Semester 3

Arts TRYathlon #1: NextNOW 

Event Logistics  (9/10/2024, NEXTNOWFEST, A Container of Breath by Alyson Denny)

#visualart #vibrant #photo

I wasn't too sure what was going on, so I asked a photographer what the event was about and she explained that the artist/photographer takes a numeral amount of pictures and then overlays them on top of each other creating the type of visual illusion that makes the spectacle seen above. What's special about this piece is that the artist was able to make a video presentation with pictures only. What I questioned when viewing this, was how was the artist able to make what seemed like an infinite amount of pictures possible. I wondered why people were viewing it until I saw it moving and morphing around. What was being shown wasn't clear. A picture can only capture a glimpse of the infinite motions and movements being shown in the show. Seeing it all made me feel the emotion called "sonder." Feeling how small I was in this world, especially when it's caught in the form of a picture, (feeling that the picture was only able to capture a fragment of its beauty.) I feel it was good for me to be introduced to this form of art because I was able to view the arts in a new light. 

Arts TRYathlon #2: Choose Your Own Adventure

Event Logistics:  10/9/24 Craft and Chat: Make the Friendship Bracelets

#connections #string #thenightmareofchristmas

During this event, I came to make friendship bracelets and left with a sound and tranquil mind. 

The making of friendship bracelets is very complicated; requiring 7 strings, cardboard, and a lot of patience. The event started with so many people attending that the TA ran out of cardboard. I worked alongside some others, and despite the TA's instruction some of us were still questioning how to create it. Thanks to everyone's collaboration we were all able to begin the process of its creation. 

Taking the cardboard, and running the strings first through the hole in the middle, then into the slits of the cardboard. It's hard to explain without visuals, but after you need to continuously rotate the cardboard while wrapping strings where other strings were. My point in saying all of this is that there are only 3 steps to making a friendship bracelet. However, the last step is what takes the longest. Doing the same action over, over, and over until you have the length you want. 

To put it in perspective, I got to the event at 6pm and had everything figured out by 6:20 pm. By the time I got to an acceptable length, it was almost 9 o'clock, with no one there but me, Joanne, and Kaitlyn (in the picture above). It's important to say this because it helped me realize that sometimes, to get good results, what you're doing doesn't need to get more difficult, you can maintain something and still get the result you want.
The event was very fun, and meeting/talking to them two helped make my friendship bracelet more tolerable, (now I understand why the TA played "The Nightmare of Christmas."

Arts TRYathlon #3: Arts Scholars Event

Event Logistics: 10/24/24, Craft & Chat, Magic with Mehndi

#mehndi #creativity #totebag

This craft and chat was surrounding the idea of Mehndi. Surprisingly I had heard about this practice from one of my friends, and because of that was interested in the craft and chat. From what was taught by the TA, Mehndi is a popular practice that is typically used on skin. You can create patterns, animals, or (as you can see above) flower patterns. It usually goes by what intention you are trying to create out of it. (A nature aspect, a personal aspect...etc.) However, the normal practice of Mehndi uses a special material (similar to a type of tattoo ink) that is meant to go on top of your skin like a glue, (which also happens to be waterproof.)

With the videos she showed us I was able to observe how patient you need to be to be someone who does Mehndi professionally. The woman in the video explains how easy it is to mess up, and how you need to wash the whole thing off at the cost of one mistake. It allows me to connect with other aspects of art, and gives me a deeper appreciation for the simplistic and forgiving styles of art we have in modern time. 

What I created using the idea of Mehndi, was a tote bag with a Mehndi style artwork on it. Im guessing do to pricing we werent able to use actual Mehndi, but the intention behind the act is what matters. The pattern can represent the good thats being done by using tote bags and not plastic bags. The color combination of blue, green, and purple also blends beautifully to give off a cool colored look.