SimoneCSPArts

 6) My advice to upcoming students is the same as the students’ advice that came before me: start early and follow through on specific goals you set for yourself. By starting earlier, you have more time to fix problems and change the course of what your project is, if you feel that is necessary. Specific goals are essential because they hold you accountable for the progress of your project. It is easy to say you will have a certain part done by ‘around April-ish,’ but that is hardly helpful when April 30th rolls around, and you have not finished what you needed to get done.  

EXO’s concert was a spectacle of song, lights, narrative, and dance. This is the second time I have seen EXO live, and they do not disappoint. In true boyband form, they make sure to interact with the fans and try to reach out to everyone. Their sound is mainly electronic/pop, but they had an acoustic section that added a new dimension to their performance. I also appreciate that they incorporate a story element in their concert set, shown on jumbotrons, and of course, their choreography.  

I’ve finally finished the center self portrait, and will move on to the last stages of defining edges and clarifying shapes. I plan to: a) darken the grid pattern in the right bottom corner, b) locate places where the paint is thin and fill it in with some cadmium red hue, c) add a few lines to the piano, d) define the chair with similar lines to the piano, and e) give the frame for the painting with the light blue figure a heavier outline.

After some compostitional corrections, this piece has moved on to the clarification stage, where i will fill in details (and tackle painting the face of my younger self-yikes). I will a) give the buildings windows and clarify their edges, b) clarify the edges of the leaves on the right side, c) add some flower to the trees on the right side, d) add some simple and colorful vegetation to the bottom (for balance and interest), and e) work some more contrast into the mountain.

This past Friday, I had the privilege of visiting The Phillips Collection in Washington D.C. (courtesy of my friend who works at a Smithsonian museum-employees can bring one guest to any museum for free). Initially, I was mainly interested in going to see their Rothko Room (see Green and Tangerine on Red and Orange on Red on Red above), but I soon found out that the Phillips Collection had so much more to offer. American artist Jacob Lawrence’s (1917–2001) series of silk screen prints called “The Life of Toussaint L'Ouverture,” which told the story of L’Overture, a leader in the movement to liberate Haiti from colonial rule and the emancipation of slaves in the 1791 Haitian Revolution. It made me reflect on the power imbalances and struggles that colonized countries faced historically which still impact their society today, and also draw connections from my own heritage as a Latina whose family was displaced due to political and economic instability caused in large part by the U.S., a colonial power. 

I do have some experience with self portraiture, but none with oil paint specifically. On gessoed paper, I used titanium white, tube black, quinacridone red and terra green to flesh out a facial structure, and experimented with loose blending (visible brush marks) to add depth. I’m satisfied with how it turned out, although it is not entirely true to my face. I also appreciate out “juicy” it looks (despite minimal paint being used), which I often struggle to achieve in my paintings.

This past weekend I took advantage of the warm weather and painted in my backyard! I wanted to use the natural lighting for my self portrait, to enhance the colors in my face (diversify!). I did not get a chance to work on the other painting (the one with my younger self--I really need to name these paintings). 

I have no further questions at this time.

I think I’ve finally caught my first case of artist’s block in this process. I haven’t looked at my paintings in a week, because I do not know how to move forward. Before, my ideas felt new and exciting, but now I am unenthusiastic about even the idea of picking up a brush. I am being dramatic, of course, but any artist knows that a creative and emotional roadblock can feel devastating, especially considering how invested I felt in the beginning. Fortunately, I am on break this week, so I will have a chance to collect my thoughts and come up with a new plan of action. I am going to take a closer look at Picabia’s abstract works (like La Source), because I believe my main obstacle right now is creating effective spatial relationships across the picture plane.

March 4th, 2017 - I had the pleasure of seeing the Kenyon College Chamber Singers this past Saturday. Their set had a nice variety to it, and their talent and professionalism was clear. I admit that I am not one to seek out chamber choirs, so the atmosphere was a nice change of pace. This was their first event for their 2017 spring tour. 

March 3rd, 2017 - To start my weekend off, I went with a friend to see Lion (dir. Garth Davis), a film nominated for several oscars this awards season. Lion is a biographical film based on Saroo Brierley’s life, from his childhood in Ganesh Talai, Khandwa, to his separation from his family as a child, to his adoption by an Australian couple and search to find his family in India as a young adult (this is a rather one dimensional summary for the sake of space). I was incredibly moved by the story, and by Sunny Pawar’s (young Saroo) performance. Lion was also shot beautifully, and though I do not know their team’s post and editing processes, I felt that the coloring of the shots added a great deal in terms of mood and setting.

I have no concerns, but I will reach out to Kenna if I have any questions

I visited an in-house art exhibit for the first time, and the experience was immersive. The close quarters made it more personal, and the warmth and architecture of the house, with its dark woods and narrow hallways, added to that feeling. While I only knew one of the artists personally (Sheila Blake), I was happy to get to know the works of other local painters.

The Herman Maril: The Strong Forms of Our Experience exhibit held at the Herman Maril gallery at the University of Maryland was compelling and enjoyable, with a wide range of media and pieces that kept your attention. The exhibit was a (mostly) chronological pathway through Herman Maril’s life using his works, marking his achievements and big events, and acknowledging his place as a great American artist.

On May 6th, 2016, I had the incredible honor and privilege of meeting Laverne Cox and hearing her speak. Held at the Memorial Chapel by Voices of Social Change, Ms. Cox gave a moving speech on her experience as a trans woman, then answered questions from the audience and later held a smaller reception for further discussion (where this photo was taken of me, my mother, and Laverne Cox). A number of topics were touched on, from Ms. Cox's childhood to her time in New York City (all told in the most engaging way, for she is truly a fabulous story teller). One of the topics that resonated most with me is the intersection of identity that trans women of color are often forced to separate in the name of safety in each community. Coming away from this experience, I felt incredibly moved and was reminded that the best ways to stand in support with trans women is conversation, empathy, and education.

Last Friday I went to see Captain America: Civil War, and as a fan of Marvel comics and action movies in general I can say I fully enjoyed my experience. With the one-liners so characteristic of super hero movies, and larger-than-life effects, Captain America: Civil War had it all. My only wish (which is consistent with all other Avengers related films) is that the writers would respectfully address Tony Stark's very apparent PTSD. They do not ignore it, and it is mentioned several times, but the other characters seem to think his condition is annoying and often get frustrated with him.