It's been far too long. I have changed my thesis idea

Since I've last written, so much has changed. The most important change for the purpose of this blog is my thesis idea. I am no longer going to create a piece that attempts to create Little Red Riding Hood and the characters from the story as real, authentic people that left evidence of their existance.

Instead, I am planning to create small books that will house interviews documented by video, then transcribed for the purpose of the book. I will also take pictures of what ever work they will allow me to. An additional piece of work will be created, inspired by the interview. It could take the form of a poster, a sculpture, a drawing, the development of a new font. I will in turn, ask the interviewee to do the same.... to create a piece of work inspired by the interview. At the end, we will exchange our work. I will give them a copy of the interview book, the DVD as well as the piece of artwork inspired by the interview.

It makes sense that I would go in this direction. This is something I would like to find a way to do for the rest of my life. Seriously. Interviewing people of my time, my area, the people that influence me, the people that I have constant and not so constant contact with but know.... is fascinating to me on many levels.

My thesis writing Proffessor, Mr. Richie suggested that the concept is an odd self-portrait. At first, I felt the need to be defensive about that idea. It wasn't necessary though. It is an honest evaluation of one aspect of the project.

Now... the questions I am thinking about. The books I am thinking about creating. A decision needs to be made soon. Initially I thought the books should be all one size with similar covers. I like that idea very much... it would make the composition of the project easier to deal with. However, just like people are very individual... should these books be individual too? Should each subject, each interview result be as different as the people are?

Since this project has become an odd sort of self-portrait and I will be interviewing people... the suggestion of how to keep the interview on track through questioning has risen. At first I was thinking something like, "What advice would you give me about what to do after graduating?" (or something along that line). When I have approached some people about this question, they have hesitated and felt nervous. So... the challenges of the interview 1. Asking questions that will keep the interview on track and allow it all to be not only reflective but to have a point. Even if the point is getting to know the subject; 2. Finding the time to interview all of the subject I have in mind; 3. Editing the tape.

I have a tall order to fill and I believe with confidence I can put the more chaotic aspects of my life to the side and work on my thesis. It's hard... I must admit. I worry about money, worry about work, worry about life in general. I'm filled with anxiety. However, on the other side of all of that worry, I know I produce a large amount of work and can work fast to get an excellent end result.

Since the interview is an odd self-portrait, I have also thought of things that interest me. Experiences that I've had... and maybe they mirror?

Based on this thinking:
What are some of the aspects of myself that are mirrored in others that I keep company/am surrounded by?

Language ability?
Have you traveled? Where have you been?
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
Is there a most memorable student you can share a story about? What makes them especially memorable?
(this question would depend upon the interviewee, of course.)
Was there any doubt that you would grow up to pursue art professionally?
Do you remember the first piece of art you sold?
What do you enjoy most about being an artist?
Are there any other passions you pursue?
What is your favorite color/word/phrase?
What is your least favorite color/word/phrase?
What is it about your art that the public doesn't understand?
Would you dance with me?
Who and or what influences your work?
What inspires you?
Have you experienced a time in which inspiration to create a new body of work didn't come to you? How did you resolve it?
Who is your favorite artist?
Have you ever destroyed your own work?
When do you know a piece is done?

I would like to get about ten minutes of excellent footage..... So.. that means about an hour + of tape?

This is where I am at now. I will start taping this week. Let's see what happens and how it changes as I do the work.

Meeting with Kurt. Week 7even. The Magical Number. Almost mid-term.

So I ended up getting that nasty cold many others seem to have and gotten over already. Drat! I hate being physically sick. Hopefully all of this medication will do me some good and I won't get sick again for many years to come.

First things first. Thank you to the following for allowing me to be so obsessed with my thesis project.
- Kurt (I know that's what you signed up for... Thank you anyway) I appreciate your lead, your thoughts and suggestions.

- Christopher. He will take a few minutes to listen to my latest ranting and reinvention's on the story.

- Roxanne C-B. When I feel overwhelmed you know how to break things down for me. What new areas to consider as far as investigating. Thank you.

- Adam and Leslie, my painting tutors. Amazing people. They understand the history of the period I would like to portray using Little Red Riding Hood at the base. They allowed me to interview them about that era in history; which happens to be their favorite; and we were able to brain storm so many interesting scenarios based on the control I had suggested. The control is, that Charles Perrault wrote the tale of morality based on a real situation. They are willing to teach me what I need to know even if it's the smallest thing like how to make story boards and thumbnail drawings work for me. I get so unconfident at times. They have found a way to instruct me so I can forget my debilitating self-doubt and get on with the task at hand.

Over the last couple of weeks, I've done a great deal of research about Charles Perrault and his time in France. He was born to a wealthy family and became a lawyer. That is certainly not the extent of the research. There is a link to more information about Charles Perrault on the right hand side of this page.

I've decided to create a Little Red that could have really existed in Perrault's world in 1694. Maybe one he observed and then told tales about in a more poetic way. I think I've already written about this aspect of the project before.... Just to write about it again excites me. The project could end up being a merging of all of the skills I've learned at PNCA up to this point.

Things about the story that will need to be considered:
Plus... Plausible answers.

Geography. How far away is Grandma's house?

What inventions were prevalent at the time?

What was the art like? Could everyone paint and draw?

What was the life of a peasant like compared to an aristocrat?

Aristocrats had lavish parties, sometimes utilizing 492 servants. What did those parties look like? What was the latest fashion? Most often these parties were at Versailles.

Hair styles of the day.

Plants, foliage, trees, dirt, land

Houses. What does an upper lower class house look like?

I believe Little Red was upper lower class in her peasant village.

What was considered beautiful as far as women were concerned during that time?

What type of friends did Little Red have?

When did she adopt that nick name?

What did Little Red do in her spare time? Did she keep a journal?

Who wrote to Little Red? Who did Little Red write letters to? Did she keep the letters?

What type of books would Little Red be reading?

Since Little Red was always known for her beauty, does she have pictures of herself rendered by her playmates? Similar to what John Singer Sargent did when he practiced drawing by drawing his sister using pencil, watercolor or paints.

Since they lived out of the city, they surely had chickens, cows, a horse (maybe two), pigs and a pet dog? Maybe a pet cat too? I have to research and see which animal would have been more popular and plausible at the time. I am currently imagining a weenie dog. It could have been a gift from the grandmother? Still thinking about this one.

Do they have a parrot? The aristocrats had them.

Is Little Red's dad a soldier or sailor? Does he do a little looting and pirating on the side?

Were they social climbers?

Portraits to consider creating.

King Louis the XIV

Charles Perrault

Grandmother

Mother

Little Red

Wolf

Woodsman

Red's father

The dogs

more about the dogs later

Painting scene ideas: First brainstorm.... so these are all subject to change as I see fit.... through experimentation.

1. Little Red at the kitchen table, reading a letter, addressed to her from the woodsman. The year is 1694 or so and Little Red is now 24. She is going to be considered an old made if someone like the grandmother or mother don't intervene soon. Little Red isn't concerned. It's the furthest thing from her mind. She is happy in the village with her friends and has a great relationship with her mom and grandmother. If her father is a sailor, they too have a good relationship. He brings her gifts from his overseas travels. Gifts like starfish, coral, bugs and an array of sea-creatures she would have never encountered in France. We see her at the kitchen table, reading the letter by lamplight. It's close to being dark and Red's mother is behind her pretending to wipe a dish while looking over her shoulder as she reads the letter. Little Red's cape hangs on the back door, in the dark. The mother is looking for some type of promising reaction from Little Red while she reads the letter. Little Red is reading the letter to appease her mother and is rather bored.
+++
Feeling of piece:
- Becoming dark (twighlight)
- Reading letter by kerosene lamp. Did they have kerosene at that time?
- Little Red's boredom is evident.
- Her mother reading the letter over her shoulder, intrusive.
- Weenie dog laying by Red's feet.

2. The year is 1680 and Little Red Riding Hood about 10 years old, playing in the forrest with her friends. She is doing a handstand next to a tree, her bloomers are showing. All the kids are laughing around her. They are all playing, laughing and clapping their hands. She is such a goof. They light of innocence is on the children playing, lurking is the wolf. He spots the beautiful Little Red and decides he will stalk her and make himself known when the time is right.
+++
This image was inspired from a Shots Magazine issue #89, Autumn 2005. This issues cover reminds me of a depressed Little Red. {Pictures of drawings to come.} {It was an earlier exploration that I put in my sketchbook}
+++
Feeling of piece:
- Eminent danger that the kids are completely unaware of.
- They are all being watched with particular attention to Little Red.
- The Wolf is watching and takes notes on what he observes.
- In this crowd of kids is the future woodsman who will be promised to Little Red when she is 24 or so, if he or she don't act sooner. His family has always worked in the woods and know it well.
- Innocence, play, yet danger lurks where least expected.

3. The year is 1694. On the way to grandma's house Little Red, age 24 is getting old to not be married yet. She meets the wolf along the way. I'm not sure how I would like to set this up. Possibly Little Red stops into a church along the way, to pray for her ill grandmother? Maybe the wolf makes first contact in that situation? Not sure yet. She is wearing her beautiful red cloak made of fine wool that her grandmother created for her. She looks stunning in it. She has a basket around her right elbow and in the basket is bread and wine with some cheese. When she first meets the wolf, she is somewhat expressionless, knowing that she has never seen him before and he is taking up her time. She almost looks annoyed. The wolf, knowing her through years of observation says something that turns Little Red's face from annoyed to laughing. I think this may be two paintings instead of just one. So I will save more of this laughing Little Red for the fourth idea.
+++
Feeling of piece:
- When the wolf arrives, the weather turns for the worse. A storm seems to be brewing. Clouds appear where there was once sunshine. It starts to become windy. You can tell by the trees, brush, cloak and attire the wolf is wearing.

4. The charmed Little Red. The wolf says something that seduces Little Red and sustains her interest enough to have further conversation with him. We see her smiling affectionately touching his arm.

5. After Red meets the wolf, we see her in a field of flowers picking the most beautiful to put in the basket and give to her grandmother. The weather is bright again. Birds are about.

6. The wolf at the grandmothers door.

7. Little Red at the grandmothers door. The door is slightly ajar and she immediately senses danger. Curious and worried she walks in and greets her grandmother. This may have to be two paintings. Both critical points in staying true to the story.

8. The Wolf has a house and he owns a wolfhound. The wolfhound is chained near the dog house. The weenie dog comes too close and the wolfhound devours the weenie dog.

In considering this painting, the weenie dog represents the grandmother, the stability the grandmother offers. Weenie dogs are known for being very loyal to their family and mean to strangers. The wolfhound looks as though he hears something coming off in the distance, with blood on his mouth, he looks at the audience, ears perked up to hear more clearly. It's also a simple way of repeating the tale without the use of people. These paintings will be beautiful and the faces could become distracting. So I thought it would be good to put an intermediate painting into the series.

Strategy for getting this work done.
Research... what does each thing look like.... notes.
Make thumbnail drawings....
1. Design the layout of the peasant's room.
2. Design the clothing.
3. Decide on the vanishing point and what perspective. One or two point.
4. What direction is the light coming from?

Next post will be about reference paintings.

Week 6ix with Kurt.

Late posting. It'sbeen quite a busy couple of weeks. I feel super tired and like I'm catching a cold, so I had better take some airborne, slow down, reassess what I have to do and when I have to get everything done.

Week 6ix meeting:

Thoughts. I've been looking for warys to align my love of painting the figure Baroque style and leaving evidence that a person such as Red Riding Hood could have really existed at one time. That maybe Perrault wrote about a real person and marginalized her tale into a moral story of the day. I've started reading more about the author in an attempt to understand the world, in France during the 1680s – 1700s. It's truly a fascinating time.

I'm creating something from what seems like nothing (only words on a page that have changed over the years.) I have to use some of my beliefs, imagination and re-invention skills while continuing to the story of Little Red Riding Hood.

I'm creating a situation where belief must be suspended for a moment. I can make artifacts from what I imagine Little Red's life could have been like. Like Willy Wonka and the use of not real artifacts. Some concepts that come into play with this plan are "Words to Know." What I mean by words to know is, I have to be able to draw so I don't feel badly about my craft. How much of it is me and how much of what I plan to create is reacting to the live model? Kurt pointed this concept out to me. Authenticity and believablity. How will I age the paper to make it look like it existed all of this time from the 1690s? Are these the actual items or replicas? I am attempting to take an ordinary thing and make it beautiful.

Artists to look at:
Rodica Prato. I couldn't find much information on her other than at Amazon.com. She has participated in illustrating many books. Kurt really likes her work and remembers how she was a contributor to Martha Stewart's published work at one time.

I first learned of Andrea Sher from Danny Gregory's blog site Everyday Matters. Both blogs are filled with inspired and considered thoughts about design, work and how to continue working on designs if that is your interest.



+++ Other News in the World +++
So many natural disasters are happening in the world. The most recent being the earthquake of 7.9 magnitude in Pakistan.

Monday Meeting. Week 5ive.

In my research/sketch book, I've started writing about a wider range of experiences that I can remember from childhood. Some involve losing my innocense with a sudden jolt, as Little Red Riding Hood may have felt she did. Because of the experiential writing, I find that I handle the book differently. I've started to include newspaper clippings that may relate or talk about another animator in the back of the book, held together with a single rubber band to hold the contents. I have then placed the book in a plastic baggie for safe keeping. The book is becoming precious. {I am precious: handle with care.}

I've given the book over to Kurt to read and comment in. I will work in my alternate research book along the way. I may make some books that start showing me who Red might actually be.

Today we conversed about books and about Red and what she may have been interested in. I was inspired by the recent issue of Esopus Magazine. Not only does the magazine house a project by Ed Ruscha (books) it also contains a segment on letters. I have been thinking about HOW to make Little Red more real. For example, her real name is Maisie according to information from this publisher, Antelope Publishing: Ongoing Tales. Her father was a wood-cutter. The incident occured on a bright Spring morning in the month of May. A new character, I had never heard of before, Farmer Hodge, is introduced. Kurt was suggesting I fill the book up as if it was her journal. Some of the items I can put in the journal are letters from family and friends. I can also design beer labels with unusual shapes and designs... that would signify Red's longing for a relationship with her father. Maybe that wasn't essential to her happiness. Right now, it's all still an investigation of her life and what she was like with only snippets revealing what the authors had intended for her.

Here are some disconnected thoughts based on our discussion.
• Evidence
• The evidence baggie
• A court of law
• The art work of John Copeland
• Kurt's friend Ward talks about banality. "Transform banality."
• Giving
• A symbol of generosity {Here Kurt was describing a story where a fellow artist he worked with handed Kurt something he found off of the street. Not only was this a gesture of friendship, it was a gift. At least, that is how it has since been viewed}.
• The goal is to delight people. Put my time into something that is a conduit to dispensing enjoyment.
• Little Red's evidence of existance.
• Little Red's diary. What did she write about? What notes or letters did she save to keep and read over and over again? What inquiries did she make? Why are those objects in her book?

I asked Kurt about doing more than one book of this nature. He suggested I stick with doing the one thesis book. I was thinking for sales.... and he reminded me that I don't need to traverse that territory at the moment.

This collection of evidence also reminds me of Multimedia Magazine in a box. I've been quite attracted to the Fluxus movement and work that entails a collection of sorts. I think that is why I'm highly motivated in the Art and Anthropology class. I will have to start writing more about some of the other classes I am taking at this time as well. My monotype class is quite wonderful as well. The instructor is great. I like the way he speaks with me and allows me to be who I am, even though I may bug him at times, and I am free to do my work. I'm free to encourage others without rath. It's a great Friday class. We have tea time. Can you imagine? Well... for another topic.

Kurt told me of an artist that shared ephemera like letters, labels, flowers, embedded in a poets book. He thought it quite powerful and by the way he was describing the work, I'm sure I would think so as well.

Strategies for the book or books:
1. A series of books
2. Divide the book up into the characters. One book, but chapters that house the character who is narrating.
3. Reminder of the movie called, Quills about the Marquis De Sade, his trials and tribulations during a section of his life and how he was crazy to write. Is Little Red like that?
4. We are creating an artifact of Red's life. Something that will get her out of the realm of the tale and a little closer to real life.

Thoughts.
I may write letters to current friends under the guise of Little Red Riding Hood. The letter, the paper, the seal, the type of ink used will all play an important roll in developing some of her character as I interpret the readings.

+++
Readings from Little Red Riding Hood Uncloacked. Sex, Morality and the Evolution of a Fairy Tale by Catherine Orenstein.

Before the introduction starts, she entices us with a quite by famous author Charles Dickens. "Little Red Riding Hood was my first Love. I felt that if I could have married Little Red Riding Hood, I should have known perfect bliss."

Nearing the end of her introduction she writes, "Folklore is collective, oral and ephemeral. It is a dance between tellers and listenders that includes jokes, tall tales, gossip at the kitchen table, and fairy tales as they were once told around the fire or in the fields - - always changing and constantly adopting to new cultural landscapes. Yet as pen meets paper, characters freeze in time and space, like the chef caught in the act of slapping the kitchen boy in Sleeping Beauty's palace. There he stands, arm raised, mouth open in reproach, and a century-old grease stain on his apron. Text is forever locked in context. Storybook heroes and heroines acquite not only a period wardrobe but also a date, author, presumed audence and worldview. Whether in the homespun cloak of an old yarn or powdered and perfumed for the French Court; whether bound and corseted in the fashion of Victorian Europe, or dolled up by twentieth-century drag queens, fairy tale heroes and heroines record the mentality of their day - - and none more impressively than Little Red Riding Hood. Of durable identity, unmistakable even when she changes nationality, age, appearance, name and (yes) even clothing, Little Red Riding Hood is instantly remembered and easily recognizable amongst thousands of tales and tens of thousands of characters. And over the years she has been cloaked, according to sockal and ethical fashion, in countless meanings and morals, warnings and winks." (page 12 - 13)

In the last paragraph of Orenstein's introduction she says, "... to explore some of her multitude of reincarnations, not in search of universal truths, but on the contrary, as evidence of how human truths change."

+++
Here is a link to a silly Little Red inspired calculus site.
Karl's Calculus Tutor

Searching for the truth of Little Red Riding Hood

Kurt introduced me to a great little interview on NPR. Were the Brothers Grimm Helped by Sisters? Valerie Paradiz.

This weeks artists to know about.
Josh Goshfield
Marshall Arisman
Milton Glaser

+++
I have had to resort back to making lists of tasks to complete on a daily basis. If I don't, I won't get the painting done, the drawings, or even simpler tasks of drawing and exploring my ideas not only for thesis, but for other homework.

Some of the things I have been thinking about regarding Red Riding Hood:
• Innocense
• The deception
• Sacrament. Based on some of the other iterations of the Little Red Riding Hood story. Look here to find the stories translated from Italian and French.
• Intuition of danger
• Canibalism

Questions:
Where is Red's father?
Was she raised by women scorned?
In this tale, is it believed that all men are bad and not to be believed?

+++
I bet an Indian Bolliwood musical has already been made from this story. That would be quite the site to see. A dance and huge production made from such a simple, classic story.

+++
As I am thinking about the story, I am quite attracted to Carnivale. It's a beautifully written story. If you look on the website you can track back to how they made some of the scenes, some of the story bording ideas and other pictures of interest.

I suspect that this theme will continue to inform my work in the future.

+++
Advice from Kurt.

Stick to the story in it's purest form. Do not ellaborate so much. Keep my facts straight.

Since the story is dealing with personal views, I must remember to keep the story observational. As I paint and create works based off of the paintings like books, much about my experiences can be revealed if you know how to read them.

I started thinking about variations on the story... how the story might relate to aspects of my own life. I was looking for a way to characterize the paintings as well. I am already envisioning the finished work without enough research so I need to back up a bit and continue my reading.

We discussed telling the story from the view point of each character. I could then render the paintings from the view point of each character as well.

I am considering using weather patterns to help illustrate the story as well. For example, the wolf would be partially symbolized by a storm. I may carve some of those symbols into the masonite, then paint over it.. so you could only see those symbols if you looked closely at the painting. From far away, it would look like a traditional painting.

+++
Items from the story that carry strong symbolism with them

The teeth (from the grandmother)
blood
red
innocense
forrest
play
meat
cape

+++
Finally,
I must create the life before I can crerate the images and the look of the pieces I would like to make in reality.

Photo Intermission. Week 4.

Man sleeping at Park by Totem Pole (Public Art) that houses the electric train breakers.
Signage for a pet day-care center. It looks like the work of Gary Basemann Gary Baseman's site.


Some folks from PNCA went to Sauvie Island to make some copper plate etchings of this scene. Will post actual print later.

Meeting with Kurt. Number 4our.

After speaking with Kurt today, I realized I wasn't having fun with my research. I lacked the time commitment to enable me to do the research I feel is necessary to construct strong final pieces. I was taking things too seriously and not "playing" if you will; as he first suggested to do. I know that I don't have to have "fun" in everything I do... However, I find that if fun is involved in the process, I can better experiment and learn.

I gave myself an hour and a half to play with images, xerox copy transfers and the such. Will post later. I think I will send this book to Kurt and if he has time we can have a picture dialogue. A book exchange. I derive a tremendous amount of inspiration from such exchanges.

I have a new working bibliography in hand.

The Trials and Tribulations of Little Red Riding Hood. Versions of the tale in sciocultural contex.

Little Red Riding Hood Uncloaked: Sex, Morality, and the evolution of the fairy tale.

The Queen's Mirror: Fairy Tales by German Women.

Folklore, Myths, and Legends: A World Perspective

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales, Children and the Culture industry.

Chinese Folktales

The Truth Never STands in the way of a Good Story.

+++
I am even allowing my thoughts to entertain future projects... or what I can be "about" as an artist. It seems like a narrow idea to lock myself in a box like this. However, in the beginning, this is how artists get recognition? Well. I obviously have a lot to learn about HOW to be a working artist.

+++

Here is an e-mail I just sent to Kurt.

So.... with reading about Lil Red and looking at information about Carnivale (an HBO show, only two seasons) .... thinking about "sideshow freaks" and how that relates to my world. I can twist similarties from my own life and project them on to characters that seem like sideshow performers at a circus event. Seems like these paintings of tales, with a distinctive bent... from the view point of the different characters can lead to subject matter I am very interested in painting. The freak/side show, the mystical, the tale, the story.... all of it so anthropological and ripe with story telling potential. This has been done a billion times before by artists much wiser, much more practices than myself... but not by me. Not that I will do anything so special.... but I think I have found an avenue to paint portraits, tell stories, or rather retell stories, and use painting, printmaking and book arts as the vehicle to relate the stories.

I was thinking about the book for little Red. It could be sevearl small books, depicting the one characters point of view, then a compilation of the books in the end. They could fit into one case, housing all five or six books. Just a thought. I can make up a dummy for this one. Especially now that some of the details of the story and how I hope to portray the characters are becoming more clearly defined.

We all have different personality types. Some; if I make the wolf to be a sympathetic yet evil character; may relate to the wolf more than poor innocent Red. I don't know... so many twists and turns with possibilities.

Thanks for reading.

A

Words to Keep in the Front of my Mind.

"Simple things hold the secret"
~Carl Jung

This makes me think about the simplicity of the story I would like to tell through paintings of Little Red Riding Hood's environment.

Keri Smith is never bored.

Read about Keri Smith's 100 ideas for keeping creative and you will never be bored either.

It's a work in progress, so check her site when you remember to.

Next Plan of Action.

This week my measured tasks were to create drawings daily and to start making a dummy book to house my pictures and contents. I must admit to failing on the task of drawing daily. I did however prepare places in my home as well as in my studio to allow myself the freedome to draw daily. I derive a great deal of inspiration from blog sites like Danny Gregory's Everyday Matters. I am also a member of the online forum and there are many inspirational drawers and writers that contribute to the health of the idea of drawing daily.

This week. I was quite upset that my Advanced Studio instructor suggested I create a Graphic Novel as an option for my work. In three and a half years I have never exhibited an inkling to do such a project. I feel too, that in the end, if I were to present myself as a graphic novel drawer, I may be the laughing stock of my community. Maybe my thinking is quite narrow minded. That will be discovered in time. I attempted to speak with my instructor about this in person. It was bad timing on my part. He was extremely busy. I was able to speak to another instructor whose opinion I can respect and trust as unfiltered. He suggests that my Advanced Studio instructor was attempting to encourage me not to be narrow minded. To be open to an evolution.

I think part of the problem here is that I started thinking about my thesis during summer. I asked friends, I spoke with many people. I got opinions and my ideas shifted dramatically. I have not taken the Advanced Studio class with me on that ride. It was quite the rollercoaster. For anyone who knows me well, they know I always have a ton of ideas that I need to narrow down. For me to actually have decided upon something is quite the task. I am often debilitated by my ideas... because they are so many. I've started writing some of them down. I find it challenging to capture all of them. I am very feminine that way... I think and live in my mind a great deal. While I do my best to make some things a reality... it's slow going. I get bogged down by the way I've learned to organize information and the lack of discipline I have toward prioritizing.

In Art and Anthropology, the class was asked to read some writings about Susan Hiller. In the article there were questions and answers included. I enjoyed reading this piece because Ms. Hiller didn't seem to be annoyed with the expectation or the questions from her audience. I recognize that I get a bit high strung and frustrated with people that don't understand my shorthand speak. My mouth cannot keep up with my brain.

The instructor I went to to speak about my issue was very kind to tell me I go to fast. I give too much information. It may repulse people and make them want to step in reverse. He didn't tell me I need to slow down... however, that is part of what I gathered from the conversation. I need to slow down a bit and do what I know is right. For example... the Little Red Riding Hood idea. I need to go on ahead and draw out my compositions, make my books and the such. Keep drawing and exploring the relationships between all of the characters.

I'm so grateful for all of the people in my life who have accepted me for the way I am, as annoying as I must be. I am also appreciative of an opportunity to become better, more paletable, and easier to understand. I have quite a bit of work to do to gain the patience of speaking with people about my work.

Advice from HOW forum friends.

How Design Magazine forum thread.

How is that thesis coming along???? Are you having fun yet? If not, I promise you will get to a point where you are having fun.!
-s

+++
hey ash!

[i was just going to post that ...]

have you seen Scraps of Paper?

+++
Hi Ladies. Thank you for asking. It's okay. Lots of work to do... don't feel supported by the Advance Studio instructor... wonder what he's up to and if I am being set up so to speak.

I've been thinking about how I should approach writing about the experience on my blog. I could get into subject matter that some would not like me to put on the blog. So.... I have to be careful.

You know? It's in the beginning stages. It has to go through so many cycles. I have to come to a point when I can defend my ideas without getting defensive. I speak to each person differently. The way I would answer my instructors is different than I would answer someone who came to my show.

So.... I am still an infant in this game. I must learn to calm down and not take everyone and everything so seriously. I'm wound too tightly.

How are you both doing? Whatchya'all up to?

+++
A forum members response to my comment.

"I've been thinking about how I should approach writing about the experience on my blog. I could get into subject matter that some would not like me to put on the blog. So.... I have to be careful."


i've been reading Dooce, about how she lost her job due to her blog, and coined the name. interesting stuff. and a GREAT daily read.

i never thought i'd be reading a personal blog on a daily basis, but statements like "She stuck her fore finger up my right nostril and held it there for much longer than was appropriate. It was her way of saying, “I didn’t know how specific you wanted me to get." get my giggle. i love to giggle.

but yes, you should be careful on what you say. although you can always edit edit edit ... :-)

"You know? It's in the beginning stages. It has to go through so many cycles. I have to come to a point when I can defend my ideas without getting defensive. I speak to each person differently. The way I would answer my instructors is different than I would answer someone who came to my show.So.... I am still an infant in this game. I must learn to calm down and not take everyone and everything so seriously. I'm wound too tightly."


a balancing act is so difficult. let us know how it comes about. k? do you have anyone to bounce your feels off, to see if you are coming across too serious or not? sometimes an outside opinion is just the ticket to calm a situation down. not that you are not calm, but just talking makes things clear for me. especially if it's a friend who takes the time to tell me i am wrong, or suggests that perhaps i could look at it 'this' way not 'that'.

"How are you both doing? Whatchya'all up to?"


the pgda is solidifying. and i've decided to create a blog 'designers who blog'. i won't have time to contribute daily to a design blog, but i want to join the blogging community in some way. after the logoworks high, i got hooked. but i've taken that off my katz blog and will design one just for 'designers who blog'. just the blogs who are giving back to the industry.

i'll also set up a blog for the pgda, while we are waiting for the site to be designed. but others will write that copy for me [or spiff up the copy i put together] so it won't be too time consuming. [famous last words]

+++
End of Post