Saturday, May 8, 2010

May Renewal

Before we leave for Japan, here is a parting shot of Second January Deer's jawbone, surrounded by the greenest of grass.

Second January Deer (May) I

Perhaps I'll encounter something in Japan that relates somehow to this project. Until then, さよăȘら!

Monday, May 3, 2010

Closing Reception, Graduation, and now: Japan

Well, the closing reception to the NMU School of Art and Design's Winter 2010 Senior Show went splendidly. There was an amazing number of folks in attendance -- I can't even begin to estimate how many people were there. The gallery was packed, so packed it was hard to move!


I received some excellent compliments on the Useless Creatures series, which meant a lot to me. My mom and dad drove up to Marquette to see the show, but sadly they had to leave the next day before noon. Still, it was great that they were able to see Steph and me, and come to the closing reception.


At nine o'clock, as the crowds started to thin, I took down my six photographs and artist's statement -- it's amazing how quickly the work can be de-installed, as compared to the tedious installation!

Saturday was graduation day, but neither Steph nor I walked. We both were of the opinion that having the closing reception was a good substitute for sitting and listening to a tiring speaker for two hours and wearing a silly green robe (something I already did when I graduated from Huron High School). So, I'm done with college. I've graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in Photography.

What next?

I'm excited to announce, for those who don't know already, that on May 9, Stephanie and I will be leaving for Japan! We'll be in Hikone and Higashiome for three weeks in an NMU study abroad program, taking a course entitled Japanese Visual Culture. The class is instructed by Professor Mits Oba, who teaches art history at NMU. We're both extremely excited to embark on this adventure.

For those three weeks, this blog will be on a short hiatus, but will start right back up again as soon as we're back in Marquette. Until then, Steph and I will be keeping a blog about the Japan Trip, which can be found by following this link.