Week Traveling--Part 2: Paris

The statue straight ahead in the background is the center of Bastille, the section of Paris we stayed at.

I walked along the river during this beautiful gloomy day.

So we hopped on a flight, everything went much smoother this time, and headed to Paris...aka my home. I had a completely different experience that the one time I've been before which was 4 years ago in the summer with my dad: It was cold and gloomy, I was with students my age or independent, and looked at art museums. None-the-less it was spectacular. When we first arrived, my friend and I were so hungry we immediately went to search for dinner even though it was 6, and even though it was pouring rain. We finally settled on this "Cafe Divan", and could not have had a more French cuisine experience. You see, the French people are beautiful and slim, even though they eat delicious and amazing fattening foods, because they spend hours enjoying their meals with multiple courses of coffee and deserts, wines, etc. Though we did not follow that mainly because we're broke and starving, it was wonderful to watch the locals around us being their Parisienne selves. I ate this delicious plate of sliced ham with linguine in a white cream cheese sauce!

A typical high view of Paris, that's Sacre Coeur at the top--didn't make it this time there but love it

The next day was incredibly busy. First we went to an exhibition on cannibalism. Twas fascinating! All the art was some exploration, depiction, illustration, or historical reference to this strange and unique topic. Then we had a break before we met up at the infamous Pompidou museum. During my break I went to the flea market that was happening down the street from our hotel. The entire street lined with amazing food and cheap objects anything from clothes, to makeup, to kitchen utensils, to souvenirs. I bought an awesome silk top for 2 euro. 

Outside view of the Pompidou...yes, you ride that tunnel escalator thing lol

I went back to the hotel to drop my stuff up after grabbing lunch, and accidentally fell asleep. Woke up with the cleaning lady inside my room, awkward, and realized I had a half hour to get dressed and somehow make it to the Pompidou by 4 otherwise I wouldn't be able to get in as we all have to go in as a group of students for pricing. I didn't have time to walk so I ran to a metro, and of course the cost was 1,70 where I had 1,50. Not to mention my smallest bill was a 50 and the change machine only took up to 20's....as desperate as it is I started asking people if they had any change or a euro or anything. But then I had to rethink: Ok, Parisienne people aren't polite to begin with (which they have good reason to since Paris is the NUMBER 1 travel destination, so it would be like living in constant annoying tourism all the time), and I'm running out of time. So I used the credit card, got charged extra for using it, ran to the train, rode, ran off the train...and made it to my group as they were going in-few!

Kandinsky "Transverse Line" 1923

The Pompidou was interesting, not my favorite because we were only able to visit 2 floors, and the pieces were very contemporary. We were also tired and just not really into. It was quite marvelous to see some Kandinsky's in person though. You probably recognize this piece above, and now you know the artist!

The street performing magician after I came out of the Pompidou, yes I was eating Gelato

I didn't stay too long in the Pompidou, and yet couldn't find any of my friends. So I decided to have my own adventure. I didn't want to go visit the usual tourist spots since I had already seen most and I was trying to save money. Plus, this entire trip/experience has shown me that I understand the culture of an area best when I can feel it through an exploration of wandering and being amongst the people instead of running from statue to statue taking pictures. I came out of the Pompidou to this massive square. I watched this street performer magician who was quite entertaining even though I had no idea what he was saying, and I grabbed a gelato from a nearby shop--pistachio, nutella, and coconut. 

Notre Dame in the background. French people were laughing because I took this myself...fail

So after my gelato I looked at the map and figure if I start walking and turn right I will eventually run into the Seine and will follow that back to the hotel, thinking a nice hour long walk home through Paris. So I start walking, I cross the street, I turn around, cross, cross, and eventually go right. 45 minutes later I'm in the ghetto-ass part of Paris with everyone staring at me like, "white girl why you here". Looked at the map and realized I walked in the completely opposite direction. At that point I didn't feel like backtracking so I hopped on a metro and decided to come out right where I thought was going to be Notre Dame but I couldn't see it. I asked this couple with my map where it was, but turns out they had a map too and were looking for it...whoops. 5 minutes later I was nudged by the same couple who gave me their map and said "here good luck" while they took off speaking whatever it was they were. They were kind but I still don't understand why they thought having 2 maps would help me...hmmmm

Anyway, I found Notre Dame, and it was quite incredible to stand in front of it in the same exact spot I had stood 4 years ago. 

It was the perfect time to watch the sun go down, as the sky turned this beautiful array of pinks, oranges, and purples. I took a sidewalk path off the main road down to the Seine and awkwardly sat on the only open bench next to this couple making out on another bench. I watched dusk fall upon Paris, the lights, come on reflecting in the water, the boats going by, and realized why they call it the "City of Love"...because even though I was alone (except for the make-out couple), it was still the most romantic setting I have felt in a long time. I followed the river all the way to my hotel. But on the way I had to go to the bathroom. I don't know if these are a Europe thing, or even just a Paris thing but in the middle of the sidewalk on this busy street there's this huge cylinder enclosing. It's a public one stall restroom. I pushed this button and the door hummed open at the steady pace of 1 inch a minute. It was dark and sketch walking by myself already, and then I had to wait another 2 minutes for the cylinder sliding door to automatically close after I got in so I just stood there and dared anyone to even attempt peeing with me. It was actually more hilarious than scary sounding as it is. Very awkward experience but the idea makes sense that they have these. Eventually I was back at the hotel just in time to catch some friends going out to dinner.

A big group of us ate at a lovely thai restaurant that was fairly cheap--thank god, because everywhere and everything in Paris was so expensive that I'm glad we weren't there for longer than we were. Once again the waiter was pretty snotty, which I sorta explained before but then I just remembered. If you don't already know the tips are included in price, it is actually insulting to leave a tip because they think of it as pity. Part of it makes sense that at least they always get a fair amount (because I have experience little to no tips in ridiculous situations), but at the same time, then they don't have to try to be personable, which they are not in the least. After the meal we took a couple metros over to Champs-Elysees, the most famous long, big street in Paris with the Arch de Triumph at the end. One of our girls studied abroad in Paris last semester and knew this cool champagne bar that had ladies nights on Thursdays. So I drank free champagne at this chic bar near the Arch de Triumph while dancing to 90's american music--ya everyone kept telling me that Europe is so ahead in music...but I've only heard weird 90's American music, fail. Apparently there was a free dubsteb concert nearby so a couple of us left to head there. We never did end up finding it but met some nice Italian guys on the street, butchered a French convo with them for about a half hour, drank some vodka, and then we split a taxi (metros close at 12) and headed back to the hotel...my friends I mean, not me and the Italians...no no.

I'm looking pretty special, but it's a nice group shot...minus my tennishoes

Our last day, yes we were only there for really 2 days, we went to the Louvre. They say if you were to spend 30 seconds at each work of art, it would take you 9 months to leave--NOT including what's in storage. Knowing this, and having been there before I headed straight for the painting I had to look at for an assignment: pick an artist whose work you can see at one of the museums, study  their technique, and create a piece imitating their style, composition, everything. I chose Boucher, a classic rococo style artist who painted Marie Antoinette and such. Rococo is a late Baroque period that encompassed victorian elegance and embellishments to the max (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rococo), I love paintings from this time. 

Boucher's "Rinaldo and Armida"

This painting is about 4 ft. x 5 ft. in oil and depicts a moment from Tasso's "Gerusalemme liberata" poem about the crusades. The goddess Armida is instructed by her father to seduce men out of the Crusades to stop the fighting. She takes Rinaldo to her fantastical land and ends up falling for him as well. His friends eventually come and save him from the hypnotism, pissing her off...but it's a wonderful composition of 8 figures with angels and statues complete with magnificent random architecture. After studying all this and more about the painting, I was excited to see it in person. I had to through about 30 rooms, ask the security guard, and double check the map before accidentally almost walking by it. Unfortunately it was high on the wall so I couldn't get close, but it was amazing to be in it's presence. It was even more amazing that this French school group came and randomly talked about it. They all sat around me sketching it and discussing it (breaking the ice cold silence), so I just began to nod my head like I was French as well and totally knew what they were talking about. So with my studying of this piece, and seeing it in person, my assignment now is to complete an oil painting using Boucher's technique, the same size (ya an f'n 4 x 5 foot painting) of 8 figures in a similar composition....joy. I'm actually really excited about it despite the amount of work it will be. 

Michelangelo's "Dying Slave" on left, and "Victory" on the right

After I saw my painting and lounged through other rooms adoring classical paintings that were 40 x 80 ft, I decided to go see some of the infamous works even though I had already seen them before. I'm glad I did, because once again it was cool to stand in the same spot that I did 4 years ago and that my mom had stood about 30 years ago as well as seeing the same piece of art with completely new perceptions from my evolvement over the last 4 years. I saw "Venus de Milo", "Winged Victory of Samothrace", etc. It was especially amazing to see Michelangelo's "Dying Slave" because I studied his work, and this piece, in an art history class last year. I think when I came to the Louvre in high school I walked right by it, so it's funny that such prior knowledge places depth to such art--I wish I had background on every piece I saw because it makes the experience that much more incredible. 

I wasn't going to visit the "Mona Lisa" because I've seen it, but I'm glad I did because I can now express to the world the real experience through my own personal photos. Why is the Mona Lisa famous? Because it might be a self-portrait of Leo Da Vinci...because it's proportionally correct...because it's compositionally pleasing...but nowadays it's just famous for being famous. I don't get why it's so famous: it's kinda boring, and she/he/it does't even have eyebrows....whatever I still understand it's something that people have to see. But look at my first picture on the left, FYI: this is what it's like to really see the Mona Lisa. You fight through a crowd to stand 16 feet away from a wall of glass. Then 4 feet behind the glass itself is the painting that's barely 24 inches high. Oh and the entire experience is equipped with security guards on both sides. I waited 15 minutes to finally get to the front so I could be square-on, and zoom in with my camera to get the pic on the right. I'm not trying to ruin anyone's dreams, and I'm sorry if I've offended those who adore this painting, but I think people don't realize that it's not as grand to see as all the hype it has. 

Another random pic form hotel in Madrid...ya lol

The last night in Paris I was excited to go out, but I got food poisoning from sushi I ate at lunch. But okay, the whole area was lined with sushi restaurants before, it wasn't sketch, and I've eaten tons before...so it was just bad luck. I puked every 10 minutes for 5 hours and barely slept. Then the next morning we took hours of trains and buses home. I pretty much felt like someone had cut me open, tied my intestines in knots, sewed me back up, then beaten me with baseball bats. So when I started not feeling that well saturday night, it didn't phase me. But Sunday it got worse, and Monday I finally went to the doctor. Right after food poisoning, I got "la grippe" = French for "the flu". So that's why I haven't written this week. I missed school for a day, been on meds, sleeping, and recovering. Finally today I feel almost back to normal, minus the snot that constantly protrudes. Regardless of the last part of getting sick, it was a fantastic week traveling to Madrid and Paris looking at a wonderful variety of infamous museums and art as well as experiencing the culture in an independent way I've never tried before. 

Charlemagne and Louis XV's crowns...no big deal

And I finally accomplished my goal: usually when I say Bonjour the person always asks where I'm from no matter how well I try with my accent or to blend in...apparently my body projects a neon sign that says America. But no, in Paris several French people approached me asking for directions, or assumed I was French...gold star for me!

Duck in the fountain at the Louvre who sat and talked to me.

A Week in Madrid and Paris...Part 1: Madrid

Hi everyone! I'm sorry I didn't write any blogs, but 2 weeks ago was super busy and then this past week I happened to be gone traveling in Madrid and Paris with the group. C'est magnifique!

Ying and I on the train to Paris

Pont Aven is such a small, beautiful port town but it is definitely out in the boonies. We had to leave at 5:30 AM last Saturday morning, take a bus to the train station, train to Paris, fly to Madrid, and a bus to our hotel. Not to mention that on our train ride there stopped abruptly and we all had to get off for an hour--turns out the train hit a cow. As you can see in the pic below, the intestines and such were still intact, but I guess the rest of the guts got up into the engine so we had to wait for another train. We were specifically told not to get on any other trains, but one of our "not the brightest" guys hopped on one to use the bathroom, as the train locked it's doors and began to take off. We watched him drive off into the horizon, but I couldn't help to laugh as in slow motion he banged on the windows while we all just laughed at his stupidity. Luckily the instructors chased the train down and they backed up to let him off.

The cow's guts on the front of our train

Then there was the ordeal at the airport. If I haven't already mentioned the luggage situation before, allow me to elaborate. When I first flew into France by myself trying to find this mysterious group of kids I'd be living with for the next 3 months, I had my backpack and one suitcase (bigger than a carryon, but not the biggest you can find)...and let me say for a college girl to only bring that much for 3 1/2 months is quite amazing. Every other student came around the corner with a backpack, duffel, two huge suitcases, and shipped things to meet them here--did I miss something? And why is this relevant to Madrid? Well because I only have my one suitcase I didn't have the luxurious option as others to bring a different bag, so I had to check mine.

Not the sharpest tool in the shed...finally being let off the train

We were already delayed from the cow epidemic, and now a bunch of us had to wait in line to check our bags. At one point it was declared that we had missed the flight and would have to meet everyone else there, but thank god it all worked out. THEN...yes it goes on...I have a first class ticket on AirFrance and I'm pretty stoked because I know I'm going to get goodies from my experience on the Frankfurt flight. I was supposed to sit next to one of my teachers, but he goes, "oh you have to trade with your other professor/my boyfriend so we can sit next to each other." I said, "hell no, I'm getting food in first class." He said there was no difference, and because I didn't want to hold up the line I grumbled my way back to economy. I motioned to the lady that my seat was in the middle, so she just picked up her purse, are you serious? Yes I had to climb over her, and yes both women took the armrests. Luckily I was able to sleep the whole time...I hope I snored loudly.

A typical view of Madrid!

I can't believe it but we all made it on time to Madrid, and it was surprisingly amazing. I didn't know what to expect, but I loved it. According to the other students from New York, they said it was just like the Big Apple but with cooler architecture. Which makes sense why I loved it so much since that is my destination after I graduate.

So ARCO was the first art "place" since it really isn't a museum. For those of you who don't know it's a Contemporary Art Festival that happens once a year in Madrid...I think: http://www.ifema.es/ferias/arco/default_i.html

We were able to go on it's last day. It's about the size of Denver's Convention Center and is fulled with different contemporary artists. To me it was amazing to see strange, beautiful, and moving works in an art sense I am not quite familiar with. What was more fascinating was the people watching. In museums it's quiet and everyone admires famous "good" art, but here it was loud and rambunctious. I couldn't hear the conversations, but I could tell the Spanish people were passionate when discussing the works to their friends beside them. I think it's because ARCO houses contemporary art that isn't knighted as "good" art that besets itself in a museum, which was refreshing to have an environment where people could voice their opinions on the spot; make up your own mind instead of just believing it must be good because it's public. 

My mom made me take Spanish growing up claiming I would use it more than French--true if I were to stay in the US, but I used to tell her, "I won't when I live in France some day!" Well thank you mom because I was able to speak Spanish in Madrid and was like 1 of 2 people who knew how to in our group. I got us through dinner the first night, and directions on the street...better than nothing. At night we would split into groups and go to dinner, which was sometimes ridiculous because most of our students are vegetarian or vegan. There are these "cafeteria" places allover madrid which aren't too bad, but we ate some amazing Indian food one night, and at lunch I had a doner kebab (turkish sandwich) that's pretty yummy. This night, after dinner, I found us a hookah bar which was really chill and fun. Some of my best friends back home in Boulder are Saudi Arabian and taught me a few words in Arabic, so I thought...why not? In Spanish I asked if they knew any Arabic? Turns out they were Moroccans (another sign I should go here for Spring Break) and knew French as well. So I ended up getting to know them through a mix of English, French, Spanish, Arabic conversations. Really fun, and I have their emails in case I need info Morocco. My friends here have been admiring me for getting to know the locals wherever we go: I'm close with the bartenders in Pont Aven and now Madrid Moroccans, but I figure it's the best way to absorb a culture, practice a language, and certainly "la joie de vivre" =  the joy of life!

Guernica by Pablo Picasso

The next day was The Reina Sofia museum, aka super cool. I was marveled by the astonishing works of art. I got to stand an inch from some Salvador Dali's and Picasso's...not to mention I was able to see "Guernica" in person. This may sound silly, but I almost cried when I saw it. I actually took the above image with my own camera outside of the "no photo" room, but was able to get about 6 feet from it. There are guards and a censor in the floor that alarms when you get close, but it's so massive that it's alright. If you do not know, Picasso was commissioned to create a mural reflecting the Spanish civil war. Here he illustrates the horror, distress, and panic of innocent people with death and suffering around them. The lightbulb eye at the top is symbolic of God's eye watching all around. I don't know why I was so moved, perhaps because I have studied it so much, because it's even been in movies like Children of Men with great depth, but all of it was so overwhelming to me. To me I always thought of it as an abstract, non-illogical, grey-scale painting. But if you look closely the different tints and shades of grey are carefully strategic by different angles, etc. Truly an astonishing work of art.

Yes, real black swans. If you liked the movie, then be jealous

After words a bunch of us walked through the beautiful city of Madrid in hopes to find the Botanical Gardens. We did. It cost money, and everything was dead anyway since it's winter. So we found a cosy spot in the park, ate some snacks and enjoyed. Pont Aven is beautiful, but gloomy and cloudy. Being from Colorado of 300 sunshine days, I was so happy to finally see some blue sky in Madrid, soak up the Vitamin D and energy (meum)! While we were sitting there these black swans came swimming up in the creek--absolutely gorgeous, the sights just keep getting more amazing every day.

Final day was the Prado, wait, the INFAMOUS Prado Museum. For every museum we go in as a group so we don't have to pay (which is pretty sweet), and while we were waiting there was a school group of these little kids all holding each other's hoods. Made me remember fieldtrips growing up: I'd always be the only one raising my hand to go to the Denver Art Museum, but we always went to the Natural History Museum so people could test their pulse. But now I was here! Ha ha. I saw so many famous paintings, I can't even express, also we weren't allowed to take pictures and therefore I can't remember lol. Goya was an artist who was typically commissioned for boring portraits of people, but there was a section of the museum where he let loose and painted these horrific dark paintings of war and distressed people called "The Black Paintings". (image link below) 

One of Goya's "The Black Paintings"...tis creepy

My friend looked at me and said, "whoa that guy had some demons". Perhaps that is why I have been so moved at these museums, because I have seen art that reflected people who have been like me, and they were able to express their unsaid emotions and feelings while successfully fulfilling a legacy of a work that lives on past them. I think most artistic people have really dark sides...and it's okay. Anyway I also saw some Bosch paintings, like "The Garden of Earthly Delights" (image link below)

Bosch's "The Garden of Earthly Delights"

It's an incredible painting that I have studied in school all the symbolism and such, and yet I stood in front of it for a good while laughing to myself really looking at it blind eye going, "what the f*** is going on in this painting?" Lol. One of the Bosch paintings was a portrayal of the seven deadly sins. This loud group of American adults crowded the piece yelling to each other, "what are they again? I'm trying to remember that movie with Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman. Was murder one of them? I wish this artist would have written them out cuz I can't tell!"--wow, Americans are annoying sometimes. 

This is not me but what it will look like

I could go on and on about all the famous pieces and artists that were amazing to see after studying them in school, but I won't bore you anymore. Instead I'll mention...oh ya, got my lip pierced! I was walking home from the Prado and took a different way for scenic enjoyment. I found this little nook with a piercing/tattoo place, and 5 minutes later walked out with a bar of metal in my face. It was incredibly cheap compared to the US and still clean and regulated--don't worry I checked and watched. I have to keep a stud in for a month 1/2 before I can change it. Before you get hyped up, I have always wanted a lip ring, and figured I better do it now so that after I graduate and need a job I can take it out. Then I'm not doing this crazy young stuff when I'm like 40. It's pretty sweet tho, and a great souvenir!

My friend Abigail and I drinking Sangria

Our last night in Madrid, we had tapas and paetas (or however you spell it)--apparently well-known amazing food I've never had. Twas awesome: ham-cheese fried balls, broccoli in garlic sauce, and seafood rice. Then we all wanted to find a bar to have Spain's awesome Sangria wine. We found this awesome whole-in-the-wall basement bar with dried meat hanging all over the ceiling. To split a pitcher with a friend was 3,50 euros...hell ya. And it was amazing, they made it in a barrel with fruit. An awesome night to a wonderful trip! I didn't know what to expect from Spain, but ended up loving it. We were there Saturday to Wendesday, before flying back to the my home city...Paris.

The adventures of our hotel room one night...yes that's foil on my friends head

It's late here, so I'm going to go to bed, plus I might have the flu-gross. But I will finish Part 2: Paris tomorrow. And later catch up on classes and other happenings in other blogs...enjoy!

The beginning of my Manifesto

An image that has been in my head for a long time, finally exuded as my first painting.

Doubled as an assignment for my materials class. "Self-Proclamation" 8 x 10" Oil on Canvas.

I have been here for two weeks, roughly, only now and feel I am exponentially developing as an individual: my mentality, my externalities, my soul. I came to Pont Aven knowing it would be more than an art school. And though most of my blogs are recounting events of classes and activities, I feel I must present and elaborate on my internal growth.

The “unnecessary” breaks that we take are just as important as any work in the studio I have accomplished. Rather than feeling guilty for so-called procrastination, I have had the realization that introspection is just as key, if not more, for myself when I return to the life I have been living. Philosophical conversations with other prestigious students here have pushed me to question why I think the way I do and the limits of my capability. My instructors in classes have pushed me to gain the knowledge I will use through any means of interaction with work, society, and relationships. And even the little times I spend having a cider at the bar trying to communicate in a foreign language has inspired me to observe people in a different light, to analyze, critique, and again reverse it upon myself.

Through my independent time I have processed my goals and intentions from what I want, to how, to accomplishing. This world we live in is a binary system: male and female, good and bad, black and white. But I want to embrace my artist and methodize the world through the greys in between, through the endless spectrum of the rainbow that exists in that we do not acknowledge. I respect the grounds of society, for without them there would be complete anarchy. But I am here to express through means of visuality, my internal comprehension. How do I paint sexual repression or enlightenment through abstraction.

I have not written this week due to the intense time-filled schedule I have, but also because I have been in mass confusion on emotion through feeling stressed, lazy, fun, weak, independent, lonely, celebratory, and learned. I have had the epiphany tonight of the written above paragraphs. I now have said words to fall back on when I go through the multiple waves I will endure. And now I share with you that I know why I am here, I know what goals I have, and you will see the products of this illumination through my pictures I post and the stories I share. Enjoy!

Figure study class: self-portrait of myself during a group installation.

12 x 16 " Charcoal.

"All the flowers would have very extra special powers"

My first "knee-touching" partner Julia I drew

Second day of our "Performance Workshop" was more interesting though we did some weird stuff. We had to sit cross-legged with both knees touching our partner's and sketch them for an hour. How awkward it was to draw that close to someone, but I loved being able to finally draw. But the second part....then we switched partners, sitting the same with knees touching, staring at each other "being present" for an hour. Most awkward time of my life. Try making eye contact in silence without movement with someone you barely know within intimate almost-kissing space. My partner Katie and I would look around the room in the beginning and occasionally make eye contact than giggle, blush, and look away. It felt like the first time you kiss someone: that awkward time before where you keep getting closer and closer waiting for it to happen, but not wanting to be the first. As time progressed we became comfortable enough that we stared at every detail on each other. I know every freckle placement, the structure of every ligament and muscle in her face, that she doesn't have split ends, she wears contacts, the smudge of her makeup underneath her eyelash, that her nose tilts to the right a tad, etc. The only time most of us humans have experienced this intimacy knowledge is in a relationship usually when you're laying naked with each other, but to feel this close to someone I just met with only knees touching was the most fascinating and nerve racking thing ever. Some students had no problem staring into each other's eyes in the beginning; that just shows my confidence needs to build and I need not to worry so much.

96 onions shredded layer by layer

Get ready for this third exercise: we sat in a circle each with 4 onions and were instructed to peel them layer by layer in silence at a slow pace. We all giggled at first thinking it was stupid and watching people beginning to cry, but an hour and half later everyone was serious, silent, sobbing. For some reason just the release of 24 people crying together became this monumental event like something tragic had happened. Another amazing thing to experience (though a few of us, including me, didn't cry because of our contacts). I know all these things sound weird, yes it is contemporary art and may not make sense, but I'm experiencing and learning so much from it all. Not going to lie though, the crevasse under my fingernail became an open wound from peeling, but i kept going and the stinging onions got inside so now my thumbs wreak of onions and are swollen...delightful.

Folded underwear...yes I wear cute ones :)

So our host mom asked for my laundry, and I gave her everything figuring I'd get it back the next morning....no. After 3 days later of wearing my sweats and bikini swimsuit bottoms as underwear I finally got it back--fail. I didn't realize they air dry everything outside in the damp, gloomy weather. Live and learn. But she did fold my delicates, thongs and all!

Our grand performance...making a fort 

So after this whole 16 hour weekend of "Performance Workshop" we had to take what we learned and perform something for the public. Our intelligent, brilliant, artistic students came up with the idea to literally build a fort out of the furniture like we were 5 again--stupid, but it was actually really fun. After we completed it, the audience came and sat inside while we all ate croissants. The most wonderful thing about contemporary art: easy to bullshit since it can be "everything and nothing, there is no right or wrong" ha ha.

Inside the fort...as I'm falling

Don't say you're excited here, unless you mean sexually excited...found that out the hard way lol

Group of us playing that game of speed-independent-scrabble,

I'm not a big scrabble player so I sucked at this...who says "ni" is a word

Earlier tonight I skyped with my mamacita and she informed me that numerous people were reading my blog, where I thought she was the only one lol. So thank you keeping up with me and Bienvenue to "Jill the Thrill" (nickname in high school) in France!

Drawing: Pen on paper, 12 x 16", unfinished

Today we had a guest artist come and do a "Performance Workshop" for 8 hours with us today. For those of you who do not know, it's uber contemporary and difference than "Performing Art"....apparently, I don't know it's not my forte. We focussed on discussing the audience participation in any form of art, and had to recreate famous portraits then acting our their characters through speech and interaction. I didn't get a pic of myself, but I reenacted some famous painting of a woman behind a bar gazing off into the distance depressed. I turned it around and made it seem like she was bored so in my performance I started drinking, and as the shots continued I began swaying and handing out drinks (of water) to the audience, aka my fellow classmates. It was interesting, and I get it, but eh. The other main project was dissecting John Cage's 4:33--again if you aren't familiar he is a performance artist repeating this work several times in different ways of sitting in silence with an audience for 4 minutes and 33 seconds. His point was that even in "silence" there are sounds and true silence does not actually exist. The other side is commenting on how the audience's expectation for something to happen is part of the performance, the "non-performance" of expectation...lost and confused or bored? Welcome to Contemporary Art! It isn't for everyone. You can see his stuff on youtube, check it out if you're interested...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN2zcLBr_VM (needless to say the audience was extremely disappointed they paid for a 5 minute performance of "nothing" because it was unknown prior to anyone's knowledge).

Painting: oil on canvas, 8 x 10", unfinished...maybe

I have been so eager to paint and draw, now I finally have homework to do such! Draw a picture using a different tool than you usually do, and in a different style. So I used pen instead of pencil, and cross-hatching rather than straight contour. Then make a separate painting based on that drawing. The drawing is definitely uncompleted as of this pic, and so is the painting--perhaps, we shall see how content I am as more homework builds. It was absolutely lovely to do oils again; it was frustrating a little because I haven't kept up with it since winter semester ended, but I completed this in roughly an hour, so not too shabby! Now off to bed for another 8 hour (ugh) day of "Performance Art" where apparently we won't speak a word all day....awesome, but hey could be worse, I could still be doing calc :)

Crepe I ate today at lunch with Ying,

Egg, tomato, cheese, and escargot butter (<---ya it's amazing)

A happy blog!

A fun list I have made to make the most! 

(yes I drew that Old English by hand..)

What a wonderful day, the kind of warm gloom that we rarely wake up to in Colorado where you feel like cozying up with hot cocoa and glancing at nature with a smile, but I went out. Each of our classes are one day a week for 5 hours--ugh--but today is the one class that I'm not taking (don't worry I still have a full load of 15 credits). I ate an amazing crepe (cheese, tomato, mushroom, egg, and ham) at this wonderful lil shop. I was by myself and still managed to say everything with ease and simply enjoy "reading" a french magazine. Everyone here, especially the people in the media are gorgeous and remind me of my friend Whitney who I'm beginning to think is originally from here and not the United States.

The building on the right is where we ate the other night, 

what a beautiful spot to observe and kill time

After, I walked into town not realizing that everything here closes for lunch between 12 and 2, and it was only 1:15 PM. So I bought the local newspaper that was supposed to have our picture in it (we took a group shot at the school with our host families), but it wasn't until I looked through that whoever told us must have mistaken the date, oh well! I also bought a pack of French cigarrettes--I don't smoke, but hell I'm in France! I went to a beautiful area by this bridge, mill, and river smoking; switch my leather coat out for a trench, turn day to night, add some rain and I had French film noir. Mom, please don't worry, I don't smoke and know it's bad for me; this is just a one-time-kinda-thing. Anyway, I walked around killing time and ran into a lady who had a cute basset hound. Somehow I conveyed I had one back home and she let me pet her puppy-aw! I miss dogs, but everyone here seems to have them so it's comforting that French people love their dogs. And yesterday, Ying and I saw two, huge fat cats on our way to school that came up and rubbed against my shins, yay!

I stopped by a biscuterie, and asked what the infamous Pont-Aven cookies were. She let me try some, and now I know what to bring back as a gift souvenir. Then a ways down was this chocolaterie I was eyeing the other day. I bought some milk chocolate just to nibble at whenever I feel the craving-and tis amazing here, obviously! As far as my packing went, I did awesome bringing only one suitcase that was only one size up from a carryon, and a backpack--which is quite amazing for a college girl. Everyone else showed up at the airport with 2 large suitcases, a packed duffel, backpack, and they shipped stuff here!! I might be wearing the same clothes all the time, but at least I can get from one place to the next pretty easy...

La chocolate!

There is no right or wrong...everything and nothing is Art

My studio cubby desk

Our first day we had a portfolio presentation where everyone showed and discussed their 10 images that were used in their application. After seeing the art the first 5 students produced, I started to pack my backpack and head home because there was no way I belonged here. But I turned on my heel after realizing, "I'm here to learn". So I sat down and became comforted realizing that everyone's art was beautiful in a huge range of variety, and I was here to develop my personal skills. First step: acceptance...hi my name is Jillian and my art is not as developed as all of yours, but my techniques and perspective will evolve--sit down in confidence. The picture above is my studio cubby with my desk of materials I bought in the town Quimper. We drove a half hour to get there, and expected this grand Art store because alls we had been hearing was "you can get that at the store in Quimper"...lies! It is more of a craft store with a corner of art, few selection, and expensive. Oh well! It was cool visiting the fabric store, I was able to find a cool embroidered canvas like material in the scrap section that I plan to create a beautiful painting on. Then we went to the Casino--aka Mall/massive hardware store like Home Depot/ big supermarket like Walmart (which by the way I heard "DJ got us fallin in love by Usher" here and went, wtf?) 

Collaboration installation project one seen from inside of the tunnel out

I'm super stoked for my classes. Being out of school for a month has been wonderful, but coming back to doing only art and French is spectacular! The theme for this semester is Alias so the concentration is expanding all the students out of their own to adopt different personalities/personas to inspire new perspectives and techniques. These are my classes/descriptions:

Critical Studies: A mix between Upper Division Art History and the philosophically written part of art including statements, etc. Our professor for the first part is a writer who is going to have us read Whitman poetry and adopt his style. 

Materials of Drawing/Painting: Redefining the boundary of what limits/separates drawing and painting as a practice, and instead of just thinking in context of a piece, to think back on what the materials/processes used say and influence about the work as a whole and in specificity.

Figure Study: haven't had it yet, but in her introduction she discussed first learning the history of classic figure art creations through Greek Roman and Renaissance hitting the high points, to contemporary. My goal is to better my art on realistic-looking people. I had this class yesterday, we had to create paintings and drawings using only natural materials. I carved in a leave and painted mud on another leaf. 

Installation: an introduction to installation which is an art form that creates a space that envelops the viewer with sensory images, sounds, and displacement. I had this class today and we created our first project. First: our homework assignment was for everyone to bring 5 objects in separate plastic baggiest that reminded them of home, and 5 more that reminded them they "weren't in Kansas anymore". Second: in class we pinned them all on a wall as a collage separating the two categories. Third: Broke into 4 groups and each rearranged the objects into different installations. The above picture shows what my group created--a tunnel with home objects towards the end and French ones near the opening. My 5 objects from home included: lotion because CO is so dry and here is so moist, alarm clock on 12 hour system because here is military, perfume for what my room smelled like, a "lose weight" article because everyone is so healthy here and therefore no diet propaganda, and my cellphone that is closed off. My 5 from France: a dead and still beauitfully intact blue-jay I found on the road, a seashell I found at the ocean, an article from my French cosmo, my French-English dictionary, and my address here in Pont Aven. 

French level 1: self explanatory. I already took this Freshman year of college...but like I remember anything from that except for tuna= thon because it's like thong without the "g" lol

A part of my group at the Port

I know I mentioned almost everyone is from either Cali or the East Coast but I forgot to say there is a student from Montenegro, Romania, Canada, and India plus a couple who are Chinese. I almost feel alienate because everyone has a huge portfolio of art they have been building up since they were little. They all go to specific art schools instead of general colleges and can recall contemporary artists and discussions that go whoosh over my head! But like said earlier, I am here to learn. Thank goodness they are not pretentious like the art kids in school back home. 

It's never been my thing to have 3 hour critiques where we spend half an hour reading into one person's piece of work and coming up with random relations to society and politics from a single line or stroke, but that is the art world and I'll either acquire it or just deal with it. This semester is about Alias and learning to come out of one's own and gain new perspective--much easier said than done. Alls I want to do is draw/paint on my own, which I will do but I have to realize I paid and took the effort to invest my self in education so I better come out learning what they're teaching me instead of being introverted. It's definitely going to be one of those intense and hard, yet greatly evolving and improving semesters that I will look back on for epiphanies in my career and life. 

One of the books in our Lounge area for us to read/practice our French 

called...Gnomes that Kill...bahahahahahahaahaha!!!