So.
3D Design class crit is done.
So all the 'critique portions' of the studio art courses are complete. Though I still have an exam in one of them (Pixel Painting - the class on Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop). Tomorrow morning. 0800hrs. A written portion, where we answer questions about how RGB works and what is a pixel and such....And then there is a 'hands on' portion........
After today's crit I was cleaning up and came back to the room where the crit had been(a bit of confusion there...but I'll save that story for another time). One of the other students and the instructor were chatting and I ended up joining the conversation....Discussion about how to make the class better, etc....Kinda fun, pedagogically speaking.
Anyhow, this will be another short entry. I have a bunch of things that are weighing on me and some things that need doing before tomorrow....Plus a minor migraine/tension headache building. So I'm going to go and attempt to deal with that....and those....and all. More on all sorts of stuff later.
Till then.
http://www.gofundme.com/1txdbo
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
End Of Semester.....And The Blue It Has Brought
Well.
Spring 2013 semester coming to a close.
Two finals yesterday. Plus a presentation. And, although it was prior to the official start of finals, had two group critiques in a pair of my studio art classes on Monday. Group critique for the third of my studio art courses tomorrow. And later today a 1 on 1 critique with my Native Arts Studio professor......Then, at 0800hrs on Friday, a combined written and hands-on test in my 'digital art' class on Photoshop and Illustrator.
And I am pretty angsty.
Just been a pretty rough week or so.
Okay.........I really need to not spend time on the blog post and rather move forward with some projects....Including plans for Summer and such.
Later.
Spring 2013 semester coming to a close.
Two finals yesterday. Plus a presentation. And, although it was prior to the official start of finals, had two group critiques in a pair of my studio art classes on Monday. Group critique for the third of my studio art courses tomorrow. And later today a 1 on 1 critique with my Native Arts Studio professor......Then, at 0800hrs on Friday, a combined written and hands-on test in my 'digital art' class on Photoshop and Illustrator.
And I am pretty angsty.
Just been a pretty rough week or so.
Okay.........I really need to not spend time on the blog post and rather move forward with some projects....Including plans for Summer and such.
Later.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Title Pending....Please Bear With Me.
A bit of a stream of consciousness entry....Might be short. Might ramble a bit too....anyway.
Updates and new-ish stuff:
** We (the UAF Theatre and Film Department/students in the department) have had an opportunity to meet and greet and have 'master classes' with the final two candidates for the currently vacant faculty position. It was interesting, especially as someone who has done the student directing thing, to see what the candidates had to say/show.....Decisions/offers will (as far as I know) be made this coming week. So perhaps before the end of finals we might know who the new faculty member might be.....
** Speaking of student directing -- I submitted my packet to the SDA for review and approval for directing/designing Antigone for the Fall version of Winter Shorts this last week. And had some feedback in the SDA meeting. So I've done some editing to the text in hopes of making it more 'manageable' for actors, etc.....Also it was suggested that I rethink my initial scenographic idea(s) and 'go beyond my comfort zone' since I 'already have an example of periaktoi' in my portfolio. Which, really, is a good point. So I'm working on that. Even though I have yet to get the official go ahead and approval for the project.
** The annual juried student art show is underway and one of my submissions (Mother and Child Bentwood) was selected. While I am saddened that only one of the three items I submitted made it in, and that I was not selected as an award winner, at least I got something into the show. Which is not a bad accomplishment, given that it's only one of the first shows I've ever entered. There was the showcase during the Festival of Native Arts. And then the Sustainable Art Show (where I got a certificate for 'Best Use Of Natural Materials'). And now this one. So yeah, kinda happy about that.
** Got a gig in New Jersey for the Summer. I will be the TD for a group called the Ocean Professional Theatre Company. I will also be doing two of the scenic designs for the season (Anything Goes and Thoroughly Modern Millie). A bit nervous. But hopeful.
I'm certain that there are other things to share/speak of/etc...But I really need to get back to homework and prep for a work call for the SDA Monkey Ball......So more later.
http://www.gofundme.com/1txdbo
Updates and new-ish stuff:
** We (the UAF Theatre and Film Department/students in the department) have had an opportunity to meet and greet and have 'master classes' with the final two candidates for the currently vacant faculty position. It was interesting, especially as someone who has done the student directing thing, to see what the candidates had to say/show.....Decisions/offers will (as far as I know) be made this coming week. So perhaps before the end of finals we might know who the new faculty member might be.....
** Speaking of student directing -- I submitted my packet to the SDA for review and approval for directing/designing Antigone for the Fall version of Winter Shorts this last week. And had some feedback in the SDA meeting. So I've done some editing to the text in hopes of making it more 'manageable' for actors, etc.....Also it was suggested that I rethink my initial scenographic idea(s) and 'go beyond my comfort zone' since I 'already have an example of periaktoi' in my portfolio. Which, really, is a good point. So I'm working on that. Even though I have yet to get the official go ahead and approval for the project.
** The annual juried student art show is underway and one of my submissions (Mother and Child Bentwood) was selected. While I am saddened that only one of the three items I submitted made it in, and that I was not selected as an award winner, at least I got something into the show. Which is not a bad accomplishment, given that it's only one of the first shows I've ever entered. There was the showcase during the Festival of Native Arts. And then the Sustainable Art Show (where I got a certificate for 'Best Use Of Natural Materials'). And now this one. So yeah, kinda happy about that.
** Got a gig in New Jersey for the Summer. I will be the TD for a group called the Ocean Professional Theatre Company. I will also be doing two of the scenic designs for the season (Anything Goes and Thoroughly Modern Millie). A bit nervous. But hopeful.
I'm certain that there are other things to share/speak of/etc...But I really need to get back to homework and prep for a work call for the SDA Monkey Ball......So more later.
http://www.gofundme.com/1txdbo
Friday, April 19, 2013
Gratitude.
[I worry sometimes that I do not express the following nearly often enough.....So, in an effort to remedy that.....]
I need to say that I feel amazingly blessed.
Somehow, I got a variety of talents and skills...for which I am thankful and which I hope I will make worthwhile use of.
But as (or even more) important as (than) that is this fact:
I have an amazing cadre of friends, relatives, and contacts who seemingly are always stepping up and who always 'have my back.' Who seem to share a faith in me that I don't always have in myself. Who sometimes treat me better than I feel I deserve.
To all of them. To all of you. Each and every one. I have to say - thank you.
I fear I don't tell you all often enough just how grateful I am. How much your help, mentorship, friendship, and occasional 'kicks in the arse' mean to me. I can honestly say that I would not be where I am....or even who I am....without all of you.
Please know that, even if I might not have the words, I am very, very, very grateful.
Thanks
I need to say that I feel amazingly blessed.
Somehow, I got a variety of talents and skills...for which I am thankful and which I hope I will make worthwhile use of.
But as (or even more) important as (than) that is this fact:
I have an amazing cadre of friends, relatives, and contacts who seemingly are always stepping up and who always 'have my back.' Who seem to share a faith in me that I don't always have in myself. Who sometimes treat me better than I feel I deserve.
To all of them. To all of you. Each and every one. I have to say - thank you.
I fear I don't tell you all often enough just how grateful I am. How much your help, mentorship, friendship, and occasional 'kicks in the arse' mean to me. I can honestly say that I would not be where I am....or even who I am....without all of you.
Please know that, even if I might not have the words, I am very, very, very grateful.
Thanks
Artistic Addenda
So....(Strange how I seem to be starting various comments and posts with that word recently.....anyway....)
Just a brief bit of artistic comment, that I have been thinking on since it happened:
We've been working recently on our final project for this semesters 3D Design class. And everyone in the class had meetings with the instructor. And after we had discussed mine, the instructor made some comments about how she liked how it sort of (as I recall her statement): "Addressed the appropriation of native (or was it tribal(?)) imagery by rave culture."
Oh. Kay.
I had to be candid with her and admit, that was not my intended narrative. Honestly, I am not sure I had a real 'narrative thread' for the piece at that point. Except perhaps (maybe) something dealing with the loss of species and/or habitat (the piece involves a cyclic transition between a video projection and some UV reactive painting on some 3D forms....). And I just came to that by way of starting with thinking about some fairly cool effects I've seen used, as well as wanting to do a 'test of concept' for an URSA grant project idea I have. Which, as it turns out, is fairly different than what I am going to be doing in the 3D Design project. Part of how pieces 'metamorphose' I guess.....
It also just goes to show, at least half (and probably much, much more) of what happens in the gallery is going on inside the patrons head. Brought in by them. And carried out by them.
More later.
Just a brief bit of artistic comment, that I have been thinking on since it happened:
We've been working recently on our final project for this semesters 3D Design class. And everyone in the class had meetings with the instructor. And after we had discussed mine, the instructor made some comments about how she liked how it sort of (as I recall her statement): "Addressed the appropriation of native (or was it tribal(?)) imagery by rave culture."
Oh. Kay.
I had to be candid with her and admit, that was not my intended narrative. Honestly, I am not sure I had a real 'narrative thread' for the piece at that point. Except perhaps (maybe) something dealing with the loss of species and/or habitat (the piece involves a cyclic transition between a video projection and some UV reactive painting on some 3D forms....). And I just came to that by way of starting with thinking about some fairly cool effects I've seen used, as well as wanting to do a 'test of concept' for an URSA grant project idea I have. Which, as it turns out, is fairly different than what I am going to be doing in the 3D Design project. Part of how pieces 'metamorphose' I guess.....
It also just goes to show, at least half (and probably much, much more) of what happens in the gallery is going on inside the patrons head. Brought in by them. And carried out by them.
More later.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
So. It Appears That My Snazzy Blog Title Generation Brain Cells Are On Holiday At The Moment......
So.
It has, once again, been some time since my last post. That said, here is the ramble for today (or at least right now).
Funnily enough I had yet another discussion about 'what students should know and when should they know it' with the same classmate who motivated my last entry. He seems to believe that, by the time students reach college, they should already have a foundation of skills at hand and (seemingly) know exactly what their course is going to be (ie: they should know they want to be an art student and already know basic drawing, etc....). Of course, he's 40+ years old. And he (like me) has been 'out in the world'. And in part due to this he does not seem to see the reasoning behind such 'baseline classes' as 'Intro to...-insert area of discipline-'......
Yeah. It was definitely an interesting discussion. Since we seemed to disagree on virtually everything, from the value of going to different schools for undergrad versus graduate studies to exactly what the purpose of (at least the first semester or two) the college experience should be for. Not to mention our viewpoints on 'the purpose of art'/proper art versus improper art/art versus 'propaganda'.......
In other news:
I don't want to put any carts before any equines, but I had an interview Tuesday morning for a Summer gig in New Jersey. And I think it went well. It's a TD gig BUT there is the potential that, since one of the shows has yet to have a scenic designer assigned, that that opportunity might also be a part of the package....And, in proof that 'the world really is a small town' (at least in the arts) she (the woman who interviewed me) knows the executive director at the theatre I worked at last Summer. And she (the interviewer) has been involved with them in the past......Interesting.
I've also been dealing with some form of intestinal virus over the last fortnight or so. It comes on and then fades. I think I have gotten rid of it then wham! Sigh. Impacted my functionality a bit. And, as often happens during such things, I get worried about my reputation. Since, as I just mentioned, the world I work and live in is a smallish one. And reputations can be key. Yet even so I find myself feeling foolish (stupid even) for letting my self worth be dependent on others validation of me and/or my work.
Speaking of my work....I'll be having at least a piece (or three....maximum is three) in the upcoming Juried Art Show sponsored by the department. My Native Arts Studio teacher (mentor) is requiring that everyone enter at least one piece. And my 'Pixel Painting' (the class deals with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop) instructor was bandying about the idea of requiring a submission from that class too....IF the 'Pixel Painting' class does count for one, then I am down to only two slots. Since I have one piece (my 'Mother And Child Bentwood Box(es)' that is a definite entry I find myself debating which of my 'Raven Box' series I would want to enter. I'm pretty certain (70-80%) it would be 'Raven Box #2' but still......shrug. Funny to me to have this confusion and such, since my 'art' portfolio is really much smaller than my theatrical one. And, of course, the pieces need to have been made during the last academic year (Fall 2012-Spring 2013). Which cuts my items down a bit more. And yes, 'Cast No Shadow' (from my 3d Design class) might be an interesting piece to enter too but....
There are supposed to be cash awards of some sort for the show. And, that benefit aside, I admit to wanting some validation about the 'art side' of my life, as opposed to the 'theatre side'.....
Speaking of the theatre side: I'm working on my proposal for next Falls Winter Shorts. The limitations are that the script has to be 1) less than 60 minutes in length and 2) public domain/royalty free....So I came to decide on a translation of Antigone. I intend to direct and do the scenography. I have already arranged for an assistant designer and now the hunt continues for someone to at least tacitly commit to being my SM. Because, partly due to last years Shorts not having ANY SM's involved, to get approval directors will need to have an SM lined up when they submit their proposal package. The deadline for which is next Tuesday, April 23rd. The trick is that the SM criteria include either SM or ASM experience at UAF. which makes my pool of candidates really quite limited. So we shall see.....I admit, even though this script was not my initial choice (I wanted to do another Bradbury piece: Pillar Of Fire) I have become rather 'hungry' for this project.....Hopefully I won't be too hungry and scare any collaborators off.....If you are curious about my concept(s), drop me a comment and I'll post something about them in a later entry.
Otherwise, still attempting to work out my last few credits/last undergraduate semesters here at UAF. I've also been whitling down my grad school list and I think (as of this very moment) my top schools are as follows (disclaimer: this list may vary slightly as the semesters move ahead/I hear more from various schools/etc):
**University of Kansas - Lawrence
**University of Iowa
**University of IL: Urbana-Champaign
**Wayne State University / Hilberry Theatre Company
I've been attempting to keep my pool of potential schools down to five or under, in part due to the various costs (financial, mental, and emotional) of applying. And, in honesty, right now only two of these schools are absolute - University of Kansas, because it offers a Scenography MFA...and University of Iowa, because, as part of its mission statement, it places a strong emphasis on the development of 'new works'. And that sounds like an amazing opportunity. As always, I am open to suggestions and/or recruitment. And, depending on many various factors, I might end up at URTA's and be swept off my feet by a school I have yet to consider...or that I have considered but shifted down on my list. So those of you who know me and my work (and, given that you are reading this blog, that pretty much includes everyone) please feel free to suggest schools. Thanks.
I guess that is about all. The previously mentioned gastric issues are calling for my attention. Hopefully I've kept this blog free from too much 'emo-ism'. And all things being equal, I should soon be posting about 1) my proposal/etc for Antigone 2) my experiences with the first of two candidates being interviewed/considered for a position on the theatre department faculty here at UAF (the candidates are having two Fridays worth of 'meet and greets' starting tomorrow) and 3) prep for the upcoming Student Drama Association Monkey Ball (an annual party type event the SDA holds).
Thanks for reading. Till later.
PS. I may have already mentioned this...But I want to say thanks again to all who contributed (both online and offline) to help me get through a tough financial spot and get signed up for the UAF payment plan....I'm still dealing with financial issues but even so I am amazingly thankful for everyone's support and help. Again, thank you all so very much.
http://www.gofundme.com/1txdbo
It has, once again, been some time since my last post. That said, here is the ramble for today (or at least right now).
Funnily enough I had yet another discussion about 'what students should know and when should they know it' with the same classmate who motivated my last entry. He seems to believe that, by the time students reach college, they should already have a foundation of skills at hand and (seemingly) know exactly what their course is going to be (ie: they should know they want to be an art student and already know basic drawing, etc....). Of course, he's 40+ years old. And he (like me) has been 'out in the world'. And in part due to this he does not seem to see the reasoning behind such 'baseline classes' as 'Intro to...-insert area of discipline-'......
Yeah. It was definitely an interesting discussion. Since we seemed to disagree on virtually everything, from the value of going to different schools for undergrad versus graduate studies to exactly what the purpose of (at least the first semester or two) the college experience should be for. Not to mention our viewpoints on 'the purpose of art'/proper art versus improper art/art versus 'propaganda'.......
In other news:
I don't want to put any carts before any equines, but I had an interview Tuesday morning for a Summer gig in New Jersey. And I think it went well. It's a TD gig BUT there is the potential that, since one of the shows has yet to have a scenic designer assigned, that that opportunity might also be a part of the package....And, in proof that 'the world really is a small town' (at least in the arts) she (the woman who interviewed me) knows the executive director at the theatre I worked at last Summer. And she (the interviewer) has been involved with them in the past......Interesting.
I've also been dealing with some form of intestinal virus over the last fortnight or so. It comes on and then fades. I think I have gotten rid of it then wham! Sigh. Impacted my functionality a bit. And, as often happens during such things, I get worried about my reputation. Since, as I just mentioned, the world I work and live in is a smallish one. And reputations can be key. Yet even so I find myself feeling foolish (stupid even) for letting my self worth be dependent on others validation of me and/or my work.
Speaking of my work....I'll be having at least a piece (or three....maximum is three) in the upcoming Juried Art Show sponsored by the department. My Native Arts Studio teacher (mentor) is requiring that everyone enter at least one piece. And my 'Pixel Painting' (the class deals with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop) instructor was bandying about the idea of requiring a submission from that class too....IF the 'Pixel Painting' class does count for one, then I am down to only two slots. Since I have one piece (my 'Mother And Child Bentwood Box(es)' that is a definite entry I find myself debating which of my 'Raven Box' series I would want to enter. I'm pretty certain (70-80%) it would be 'Raven Box #2' but still......shrug. Funny to me to have this confusion and such, since my 'art' portfolio is really much smaller than my theatrical one. And, of course, the pieces need to have been made during the last academic year (Fall 2012-Spring 2013). Which cuts my items down a bit more. And yes, 'Cast No Shadow' (from my 3d Design class) might be an interesting piece to enter too but....
There are supposed to be cash awards of some sort for the show. And, that benefit aside, I admit to wanting some validation about the 'art side' of my life, as opposed to the 'theatre side'.....
Speaking of the theatre side: I'm working on my proposal for next Falls Winter Shorts. The limitations are that the script has to be 1) less than 60 minutes in length and 2) public domain/royalty free....So I came to decide on a translation of Antigone. I intend to direct and do the scenography. I have already arranged for an assistant designer and now the hunt continues for someone to at least tacitly commit to being my SM. Because, partly due to last years Shorts not having ANY SM's involved, to get approval directors will need to have an SM lined up when they submit their proposal package. The deadline for which is next Tuesday, April 23rd. The trick is that the SM criteria include either SM or ASM experience at UAF. which makes my pool of candidates really quite limited. So we shall see.....I admit, even though this script was not my initial choice (I wanted to do another Bradbury piece: Pillar Of Fire) I have become rather 'hungry' for this project.....Hopefully I won't be too hungry and scare any collaborators off.....If you are curious about my concept(s), drop me a comment and I'll post something about them in a later entry.
Otherwise, still attempting to work out my last few credits/last undergraduate semesters here at UAF. I've also been whitling down my grad school list and I think (as of this very moment) my top schools are as follows (disclaimer: this list may vary slightly as the semesters move ahead/I hear more from various schools/etc):
**University of Kansas - Lawrence
**University of Iowa
**University of IL: Urbana-Champaign
**Wayne State University / Hilberry Theatre Company
I've been attempting to keep my pool of potential schools down to five or under, in part due to the various costs (financial, mental, and emotional) of applying. And, in honesty, right now only two of these schools are absolute - University of Kansas, because it offers a Scenography MFA...and University of Iowa, because, as part of its mission statement, it places a strong emphasis on the development of 'new works'. And that sounds like an amazing opportunity. As always, I am open to suggestions and/or recruitment. And, depending on many various factors, I might end up at URTA's and be swept off my feet by a school I have yet to consider...or that I have considered but shifted down on my list. So those of you who know me and my work (and, given that you are reading this blog, that pretty much includes everyone) please feel free to suggest schools. Thanks.
I guess that is about all. The previously mentioned gastric issues are calling for my attention. Hopefully I've kept this blog free from too much 'emo-ism'. And all things being equal, I should soon be posting about 1) my proposal/etc for Antigone 2) my experiences with the first of two candidates being interviewed/considered for a position on the theatre department faculty here at UAF (the candidates are having two Fridays worth of 'meet and greets' starting tomorrow) and 3) prep for the upcoming Student Drama Association Monkey Ball (an annual party type event the SDA holds).
Thanks for reading. Till later.
PS. I may have already mentioned this...But I want to say thanks again to all who contributed (both online and offline) to help me get through a tough financial spot and get signed up for the UAF payment plan....I'm still dealing with financial issues but even so I am amazingly thankful for everyone's support and help. Again, thank you all so very much.
http://www.gofundme.com/1txdbo
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
A Short Entry....While It Is Fresh.
So.....
I've sort of instinctively known, for awhile now, that when I become a teacher I will be 'one of THOSE teachers'. The kind that my students will either love - or hate- with little room between. I mention this because it was brought home to me today during a discussion with a fellow student about 'what students should know and when should they have learned it and what is the value of learning things that some folks consider 'obsolete methods/tech', etc...' (eg: methods of 2D design (primarily)...though I broadened it to include theatre stuff, since this person has said that they worked as a tech at one point...). And I got a bit......focused when explaining my view. So I guess I qualify as a 'curmudgeon' in that aspect. And, funnily enough, I am totally okay with that.
I really feel that students should still learn 'old techniques'. And I'm unapologetic about it. So, as I said, I'll be 'one of THOSE teachers'....And, I suppose, one of THOSE grad students too, especially if I get (as I dearly hope) a TA gig at whatever grad school I go to.......
Okay. That's about it. Just wanted to share that 'insight' while it was fresh.
I've sort of instinctively known, for awhile now, that when I become a teacher I will be 'one of THOSE teachers'. The kind that my students will either love - or hate- with little room between. I mention this because it was brought home to me today during a discussion with a fellow student about 'what students should know and when should they have learned it and what is the value of learning things that some folks consider 'obsolete methods/tech', etc...' (eg: methods of 2D design (primarily)...though I broadened it to include theatre stuff, since this person has said that they worked as a tech at one point...). And I got a bit......focused when explaining my view. So I guess I qualify as a 'curmudgeon' in that aspect. And, funnily enough, I am totally okay with that.
I really feel that students should still learn 'old techniques'. And I'm unapologetic about it. So, as I said, I'll be 'one of THOSE teachers'....And, I suppose, one of THOSE grad students too, especially if I get (as I dearly hope) a TA gig at whatever grad school I go to.......
Okay. That's about it. Just wanted to share that 'insight' while it was fresh.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Too Long Delayed....
Another delayed update....I really need to work on that.....
Anyway.
First, I have been blessed by an amazing group of folks and, through both online and offline contributions, I have been able to enter the UAF payment plan for the Spring semester, 2013. What this means is that, while still having financial challenges, I've been able to retain my enrollment and stay in classes. I don't have good words to thank everyone for their help. All I have is 'Thank You!'. And sometimes that just seems insufficient.
In other news:
**We had 1st tech for the Spring mainstage show (Speech & Debate) yesterday. It went pretty well. Of course, being a cue to cue and working various changes several times, etc means that we still have a bit of the show to complete during today's 2nd tech. Plus (hopefully) a full run.
**The Native Arts Studio had an alumni/student show to coincide with the Native Arts Festival that is an annual event here on campus. I had a few items of my work from last semesters Beginning Native Arts Studio class in the show. Got some positive comments on them. Which was nice.
**Still working on getting a Summer gig set up. I feel terribly behind. Of course, last year I ended up in even worse straits and still found a gig....eventually. And I do have a presently standing offer for a possible Master Carpenter gig here in Fairbanks, should everything else not pan out.....So we shall see.
**Working the grad school search game again. I'm very torn about my selection process. I've been attempting to pare down my applications list to a maximum of 5 schools. The process of 'finding a fit' has me a bit....anxious. Especially when some schools don't seem to responded to direct email requests for info. Maybe they think that, since I have a Fairbanks PO box as an address, that I am just attempting to spoof them somehow? Sigh and shrug. Had a good phone chat (thanks to Google phone) the other day with a person at one of the schools on my list - University of Iowa. Spent a great deal of time on the departments webpages. While not a true scenography degree, it might prove to be a good fit.
So. With that said, here are my current (03/03/13 @ ~1128hrs) top picks :
University of Kansas - Lawrence
University of Illinois: Urbana-Champaign
University of Iowa (Iowa City)
Wayne State University - The Hilberry Theatre Company
Southern Illinois University: Carbondale
-------------------------------------
Yale
NYU
The first five are schools that I get the feeling/think would be a good fit for me, based on current research/prior knowledge. The last two are sort of 'blue sky schools' and I admit to some doubts in their case(s)......
If anyone reading this has ANY thoughts, opinions, suggestions, etc based on personal experiences and/or your experiences with me and my work I would be VERY grateful to hear/receive them. Feel free to comment here or send me an email (sage.cl@gmail.com).
Well, that's about all there is time for now. Just about time for the call for 2nd tech. More again later....Hopefully sooner than I have been.
Again, thanks everyone. Take care.
http://www.gofundme.com/1txdbo
Anyway.
First, I have been blessed by an amazing group of folks and, through both online and offline contributions, I have been able to enter the UAF payment plan for the Spring semester, 2013. What this means is that, while still having financial challenges, I've been able to retain my enrollment and stay in classes. I don't have good words to thank everyone for their help. All I have is 'Thank You!'. And sometimes that just seems insufficient.
In other news:
**We had 1st tech for the Spring mainstage show (Speech & Debate) yesterday. It went pretty well. Of course, being a cue to cue and working various changes several times, etc means that we still have a bit of the show to complete during today's 2nd tech. Plus (hopefully) a full run.
**The Native Arts Studio had an alumni/student show to coincide with the Native Arts Festival that is an annual event here on campus. I had a few items of my work from last semesters Beginning Native Arts Studio class in the show. Got some positive comments on them. Which was nice.
**Still working on getting a Summer gig set up. I feel terribly behind. Of course, last year I ended up in even worse straits and still found a gig....eventually. And I do have a presently standing offer for a possible Master Carpenter gig here in Fairbanks, should everything else not pan out.....So we shall see.
**Working the grad school search game again. I'm very torn about my selection process. I've been attempting to pare down my applications list to a maximum of 5 schools. The process of 'finding a fit' has me a bit....anxious. Especially when some schools don't seem to responded to direct email requests for info. Maybe they think that, since I have a Fairbanks PO box as an address, that I am just attempting to spoof them somehow? Sigh and shrug. Had a good phone chat (thanks to Google phone) the other day with a person at one of the schools on my list - University of Iowa. Spent a great deal of time on the departments webpages. While not a true scenography degree, it might prove to be a good fit.
So. With that said, here are my current (03/03/13 @ ~1128hrs) top picks :
University of Kansas - Lawrence
University of Illinois: Urbana-Champaign
University of Iowa (Iowa City)
Wayne State University - The Hilberry Theatre Company
Southern Illinois University: Carbondale
-------------------------------------
Yale
NYU
The first five are schools that I get the feeling/think would be a good fit for me, based on current research/prior knowledge. The last two are sort of 'blue sky schools' and I admit to some doubts in their case(s)......
If anyone reading this has ANY thoughts, opinions, suggestions, etc based on personal experiences and/or your experiences with me and my work I would be VERY grateful to hear/receive them. Feel free to comment here or send me an email (sage.cl@gmail.com).
Well, that's about all there is time for now. Just about time for the call for 2nd tech. More again later....Hopefully sooner than I have been.
Again, thanks everyone. Take care.
http://www.gofundme.com/1txdbo
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Embarrassing Post / Request
This is, in candor, perhaps the hardest
blog entry I have yet had to write. And the most potentially
embarrassing one as well. But it needs done so....
First, while some of you might know
that I had hoped to graduate here at UAF this Spring, it now looks as
if that is very unlikely. I still have a few cards to play and a few
ideas, but should those unlikely efforts fail, I will be here till at
least December, 2013. The issue is, in the main, that I made a
foolish presumption as to just how much algebra I actually recalled
from my high school days some 36 years ago. Yes, I use some of the
stuff in woodworking and the like. And no, it wasn't enough to score
at an appropriate level for the placement test that UAF requires. So
instead I have to take a 'pre-algebra' course first. At least, that
is what I am enrolled in until I take the test again early next week
(you can only take it twice in a single semester....or so I have been
told). IF I score high enough and IF there is still a section of the
math course I need to take for my core degree requirement then MAYBE
I might also be able to 'massage' another issue – the two lab
science courses I need both have a prerequisite of a specific math
grade. The gamble/hope is that I might be able to convince the
science professors to let me take their courses concurrently with the
math course.
Not so likely. But as many of you know
by now I can be a stubborn little.....well, you know the
abbreviation.
So those are the circumstances as to
why I may have to delay grad school till the Fall of 2014 rather than
the Fall of 2013 as I had hoped. I'll not blame anyone but me for
making presumptions and not getting started on these core courses
sooner.....
Anyway, that is one set of
embarrassment.
Here is the next....And I fear it will
sound so.......emo. Even if I don't intend it to.
As those of you who have read this blog
previously might recall I returned to school in 2010 after a 27 year
lapse to pursue first my Bachelor of Arts degree (Theatre, with a
design emphasis) and then, with luck, moving on to my Masters of Fine
Arts degree (also in Theatre, with a design emphasis) and the
possibility of teaching. I have been attending UAF thanks in the main
to scholarships. For my first two years here, I was blessed to have
received enough outside funding to pay for almost everything. Which
left what I made with my student employment and one or two outside
design and technical gigs to take care of food and other such
essentials.
Sadly, due to a glitch at the end of
last year (Spring 2012) I became ineligible for one of my
scholarships. And this scholarship had amounted to roughly half of my
total funding. At the start of the Fall semester I was uncertain what
was going to happen but thankfully I was able to arrange for a 'one
time only' injection of some additional outside funds. And I was also
blessed to simultaneously receive a smaller, new scholarship out of
the blue. When combined with my savings from my Summer theatre gig,
the total just met my indebtedness. But a key point is that the
larger fund source was a 'one time only' situation. So for the last
semester I have been scrambling and submitting scholarship
applications and essays and hunting for funding sources. And while I
have attempted to save some funds from my student employment, I must
admit that much of it ended up being spent for food and related
essentials.
While I am waiting for the results of
the various scholarships to be announced and while I continue to
apply for others, it has come time for the Spring semester to begin.
And for that payment to be made.
And, with my two remaining scholarships
(a continuing one from last year and the newer, out of the blue
smaller one) and my student job in the theatre department I am still
$2300 short of meeting my tuition and fees. Not including books or
other such. However, those items really become moot if I can't keep
my enrollment. And, in candor, if I don't keep the momentum I
currently have going towards first my BA and then my MFA I'm not
certain I'll ever be able to return and finish them.
Which brings me here.
At the start of the Fall semester I
began an effort to 'crowd-fund' some of my educational expenses.
There are some online sites that are akin to Kickstarter, but rather
than being for businesses they are for personal fund-raising. I
spread the word of the page I had created (I mentioned it in one of
my earlier, now deleted blog posts) but I hesitated to come out, full
bore, and bare it all before Facebook and the world. Which is just as
well. After some comparison, I determined that a different site was a
better fit for my efforts. So I have made another site. And,
attempting to at least stay somewhat within the Kickstarter model, it
is with the following offer:
I'm seeking donations. Of any size.
With my promise that, at some point within the next five years (my
estimated time frame till my completion of my MFA, given my starting
it in the Fall of 2014 and it being a three year program) I will pay
them back. I cannot guarantee when or how soon, except that it would
be within the above mentioned 5 years. Nor can I guarantee the
precise order of repayment as it will depend on the cash available.
Of course, if I am chosen for any of the scholarships I have applied
for, some of the payback could be sooner than later. But the only
certain things are the five year window. And my additional pledge to
'pay it forward' and help others in need when I might be able to do
so. The rest is, sadly, all variables.
The basic deadline (excluding the
unlikely event that I can convince the business office otherwise) is
for me to pay my fees by close of business, Alaska Standard Time,
Friday January 25th. About 13 days from now. Which is,
realistically, why I am desperate enough to come here and ask for
help. For a variety of reasons, that's a very difficult thing for me.
But last Fall, a good friend reminded me that sometimes asking for
help is not so bad....And so here we are.
Thank you to all who read this. And
thank you, should you choose to help.
The link is below.... And, as that page
might hit some who have not read this, or the blog, much of what I
have said here is repeated there......
Again, thanks.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)