the buildings (as I always do). I had plans to photograph people, and once I made my planned stops I was to head to the met. It was a simple schedule, with a lot of walking. A year and a half ago I ate at this pizza place that had the best EVER slices of pizza. I found it again (it was on my to-do list). I had two slices of a mushroom, tomato and pesto, topping. It was so yummy and worth the $7.50. I met my friend Michael at the location and we continued on to the park.



A special place that I had to stop was at the John Lennon memorial in Central Park. Inside the entrance to the Strawberry fields is a tile mosaic with the single word that summarizes the work of the man, "Imagine." People were singing songs and watching as others visited the site. Near the mosaic was a man with food laid out for people to eat. The location seems to have an ongoing service that honors this elegant philosophy.




Eventually, Michael and I made it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I had an assignment to see the Giorgio Morandi exhibit. Like my prof said, it wasn't anything spectacular, but I saw as he requested. Michael and I then left the museum and stopped at a small cafe to get some juice. We said our goodbye and I was on the bus heading back to Kutztown. I continued to take a few snapshot while in motion of the city lights. THIS HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE, but I didn't care. I just wanted to do it so I did. There will be more blogs with more photos from the city. I took over 200. These are the more casual images while the others had a stronger objective.

Phili Adventures...

My former roommate Steven called me last weekend. I was sick with a sinus infection and feeling low on energy. Borrowing an imac computer from the university library Steven and I spent our Saturday evening entertaining each other with goofy video options, playing songs, sharing pictures, and surfing the internet in the meantime. He mentioned a possible trip to Philadelphia the following day and promised he'd call me if he decided to follow through.



We always have adventures. Still unable to drive, I am the passenger but also the record keeper of the group. With my handy-dandy camera we are ready for the day. Nothing stops me from recording our journey. Even with the sinus infection, I thought that getting out of the apartment would do me good. Keeping positive when sick is said to speed the healing process. The trip was what I needed.



The weather was gorgeous. It was the perfect part of summer where the weather is changing into a cooler temperature yet the leaves are still green with only their tips browning. On the ride into the city we sang along to Jason Mraz's latest CD. We discussed our love lives, our families, our thoughts. Recently I created a new digital video. The length is the longest yet, reaching a whole 11 minutes and 8 seconds. After seeing it Steven commented on my consistency with making only silent films, and that he'd really like to see me do interviews with people, recording reactions to a controversial topic. I brainstormed on possible ideas, sill I have no current commitments to it.



We parked in Center City and began walking into the historical part of town. I've been to New York more times than I have been to Philadelphia. Steven is the navigator. There was no true objective to our trip other than to be there. We found artistic interests in the texture of buildings and cobble stone roads.



We first entered the liberty bell park. In the center was a group of people protesting the war with signs reading "Pray for Peace." A friend of mine who's current photo assignment was to photograph people without their permission influenced me to do the same.



I do not consider the photographs to be my best, but I am interested in this practice. Even with its cliche aspect, there is something about it that is so strikingly different from all other photographs. I want to continue doing this, not as my primary photographic interest, but just to see where it will take me.



The day was a perfect adventure. We ate dinner at Elvez. We talked the entire time. It was as though he never graduated and it was a normal day for the two of us.

Fall Dancing

I have returned to school for this fall semester and new year. Can I tell the world how happy I am? I have a wonderful semester in front of me. One of the courses is an Individualized instruction in Watercolor. I have already begun painting. I have not felt in me the drive to paint for some time. I have been taking photographs here and there, many of them self-portraits. I spent the weekend reading, eating, and walking around town. The weather is a comfortable summer hot. I wore a short pair of black shorts. Walking through town it felt like a heated blanket covered my skin. The feeling was refreshing from the cold air conditioned apartment. I have been productive with my work, staying on top of my 'to-do' list. I read much faster than I have ever been able to before.


I have so many different ideas of what I'd like to paint. The first assignment I was given; build my first painting around a title. I have never taken this sort of approach before. It makes me consider painting 'on behalf of' other's intentions. A friend of mine used the word 'mending' in an e-mail. Something about it stuck out. I chose that world as the title of my first painting. The sketch holds structure and and element of an organic pair of branches mending light in the center of the piece. So far it is about 45% finished.


I wanted to paint this previous summer, but never felt motivated to do so. I began with a small collage and experimentations, testing out how to make gel transfers from magazine photographs. The sociology course I took last semester 'Sociology of Sex Roles' inspired me to write about the male gender and American culture. The strongest phrase in my writings was, 'We live in a White, Heterosexual, Male, Dominate Society." I wanted to talk about defining masculinity, and how some of my personal definitions conflict with the social norm. There is something about these sort of paintings that requires writing, poetry, or words printed right one the canvass.


My art primarily focuses on identity. I struggle pulling myself from this theme. I consider myself a detailed artist when it comes to my skill. I feel Watercolor painting is my forte. Intellectually I am abstract and a conceptual artist. I think I'd do well in criticism. I have this drive to dance, move, and express myself with sound. Having a dance course this semester also has been exciting me, and I find it hard not to dance for 5 min when taking a break from reading in my room. So far, I love how things are going.