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May 26, 2006

Graduation Reflections

Graduation is tomorrow. I'm not quite sure what to feel about it. I guess it's cool that I have finished college, but mostly I feel sad to leave it all. I have really enjoyed my time at Biola and will miss everything. I feel like I will lose people and memories.

For all of you who have already completed this rite of passage, I wish I would have stayed better connected to you and better maintained the support of friendship as you moved into new, scary, independant-type things. And for all of you who graduate in the next year(s), here is my advice as you finish school:

-Take lots of pictures. You don't have to get them printed and make all those silly scrapbooks, just take them and save them, and look through them every now and then. Carry your camera with you everywhere. Remember happy times, snap goofy pictures of your friends. Don't worry about what people will think if you pull out your camera to take a picture of your favorite teacher, or that one tree on campus that you always liked--just do it.

-Do something crazy that you never have done (ok, now this is assuming you are like me and never take risks or do anything that could get you in trouble...). Go climb up on the roof of the cafeteria and throw paper airplanes. Leave your mark. Maybe even get caught and pay a fine. Your parents will understand, it's not like you're doing drugs...

-Know that it will end. But don't be so caught up in what it will be like not to be in school that you forget how great school really is.

-Homework is under-rated. How will you get anything done unless it is due? Plus, structure is an important habit.

-Dorm-life is the most unusual thing ever-- take advantage of how many people are around you and don't be surprised at the quietness of living with only a few people once you move out.

-Cafeteria food is really ok, and it's easy-- you try making a variety of delicious meals for 2000 people for one week and then let me know how you feel. Eat your vegetables-- they are expensive in real life.

-Go to chapel at least a couple of times your last semester. I know you don't have to, but just go.

-As with any new phase of life, give yourself a period to grieve the one you are leaving. When you graduated high school you promised some people you that would stay in touch, but you didn't. That will happen again and it's ok. But you don't have to be lonely, you have to be deliberate. Even if it isn't a permanent thing, make plans to see people on a regular basis. As you grow into your new situation, you can slowly ease yourself out of the old one. Don't let your sentiments bog you down. That's what the pictures were for-- look at them and laugh and smile and maybe cry, but leave room for new traditions and friends.

Ok, now granted I'm not even officially graduated, just take this as a reflection of the last couple of years and the expectation for the next couple.

-Libby

Posted by libbystokes at 12:02 PM | Comments (1)

May 04, 2006

Astrobright- A Senior Art Exhibit

I finished installing for my senior show this last monday just an hour before the opening. There was a great turnout and I got a lot of positive feedback. I was even asked for my contact information from an interesed gallery owner! The whole experience has started me thinking a little more seriously about showing in galleries since that was something I had always dismissed; I was encouraged by both teachers and students that my work has gallery potential.

Following are some pictures of the whole process-- from planning, to construction, to final product. Enjoy!

Show statement: "Because of my less "traditional" upbringing in the arts, I have always found that the vocabulary of materials that comes most naturally to me tends not to include such terms as linseed oil and turpentine, but paper and yarn. My hands instinctively reach for the Aleene's craft glue and among my arsenal of tools is a crochet hook, fishing line, a hole punch, bailing wire and felt.

For this series, I let the materials guide the process. I played with fabric, explored ambiguous plastic shapes, and folded tiny origami, all the while waiting to see what would happen. It was a satisfyingly tactile and intuitive process that resulted in pieces that have (to my delight) been associated with sea life, fashion and candy.

Astrobright: color, play, and pleasure."

I started thinking about how to incorporate the stars with a root that I had made. In this sketch I have the stars spaced out, but I ended up creating solid strands of stars.

Here I was trying to picture what the root/umbrella combination would look like.

In the beginning I had wanted to create a large enough piece of "fabric" to cover a whole wall. It was quite time-consuming, so that didn't happen, but either way, here I was looking at what a fabric of yo-yos would be like.

When I started planning this piece, I was going to have it hanging against the wall, with the narrow section at the top and the larger end going down onto the floor. But the lights ended up making such great shadows that I had to rethink things.

This was my first experiment with the paper and yarn thing (along with some other things I had up on the walls for inspiration).

Another view of my studio wall. The crocheted curls were inspired by a christmas ornament that was in the family years ago. The ornament was only a couple of inches long, but I loved the form and decided it would be fun to see in all sorts of long lengths.

This was the finished bit of yo-yo fabric that ended up getting stretched over a skylight to create a lamp. This piece was probably the most time consuming. I spent sooo many hours sewing and sewing and sewing, all by hand. But it was a beautiful piece of creamy soft knit.

The green bag is full of dollar store cup holders, and there are a bunch of other "in process" materials going on in plastic bags. I was a bit of a bag lady for this whole thing: carrying materials back and forth from apartment to studio to car etc...

The entrance to the show. The title is spelled out with single crocheted yarn. Lots of fun.

Most people get a nice boquet of flowers to welcome their guests, but I thought wheat grass would be more appropriate for my stuff.

What resulted from the cup holders and curlies.

The lamp piece. This one got a lot of praise. I even had someone ask if it was for sale. I haven't any idea how much to sell it for-- but I'm honored by the inquiry nonetheless.

This piece was sort of last minute. It wasn't a favorite, but it worked out alright.

By far the most loved piece. There were so many references and ideas made with this. Like I mentioned before, the magnificant lighting was sort of a spur of the moment thing that really made it 1000 times better.

This was a lot of fun. It really filled the space in a fun way and people had an interesting time interacting with it in the space-- having to negotiate the arms of green stars. Though it took a long time, I really enjoyed the making of the origami stars.

I definately consider the show a success. I could only have imagined what it would end up looking like. I had a lot of ideas over the last two years, including building a tree house in the gallery, an installation of thousands of tiny lights, designed textiles with a retail aspect. The results, however, far exceeded any expectations I ever had. The sculpture professor at Biola said that my show was one of the top three shows he has ever seen at Biola. What an honor!

Posted by libbystokes at 01:39 AM | Comments (0)