Video Projects (Post #6)

https://vimeo.com/171117375

https://vimeo.com/168974450

Above are two videos I created for the company for website and promotional use (unfortunately Blogger won't let me insert something from Vimeo so you'll have to click on the link to see them). Creating videos has definitely been one of the most enjoyable aspects of my internship, and I'm working on a third project now. I find the process of editing to be very satisfying. Though I'm clearly not a film major, and all of the work I've done has been on an iPhone, these kinds of projects are always something I'm excited to be involved in.

Video for dance is a unique field in that it gives the videographer and editor control of the choreography. I find it very useful to film large amounts of improvisation and then cut it down to a short video. It allows me to take my favorite aspects of the improvisation and arrange them in a way that makes sense to me. Of the videos above, the mirror video contained only improvisation and the other was choreography. Video is also great as opposed to live performance in that it gives the editor the opportunity to chose the precise timing they want with the score, something that can never fully be fixed in live performance. I love having the agency to be incredibly fussy over timing, and knowing that whatever I choose will not be changed after I've made the final version.

My First Experience Screenprinting

Marisha, my mentor, has been prepping me for screenprinting and the process of it all in the last week or so. I had to finally order two screens (one for fabric printing and the other for printing on paper), learn the process of cleaning and placing emulsion on my screens, and burning the positive images to my screen. It all sounded a little complicated and time consuming to me at first, but the process can be a little therapeutic and I love when I can actually be hands-on every once in a while.

Before, while creating the images, I learned that the simpler the layers, the simpler the workload. Which sounds easy, but for someone who loves color and is used to working through multiple layers on Photoshop, this was a little harder for me. So I decided my first screenprint will be something easy, so that I could get a hang of the process. Initially, I thought, maybe a two-layer print will be simple...but not exactly for someone who overthinks things way too much, like myself. So I decided on a three-layer print of some cute little cacti and succulents. After the image was created, and we finally prepped my screens, we went on to printing! Marisha had a makeshift printing area prepared in her basement, which also helped me to understand how to print without the use of a studio. The steps were pretty simple and very fun to do!

Informal Interview With Neal (Post #3)

For the interview, I informally asked my mentor, Neal Hughes, the following questions. I found it particularly interesting asking Neal these questions, considering he might not get them that often. I personally think when you have to reflect back on anything, (and in this case, your artistic career) you can come back with a greater clarity on your journey and possibly help refine your future goals.

1.) What was your first experience with art?

1.  I remember drawing in Kindergarten and the teacher wondering why I made the ground color brown.  It was dirt.

2. )What inspires you to create?

2.  I like the idea of making something that others might enjoy while I challenge myself to do something that might be better than the last painting I did.  I also want to create something new each time I do a painting and share some type of connection to nature or my subject.

3.) Why did you choose to attend Uarts?

3. Uarts had a good illustration dept. and that is what I wanted to major in.  It was close to home and I had taken some classes there at night and wanted to continue.

4.) What did you do right after you graduated college?

4. worked as an in-house illustrator and graphic designer.

5.) Are there things you would do/choose differently now looking back on your career?

5.  I may have made the switch from illustration to fine art sooner.

6.) Do you have any mentors?

6.  There are many artists whose work I admire but I'm not sure there are

any I would consider a mentor at this point in time.  I am always looking at work and trying to learn from others. 

7.) Do you have any advice for aspiring artists beginning their journey? 

7.  Just keep working hard.  The ones who just keep working are usually the most successful.  Don't be discouraged.  There will be setbacks and you have to have a thick skin.  There is so much to learn so don't think it will all happen overnight.

8.) What was the most important thing you learned as an artist?

Always do what interests you the most.  You will do your best work if you are doing what you like and what interests you.

Late Introduction

Hey everyone! My name is Loveis and I'm a junior Illustration student. In addition to illustration I love printmaking, textile design,digital art,painting, and fashion. I am currently working with Marisha Simons, who is a very talented Printmaker who also owns her own handcrafted goods business. Initially I was very excited to work with Marisha because, I intend to own my own clothing line one day and I think being hands-on and acquiring business skills and knowledge will definitely help in the long run.  Luckily, Marisha is very helpful and passionate about what she does and can always give me great advice on any question I present to her. 

I have had the great opportunity to work alongside my alumni-host since early June and although we have been facing challenges with her studio becoming set up at the moment. The studio space, in which she will be sharing with a group of other talented artists, will be a non-profit organization called the Soap Box. It will focus on helping the community through art and having workshops in place while also giving people a look into different artists' studio spaces. Until the Soap Box is fully opened I have been working on minor but important things like learning how to screenprint on different materials, how to create a website, and how to maneuver and create when your not able to use a studio. All in all, Marisha is very insightful and whether she is teaching me about how to sell my work fairly or giving me life lessons, I'm always inspired. Even though, things are running at a slower pace, I enjoy working with someone who is able to show me how to utilize any space to the best of my abilities to create work.

By working more with Marisha, I plan to learn more about how to become a better designer, how to sell and promote work via social media and events, running a successful studio and business.  I'm excited to learn more and see how much we progress in the next couple of weeks.

The day of Kidchella

Intern at Smith Memorial Playground: promotion


For the first few weeks of my internship, I worked with both my bosses Zoe and Cheryl to promote the event. I first had to e-mail for the performers with information about the day of the music festival. Included in this e-mail was also questions (which I brainstormed a week earlier) about their music and inspiration. I also informed the food trucks (who would be at the event) about when they would arrive. The closer I got to my first Kidchella concert the more excited I became.

The first concert began on June 17th and I was to be there at 2:00 pm. Immediately families began to eagerly flow into the park far before the festival was even to begin. Around 4:30pm performer Lucy Kalantari entered the park. Kalantari's music is a wonderful mix of 1920s Jazz and happy upbeat tunes for kids. The second artist was Joanie Leeds whose music was upbeat and supplied fun lyrics.

I worked one on one with both bands and provided anything they needed for the afternoon. This included making them feel comfortable and ready to go for the show! A large crowd had settled on the lawn and playground in front of the stage. Families on blankets and towels covered every inch of the playground. The location was perfect for kids to run around and play while the musicians set up.

Once the concert began the kids were ready to go and bounced happily to each song. During the excitement, I walked around the playground photographing and interviewing the families. Many of the guests were perfectly happy getting their picture taken (after I asked permission). It felt amazing to be surrounded by such happy people in one location. At one point, a dad had a surprise dad vs.kid dance off. 


I eventually filled Zoe's camera with countless photos and videos from the day.   

Smith Memorial Playground Introduction

My name is Zoë Greggs and I am currently interning at Smith Memorial Playground in Fairmount Park. I began the internship on May 23rd, and immediately was introduced to the wonderful employees working at Smith. The playground is located on 6.5 acres behind the Smith Mansion which was previously owned by Richard and Sarah Smith in the late 1800s. The reason why Smith is so amazing is because it's free to families. What drew me to interning for the park, was it's dedication to providing a space for all backgrounds and "classes" to play and be free.

The first week was used as a way for me to get comfortable with the park and my job. I was given the task of helping promote their musical festival Kidchella which will occur around 3 times over the span of the entire summer. Kidchella showcases different genres of kid's music and helps raise money for the park in the process. The first concert was on  June 15th and the second is coming up quite quickly. Over the course of my internship, I have collected photographs that I will share over the span of my posts. I am eager to share my journey from this internship and how it has changed my view of my future.

Work Environment/Job Preferences (Post #5)

I am now completing the ninth week of my internship, and I wanted to dedicate a blog post to discussing what I've found about what environments and conditions I work best/worst under. These are the main points I've discovered:

1. Moving Around
I need to move around a decent amount. When I'm home I don't often sit down without getting up for more than an hour at a time, so I definitely feel restless if I'm in a work environment where I need to sit in a chair for many consecutive hours. I've been trying to stand up and move around at least a little bit every so often to prevent this, but it's hard to be in a position where the non-dance work is usually contingent on being in front of a computer.

2. Changes of Setting
I don't work well when I'm in the exact same place the whole time. Even being in a different spot within the same room helps to combat this. It's also important for me to have a break from being in the building (usually a lunch break) where I can go outside and see other things. Being at college is nice in that, as a dance major, I change classes and studios pretty frequently. It's a lot more difficult for me to be at a single job that's located in one place for an extended period of time.

3. People
I consider myself to be an introvert, but I've learned that it's important for me to be working with other people. Even if I'm working entirely independently, it helps to have someone else working beside me so I don't feel bored or isolated.

4. Time of Day
Though it's initially an adjustment to get up early, I prefer that over working late. I don't mind being in dance rehearsals late at night, but I wouldn't want to do stationary work past around 5pm.

5. Communication Outside of Work
I'm not someone who enjoys staying in constant communication with anyone, and I routinely like to take time away from my phone. That being said, it's important to me to be in a position where I'm not contacted outside of work hours. Work outside of work is unfortunately incredibly prevalent with the expansion of technology, but it's extremely bothersome to me (and can become unethical in a position with an hourly salary). A lot of people accept it as a reality of contemporary society, but I don't ever want to hold a position that's dependent on it.

These my main findings, and it's been useful to become more aware of them this summer.