laura byrne

Connecting

2008-02-23T08:38:00.000-08:00

Simon's Rock let out yesterday for winter break. I'm spending a restful, productive week on campus, then taking the train to Boston and Portsmouth to visit family.

In psychology, we're studying form, motion and depth perception. Anne told us about a man who mistook his wife for a hat. Some people can't perceive faces. Imagine that... lacking the most important facet of human communication. Here's a picture of Anne (my prof) in class:

Last night I got into the "Finding Walter Benjamin in Dubai" program with Asma Abbas!!! It's basically a study of Dubai in the spirit of Benjamin's Arcades Project (19th century Paris). There are roughly seven students going.

A few weeks ago, four works by van Gogh, Monet, Degas and Cézanne were stolen from a museum in Zurich. Why do people steal masterpieces? Is it that people want a stake in our history, our culture? Is it a question of ownership, obsession? Or simply money?

Edward Munch's The Scream and Madonna were stolen the Oslo Munch Museum in 2004, recovered in 2006. This gives me confidence that the works stolen a few weeks ago will eventually be returned. Large scale theft has happened and will continue, so why are museums not taking proper precaution? I don't want everything to be behind a "glass case" - but any institution that is carries our history should at the very least be required to have tracking devices and hidden cameras (on the entrances!).

Today I'm walking into town to read at the coffee shop.

Back at School!!!

2008-02-08T02:25:00.000-08:00

After much shifting around, I've finally settled into my classes this semester:

Ukiyo - E, History of Japanese Woodblock Prints 1600 - 1867 (Joan del Plato)

History of Photography (del Plato)

Introduction to Psychology (Ann O'dwyer)

Introduction to Italian (Maryann Tebben)

Artist Books Seminar (Arthur Hillman)

Medical Anthropology (Paul Naamon)

Ballet (Ruby)

I wanted to take another art history class at Bard, Romanesque and Gothic Art 900 - 1400. I would have had to drop Psych and Ballet. If I had taken Psych first semester, it would have helped me with nearly every class I've taken since then, so there's no way it's getting passed up again as I enter the second half of my degree. Also, I'm studying art history and studio! What could possibly be more helpful when trying to understand what goes through people's minds when they're making art? Or my own, for that matter.

I've decided to stick with Ballet, because I've already taken a semester, thoroughly enjoy class, and it has great benefits for the future (concentration, health and stability - academically and physically). I've found that it's a great way to cope with stress and anxiety, which are all too familiar in the rapid environment at Simon's Rock.

Sticking on campus, and continuing in subjects I've already begun, I feel good about my choices. This way there is almost zero time wasted in a commute (Bard is roughly an hour away).

The weather is beautiful - I could live with the snow all year round as long as it snowed regularly.

More to come soon!!!

New Years 2008: Exploits of a Designated Driver

2008-01-01T10:54:00.000-08:00

First of all: happy new year! It's scary thinking about all the decisions I have to make in the next year, how to go about everything. If there's a moment that might finally feel like I'm going in a solid direction, it will be when I'm taking off on that plane to Heathrow.

Here's a selection of photographs from last night:

(BTW, to confirm the rumors, YES, I did steal balloons from Fonda)

De Young

2007-11-18T12:32:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I went to the De Young Museum in San Francisco. It's a huge, world renowned museum that has incredible shows. The museum's biggest issue is that the interior architecture does not foster natural pedestrian flow. When people walk in, they don't immediately know which direction to go (though I suppose the De Young might want this effect). It is a beautiful space, but they need to point visitors who are slightly disoriented and don't have much time (like me) in the right direction. I like to see a show from beginning to end, not visa versa. It's annoying to run around trying to find the beginning of exhibitions and galleries (e.g. Walking into Room #14 - where are all the other ones? ).

It might also be useful to let members and customers know, at the ticket counters, where all the new shows are, and not just leaving it up to them to find their way around.

There's just two other little things that bother me about the De Young: their cafeteria and courtyard. I always try to eat at a museum's cafeteria to support them, but come on! If your prices are going to be highway robbery, that's okay with me. But at least make sure the food is fresh! Here's a picture of the courtyard:

Throughout Europe, New York, Washington D.C., certainly places much more obscure than the De Young - all the museums all kept their courtyards, gardens and entire campuses spotless and tip top. Of course this garden is associated with the De Young, so why doesn't it reflect the building by being botanically pure (and unpatchy)? What kind of image/impression is the museum giving those hundreds of thousands of tourists about the SF art scene who've probably seen what other major cities have to offer? Not a great one.

OIL SPILL - San Francisco, California

2007-11-11T14:32:00.000-08:00

My inbox was flooded today with reports of people, not associated with the government, cleaning up the soiled beaches.

Why isn't our government prepared for something like this? Why aren't there stricter regulations about oil container ships? Why wasn't there any immediate large scale action?

Sign up to volunteer, like me and lots of other people.

I'm throwing a fundraiser next week, I'll let you know when/where in a few days.

Sunday Mornings

2007-11-11T09:51:00.000-08:00

I woke up around 10am, wandered into the bathroom, and found this:

I don't think this could happen anywhere other than at Simon's Rock. It's sort of in the same vein as this message we got last year:

"Dear weirdest campus on earth,

It will come as no surprise to you that tonight (Friday the 15th) a chicken was left on mod 12's porch. It was a raw chicken, with what looked like tacks in its behind. After I found this chicken I went on with my life to later find out that security had been lead to the chicken by a trail of vomit. I was just wondering why on earth you are all so strange... and who in their right mind would spend the time plotting, getting a chicken, putting tacks in it and then puking. If it was an act of kindness, thank you, but I would appreciate it if you would not be so kind. If someone out there hates the people in my mod enough to puke and put a chicken directly on my porch's mat then I really think you need to sort out a few problems. Thank you all for reminding me why I am a vegetarian and the next time you all buy a chicken, keep in mind what they are giving up their lives for.

Can whoever did this please never do it again, it is too weird."

(Actually the trail was chocolate milk, not bodily fluids. I know this.)

Non - Rockers might not understand or find it very funny. Weird (& hilarious) things happen at the most unexpected moments. If students here pride themselves on anything, it's spontaneity. Like on Sunday mornings when you go to the bathroom, intending to brush your teeth and find four large invertebrates staring directly at you.

Thank you, to whomever drew on our bathroom wall, for giving me a big laugh on an otherwise normal Sunday morning.

Recent Work

2007-11-08T23:01:00.001-08:00

Here are a few photos of my most recent work in painting studio:
(you can also see more on my flickr)

Circles and Squares

(detail of Circles and Squares)

(Woman, below, is sideways. You can see it correctly if you turn your head or computer a certain way.)

For Circles and Squares, I used charcoal, graphite, acrylic paint, and a sketch & paint pencil on unprimed canvas. Raw canvas rocks because you can paint from both sides, and finish with two different paintings.

For Woman, I used charcoal on the back of a masonite board. I like the rough texture better than the smooth on the front. What I find aggravating about the work is the little smudge on the left eye. I couldn't find spray fixative, so I tried to paint it over with gesso. Oops.

You can probably tell that one of my favorite artists is Kasimir Malevich, whose use of color and shape reveal physical and mental characteristics that we don't normally pick up on. See what I mean? Here's a great example of his style.

Sonia Delaunay is another artist I discovered over the summer in Europe (thanks to Art & Film!).

On Getting Through

2007-11-05T11:17:00.000-08:00

How does one finance an education and career in the arts? Every artist I know has gone through hard times. I'm wondering what entering the art world as a young adult looks like. I definitely want to work in the arts, who knows, maybe even be an artist. But I also want to be independent.

Yesterday I emailed Kimberly Brooks. She writes the wonderful First Person Artist column for Huffington Post. This morning I was so happy to see her quick response! Here's what she says about her experiences (I hope it's okay if I share, they are very helpful :) -

"So here’s the great news: You'll worry your head off for the next eight years or so about how things will work out. But they will work out for you..."

When one has grown up in a pretty secure home, it's scary entering a world where there is no sure fire way to 'make it.'

But that's what I love about the arts. It's open to everyone, and there are endless possibilities and opportunities. Nothing is set in stone. For that though, there is a price: uncertainty. I guess the difference is we handle uncertainty. Either acceptance, or anxiety. I admit to being anxious - there's so much that lies outside of the United States - so much to see and do!

MASS MoCA

2007-11-03T21:59:00.001-07:00

My first experience going to MASS MoCA was... entertaining. Mostly I felt like an undercover agent: sneakily trying out my tiny new camera, snapping shots, occasionally caught and yelled at by the cranky guards. I don't really understand their camera policy. Is it the artist, or the museum, who chooses whether photographs are allowed? Why are the museums afraid of people photographing their artist's work? Wouldn't that be better, in terms of marketing the exhibit, if individuals freely advertised for them? (e.g. word of mouth?)

From an artistic standpoint, a photograph does not capture the depth and brilliance of a painting. Nor can it record every detail of a sculpture, or interpret light the way our eyes do.

In light of their policy which I disagree with, here is a little taste of what I saw at MASS MoCA. I highly recommend that you get out there to see, if nothing else, the Anselm Kiefer. As usual, his work is epic and thrilling (but you'll have to go there to REALLY see it!):

Spencer Finch also has a show going on. I'm not crazy about it. Especially Trying to Remember the Color of Jackie Onassis' Pillbox Hat. One hundred different shades of pink. It's name should be Puhleeeeeeaaaaase, Haven't We Gone Through This Enough? Though some of Finch's lighting design is spot-on:

The room becomes lighter or darker as clouds move across the sun and in the afternoon. I don't know if it will be the same for everyone, but sitting in that room recalled certain childhood memories that hadn't come up for a while. It's a peaceful place to sit and contemplate.

Afterwards we went to Cafe Latino. I applaud them for great service, big, tasty portions, reasonable prices, and for having Jason Ennis playing on guitar. Oh, and their rockin' modern interior design. The bar looked silhouetted and lovely. Great work!

Parents Weekend

2007-10-28T19:47:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, my parents flew all the way out from California to visit me at school. Tomorrow, they're leaving. I wish they could have stayed a bit longer - we could have driven to Boston and Portsmouth to visit the cousins... Alas they have a home, two evil siamese kittens, my little brother, and an infinite number of vulnerable plants to look after.

I'm so happy they came out, it helped me to clarify a lot of things going on in my mind. I miss California more when they're here... but somehow I see "home" and "california" as behind me - and Europe in front of me! (I'm working on getting there!)

We took a mini road trip through North Adams, Stockbridge, Pittsfield, Lee, and various other pretty little New England towns. We went to shows at Mass Moca, the Clark Museum, and Williams College. I'll write about them in the next post.

Why New England Rocks

2007-10-22T19:07:00.001-07:00

I'm a leaf peeper. There. I said it. It's so magnificent when the land is a changing palette of greens, yellows, oranges, reds and browns... and tragic when those colors are lost, even though it's been happening for thousands of years!

Yeah, New England!

(Some of the kids and R.D.s organized sailing/canoing on Sunday afternoon)

(Thanks, Valerie, for the camera. You can find more fall pictures on my flickr)

Today's Natural Disaster

2007-10-21T11:59:00.000-07:00

Today 500 acres, 1 church, 3 businesses, and 3 homes burnt to the ground in my home state, California. Why do people flock to such an epicenter of natural disaster? You'd think that fire, floods, droughts, earthquakes, heat waves, storms, landslides and tornadoes would deter most from living in California, but its economy is still richer than almost every country in the world, coming in at #7 according to the IMF. Los Angeles alone is more populated than thirty four other states.

Growing up, I literally lived on top of the San Andreas Fault. Earthquakes and energy shortages were regular occurrences - I learned to keep my own stash of flashlights, candles and even stole a lighter from the kitchen. One of my best childhood friends was born on the Bay Bridge during Loma Prieta. We all partied hard on April 18th, 2006 - the 100 year anniversary of the infamous 1906 San Francisco earthquake, when San Franciscans set fire to their own houses to collect insurance money. North Beach was the only neighborhood that wasn't burnt to the ground because that's where the brothels were, a fact that many people are proud of, including me. Yay SAN FRANCISCO!!!!!!

There's something special about living in a volatile area. When we witness, trade stories, or hear about natural disasters, it somehow makes us feel more alive, connected, and ultimately more human. The subject of civilization versus nature has been discussed for thousands of years, the earliest example is Gilgamesh (thank you, Pat Sharpe!). Through these experiences we're brought closer to humanity and realize that no matter how much we try to overcome nature, we cannot escape it. The clashes between mankind and the natural world resound through every facet in life.

Happy Fire Safety Month in Hell House!

2007-10-19T15:14:00.000-07:00

7:30am this morning, a fire alarm in Hill House jarred me awake - four hours before I was planning on getting up.

Everyone shuffled outside in their pajamas, sleepy and disgruntled.

The story is that someone on the first floor lounge was cooking sausage and walked away for a few minutes. Fifteen minutes. That caused the lovely seizure-triggering flashing lights and ear-shattering alarm. Several people seem to know who the evil sausage chef is, yet this person has not taken responsibility for their actions.

The R.D.'s locked ALL the kitchens. The longer this person waits (and we're almost certain of said person's identity), the angrier Hill House becomes. Perhaps we will become so enraged that this guy's sausage will burn...

today's lesson:

*Never* leave sausage unattended.