Back in the Sticks

I would first just like to start out by saying that this has been my favorite project so far in my Digital Processes class. I had a great time going out and taking shots, and I had tons of ideas running through my mind as I was doing so. I decided that my "anti-mainstream" focus would be on photographs that depict where and how I grew up. Back in the Sticks reflects some of the people and ideas that I embrace. Sure, the way of life portrayed in these photographs is not necessarily anti-mainstream to our country or the world, but I was focusing specifically on what is anti-mainstream to the typical Lawrentian. For instance, you very rarely see a Lawrence student walking around in scuffed up boots, a flannel shirt, and a camo hat. I think I can count on one hand the number of those students we have, here at Lawrence.

Moving on... all of these photographs were taken within the past year. Most of them were taken this past summer (2012), but the the last 8 photos of the book are the newest ones that I took for this project specifically. The photos are taken in various locations throughout Wisconsin such as my house, my cabin, Winchester, Readfield, and Rhinelander. The subjects of the photos are my friends and some of my family members. I should also mention that most of the captions for these photographs are lyrics from certain country songs.

The quality of these images is not the best, for I did not use the Sony camera that we were issued in class. The shots I took for this project were all captured by an 8 megapixel Canon. Below is the link to my Flickr account, where I have made available the 32 photographs in a "set."

http://www.flickr.com/photos/92591427@N08/sets/72157632609044623/

Additionally, here is a link to my snapfish book, where you can view the (almost) finished project. Now all I have to do is wait for me book to ship, so I can see how it turns out!

http://www5.snapfish.com/snapfish/fe/l=en_US/p/products/FlexApp/ordertype=PMB/orderId=13762904025/orderstatus=OLD/ownerid=14081302025/leadingolioid=174608220025/productType=photobook/s_c=0/s_se=FDR/s_pt=PMB

Reaction to Lynda Barry Convocation

 

Wow! What a Convocation that was. Most definitely the most entertaining one I have yet to witness here at Lawrence. I absolutely loved Lynda Barry. Prior to her coming to Lawrence I had never heard of her, so before the Convocation today I quickly looked up some of her artwork and was immediately drawn to it. I loved the colors that she uses, the fact that she uses her own unique handwriting, and the storylines that her cartoons portray. My high opinion of Lynda multiplied upon hearing her speak today, for she had a fantastic sense of humor, and her many jokes had me laughing the entire time. I think my favorite joke was the one about the person peeling off the label of a beer bottle while listening to another explain his or her dreams. I also found her to be amazing because of the violent and difficult childhood she grew up with.

One of my favorite things about Lynda Barry was the fact that everything she said was truly original. For example, the statement about a child’s blankie serving as their first artwork, or that an image is a formless thing that gives us form. These are just two of her ideas that I really liked and agreed with. Oh and her “party trick” in the end was simply fantastic!

Reaction Video to Marshall McLuhan's Notions of Space and Time

This video is related to both Marshall McLuhan's notions of space and time and to one of his overarching themes of his book, The Medium is the Masssage. The video references McLuhan's ideas of space and time in that it reflects his idea that new information is rapidly being replaced by even newer information. The calm water in the video is being overtaken by the escalating rushing waters shown in end scenes. My video also reflects McLuhan's ideas in the first couple scenes. These clips depict a calm mindset. I thought this was appropriate because McLuhan suggests that taking our hectic lives away from all that we are exposed to each day is beneficial for us.

The video reflects McLuhan's argument in his book that over time, technology escalates and becomes somewhat overbearing and out of control. My video reflects this theory in how the river water  mimics what technology has become over time. The water starts out subtle and calm, just as technology and inventions started out. An example from the early stage of technology or communication would be the writing of letters back in the "olden days". As the video progresses the rushing water becomes more rapid and dominant. These middle stages are a reference to technology such as the radio and television. The final scenes of the video reflect the current stage of technology that our generation is experiencing such as the internet, kindles, and ipads. Just as the rapid rush and escalating sounds of the water seem to cause an overwhelming whirlwind, today's technology is also overwhelming and taking over the ways in which humanity used to live. This escalation of technology is exactly what McLuhan predicted in his writings.

For my video I simply shot a variety of scenes along the Fox River. As my journey carried on I ended up at one of the damns along the river where my final scene is shot. Some of the sounds on the video are the actual sounds from my footage, but I also added sounds from options that were on Final Cut such as the birds chirping in the background and differing sounds of water flowing. However, the final scene consists of only the original footage, which is an aspect of my video that I really like. I chose to use transitions because without them the video was simply too choppy.

This was my first video that I have ever made. Overall, it was a long, difficult process that I encountered many problems with. However, I am happy with the end result, and I look forward to bettering my skills in video. 

Sharing my first blog with the world!

Hello everyone :] This is my first official blog ever. Woo hoo! My name is Amber, and for one of my classes at Lawrence University I was told to create a blog that introduces myself, reflects my interests, and reveals the motivations for my art. So... here I am! Hopefully all goes well, and I am able to get the hang of it.

I should probably first start out by saying that, although I am a Studio Art major, I do not consider myself to be very artsy. You see, in addition to my Studio Art major I am also pursuing a K - 12 teaching certification. I am going to be honest and say that the teaching certification means a lot more to me, simply because I can see myself being a teacher significantly more than becoming an artist. However, I have always been drawn to art. I have been drawn to the artist's talent to produce beautiful pieces, the messages the works are capable of portraying, and the creativity it allows individuals to express. This last reason is the main reason why I love art so much, and it is why I decided to teach art rather than other subjects. I am excited to catch a glimpse into the minds of my future students, and that is the reason for my Studio Art major. If I am going to teach, why not teach something that I am passionate about, right?!

Ok, well now I will just inform you all on a couple things you might like to know about me...
1) I am originally from Appleton (yes I love it, even though most of you probably think it is unbearably small and boring)
2) I am a lady who needs at least 8 hours of sleep every night
 and 3) Just a unique fact about myself (because those are absolutely necessary when getting to know someone) Every time I put a piece of mint  gum into my mouth I automatically sneeze. Not fruity kind, just mint; It's the weirdest thing.

Alrighty, now just a few of the things in the world that interest me...
1) I am a proud lover of country music. Let the haters hate.
2) I love sports (LU athletics, NCAA, and the NFL) GO PACK GO!!!
3) Working with and helping children makes me happy
4) I love shopping, movies, and taking pictures
and 5) My family and friends complete my life


Ok, well now that you know a little bit about me I would like to inform you on where I get my artistic motivation. As I mentioned earlier, I am more so pursuing the Studio Art major to teach, rather than to become an artist. That being said, I have not really had that much experience creating a lot of works. However, when I begin to make my own pieces the following aspects will most likely serve as inspirations for me. Here they are...

Children:

Innocence

St. James's Park, London

The environment:

 The Chain of Lakes, Waupaca, Wisconsin

 The Fox River, Appleton, Wisconsin

 Hyde Park, London 

 Footpath, London

 Brompton Cemetery, London

 The Highlands of Scotland

 Fairy Glen, Scotland

 Pembrokenshire, Whales

 The Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

Ireland

Works I had the opportunity to see while studying in London:

 Frieze Art Fair, London

 Frieze Art Fair, London

 Frieze Art Fair, London

Frieze Art Fair, London

 Gallery in London

Gallery in London

My travels:

 Chicago, Illinois

 Tower Bridge, London

 Santorini, Greece

 Venice, Italy

Chianti, Italy

Flowers:

 Hyde Park, London

 Regent's Park, London

Pembrokenshire, Whales

As I mentioned earlier, I am at the beginning of my art journey. I do not have any sort of portfolio, but I am hoping this class and others like it will aid in making that possible.

Thanks for reading! Bye for now,
Amber :]