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Bob Mareley’s “Is This Love” – Keone & Mariel Madrid (Choreography) – Reggae DanceHall
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Posted in Art Appreciation, Choreography, Dance, Momentum, Space, Techniques
Tagged Bob Marley, choreography, dance, hip hop, old school, reggae, street dance
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USC 2016 MFA Students: Spotlight on Issues that Universities Are Experiencing
May 17, 2015 – In my experience working in academia, the current MFA students dropping out at USC put the spotlight on a number of issues and changes universities nationwide are experiencing right now. Universities are reacting to the following:
Rise in student loan debt + Recession + Lousy job market + Stagnated income + Consumerism + Corporatism + List goes on.
Sometimes the changes are necessary (but not always pretty) and sometimes the changes are not always the best way; following the money and forgetting the importance of having a needed foundation at its core. A foundation that can offer skills and opportunities that sometimes technology cannot do such as hands on creativity and one on one (human!) collaboration and communication.
I read Carolina A. Miranda’s LA Times article, “Behind the Impasse that Led USC’s 2016 MFA Students to Withdraw in Protest.” A statement in her article summed up one set of changes (noted above) that is going on:
“…at a time when many parents and students question the utility of pricey university degrees, many universities are responding with programs that play up the possibility of future employment…In the case of USC,” he said, “they’re making a big push into an interdisciplinary arts school that has a lot to do with technology and uses a lot of Silicon Valley buzzwords like ‘disruption’. Soon after her arrival as dean, Muhl oversaw a name change: from the Roski School of Fine Arts to the Roski School of Art and Design. At many schools that feature both art and design, Godfrey says, “design gets more attention and often more funding.”
Bravo to these seven students for putting the spotlight on these issues and the rapid, night and day changes in the education system. It is not just in the art programs, but education as a whole. These students applied for an education they thought they were going to get based on the program’s excellent reputation and the funding it offered. Instead, the university did what the loan industry does: a bait and switch.
As I mentioned above, sometimes change is needed and sometimes change doesn’t always translate into something better and improved. For better or for worst, universities are reacting by enacting these changes. And doing so in a corporate mindset. When it comes down to it, it’s about the bottom line, surviving it and making oneself relevant.
What is unfortunate is that the students, faculty and staff are in the middle of it, are impacted and feeling the effects in both their education and livelihood such as the seven MFA USC students.
“Behind the Impasse That Led USC’s 2016 MFA Students to Withdraw in Protest” by Carolina A. Miranda, LA Times, May 15, 2015
“Entire First-Year MFA Class Drops Out in Protest at the University of Southern California” by Matt Stromberg, Hyperallergic, May 15, 2015
“Noam Chomsky: Corporate Business Models Are Hurting American Universities” by Noam Chomsky, Salon
“An Entire MFA Class Dropped Out to Protest the Changing Face of Arts Education” by Jared Keller, Pacific Standard, May 19, 2015
– nlm
Drawing I: Fall 2014 Class
January 2015 – I was allowed to sit on a Drawing I class for the fall 2014 semester. The class was Art 153: Drawing I, taught by Professor Jane Brucker. I wanted to (re)learn how to draw since I haven’t spent time drawing in years. I have been wanting too, but never gave myself the time and focus to sit down and just draw.
I learned a lot in class: negative spaces, blind and contour line drawing, perspective, light and dark and ways of tricking your brain to draw detail images. I was in a class comprised of mostly Animation majors and one or two Studio Arts majors. One of the challenges I experienced was time and focus. Some class sessions were good and some class sessions were frustrating. It was not the class itself. It was me. The frustration was allowing myself time to 1) take a break from work, especially since I am the type of person who works through her lunch hour or eats while working and 2) shut my work brain off and get into a zone and draw. Sometimes my brain moved so fast running through a mental list of things to do and take care of on the work front. As a result, during some of the class sessions, I would get frustrated with myself and my drawings not feeling they were not up to par as I wanted my drawings to be.
Even though I experienced these challenges, I still learned a lot. I took this class with a lot of humility, especially since the students around me had had more time and experience drawing. I got excited at times when I saw I was able to draw some of the things I never thought I could draw. I also got excited that I can draw even the simple, basic things that sometimes an experience artist can take for granted.
The photos below are some of my drawing projects in the class. The projects focused on blind and contour line drawings, light and dark and negative spaces.
It was also a good experience to take a class with a Professor who is part of the department I provide support for. It was a pleasure to work alongside with the students and getting to know some of them, especially when we worked as a group on the puzzle mural project.
–-nlm
Drawing I Class – Professor Jane Brucker, Fall 2014
Drawing I Project #1
Drawing I Project #2
Drawing I Project #3
Drawing I Project #4 (Negative Space)
Negative space, gridding and learning how to trick the brain to draw complex details such as drawing from an image that is upside down.
Blind and Contour Line Drawings
Blind and Contour Line Drawings
Learning Eclipses
Class Mural Project (1)
Class Mural Project (2)
Class Mural Project (3)
Class Mural Project – the actual image with grid
Drawing I Project #5 – Leo (1)
Drawing I Project #5 – Leo (2)
Drawing I Project #5 – Leo (3)
Drawing I – Final – Leo
Posted in Art, Art Appreciation, Challenges, Creating Your Own Path, Drawing, LMU, Momentum, Studio Art, Techniques
Tagged contour lines, drawing, drawing challenges, drawing experiences, fine art, focus, mural, negative space, studio arts, technique, time
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LA Trade Tech College Murals
Sunday, July 10, 2014 – Everyday, on my way to work and back, the Expo train passes the Los Angeles Trade Technical College. The college’s own students from one of the classes, “Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting,” led by Art Mortimer painted a series of murals on the walls of the college facing the Expo train on Flower Street in Downtown Los Angeles. I’ve seen the artists a couple of times – 3-4 college age adults – working on the first set of murals in the early evening when I was on my home from work. The artists completed this set last year. About two or three months ago, while on my way to work, I saw five large white squares with penciled in grids on each of them. That made my morning. I was so excited to see more murals and curious to know what they will be. Each mural is the same size, give or take, depending on the image. One of the main themes of the murals is a celebration and/or reflection of Los Angeles’ culture, history, art and its people. I took photos of the first set of the murals when they were completed. For the second set, I took photos of the murals as they were developed over a period of time. I never saw the artists working on the second set of the murals as I did on the first set. I did notice that they worked on the murals during the weekends because by Monday I would see added colors and sketches.
FIRST SET
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
SECOND SET
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
LA Trade Tech Mural by Sign Graphics 201: Fundamentals of Mural Painting: with Art Mortimer (Photo by N. Murph)
-nlm
Culver City Murals Being Demolished
Tuesday, December 17, 2013 – The murals in Culver City that I wrote about earlier on June 29, 2013, remained untouched (with the exception of other artists putting their own work over another’s) for a lot longer than planned. The scheduled demolition of the old car dealership apparently got delayed until now. This past month the builder started demolishing parts of the dealership and tearing down walls and ceilings in other areas. You can see that in the photos I took. As I wrote in my blog entry, “Culver City Murals”:
Street art is a form of expression and is created for a variety of reasons. But the actual art itself isn’t meant to be forever. The art work can be whitewashed, painted over by other artists, or demolished. However which way it works out, l agree with the organizer: I will miss seeing these murals every morning while waiting for the bus. I rather see an old decrypted building cover with amazing murals than another mini shopping center, especially since there are quite a few of those in the area.
Culver City Murals being demolished. Photo taken by N. Murph, December 2013
Culver City Murals being demolished. Photo taken by N. Murph, December 2013
Culver City Murals being demolished. Photo taken by N. Murph, December 2013
Culver City Murals being demolished. Photo taken by N. Murph, December 2013
Culver City Murals being demolished. Photo taken by N. Murph, December 2013
~nlm
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