Wk 3 – Classmate Conversation – Amy Becerra

While walking around the art galleries this week, I met Amy Becerra. Amy is a freshman who is majoring in computer science. She’s from Pico Rivera and she says that it’s a 40 minute drive to Long Beach, if you take the streets (which she does everyday). I asked her why she was taking the class and she said she was to fulfill her G.E. requirement. She says she likes art but that sometimes she feels like she doesn’t know what the artist is trying to express in a piece of work. She says it just depends on how complex the piece is. When asked the question of the week, she said that music has had the most influence on where she is today. She listens to a lot of rock and metal, like Slipknot and The Ghost Inside. She said this type of music makes her feel stronger and that she has to wake up in the morning with some music playing. Amy said that she’s a really nervous person with a lot of anxiety and listening to this music helps to ease some of that anxiety and calm her. It’s funny because I’m someone who has a lot of anxiety as well but this music does the opposite of calm me! Amy was really nice and I’m glad I was able to have a classmate conversation with her.

Amy’s website: https://amybecerraart110.wordpress.com/

Wk2 – Art Activity – Landscapes with a Corpse

For this activity, I used my aunt’s sofa as my landscape. I would want to have a peaceful death. This sofa has been a part of my aunt’s many different homes and I have grown with it for 15 years. It always reminds me of childhood memories. I know dogs don’t live long lives, but I would want to die with/before my dog, Mocha. She is the first pet I took care of and she means everything to me. I had to include her in this project. This activity was fun to do because it was fun trying to be creative. I know my pictures aren’t the most creative but I was happy with them. I had some assistance from my girlfriend. She was originally supposed to be in the pictures with me because ideally, I would want to die with her by my side (excuse the cheesiness). Without a third person, we weren’t able to get a decent picture. I tried the camera timer but we couldn’t shoot at different angles. So I had to settle for just Mocha 😕

fail fail fail!

Wk 2 – Classmate Conversation – Timothy Chung

This week I had the lovely opportunity of meeting Tim. Tim is a fourth year and he is majoring in engineering. He has a special interest in holograms which I think is super cool. I wish we could’ve talked more about that. Maybe another time. Tim used to take art classes in high school and it used to be his hobby. He’s taking this class for his G.E. requirement and because he’s interested in it. When I asked him if he thought art was important in today’s world, he said it definitely was. He had two reasons: for business and for pleasure. Tim explained how art allows for good business and opens up job opportunities. He also described art as sometimes being necessary for some people. Some people look to art to express emotion and to de-stress. For some, art is the only thing that keeps them sane. I told him how I also thought it was important in today’s society because, like he said, it can help people. Art is a way of expression and some people can only do it in this way.  (Timothy does not have a website yet)

Art Activity: Plaster

So this plaster activity was definitely a first for me. It was definitely a fun, quick project. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough time to go to the beach so I had to settle for sand from Home Depot. And since there’s a Home Depot right next to my workplace, I decided to do the activity in the back of my work building. During the activity, I ran into a few hiccups. I attempted to measure the plaster and water mentally but it didn’t work out that well. I ended up not putting enough water because I didn’t want to over water it. I tried to watch a video to see how watery the plaster should be but it had hardened so quickly! That’s when my coworker Braulio came out to lend a hand. He helped me mix the two correctly and saved my project because I didn’t have enough for another screw up. I did two hands. One was my hand stretched out and the other was supposed to be the rock and roll sign. The second one didn’t come out too well… I’m still super happy with the finished products. This project was definitely one to remember and I hope I can preserve them for a long time. Also, my coworker came up with the title to this art: Stephanie y sus Manos. (That’s Spanish for Stephanie and her hands)

$4 bag of sand < beach sand

failed first attempt

):

finally got it this time

up close shot of it drying

Braulioooooo!

me at work brushing off sand

more brushing

Why did the cameraman take the picture so far away?

Nailed it (Psych!)

selfie of me and my art

Classmate Conversation

To the left is Jackie, Jazmin is in the middle, and I’m to the far right. These are two women I met on the first day of class. Jackie is a second year and she is majoring in chemistry. She thought about getting a degree in criminal justice/forensics as well but ultimately decided on chemistry. She was able to give me a few tips on my classes. For example, she told me the name of a professor I should stay away from for my upper division classes. Her favorite artist is the rapper Drake. She says she enjoys his work the most when he sings. She’s taking this class for a G.E. requirement and because she used to be in an art class in high school. Jazmin is also a second year and she is majoring in psychology. Her favorite artist is Beyonce. Why? Because “she slays.”Jazmin is taking this class because she heard it was one of the easier, more interesting art classes needed to fulfill her G.E. requirement. Jazmin loves art but unfortunately isn’t gifted enough to be artistic (or so in her opinion).

Jackie, Jazmin, me