Senior Art Show

            This week, I went to see the senior art show in the Rike Center Gallery.  Being an Art Education major, it was great to be able to see where I might be able to be as an artist at the end of my four years here at UD.  Having put on a small art show at the end of high school, I fully understand how much work goes in to successfully putting on a full gallery opening.  My favorite part, was being able to see the art show come together.  Being in the Rike Center as much as I am, each day was something different.  Watching each student put together his or her collections of diverse works was fascinating.  Before I knew it, the seniors had finalized a gallery full of works, four years in the making. 

            Starting from scratch after taking eleven art classes in high school was very frustrating to me.  I had come so far as an artist since freshman year and there I stood in an introductory drawing class.  After winning awards for some of my drawings in high school, I did not see the need for me to be there.  Little did I know that I would learn so much.  I walked in to the class thinking that there was very little for me to learn, but I left the course with a whole new approach to drawing.  I have never put so much work into a drawing class; it was always something that came very naturally to me.  Now, my drawings are more accurate visual statements and I have more ability to become a more stylized, creative artist. 

            Learning the basics, while very annoying at times after coming from very advanced art courses makes creating new, interesting drawings so much easier as well as more successful.  Drawing is the backbone to every other art form.  Whether it is painting, sculpting, or printmaking, a good drawing is necessary for a good end result.  Really understanding the fundamentals of drawing will help me be a better art student as well as art teacher in the future.  Being able to see the art that some of the student here have managed to create helps to inspire me to keep working hard, even through the classes I feel will have little effect on my artistically.  Ever new experience will influence my skill level and needs to be embraced in order to effect my work.        

Phyllis Chen

            I had never actually seen a toy piano before walking in to the Sears Recital Hall on Wednesday night.  There it was: a miniature model of the large grand piano that towered over the little red baby piano.  It was quite a sight to see the two juxtaposed, one seeming almost obese in the toy piano’s presence.  The most interesting part was seeing the audience’s reactions.  Most entered the hall and laughed at the sight while others awed at the cuteness of the toy getting its moment of glory on the stage, dwarfing the beautiful grand piano regardless of its size. 

            Here is a great pianist, with a PhD in piano performance forced to sit on the floor in order to play her instrument of choice.  The evening was full of performances and interesting discussion.  I now know more about the toy piano then I ever would have thought possible.  Having played the piano for a few years, I understand how difficult it can be to master.  Her immense talent and appreciation for the instrument was what struck me the most during her performance.  I have never heard anyone speak so highly of his or her craft.  Piano really is her passion and she works tirelessly to find new and inventive ways to make piano new and more relevant to the world.  She has managed to create a community of toy pianists to help show the world what the instrument is capable of.

            Now, if anyone thought the sight of the toy piano was humorous when they entered the room, three seconds into her first performance, all funny thoughts were gone.  The sound that was produced from the dinky, red, comical piano was like nothing I’ve ever heard.  The initially high-pitched, clunky sound came together to create a song full of depth of sound and interesting melodies.  It was almost impossible to understand how an instrument with so few keys could create a song of such sophistication.  The way Chen approached the instrument also allowed for no giggles from the audience.  The way she played the keys, eyes closed, completely engulfed in her piano filled world, gave the childlike instrument a new maturity that I am quite sure no one else can accomplish. 

            My favorite performance of the night utilized the toy piano and a music box.  Two very childlike musical instruments blended together to create one of the best piano pieces I have ever heard.  She combined a music box song that she had created herself with a melody on the toy piano.  This blend made for a very interesting mix.  The youthful instruments mixed with the mature song gave the piece more depth than I ever would have imagined was possible walking into the theater.                   

Guitar? Yes, Please.

      This was hands-down the best Thursday Night Live yet.  There was not one specific thing that made this night stand out, but a perfect blend of circumstances that made this event more noteworthy than the rest.  It could have been the fact that I had absolutely no homework to be doing at the time, allowing me to invest my whole self in the performances.  I could have been that Thursday Night Live has become a weekly event that my friends thoroughly enjoy attending no matter who is performing.  It could have been my favorite green tea in my brand new environmentally friendly mug.  I could have been that a banjo and harmonica were involved.  I could have been the fabulous people watching that always ensues.  It could have the singing of some of my all time favorite songs.  It could have been one of the most lively, entertaining performers I have experienced at a Thursday Night Live.  It could have been the random poetry interjections that were thrown in to the mix.  Apparently, this is all I need for a very very enjoyable evening out.

            With each new Thursday Night Live experience, I seem to wish more and more that I could pick up a guitar and become a fabulous player and singer.  If only this were plausible.  One thing is for sure: learning how to play the guitar is, once again, at the top of my to do list.  It has always been something that I have wanted to do.  Sadly the unsuccessful piano lessons of 2004 did not seem to prove to my mother that investing in yet another expensive instrument was a good idea for my short attention span.  I consider myself a rather patient individual.  It was something about the three years of piano lessons with very few major results that got to me.  Maybe this time my parents can be convinced that a guitar will be a good investment.  We shall see.  Birthday present anyone?

            It may seem silly to those who know me, but learning to play the guitar relatively well has been on my bucket list for quite some time.  I will not back down.  Even if I am sixty when it finally happens, I, Rachel Hathaway, will learn how to play the guitar.  It may take me years to be good enough (let alone have the confidence) to play in front of an audience, but knowing that I have the ability to be good is all that matters.  So I know what’s going on my wish list this year.  Maybe someday I’ll be the one whipping out the humorous poetry at Thursday Night Live this time next year.        

Mary-Michael King-Sekulic

            Mary-Michael King-Sekulic.  Doesn’t she just sound like she should be a famous performer?  I have always believed that your name plays a major role in whether or not you are destined for famed greatness.  My name just is not conducive to being yelled by thousands of adoring fans.  Mary-Michael King-Sekulic just looks like it should be scribbled across an album cover in an artistic manner, with her fiery red hair and guitar working to sell copies.  Don’t mind the fact that I might be a little bias, being a friend of hers as well as a huge fan of a strong folk singer.  Thursday Night Live proved to many other people that she would someday be that funky folk singer that guitar players destine to emulate. 

            I have attended many a Thursday Night Lives, but this was my first time behind the scenes.  Seeing as she lives across the hall, there is no way to avoid listening to her perform.  After our first Thursday night excursion, she knew she needed to showcase herself at some point in the very near future.  From that moment on, all spare time was dedicated to the set list.  From unknown folk artists to nineties boy bands, it seemed as though no song was overlooked.  Our lounge was constantly filled with onlookers suggesting songs they believed to suite her.  In retrospect, it is a very easy way to make friends, and that she did.  Who knew you could acquire that many friends through the use of song?

            I have to admit that this was the first time I fully paid attention to the goings on of the performances.  Normally a fan of Thursday Night Live for the ambiance, people watching, and student music, I have never invested myself in the show as much as I managed to this week.  Seeing how much work each performer puts in to preparing their acts makes me appreciate what they do so much more.  Mary-Michael King-Sekulic was, by far, the best performer of the night.  Having seen the painstaking process that she went through, she deserved the applause that she got (yes, we did make sure it was loud and boisterous).  Whether she continues on with her music or not, I am quite sure that I would purchase one of the sultry redheads albums any day.  From the University of Dayton’s Thursday Night Live on Art Street to indie folk singer, it’s nice to know that I was there for the dorm room practice days.               

Thursday Night Live #1,263

I find myself, yet again, at Thursday Night Live.  This time, I felt it was necessary to do it the right way.  As serious alumni of the event, it seemed appropriate to be as official as humanly possible.  In order to achieve this level of desired intensity, my roommate and I started our trek to Art Street out early, in order to obtain the best seats in the house.  Having out choice of seating, we had the ability to the official tall coffee house table, giving the allusion that we knew exactly what we were doing, a very rare occasion.  Once the table was sufficiently saved, it was off to the café for a Chai Tea Latte.  Looking even more professional than before with coffee cup in hand, we marched back to our computer filled table to listen to some folk music in ambiance filled room.  I must admit, I am quite content, writing my blog and sipping tea surrounded by a room full of people in flannel button downs. 

            While I might be very content with my current state, it seems as though people did not feel the need to find themselves listening to acoustic guitar on a Thursday night.  Having been to many of these events, I am quite upset by the turn out tonight.  As I sit here listening to my favorite song from junior year of high school with the after taste of a good cup of chai in my mouth, I cannot seem to understand why more people do not attend this event.  I must admit, I have begun to look forward to this event more and more through the progressing weeks.  I think supporting the arts, whether it’s the art students or the music and theater groups on campus is a very important part of the college experience. 

            Just like successful football teams attract the entire student body to the game against their biggest rivals, I believe that the arts should attract just the same amount of audience members.  I understand that athletics may attract a larger segment of the student body than folk concert in a café or a musical production put on by the theater majors, they still deserve the same amount of recognition as the basketball games.  Maybe I am biased what with my love and appreciation for the art, as well as my understanding for the amount of time and effort put into making productions and compositions come together, but I believe that they necessitate the same amount of time and consideration as the rival football game.       

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Living so close to New York City, I have been to a few plays in my day.  From the big Broadway productions to small, independent theaters and a multitude of high school plays, I would consider myself quite the theater junkie.  While this may be true, nothing could have prepared me for what was to come at last night’s performance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.  Having seen the movie a few years ago, I was aware of the strange nature of the show, but the production brought it to a whole new level. 

              The evening began with the act of getting in spirit.  This entailed compiling every black article of clothing and accessory in my closet into one coherent outfit.  Applying as much black makeup as humanly possible followed this as well as making my hair look like it had not been brushed in months.  The photos from this event should probably be burned.  While our outfits may have been ridiculous, no one was to be outdone by the cast members.

            For those who had not seen the film previous to the show, (whom were marked with a read lipstick ‘V’ to make sure all were aware of their Rocky Horror virginity) the scene was probably quite shocking!  Upon entering stood a student covered in fishnets and makeup, towering over the crowd in heels even I could not manage to walk in.  If you could sum up the show in one moment, it was the look on the Rocky virgin’s faces.  This state of shock was only to be amplified as the ‘rules’ for the show were set forth, read by men in lingerie and sprinkled with swears and innuendoes. 

            I am not even going to attempt to explain the basis of the film, as it will probably cost me any amount of sanity you believe me to have; let us just say it is quite the acquired taste.  Once the initial shock had worn off, the remainder of the night was filled with scantily clad college students reenacting the movie while it played in the background, adding an entire new element to the evening.  Although this may seem to be riding the line of sanity as it is, I must admit that I was prepared for the cast to really step it up.  I was ready to have to wash rice out of my hair, get hit in the head with toast, and not be able to move in a small, dark room.  While it was a very good effort, and was a night I will probably not forget for a long time, I hope that the entire audience knows all of the dances by next October.  I have high hopes for the show in years to come.  I will definitely be pulling out the black ensemble again next year.                    

Women's Rights Night

            I found myself, yet again, attending Thursday Nigh Live.  While no week is exactly like the last, this week was given the theme of women’s rights.  This meant that all of the performers were women in an attempt to heighten women empowerment in a month dedicated to women’s rights.  October is notorious for being dedicated to all sorts of organizations attempting to help women gain and maintain a high standing in society.  Between working to gain equality for women in the Middle East, Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention and Breast Cancer Awareness, October is the month for women.  It only seems fitting that the female musicians of UD should be celebrated along with the other women of the world. 

            Filled with songs written by and about some very powerful, empowered women of our time, the musicians proved that they are just as talented as their male counterparts when it comes to belting out the tunes.  While the songs dedicated to strong women were a focal point of the evening, fabulous women both past and present were honored.  From Princess Diana to Lady Gaga, women who have impacted society were highlighted on each of the café tables with a brief history of them and how they managed to be such empowering figures for women today.  Every week Thursday Night Live I attend makes me want to pick up a guitar and learn how to play, but sitting at a table with Princess Diana makes you want to find a way to improve the world for all women and perhaps one day have you picture on the art street café tables. 

            More than anything else, this week’s Thursday Nigh Live made me miss high school where I was the president of Teen PeaceWorks, a club dedicated to the awareness and prevention of domestic and teen dating violence.  My experience with the club has made women’s rights and empowerment an issue of utmost importance to me.  Working with women who have been displaced from their homes as a result of the abuse from their male counterparts is the most powerful way to fully understand many women’s life situation and inequality.  In my opinion, women in general still do not get the amount of respect that they deserve.  While society has taken strides to create equality between the sexes, women still face some obstacles.  Events like Thursday Night Live can only help to ensure that women are just as well respected as men.  From the college guitar players to high-powered company CEO’s all women should be considered and treated the same as men.     

So Percussion

Who would have thought that a cactus would have the ability to entertain an auditorium full of people for hours?  I must say, after attending So Percussion’s performance I believe it is possible.  Walking in to the performance, I felt like I knew what to expect yet had no idea what I had gotten myself in to.  Having the opportunity to talk to some of the members of the group before the performance had a world of impact on the show.  While we got very few specifics on the show that we were seeing later that night, the performers gave us insights into what they believe they accomplish during a show.  It provided me with a bit more knowledge to help me not lose my footing in a show full of old coffee cans, seashells, leaves, and, yes, a cactus. 

 Each person views art in a different way, projecting what they feel they know and understand onto the work.  Just like with viewing a painting, people will have different understandings of the thing that they hear.  Different people have very different tastes in music, and I’m sure many could argue for hours over why one genre is better than another.  The members of So Percussion realize this and understand that they can’t please everyone.  Not everyone can like a group that uses a video of someone brushing their teeth as a source of a beat.  When listening to them talk before the show I was sure it was going to be right up my alley.  Being a self-proclaimed music enthusiast with a love for quirky things I was convinced this was the show for me.  While enthusiast I may be, I know very little about music itself which may have decreased my adoration for the show that I was so convinced would rock my world.

For a group of graduates from Yale music school who play with found objects all day, I was not prepared for the show to be so serious.  While there were parts I really enjoyed, such as the use of the videos along with the music and the interesting use of every day objects in the show, I was not ready for such serious undertones to the pieces.  When discussing their craft, they said that they had to find the perfect medium to that a person with no musical knowledge and someone with a PhD in music theory could enjoy the show so perhaps the seriousness was necessary.  I felt the need to dissect everything they were doing and why they decided to use what instruments for what piece although I went in ready to enjoy myself.  Perhaps if I had entered the show with a different mindset I would have enjoyed it more.  While it was fascinating to hear the performers take on their craft before the show I think I would have preferred to go in with an open mind and no preconceived notions.             

Best Buddies Tie Die

            Can tie die be considered an art form?  I believe it can.  Tie die became fashionable in the late 1960s, popularized by musicians such as The Grateful Dead and Joe Cocker, becoming a staple for any true hippie of the 70s.  The earliest examples of tie die date from 500 A.D. and originated in Peru.  It was also popular in Japan, West Africa, and India before it was brought to the U.S. acting as a uniform for the hippie movement.  If possible, I would tie die every single piece in my wardrobe.  You name it and I would like it to be loud, colorful and spiraled.  While this would probably be overkill, I think there are few people who would disagree with the idea of tie-died socks.  Considering myself to be a self-diagnosed tie-dieaholic, coming to college meant no more dye sessions in my backyard.  I finally got my chance to fulfill my tie die cravings at the Best Buddies meeting last week. 

            Best Buddies is a club here at UD that allows students to be matched up with another student from the Dayton area with special needs.  I was lucky enough to be paired up with Michael who will be my buddy for the next four years.  There are weekly meetings as well as events to attend with your buddy.  You provide outside interaction for your buddy and your buddy provides a world of opportunities for you.  Having a brother with special needs, being away from home has made me miss being around people with different needs making the Best Buddies club the perfect place for me.

            Now for the art connection.  My ultimate goal is to one day become an art therapist.  Currently, I am studying to be an art teacher in hopes of receiving a master’s degree in art therapy after working as a teacher.  The American Art Therapy Association defines art therapy as “the therapeutic use of art making, within a professional relationship, by people who experience illness, trauma, or challenges in living, and by people who seek personal development”.  It is believed that “through creating art and reflecting on the art products and processes, people can increase awareness of self and others, cope with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences; enhance cognitive abilities; and enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of making art”.

            Using art to work with people with special needs has been my goal for years and I love that Best Buddies allowed me to begin doing that.  Seeing people of all walks of life coming together to tie die was by far the highlight of my week.  I believe that art is a powerful thing and if used correctly can help people get through a lot.  Hopefully on day I will be able to use my love of art to help people in need.  Perhaps tie die is the answer to everyone’s problems. 

Art Therapy. Web. 25 Sept. 2010. <http://www.art-therapy.us/art_therapy.htm>.    

Writing and The Arts LLC Thurs. Night Live

Having attended (and loved) a Thursday Night Live from earlier this year, it was interesting going back knowing what to expect, the only problem being that this week was nothing like the last.  The focus of this week’s performances was the Writing and the Arts LLC.  This meant that all of the performers as well as a majority of the audience were freshman with many of the same classes and interests.  Unlike my first Thursday Night Live experience, it did not take place in the cozy coffee shop but in the outdoor theater by Art Street.  The vibe was completely different from past weeks with loud music, rappers, and DJs.  It was like an alternate universe compared to the mellow feel of the past.  It was interesting to see the different music styles of people who live right around the corner.  It was a different way to meet people with similar interests.  While it may not have been the relaxed Thursday Night live of my past, I can assure you that I will attend many more during my years here at UD.     

Trouble the Water

I will be the first to admit that I am not a huge fan of documentaries.  I would prefer, when given the chance, to be swept away to anywhere other than reality.  Between this fact and my unwillingness to sit through two hours of upsetting footage I was somehow coerced into the viewing of Trouble the Water.  Art Street held a Friday night viewing of the documentary focusing on the events before, during and after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. I have never left a movie with such a strange mix of emotions.  The film managed to leave me feeling saddened, hopeful, joyous, unhelpful and very, very fortunate. 

 A majority of the movie was filmed by a family forced to stay in their home during the hurricane and allowed the viewers to experience their hardships first hand.  Their lack of steady income was the reason they could not afford a car resulting in the entire family almost drowning after being forced to flee to their attic in order to avoid the water.  Although the family was stuck narrowly avoiding death from the flood and a lack of food, they managed to capture some amazing footage of the storm that caused so much damage.  While the watching the storm unfold was shocking, nothing could prepare me for the footage from the aftermath.  

Surviving the hurricane was one thing.  Surviving after the hurricane was a whole different story.  As if I was not already stressed from watching the waters rise and food supply diminish as well as sea sick from the amateur camera work, all I needed was to experience the family’s struggles for the next two months of their lives.  With no home, no money, no car and no support, the family was forced to continue with their struggle to survive. Along with being with the family through their struggle to find a new life where they clearly were not welcome it was heartbreaking to see the state of New Orleans even months after he hurricane hit. 

After they lost everything, the family swore they were going to leave and start a new life.  Their positive outlook on a horrid situation was what managed to make the film bearable for me.  The sad part was watching them fall back into the same situations, forced to return home to a place destructed by the natural disaster because of a lack of opportunity.  The fact that there is still so much left unnoticed by the media, forgotten by the public left me saddened.  The fact that a family could go through so much and still stay so strong left me hopeful.  The fact that people can still stay so positive after something so horrific left me joyful.  The fact that I am here and not there doing what I can left me feeling unhelpful.  The fact that I am able to leave the film (which managed to turn me into a documentary appreciator) and walk back to my dorm to learn more things to help me be successful and have the ability to see the and appreciate the people I love left me feeling very, very fortunate.          

Trouble the Water Film Information

   

Thursday Night Live

I am not going to lie.  I am a major sucker for a good coffee shop.  Coming from a small New England town with the stereotypical East Coast downtown complete with matching old brick buildings, cobblestone sidewalks and matching lampposts, I must admit I was saddened by our lack of good, independent coffee shop.  The one Starbucks with constant line out the door seemed to have that job covered.  I had always envisioned a tiny, dim, mellow shop with whimsical decorations and indulgent foods constantly smelling like strong coffee and baked goods packed with calories and an ambiance full of folk music and whining espresso machines.  So fed up with my caramel frappuccino with trademark green straw and stale cookie, I was convinced I would have to open my own coffee shop to feed my caffeine addiction, crossing my fingers that Starbucks, the king of coffee, would not put me out of business.  Why couldn’t my town get it right?  Everyone needs a place where the music addicts could go listen to live music illuminated by the light of their computer screens while sipping on enough caffeine to last a lifetime.

Art Street was one of the many aspects of the University of Dayton that moved me 651.48 miles away from my home in Darien, Connecticut.  I had finally found my little coffee shop.  Any place that decides to name their foods after famous artists is an automatic winner in my book.  The Art Street Café was the coffee shop that I had been dying to open back home.  Sadly, I have already begun decoration plans for my Art Street suite that I hope to occupy in just three short years.  To my knowledge, no other campus has any place where students are allowed to immerse themselves so deeply into the art world.  Wanting to become an art teacher and later on in life an art therapist I appreciate the effort put forth to provide students easy access to the arts. 

Thursday Night Live was just what I needed.  It was the perfect break from a full week of homework, my very regimented time always ready to become unstable.  I walked in to the atmospheric café to soft guitar music and a full crowd of music hungry college students.  The performers were good and they were very capable of feeding my love of music.  I think I could argue that Art Street has already managed to become my favorite place on campus.  While this is true now, I’m not sure if I will feel the same way while trudging through the snow and rain to get to said location.  I am glad that UD was finally able to provide me with the coffee shop I had always wanted.