Wow, what a trip.
I don't know if I can even describe how truly great this trip was, not only for the content but for branching out and getting to know people a little bit better despite the near mutiny that spurred during the creating of the groups. To be quite honest I really didn't care who I went with so long as I had someone to talk to.
When we walked up into alphabet city I was pleasantly surprised. I had thought I hadn't been there but once entering recalled being taken there by my father when I was much younger to play with our dog.
The workshop was fun and really helpful, I love photography and had not been able to really do it this year because of scheduling problems. I wasn't too happy that I was limited to digital photographs but I feel that I snapped a few really nice shots especially as we walked through the community gardens. That was something surprising for me too. I usually hate gardens due to my bee phobia, but in the cold there were not pests busing around, this let me actually appreciate the foliage and the art of the garden. I might have taken a few of my best pictures in the one garden we managed to infiltrate.
Next, came walking.
I was warm from hot chocolate and making bad jokes with Mairead as Leah and I tried to find a place to eat. Leah suggested Pomme's Frites which I hadn't had in what feels like at least six years. Everyone loved it! The fries and dipping sauces were great, especially because the joint was warm and the food was hot, I think we all wanted a break from the cold.
After that we decided to check out some shops. Trash and Vaudeville was awesome! No one bought anything due to the outrageous prices, but it was fun trying things on and seeing Jon G. swim in a matrix style leather coat. Next was a comic shop. SABRINA AND MEGAN HAD NEVER BEEN IN A COMIC SHOP BEFORE THAT HOLY CRAP! My apologies for the excessive capitalization, I feel it was necessary. I enjoyed flipping through Frank Miller's Sin City while Sabrina scoured the place for The Peanuts.
From here on the trip got silly, at least for us. We decided to rest at Starbucks for a few minutes to regain some of our stamina and warm our bodies again. Mairead and I didn't care for Starbucks coffee so we went across the street to Walgreens for Monster. Everyone in the group tried a sip which lead to everyone but Leah buying one of their own. Megan, Sabrina and Jon danced through the trip for the next few hours as we documented their first time having monster via Leah's iPod's video recordings. Washington Square, Union Square (In which we visited Forbidden Planet) and our trip to the Pratt Gallery were punctuated with videos and skipping underclassmen.
When we got to the Pratt Gallery I was amazed at some things and underwhelmed by others. The missed connections piece was brilliant but I felt that the thing about bodegas should not have been included. The Jelly city was cool, but I wish I could have touched it. I think that the most successful psycho-geography piece was the one where you would smell the vials and put up what you felt it smelled like. It was interactive, interesting and successful. I kind of wish there had been more than one small room that was landmarked with vocal air passages opening and closing which, at least for me, kind of ruined the aesthetics of the displays.
For me there was not much to say about Eataly. It was large, it was crowded, it was expensive, and I think, over-hyped. It was probably the least memorable part of my trip, which is sad because I was looking forward to it.
SWAN LAKE:
I don't know if I can accurately sum up my feeling about this show. The dancers were phenomenal. Not being a dancer myself, I am wowed by people who can so adeptly and agilely move their bodies in such form and pattern. I don't think words were necessary and am glad that the original idea of speechless story was preserved, I understood the basic storyline which was simple enough yet left much to the imagination. The one thing I didn't get was what everyone was laughing at. I saw some of the wit in the pampered bitch that the prince was leashed to but other than that I think I simply missed references or didn't understand them.
I liked the second part (post intermission) far better than I liked the opening. I felt that there was more motion, more to keep me entertained and a bit more of a cynical feeling to the show which really made the ending so brilliant. When the swan and boy are pecked to death by the other swans and show up like souls, together in the background I wanted to cry although for unknown reason, could not. There was something so beautiful about it and after seeing such amazing work with shadows in act 4, shadows being like projections of the self, and the physical self with the characters we see the true self in the soul representation, we see the beauty of the prince and the swan just finally finding their place with one another albeit after death. I wish I had time to see it again. I want to fully analyze and understand the amazing piece.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Be Kind, Rewind: Take 2
Rock me, Rock me, Rock Me Sexy Mordachai, you're all that I want and now that you're all mine, rock me rock me rock me sexy Mordachai all night long, all night long, yeah yeah yeah, all night long!
This really was a good experience concerning movie making and working as a team in STAC. This movie, Cries if Christ and Conspiracy: The Cronicle of Mordachai Christ really felt like we were working in collaboration toward the ultimate product: a decent movie that was shot in about an hour. Some shots turned out to be a lot better than we thought they would be, expecially the ketchup scene. We actually wanted that scene to look pretty terrible. We wanted the ketchup bottle to stick out and Caitlin's arms to show but it would up being one of the best shot scenes. The shooting of the last scene was also an impromptu shot. We didn't initially plan to have me crucified so visibly and so well. Overall we seemed to work well together and could get the tasks done despite having to wait until 8th period to use Mrs. Morales' room. Mairead's filming was fairly decent because of her experience and I was surprised how amusing Ellen and Caitlin came off with this being their first experiences in STAC films.
I rather enjoyed watchin these as well. Most of them were well shot and had ppt lines that were not hard to follow. Specifically I liked the movie that starred Ilana Bobby and Kalli. That had a very well written plot line and thr Moustsche movie made me laugh quite a few times. I did wish that the movie about men's rights was just repeated scenes of whipping Doug. It's cruel but laregely hysterical. I'm excited for the next time we do movies and begin editing because that's when the movies get really ood, just imagine what this year's Dusty Trail will be.
This really was a good experience concerning movie making and working as a team in STAC. This movie, Cries if Christ and Conspiracy: The Cronicle of Mordachai Christ really felt like we were working in collaboration toward the ultimate product: a decent movie that was shot in about an hour. Some shots turned out to be a lot better than we thought they would be, expecially the ketchup scene. We actually wanted that scene to look pretty terrible. We wanted the ketchup bottle to stick out and Caitlin's arms to show but it would up being one of the best shot scenes. The shooting of the last scene was also an impromptu shot. We didn't initially plan to have me crucified so visibly and so well. Overall we seemed to work well together and could get the tasks done despite having to wait until 8th period to use Mrs. Morales' room. Mairead's filming was fairly decent because of her experience and I was surprised how amusing Ellen and Caitlin came off with this being their first experiences in STAC films.
I rather enjoyed watchin these as well. Most of them were well shot and had ppt lines that were not hard to follow. Specifically I liked the movie that starred Ilana Bobby and Kalli. That had a very well written plot line and thr Moustsche movie made me laugh quite a few times. I did wish that the movie about men's rights was just repeated scenes of whipping Doug. It's cruel but laregely hysterical. I'm excited for the next time we do movies and begin editing because that's when the movies get really ood, just imagine what this year's Dusty Trail will be.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
To STAC, With Love
With all of the visual art in STAC art 'To Sir, With Love' was a nice, aesthetic way to wrap up the week. Personally I loved the movie, but didn't know what to say at first. I think the movie really sparked a sense of reality in me. I felt as if I was brought back to what real life is from the haze of just floating through. When Mr. Thackery began teaching the kids through life lessons rather than lessons pertaining to curriculum the kids instantly began to change and, personally wanting to be a teacher, found this really inspiring. I want to stir that kind of interest in learning within my students in the future, and I want to be stirred like that. I would love to work with a teacher so dedicated to just the subject of getting kids prepared to go out into the world. I'm worried for college and am hoping to find teachers that want to prepare me for life rather than grade some papers and forget about me after the semester. It was an eye opening experience to see that movie and hope it will continue to stay with me throughout my preparations for real life.
I think I am gaining a little bit of skill in STAC art as well. When we started working on the Busby Berkely works it felt like I had an idea for what to do almost instantly and so far am rather happy with what has come out of it. I do though need to ask for more help with the blending tool and ebony pencil. I would love to learn how to use it but for now do not think I have the skill. Hopefully someone in STAC can help me work it out. I actually want to produce good projects in STAC Art this year. I felt that last year was a little lackluster. I need to try to improve my work as an artist in all fields
I think I am gaining a little bit of skill in STAC art as well. When we started working on the Busby Berkely works it felt like I had an idea for what to do almost instantly and so far am rather happy with what has come out of it. I do though need to ask for more help with the blending tool and ebony pencil. I would love to learn how to use it but for now do not think I have the skill. Hopefully someone in STAC can help me work it out. I actually want to produce good projects in STAC Art this year. I felt that last year was a little lackluster. I need to try to improve my work as an artist in all fields
Monday, October 4, 2010
Meeting the Newbies: STAC 2010/2011's First Trip
So, Friday to me felt like the real 'First day of STAC'. I feel like STAC doesn't start until we become a whole class rather than a collective students that take STAC as an elective. The way the group wound up was rather interesting. There were 9 of us: 3 Oldies, 6 Newbies. That was a 1:2 ratio, which I felt was good. It was a way for Newbies to find social connections in STAC and for oldies to find ways to make the year prosper.
I feel like I really got to know the new people in STAC, at least, the ones in my group.
It consisted of
Oldies:
Myself
Leah
Mairead
Newbies:
Jared
Julie
Ellen
Sarah
Febia
Shiana
Before the trip I had known Jared and Febia but not the freshmen. It was interesting to discover how much we had in common during the trip. Shiana, Mariead and I spent at least an hour in the Matisse exhibit together, pointing out the subtle differences in paintings and trying to understand what he was doing. One thing in particular I noticed was Matisse's placement of hips in his work. They always seem to be distorted into a different perspective. We also took notice of how Matisse progressed towards less and less detail, especially in the charcoals where the drawings were erased and then redone in blocky shapes. It was rather interesting to see this progression.
Words almost fail me to describe La Cage though. There were cross-dressers abundant, plenty of gay jokes. My kinda show, and what a wonderful way to end the STAC trip, almost symbolic. We had all been separate and off on our own before the trip similarly to the characters in La Cage and we all came together in the end like a happy family.
This was a wonderful trip. I can't wait until the 22nd.
I feel like I really got to know the new people in STAC, at least, the ones in my group.
It consisted of
Oldies:
Myself
Leah
Mairead
Newbies:
Jared
Julie
Ellen
Sarah
Febia
Shiana
Before the trip I had known Jared and Febia but not the freshmen. It was interesting to discover how much we had in common during the trip. Shiana, Mariead and I spent at least an hour in the Matisse exhibit together, pointing out the subtle differences in paintings and trying to understand what he was doing. One thing in particular I noticed was Matisse's placement of hips in his work. They always seem to be distorted into a different perspective. We also took notice of how Matisse progressed towards less and less detail, especially in the charcoals where the drawings were erased and then redone in blocky shapes. It was rather interesting to see this progression.
Words almost fail me to describe La Cage though. There were cross-dressers abundant, plenty of gay jokes. My kinda show, and what a wonderful way to end the STAC trip, almost symbolic. We had all been separate and off on our own before the trip similarly to the characters in La Cage and we all came together in the end like a happy family.
This was a wonderful trip. I can't wait until the 22nd.
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