The Graduate Show

It's official: prints are framed, turned over to Peter and packed to go to UNB.

Released to the wild.

All the hours spend with PhotoShop...........actually, I enjoyed doing these pieces. I have more confidence with the software, and I see how much I have learned over the past three years at NBCCD, photographically and creatively.

Opening for the show is June 15, 3 PM at the UNB Art Centre.

Lilith, Jewish: Created by God, in the same manner and at the same time, to be Adam’s wife. Demonized for refusing Adam’s domination. When Adam insisted on her subjugation she spoke the Ineffable Name of God and flew off into the air. Some believe she was the snake who convinced Eve to eat the fruit of The Tree of Knowledge.

Kali, Hindu: First manifested when the demon Daruka threatened the gods, she sprang from the furiously knitted brow of Parvati, dispatching the demon and making the heavens safe again. As a symbol of the worst we can imagine she offers the chance to face our own terrors. She assumes the form that reflects the attitude of the person who approaches her. Her nakedness shows that she lacks the covering of illusions, her white teeth represent purity, her protruding tongue shows she consumes all, the girdle of hands represent Karma. Once faced and understood, Kali frees her worshipers of all fear and becomes the greatest of Mothers, the most comforting of all goddesses.

All Signed Up

Registered for classes at NSCAD!! So very excited -- it feels real now, seeing my timetable online with my name above it.

Sat down with the Academic Calendar, made a list of the courses I want to take, flipped back and forth and added all the prerequisites, went through again to add the required courses. Checked and rechecked -- reminded myself that I can't take all the classes, not in one semester anyway!!

Wait listed for one class each semester.....and have registered for my second choices, just in case. Paining first semester, two classes per week -- so looking forward to it! Wait listed for Drawing second semester so registered for Typography and Sensoryscapes as my second choices.  Oh, the degree I'm studying for is a Bachelor of Fine Art, Interdisciplinary, minor in Art History.  Squeezing in as many Critical Studies as possible around the required studio courses. And they won't let me take more than 15 credits per semester until my final year!!

It's wonderful to be working towards my own dreams and goals, not to pay for someone else's Porsche.  People have been asking me what my plans are after graduation........it feels trite to quip "make art!", but, that's the only firm plan.  When I returned to school three years ago I was not expecting to be heading off to Halifax, and years ago when I "thought" I had my life all mapped out, well, can you say complete and total life change!! The only aspect of my life that I've brought forward from 2003 is my crabby tabby!!!  And I'm planning more changes.

And, I get to explore a new city! The parks, the museums, the galleries, the cafes..........




When we lose the right to be different, we lose the privilege to be free. -- Charles Evans Hughes

Feminine

Lilith: demonised for refusing subjugation

Kali: destroyer, ending illusions, showing truth

I've studied comparative and alternate religion, mythology, and shamanism mist of my life. I've been exposed, in one way or another, to the world's "major" religions, several Christian sects (from Catholicism to fundamental Pentecostal), dabbled with mainstream Christianity, and participated in Pagan rituals.

What I've found most interesting is the feminine role. Traditional mainstream religions teach that women are, well, less than men (I.e. only male clergy, woman's role is to be a "good wife" and nothing else..........), and must submit to a man's will, no matter what. That women are not thinking, autonomous, free beings. And I point out here that it is less than 100 years since women were made "person's under the law", before this change of "law" women were chattel, no different from vehicles, livestock: property.

Change, in our modern society, happens so quickly, in so many ways, however, some social norms take a very long time. We enact laws for equality: law is passed, attitudes change--the racist, the misogynist, the homophobic---yup, law passed, one second they hate, the next they don't. Yeah, right.......

Anyway, I didn't mean this to be a social justice rant, so I will go back to discussing my work: a diptychs of two mythological representations of femininity -- Lilith & Kali.










Lilith: the first wife of Adam. There are several versions to this myth as to the exact "events" and circumstances but what is the same in all accounts is that she insisted on equality with Adam, he wanted her to submit. She called the unspeakable (and allegedly unknowable) Name of God and left. So God made Adam a new wife, one more passive and less independent.














Kali: Hindu goddess, an incarnation of Durga. The Destroyer, when a hoard of demons attacked the earth and all the gods had failed to stop them, they called on Kali, who went into a murderous rage and "went across the land slaying all that got in her path".  She is associated with breaking illusions and showing truth.

I'll take the criticism, but not the abuse

The other day wedding photographer Kandise Brown tweeted the following link:

http://apracticalwedding.com/2013/04/hate-reading-and-feminism/

It really sparked something in me.  We, as women, have been silenced by others who tell us that "speaking out" isn't "nice".  Well, nice women don't make history.  She said it so well, I am not even going to attempt to paraphrase nor will I add anything.

I feel I have something to say, if you want to read it: great! if not, well.......... I'm only looking for dialogue, to communicate.  My intentions with this blog are to share my thoughts, ideas, what I've learned, my challenges.  And ya know what: it's MY blog.

"I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live my life for the sake of another,

nor ask another to live for mine"

If you want to avoid criticism, don't do anything, don't be anything.

Haters gonna hate............

Three Years Later

WOW!! It's starting to sink in that graduation is coming---fast. Just a few more weeks of classes, final assessments, two exhibitions, then The Ceremony.

In many ways I'm a bit sad to be leaving NBCCD, there are people I've met there that I will miss terribly. Their friendly smiling faces, their gentle acceptance, their challenging of me.........

Moving to Halifax is WAY out of my comfort zone.......coming from humble, rural beginnings, I am proud of the life I've made for myself. Moving to "The Big City" is quite daunting. Truthfully not sure if what I feel is excitement or terror---probably a bit of both. No, A LOT of both.

The Plan is to share a place first semester with a former school mate (I do hope she forgives me my non responsiveness pre morning coffee!! LOL), she's a year ahead of me and will be finishing her classes in December. So, I won't be alone, I do know a few people down there.

New chapter, new adventure, MY life!!!

Work in Progress

Worked in the studio last weekend. Need to practice with this resource while it is still available to me!

Experimented with the gels. Discovered that pairing yellow and red do not make orange, however, pink and yellow do. Shot in red, yellow, blue and green. And, gels cause a lot of noise, thought the images were ruined, but actually, it works considering the subject matter.

With this project I am challenging my lighting and Photoshop skills. I'm working on a pair of creative portraits, one a goddess, one a demon. So far the shots using the red gels are the best for the demon and the blue for the goddess. Now the "fun" begins.

For me, being out in the world, wandering, being mobile is my natural state. I would rather be doing almost anything other than sitting at a computer (even housework!!) I capture as much as possible in camera to reduce post processing.

I'm very excited over the results so far. I see I learned more the past few years than I thought!

Here's a small preview of my work in progress:

Kali: no illusions, only truth

Lilith: by your side or by myself

Yes, they still need A LOT of work. :-)

YES!!!!

Received my acceptance letter from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design!!!

Now for all the practical details........planning the move.........deciding when to move...........funding.........deciding where to live...........EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!