I feel like a zombie. This has been an insane week! What an amazing end to 2008 and start to 2009. To begin my three favorite people in the world surprised me and showed up in Binghamton on Monday evening. I was overjoyed to see them all as I thought I'd have to wait at least another month before we'd all be together again. We spent Monday night and Tuesday [until about 3] together. Tuesday evening my family and I ventured down to Jersey to my aunt and uncle's house where we spent the remainder of the week.
New York City is amazing. I can't wait to be living there! I've been attempting a visit for a while and finally made it in on Thursday. We [my family and I] try to go into the city every New Years Eve - or have been since 2001. Normally we go check out Times Square and Rockefeller Center. This year I went in with my mom, sister, and two of my cousins. We all had different agendas to attend to but we started off together in Times Square so we could check out the snazzy new numbers for the ball drop that would, of course, be taking place later that day. As it was about 9:30 in the morning there weren't that many people accumulating yet. We all headed on up 6th ave towards the MoMA where I left the party.
I'm surprised that I've never been to the MoMA before Thursday. I have no idea why I hadn't gone before. It was fantastic. So many pieces that I love and have wanted to see and so many that I remember from my Issues in Contemporary Art class. I was so excited to see so many pieces by Henri Matisse - I absolutely love him. Also, I was thrilled to see that one of my all time favorite paintings by Matisse was there: Dance (I). I almost cried. I am such a dork when it comes to stuff like this. Sadly I kind of hurried myself through the general collections and
didn't get to see everything as I was in a hurry to meet up with everyone I had gone into the city with and also I had a ticket to see the Van Gogh exhibit and my entrance time was 11:30am. The exhibit, Van Gogh and the Colors of the Night was absolutely insane and, again, I wanted to cry. Actually, I am surprised that I didn't. So many amazing works by Van Gogh were there and, as the title of the exhibit suggests, they were centered upon his works dealing with the twilight and nigtime hours. It was divided into five sections: Early Landscapes, Peasant Life, Sowers and Wheatfields, Poetry of the Night: the Town, and Poetry of the Night: the country. Some of the works [and probably better known by many people] on display were: The Potato Eaters c 1885, the Cottage c 1885, two versions of the Sower from 1888, Landscape with Wheat Sheaves and Rising Moon from 1889, The Dance Hall in Arles c1889, Starry Night in Arles and the Night Cafe both 1889, Starry Night c 1889 which is probably the most well known work of Van Gogh which is also on permanant display at the MoMA. I was also very excited to see Gauguin's Chair c1889 as it was part of an essay I wrote on the psychoanalysis of Van Gogh and his relationship with Gauguin. There were a number of other paintings, letters written by Van Gogh and some sketches. Over all it was fantastic! I am so glad I got to see it!
After that amazing experience I met up with the rest of my family that joined me in the city at Rockefeller Center where we took some pictures, admired the tree, and got some delicious chocolates at Teuscher - my favorite Chocolatier ever. By then the wind had begun to pick up and it was flurrying. We were all pretty tired and ready to head back to start our New Years festivities. On our way to Penn Station we admired the windows at Lord and Taylor as well as Macy's.
My uncle's house was a flurry of activity as we arrived. Everyone was excited for New Years and preparing the evenings festivites. We ended up staying awake until 4am - celebrating New Years for every time zone in the Continental United States. There was plenty of food and drink and we danced until our legs hurt. Too much of the night was spent out back in the frigid weather. My feet and the rest of my body for that matter, were completely numb by time I finally plopped myself down on my air mattress to get some much
needed shut-eye. Two of my uncles convinced me and my cousins to eat the pickeled/creamed herring that my aunt's brother-in-law brings every year. He eats it at New Years for good luck. It was after we celebrated the New Year for the Mountain time zone and had decided to take a break from the frigid weather and warm up with some beers in the kitchen that we had agreed to partake in the disgusting tradition. Thank god there was another bottle of champagne to wash down the horrible taste. I think I can deal with "bad luck" from now on. I am never going to eat that stuff again!
I'm not very big on scary movies and on Halloween I made the mistake(?) of watching the Strangers. Let's just say that I had the permanent shakes that night. I was so scared! Thank god I was "sleeping over" with friends because I would not have been able to sleep by myself that night. Well, the movie induced some pretty insane nightmares which I find to be entertaining. We had been watching Om Shanti Om earlier in the day and a bit the night before so there was a nice Bollywood theme to my dream. Basically I watched the brutal murder of myself - not as if I were out of my body but as if I really were getting murdered and seeing it take place from my point of view. The murderers were, of course, masked much like those in the Strangers. This took place to Bollywood-esque music and I am pretty sure there was a dance sequence as well. Katy made an appearance as the Hindu god Vishnu sitting atop a big pile of silver spoons. That made me laugh.
Aside from the scare - which did follow into the next day at my friend's house [in the middle of nowhere] my Halloween weekend was kind of low key. I did get to visit friends in Potsdam and had a pretty entertaining and insane Thursday night at the Art Attack opening at SUNY Potsdam and then out at the bars.
I had one of the best days this week that I've had in a while. Mainly because I spent the whole day imagining what it would be like if I were to go back to York. I miss those five months of my life horribly. I want nothing more than to go back there and relive everything that happened and to live more, experience more. I was so happy to think that there was a slight possibility that I would be able to do that this coming spring. I planned the entire trip in my mind. All day at work I was thinking about York; planning my return. If only day dreams could be reality.
I've been doing a lot of thinking - about everything. Not that I don't normally "think" it just seems that lately whatever I'm thinking about, mainly certain people, places and experiences; things that have happened, affects me in a deeper way than it had in the past. This might sound a little strange. It's just that now, as I am at home, life seems so monotonous. I work, go to the gym, sit in my room and sleep. Friday nights I go out. That's about it. Nothing else. The people I love the most are miles away and I cant see them; I barely ever get a chance to talk to them as we're all so busy all the time. I feel like I am stuck.
pre-surgery humor:
nurse [membi i think was his name] was hilarious. a good way to ease my nerves for the 10 minutes he was with me. anyways.. he came up to my room to take me down to the o.r. so he wheeled my bed from the 4th to the 2nd floor. this humorous exchange took place on the elevator:
membi: can i just ask you what the heck do you have to worry about in your life?
me: what?
membi: what are you like 22?! damn, you've got a lot of gray hairs!
me/mom: laugh
mom: my family grays early - she gets it from us.
membi: oh so it's hereditary
mom: yeah i'd be totally gray if i didn't dye my hair. she's been asking me if she can get hers done.
membi: yeah, you should dye your hair!
i'm glad there was a bit of humor in the day. after that though i was left in the o.r. and began to freak out. coming out of anesthesia sucks ass. it was horrible. after that though i got to go home and i've just been chilling since. my neck hurts like woah.
[tomorrow is the fateful day of the neck surgery.
i am scared shitless - for serious.]
so much going on in my head right now.
people to see. places to go.
i don't think any of it is going to happen.
this saddens me greatly. i am sorry.
i wish i could be in 20 places at once.
but then you wouldn't have all of me.
it just wouldn't be the same.
time will make things right.
in time we will be together again.
paint a stage.
rather - sanding and
sweeping, sweeping, sweeping
all day long.
fruit leather is reminiscent of potsdam.
sitting in ives park.
potsdam is love.
painting a stage.
is this really painting?
black. black. black.
is black equivalent to creativity?
It's been a great weekend so far and there is only more time to improve since I've got Monday and Tuesday off from work.
Katy and Josh came to visit on Thursday. Sadly, Kayla wasn't able to come as she was at the Art Institute in Chicago for a tour/meeting. The three of us still had a good time though. We ventured around the Bing and I took them to some of my favorite places and did some fun things. Like mini golf on Thursday evening! After a day of adventures on Friday we went to see Wall-E which is amazing! Yesterday Josh and I had to take Katy back to Syracuse so she could attend the Jazz Fest to see her sister perform and to go to her Graduation today. Most of my family came over on Saturday and we had a little Graduation party for me. It was a lot of fun. I love hanging out with my family and playing with the little cousins. I wish that everyone would have been able to come but it's ok - I'll see them soon, hopefully.
Josh left this morning and I'll be headed over to Grandma's shortly to see people before they leave and to hang out for the afternoon. Tomorrow I'm going up to Albany with mom, dad, and Megs to see some family that has come in from Arizona and Oregon. Some people who were supposed to be coming ended up not being able to so I have no idea if the others are still coming or not. Either way it will be a fun couple of days with the Haluskas that are there.
On Wednesday I have an appointment with a surgeon to see about the cyst in my neck - scary!
Sunday. I'm graduating on Sunday. I can hardly wrap this thought around my mind. I have to leave Potsdam; move on. I am going to miss all of my friends terribly. This week has been good, emotional, but good. I think I've been holding back the sadness too much - it's going to be out of control when I finally burst. So many amazing things have happened in the past four years of my life. Potsdam changed my life. So many opportunities unfolded for adventure and growth while I was here. I have met some of the most amazing people in the world and I am truly grateful to call them friends. I couldn't have made it with out them; I wont make it without them.
Thank you, Potsdam. Thank you to my professors who have enlightened me and helped me in my time here, guided me through the hard parts and encouraged me to succeed. Thank you to my amazing friends - you know who you are - you are all amazing and will do great things. I want nothing more than to sit in my room with you until all hours of the night, sides aching in pain from laughing so much. I love you. Thank you to my family for always being behind me regardless if I've been stupid or brilliant, made bad decisions or good ones. You are my rock, my life support. I love you with all of my heart.
Potsdam, heres to you.
New York City - watch out.
Spring break was fantastical! Greece is beautiful and I would very much like to be there instead of in Potsdam. I got to see and do lots of amazing things which I will rattle off just in case anyone is dying to know..
Day One - 22 March
Arrived in Athens. Went to Sounion to the Temple of Poseidon which was absolutely gorgeous and windy. Also, the site of the temple was inhabited by fancy chickens which we believe were actually partridges. After exploring the hotel - mainly the rooftop terrace with a view of the Acropolis - we had dinner. Took a night time walk to the Acropolis and then got some sorbet in the Plaka.
Day Two - 23 March
Visited the Corinth Canal on our way to Epidarus to see the Theater and ruins there. Mycenae with the awsomeness of the Lioness Gate, the "lair of the minotaur" which is actually a dried up spring at the bottom of a corbel vaulted staircase, and the Treasury of Atreus. I had my first taste of Mousakas for lunch. We arrived in Nafplion and walked around all the little shops and the boardwalk. After dinner we went out for some wine with Dr. Curry and then ended up back at the hotel and tried ouzo.
Day Three - 24 March
I fell at Tyrins and my camera was destroyed. I was sad. The roads in Greece are very twisty and full of hairpin turns that make people very carsick. We arrived at Olympia around the same time as the protest/riot. We missed it though. We did, however, visit the museum at Olympia and saw some pretty sweet sculpture from the Temple of Zeus and some other findings. After the museum we went into the ancient site and wandered around. Sarah and I got whistled at for posing too close to the ruins. It was worth is though. Later that afternoon it rained and there was a slight thunderstorm which is apparently quite rare in Greece. Backlava is delicious.
Day Four - 25 March
We went a little crazy on the bus today. Stopped in a seaside town for lunch after crossing the Rion-Antion Bridge [I don't remember the name of the town]. I went into the Ionian Sea! After lunch we went to a Greek Orthodox Nunnery up in the mountains. When we arrived in Delphi we went for a hike up a mountain. It was absolutely gorgeous. I bought a camera. We went to "the spot" and had some drinks and played pool.
Day Five - 26 March
Woke up at 4am. Left the hotel at 5am. Hiked up the mountain from the day before to see the sunrise. It was cloudy and therefore a crappy sunrise. It was worth it though. Still beautiful even though the sky was "bluetan". The hike would later be known as the Dismal Delphi Deathmarch. After showering and having some breakfast we took off for the ancient site of Delphi where we saw the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia, the Castilian Spring, and ancient Delphi with the Temple of Apollo. Delphi is overrun with kitties. At the Delphi museum I gave my speech on the Treasury of the Siphnians then wandered. After more bus riding we ended up in Athens where we had the best dinner yet. Traditional Greek food - 13 dishes for the main course [it was like a sampler platter] and some nasty ouzo.
Day Six - 27 March
Visited the National Museum in Athens. So much awesomeness there. Went to the Acropolis and was in awe. Saw the Temple of Zeus and the Pan-Athenaic Stadium. Had another fantastic dinner which included mousaka then met up with a friend who was studying in Wales. We walked around the Plaka and had some yummy sorbet.
Day Seven - 28 March
The Athenian Trail of Tears: left at 8:30 for a quick walk to two sites - Plato's Academy and Socrates Prison in the Agora. This ended up taking forever as we got lost and it began to rain. It was pretty sucky. Around one we were finally freed, said screw it to the Agora and the Stoa of Atalos and went for a nice warm meal. After a tiny bit of shopping we went back to the hotel where the events of the day made us a little crazy. Dinner tonight was at a Taverna where there was Greek music and dancing during dinner. It was a lot of fun.
When I got back into the states I stayed in New Jersey at my Uncle Kevin's house as I had an interview in NYC. I think the interview [at Christie's Education] went well and I am expecting to hear back from them in a couple of weeks.
Now I am bogged down with papers, presentations, and paintings to get done. Oh fun.
[full story here]
Classes have begun. This is going to be quite the semester. I feel like I have way too much free time - even on the days I have class from 9am to 6pm. Maybe it was just because it is Syllabus Day and nothing ever happens in class.
I am very excited for painting. Yay for NOT having to paint still lives for 20 hours and actually getting to paint something you like that is interesting. Also, yay for being in class with friends and getting the good spot/easels.
My art history classes should be good as well. I don't have to write a paper longer than 10 pages - 7 if I want to slack off and do the bare minimum. This is very exciting as most of my upper level art history papers have had to be 10-15/15-20 pages. [We'll see what happens in my High Renaissance class on Wednesday.]
I get to be a TA tomorrow. I have no idea what I am going to be doing - I know that I have to lead two lectures, two review sessions and grade tests, aside from that no clue. I'm setting office hours and picking my lecture topics tomorrow. This is both exciting and nerve wracking.
As for right now I have nothing to do. I can't wait until Cinema 10 starts up for this semester so my Monday nights can be filled with awesome independent films and documentaries and what not. [So long as they aren't all they really sad ones - there needs to be some funny or interesting too.]
Art Attack opened on Friday the 9th. The show is quite good this year. Everyone did a wonderful job on their pieces. I always have so much fun walking through Gibson Gallery this time of year because I am able to see the incredible talent of my friends and peers at Potsdam. This year was just a little more exciting though since two of my photographs were accepted into the show. It was great seeing them up on the gallery wall. I wish that all of my friends and family could come to see them because this, to me, is one of the coolest things that has ever happened to me.
Aside from Art Attack I have been being attacked by art, the artwork that I need to have completed for Monday, November 19. All of my painting are due as Monday is our last day of class for the semester (only for painting). I have been a busy bee in the studio all semester perfecting my painting technique and now, this week, I will pretty much be living there. Currently I am at work on a tree, a very big tree at just under 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide.
So, I've finally started my new painting. I was very uncertain about what I wanted to paint for the final since I could pick anything, anything I wanted. That is quite a decision since up until now we have been painting mostly still lives.
This painting is big! just under 4 ft by 3 ft. Much bigger than the others I've done
.. to yesterday's post.
Apparently I am an aspiring photographer!
Both of the photographs I submitted for juror review for Art Attack 2007 were accepted.
(Juror was Timothy Sheesley, Director SUNY Oneonta Art Gallery, Tamarind master printer and owner of Coridor Press, Otego, NY)
Cleveland Way: Duncombe Park and Ouse Bridge will be on display in Art Attack 2007 in Gibson Gallery Nov. 9 to Dec. 9, 2007.
