Semester 1

Arts TRYathlon #1: NextNOW

My Neighbor Totoro

Thursday, September 5th, 2024

Gildenhorn Recital Hall at the Clarice, College Park, MD

#film #movie #animatedfilm #studioghibli

For my first Arts TRYathlon event, I attended the showing of My Neighbor Totoro, a 1988 animated film by Studio Ghibli. Although film is a medium that I am familiar with, this movie surpassed my expectations for how it can relate to the inner workings of humanity while also pushing the boundaries of reality in a way that is both stunning and comforting. One of the main characters, Mei, a young girl, stood out to me because she represents a major theme of life: childhood innocence. To be specific, she is curious about acorns, determined to accomplish meaningless tasks such as capturing a soot sprite, and emotional to a heart-warming extent. The creators put their heart into developing a story that mirrors life, which is a characteristic that can be found in many works of art. One of the definitions of art we have discussed in Arts Scholars Colloquium is that art is something that evokes an emotional response; this film certainly does that by reminding us of our our experiences. The emotions may be happiness, worry, anger, or nostalgia, depending on the person, because art can be interpreted differently everyone due to their own culture and experiences. For me, it was happiness, because the relationship between Mei and her older sister Satsuki reminds me of growing up happily with my younger sister, doing silly things that we can laugh about now. The contrast between reality and fantasy is shown as it moves from story-lines about a sick mother, to how spiritual creatures positively interact with the humans in their trying time (even saving Mei at the end), representing how imagination can be a beneficial escape from reality, even if it does not have a concrete effect like it does in the movie. Imagination helps people overcome obstacles, just as art can help people express their ideas and feelings. Although others may see this movie as nothing more than a make-believe story for kids, I will defend My Neighbor Totoro as a memorable adventure that carries real-life ideas far into a beautiful new world that mirrors our own, helping viewers connect to nature and the community around them.

Arts TRYathlon #2: Choose Your Own Adventure

Craft and Chat: Pressed Flower Jars, Hosted by TA Sophia of Arts Scholars

Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024

Bel Air Hall Lounge, College Park, MD

#visualart #craft #nature

During this Arts TRYathlon event, I attended a "Craft and Chat" event centered around decorating a small jar with delicate pressed flowers. We placed the flowers on the outside of the jars, painted Modge Podge on, and then waited for the glue to dry clear. This event strengthened my mind by teaching me to trust the process when being creative, and also helped me reconnect with nature. At first, I struggled to handle the fragile flowers. I noticed I had a tendency to rush through the project, and was getting frustrated when the flowers were becoming difficult to work with. However, I took a second to slow down and enjoy the process of the craft. I placed the flowers in a gentle manner that took more time, but it was worth it for the final product, because it turned out much neater. This reminded me that in all of life, I should try to avoid rushing through my activities, especially with my art and education, because I will be more successful (and learn more) if I take the time to work through problems with a careful attention to detail. I also had to trust the process as the glue dried, because until about a day later, the Modge-Podge looked messy. Art takes time, and I am glad that this project reminded me of that. Furthermore, working with the flowers reminded me that I should take a greater initiative to be in nature, and appreciate the beauty and delicateness of things like plants and animals. I strive to make being a "nature-lover" a greater part of my identity, like we have discussed in Colloquium, even if it was not a trait that I was born with or that influences power dynamics. Being kind to the earth is a way I can use power in my life for good, instead of bad. The next day, I put my new mindset to use and made sure to connect with the nature on campus by walking slower, and with an eye out for all the calming, mood-boosting, wonderful things that nature has to offer. Lastly, I enjoyed getting to meet new people at the event, and interact with my Arts Scholars community, which benefitted my mindset and solidified that collaboration is a great way to expand my knowledge about the world so I am better equipped to handle life.

Arts TRYathlon #3: Arts Scholars Event

Craft and Chat: Needle Felting, Hosted by TA Jessica of Arts Scholars

Tuesday, October 15th, 2024

Bel Air Hall Lounge, College Park, MD

#visualart #craft #needlefelting

During this Arts TRYathlon event, I attended another "Craft and Chat", where I got to try the art of needle felting for the first time. This craft reminded me of the topics of Improv and Vogue dancing, and how the idea of being loose and allowing yourself to be true to your identity can be helpful in creating something new. Needle felting involves shaping fibers into a 3-D creation using a needle with holes in it. It was difficult at first trying to figure out how to shape the fibers correctly, as they never seemed to take the form I wanted them to. I soon realized it was much easier to remain patient and to trust the process of the art. Whatever shape the fibers formed, I would be able to make it work. In the end, I created a pineapple to represent my horse, whose name is Pineapple. In that way, I allowed my life experiences to shape my art. I enjoyed looking around the table and seeing what everyone else had made. Each creation showed a piece of its maker's idenity; the animal lovers made cute cats, for example. I appreciated that the style of each craft also varied. This idea of allowing your personality to shine through your art was exemplified in our Improv class, where we learned not to hide ourselves in our art. Additionally, I noticed the theme in the Vogue dancing class of building acceptance through art because I connected with my peers over what they were making, and learned to accept all different types of art. This "Craft and Chat" encouraged me to try new art forms in the future, because even though it might be difficult at first, I will always have something positive to take away from it.

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