Semester 1

Arts TRYathlon #1: NextNOW Fest

Event Logistics: Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, The Clarice Courtyard, WMUC Fest

#livemusic #concert #shoegaze #rock #godforgivethisdog #tagabow #feeblelittlehorse

I visited various different events hosted by NextNOW Fest but the one that had the greatest impact on me as an Arts Scholar was the first day of WMUC Fest, featuring three different bands. Each one performed a type of rock music called shoegaze, a term that refers to the “shoe gazing” demeanor of the musicians (looking to the floor to see/use their effects pedals). I do consider myself somewhat of a music nerd (especially when it comes to rock music) but shoegaze has long been a genre that has not come under my radar. I have read many articles and social media posts about the style but I never actually engaged with that variety of music until now, a time graciously spent at NextNOW Fest. The first band, God Forgive This Dog, was a band composed of UMD students, who played mainly driving, powerful instrumentals featuring virtuoso lead guitar playing, slithering basslines, and incredible percussion work. The second band, They Are Gutting a Body of Water (tagabow), hailed from Philadelphia and integrated a sampler into their performance. I really admired the dance-inspired rhythms that they utilized–they were my favorite band of the night. The third band was feeble little horse, a group that I had heard of before and very much enjoyed their most recent album, girl with fish. To hear songs from girl with fish performed live and knowing the words was a very surreal experience that I won’t soon forget. Ultimately, I came away from the festival with a newfound appreciation for local, live music and for shoegaze–a genre I have been frequently listening to while walking around campus ever since.

Arts TRYathlon #2: Choose Your Own Adventure

Event Logistics: Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, Bel Air Lounge, Artistic Impressions Mural Craft & Chat

#mural #craftandchat #visualart #collage

I participated in TA Conell’s Craft & Chat, the Artistic Impressions Mural, and contributed to its creation. My segment of the mural was the miniature magazine collage of the student walking down the street, viewing the two signs that mark his path. I really appreciated the collaborative nature of the mural and how it allowed each of us present to make our mark on the artwork. The varying styles of art used on the canvas made for a much more stimulating piece than if the methods used and visual style were homogenous. Some students filled in the letters of “UMD Arts” in the ways that they saw best; others, such as myself, filled the space in between the letters. The event felt similar to the most recent colloquium, in which we collaborated on a piece of poetry read out aloud to the room. Each poet’s contribution was different and made a dissimilar impact on the finished product, just like the Artistic Impressions Mural. I felt that the mural was a great Craft & Chat opportunity as it allowed us Arts Scholars to exhibit our different skills in the field. My roommate, for example, Felix, is a talented painter and utilized his painting prowess in the mural. I, on the other hand, favor collages, so that led me to create a collage.

Arts TRYathlon #3: Arts Scholars Event

Event Logistics: Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, Bel Air Lounge, Craft & Chat: Needle Felting

#craftandchat #needlefelting #craft #chat #belair #belairhall #belairlounge #pumpkin #october #halloween

Needle felting is a past hobby of mine that I’ve forgotten about as I’ve moved on to college and other things. I was never really good at it, but it was fun to make little felted animals and plants. Being able to pick up the hobby again right where I left off at TA Jessica’s needle felting Craft & Chat was a great experience for me and an opportunity to rediscover my past activities that I really enjoyed. We began with a video tutorial and received the needle felting tools – then we were off! Visual inspiration from Pinterest helped us in deciding what we wanted to make – there were many colors to choose from but in small amounts. Everyone felting made something different. I began with one idea – making a tomato – but ended with a different idea: making a pumpkin. I switched my idea after realizing that the color wool I was using was closer to pumpkin orange than to a tomato red. Switching your idea halfway through is a very similar circumstance to what sometimes happens in my Journalism major. Often a story will start one way but after obtaining a particular interview or source, the story will take an entirely new direction. I’m very happy with how my pumpkin turned out.

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