Good Morning Dears!

So remember way back here when I promised to tell you about my new favorite artist? Well of course you don't which is why I put the link there! His name is Dylan Scholinski, and his work is all about mental health and emotions and depression and feelings. There is also some GLBTQA influence since he is Transgender. The work he does is so powerful its unreal. Here is his website/blog. It has not been updated since around Christmas, and I am on a mission to figure out why! But there's some cool stuff on there like his artwork and his book that he wrote that is for sale. Oh and here's two videos about him and can explain better why he is so fucking awesome and such a strong person in addition to an amazing artist. Peace.

Chi-town

So due to mostly foreseen circumstances, :P I have not really discussed any of my Chi-town adventures in a great while. There's been so many it's so hard to choose. the ones I've posted about here on the blog are really only a small selection of the things I have done this semester. ACM keeps us busy. From screen printing workshops, to toxic tours of little village, to a talk by Sam Hsieh the world famous performance artist, and best yet adventures wandering around Rogers Park. So many fun things and so much art!

I'll have some more pictures up soon, but I don't have to many sadly. We get so caught up in it all that You forget to stop and snap a shot along the way. :(

If you all are ever in Rogers Park, got to the HeartLand Cafe. It is so good! Reasonably priced and just simply amazing food. The menu is not really extensive, but its all fresh and numerous vegetarian options. And REAL sweet potato fries! so yummy.

So this is a pretty random post but I just wanted to update you all on my life adventures. Tomorrow I get to go see a bunch of my friends graduate (LFC Class of 2012) so sad! but a celebration none the less.

On Sunday I get to see To Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, one of my favorite things ever. It's this amazing performance show that is one of the longest running shows in Chi. It's put on by this amazing group called the neo-futurists. The show rotates in new skits every week so its constantly changing. If you are ever in Chicago this is a must see, especially since they have a Sunday night show at 7, a great way to end a weekend when there is nothing else to do on Sunday nights.

Peace.

Hide and Seek

You Blog readers get a sneak peak at a poem I am turning in tomorrow. I've been meaning to post some poetry on here, since I like writing poetry, and even though this is an assignment, I am glad I wrote it and I think it turned out pretty cool. If you didn't get it already, it's called Hide and Seek. Peace.

Oooone, twooooo, threeeeeee, fooooouuuuur,…
…Ninety nine, one hundred! Ready or not here I come!
Run run run run run,
In my room, in my apartment,
Have to find my keys,
shake my bag to hear it jingle
Why does it smell like pancakes
Who is taking a shower
Making the bathroom all steamy
Why is it so cold in here
I hate the stupid wind pressing against the windows so noisy
On the street, on the subway
Don’t look at me like that
Of course you can’t hear them we are underground
So stop yelling louder at your cell phone
The train is taking forever, why aren’t we moving
God they are walking so slow
It smells like shit down here today
Or maybe it smells like weed
Ok just ignore them
Music tunes out everything
I’ll just go past them
In the buses, in the cars,
Ooh I like that song
Who is blasting their headphones
Honking is not going to get you anywhere
That polite smile as I let the elderly woman take my seat
Why are you driving anyways
Crap only 7 seconds on walk
Still 30 feet away from the cross
Smells like beer
Newspaper are so soft
Really, you think by now I know that eating drinking and gambling
ARE PROHIBITED ON ALL CTA VEHICLES
On bikes, on skateboards,
The sidewalk is for everyone
Stop trying to pass the bus like you are faster
I love the sound an unpedaled chain makes
Click scroll click scroll click scroll
In the grocery store, in the liquor store,
Loose changes clanking
Quarters in shopping carts
A maze of awkward people who don’t know how to be social
Looks and glances, sighs and screeeeeee
Thanks for taking so much effort to move your cart sideways
Where it should have been all along
Unlike in the middle of the isle where it was.
Take a basket for easy shopping!
I’m only getting like two things
Remember I can’t go inside I’ll just wait for you
I miss the bells
You know the ones in small town stores when someone walks in or out?
Eeew someone broke a carton of eggs
Target always smells so fresh
In the office buildings, in the coffee shop,
Hold the door, but with just a look
Go ahead, no you, no you, alright
Buzz whiiiiiiirrrrr.
Sssssshhhhhhhhh
A doorman that say welcome, how odd
Someone you can talk too
It smells sweet
Just stay in your space, no exploring here
Why is it so crowded, this isn’t starbucks?
The noise level variations can be polar opposites
Ok maybe not in the art galleries
But in the parks, on the boulevards,
Not strolling, power walking,
Don’t stop and smell the roses
Because you can’t smell them anyways
Wait this path is curved?
I’m going to get so lost
Birds exist?
Stupid pigeons always slowing me down
Everyone always rushing
Even after they get to their destinations
No moments here
Always living for the next
Silence is awkward, yet welcome
And why do we all love it so much
To play this game of hide and seek
Oooone, twooooo, threeeeeee, fooooouuuuur,…
…Ninety nine, one hundred! Ready or not here I come!
Run run run run run
And I start all over again
In this place that is 100 times faster than anywhere else

So I might get in trouble for this one...

I don't know what will happen ( I am assuming nothing, especially since a not to many folks read my blog) but this art show was by far one of my top favorites of the semester! Its amazing all the things you get to do on this program, and they go beyond that in teaching you what you can do on your own. Visiting art exhibits, shows and galleries can be entirely free most of the time depending on when you go. I just have to share some of these powerful images with you all.

Also, sorry for the glare and bad angles on some of them, I was trying to just take quick shots of ones that I liked. It was so hard to choose, and If you would like to see more photos from the show, shoot me an email at sekulse@gmail.com or visit my facebook page. ps still working on the whole flickr concept. :)

Riffs by Yto Barrada at The Rennaissance Society at The University of Chicago

This piece is just cool.

I loved this one because I love trees and treehouse concepts.

I love artwork about children it can just be so moving. The whole show was just inspirational, and I think one of the main reasons I connected with it was because it was photography, which I generally really like. What inspires you and what do you usually like? Peace.

St. Patricks Day!

Yeah Yeah I know it's a little late but I just had to share some of these pictures! I had so much fun in the city that day! It was unbelievably warm out and sunny and made for an amazing day of green fun! And boy were there a lot of people! It makes you think about how many people are actually in one city!

They dyed the Chicago River green! This is something I've always heard about but never actually seen in person!

They also dyed the fountain green! Chicago takes there Irish Pride seriously! I really thought this fountain was cool when I first saw it and very artistically inspirational!

Clearly, we take things so seriously that we needed Power Rangers in our St. Patty's Day Parade. I didn't understand this one.

More stuff to come soon. Peace.

Another quick blurb for you

First my lovely's, I promise photo's soon! I know I've been really bad lately on posts and photo's, but soon! Also I thought my blog needed a quick makeover, and thought you all would enjoy it as well. I getting really into web and computer arts and there are some really cool art pieces in the works in the meanwhile that I will get to share with you all in about a month!

Mentioning new art, I have found a new favorite artist! He is so amazing, and his work is even more brilliant! However, because of these awesome art projects I am working on, I can't share with you who it is! As soon as the project is complete, I can, but I made a promise to myself not to overly promote materials I may be using. Which is a bit sad, because it's limiting being able to share stuff I love or stuff I dislike which is part of how I express myself. You will soon see how ironic this is, and I will leave it at that. Peace.

On Second Thought...

I should probably tell you all about this play I saw yesterday cause it really was just that good. It was a pay-what-you-can night at the Steppenwolf and that means A broke girl like me can afford to go see a pretty cool show. It was also a show put on by Steppenwolf for young adults, so most of the actors high school students and such which I love to see since I have a high interest ion young adults and children's theater. It was insanely good quality acting! Ok ok ok on to my real pointful response.

FML: How Carson McCullers Saved My Life. Yes that is what it's called. It poised as the story of this girl Jo, a gay high school student in a catholic school, as told through her graphic novel, but really its the story of all 5 characters in the play and how everyone is affected by the situation that is occurring. There's Jo, then there's her brother Reed, who doesn't think anything of her being gay, there's Jo's best guy friend, whose also presumed gay, Mickey, there's Emma, Jo's new chem partner turned only "straight" girl in school who would want to be friends with Jo, and last there's Ms. D, the new English teacher, also presumed gay.

In an interesting plot, none of the enemies or negative characters were portrayed on stage. It gave the play way more focus on what was actually occurring, and made us imagine that these "bad guys" could be anyone in the real world. I think the three young students in this show portray 3 different levels of dealing with gay in a straight world. Mickey, Always wants to fight, do do what's right by taking action, convincing others that they should say something. Jo is in the middle, Just dealing with the teasing and Harassment and she doesn't want to make a fuss so she doesn't draw more attention to herself, but still stands out and is not going to blend in. Then there's Emma, who is struggling with why she maybe likes Jo, and is caught between her abusive boyfriend Tyler and Jo, struggling with learning about what being gay really means for Jo and others and trying to be the best friend that she knows how to be to Jo.

Ok enough with the character development, the play's plot is simple enough, but at times not cliche and at others very cliche. Jo, is struggling but it gets worse as the story goes on. Little bings of light happen along the way, when she confides in her very understanding teacher, Mrs D. when the school changes the rule where girls were required to where skirts, but there is still a gradual decline. First its someone defacing Jo's locker with the word "Faggot" and then the climax, is Jo getting beaten up close to death after a school basketball game and lands her in the hospital for a week. It is a sad, shocking, and unexpected climax, that jolts you right in the middle of this story. I also thought the ending was a little short, but an amazing choice. No happy ending, no resolution. Ms. D, the only teacher Jo likes at her catholic school, gets fired. Even though Emma repairs her friendship with Jo, Jo does not seem to "get better" (although she heals from the beating and returns to school). The piece ends with just Jo and Mickey, ditching school and having a conversation.

I could have gone on to explain that story forever and in such detail of all the little things that happened. I loved the show more than you can ever know. It was not a PSA, It didn't come off as anything predictable or what I may have expected. It was reality, raw, real, and true, but still portrayed in a semi fictional way. The emotions, the feelings, even the behaviors from all sides are things that go on in our world every single day. A world where kids are not safe from each other is the sad world that we live in and I like to think that I fight to change that every single day. I don't dislike someone for not having the same views as I do, but as long as you can show me respect, I will give you that in return. I've lived with a catholic roommate, I have another friend who does not believe in gay rights. Neither of them have ever pushed there views on me and I don't push on them, and we have great friendships because of it, and I have learned so much from both of them. The problem that I have is with parents, adults, and other people who don't let children think independently, don't let them form their own views. or don't teach them to respect others even if they have different views than you. That last piece is what is really going to save our kids and save our future. Plays like this are so important for people to see because they truly make you think and help you understand from all perspectives. Peace.

Making Full Circles

So just now, I realized something pretty amazing that I learned from my internship, that connects right back to my art seminar class.

Just yesterday, we went to visit the Art Institute of Chicago, a very beautiful museum and definitely a treat. We specifically went to see a new show in the new modern wing of the museum. It's called LightYears (http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/exhibitions/LightYears/index) and It was almost all photography, so I loved it! If you are in Chicago and like art even in the slightest, go check out this museum.

On to today. Today, I was working, I've been researching grants and possible funding sources for my internship all day. I come across a tricky organization and I found out what they have previously funded and right in the middle of all these normal 5 and 10 thousand dollar grants, there is this larger one to the art institute. It didn't shock me to much since it was a museum, it was only later that I made the connection. There was not much more on this foundation, but there was plenty on the guy who created the foundation, so out of curiosity I click on a link for him. Turns out, him and his foundation were one of the main sponsors of the Art Institute's modern wing! Pretty cool huh?

Not only did I get to see and discuss some very cool art yesterday, I got to spend part of my day today learning about one of the dudes that made it possible for me to see that art! I know I'm a dork sometimes but seriously this is how you learn! I love how this program comes full circle. Peace.

Puppets!

I saw the puppet bike in action today! It was so cute and adorable! the puppets even interact with you! I watched for a few minutes, then I cautiously took out my camera to take a picture, without trying to look rude. Well apparently the puppets got the message, since one of them disappeared and then reappeared with a cell phone in hand. Not just a cell phone, a camera phone with the camera facing at me! he was mocking my picture taking! lol. I almost couldn't stop laughing my whole rest of my walk to the ACM office. Wish I could have stood there all day!

Monkey Business

So I just thought this is a cool pic in general and thought it would be a good way to end the night. This is the Monkey Box (or at least that's what I think it's called?) that was parked outside the ACM CP Office:

Peace

To Milenium, and Beyond!

So on this lovely Sunday I actually managed to scrounger up the energy for two adventures! :o I know it's shocking. But in a place like this you just have to make time for everything. And as tired as I am right now, and no matter how bad my knees hurt, it was all worth it. In recent years, Millennium Park has been the highlight of Chicago, or the newest big thing. Did you know it's actually considered a rooftop garden? Yup, since there are parking structures and other things underneath, it was Chicago's way of getting funding for the project, since apparently we didn't need another park. Who doesn't need another Park? Well maybe the people in charge of money were right in some sense, Chicago is known to be might I say, VERY VERY VERY COLD, for about half the year, making parks less attractive. Since Millennium Park was built anyways, to combat this problem of a more than slow tourist season during these late winter months, They came up with a plan to get us Chicogoans outside again and enjoying the park. It's called Luminous Field, and in my opinion its a very clever and quite enjoyable art display of video and sound created by a Chicago artist all surrounding the Famous "Bean". It was pretty cool and I enjoyed seeing the different angles, but it's only good to keep your attention for about a few minutes. It is definitely something suited towards kids, who were running the the lights and stepping on the the ever changing colors with pure smiles and enjoyment and it seems they could do that endlessly. Tomorrow is the shows last night, so I took the opportunity to see it when I could. My pictures arent the best because my camera does not agree with darkness very well, but some turned out pretty cool:

Peace