Author: Elizabeth S

Hello! My name is Elizabeth, and I'm a senior who enjoys writing about the presence of art in everyday life. Through this blog series, I'll be documenting my experience with creative writing, music, and more on campus. Enjoy!

Art Biz with Liz: Recycled Art and Letters

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Last Thursday, I attended a “recycled letter crafting event” hosted by the Residential College’s Letters Forum and Eco Forum. What are forums? RC forums are student-initiated and student-run discussion groups that focus on a variety of subjects. The Eco Forum presents a space where students can discuss issues concerning the environment and how people relate to it, looking at topics such as sustainability, climate change, and more. Letter Forum, on the other hand, focuses on the art of letter writing, allowing students to discuss the history of letter writing, create mail, and connect with people around campus and the world as penpals. The two forums came together to combine their interests and create a fun event for RC students.

For the event, attendees created envelopes and recycled art from a variety of materials gathered prior to the Zoom meeting. After an introduction to the two forums and ideas for possible crafts to make, everyone in the Zoom meeting set forth on their own projects. After about twenty minutes or so, we regrouped and showed one another what we had worked on. People made all kinds of crafts, including wreaths made from leaves, envelopes constructed from scratch paper, and bookmarks composed of old sheet music.

Using a paper grocery bag, I made an envelope and a maple leaf craft. A slideshow presentation in the Zoom meeting showed instructions to make the envelope, and I followed a video online to create the maple leaf. For both projects, I cut squares out of the bag and folded them into various shapes. I wouldn’t quite call it origami, the art of paper folding, since I used scissors and a glue stick; however, these tools were the only things besides the brown paper bag that were needed to make the crafts.

Autumn is my favorite season, and students often host special events during it. While some of the typical campus events have been limited due to the pandemic, the Zoom event was an example of creativity that students exhibit in continuing to plan events and connect to one another. The event was perfect for fall, too; colorful leaves presented a unique medium for crafts, while the season itself served as inspiration for other art. I made a folded maple leaf, for example, because of my fascination with the change that takes place during autumn. I photographed it against the hues of yellows and reds on campus for this blog post.

Note: These pictures were taken outside of East Quad and the MLB prior to the issuing of the two-week stay-at-home order by Washtenaw County.

Art Biz with Liz: The Christine Wonch Creative Writing Program

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When I was in elementary school, the children at my school participated in the Christine Wonch Creative Writing Program. The program was a local contest formed in honor of a young girl who was killed in a car-pedestrian accident. For twenty years, it provided an opportunity for students to submit their creative writing to be evaluated and critiqued. Serving as both a tribute and an outreach program, the annual contest left a lasting impact on many in Charlotte, Michigan, including myself.

My stories featured what you might expect to see from a young child. In kindergarten, I wrote a story about a princess and a dragon. Throughout the following years, magic, talking animals, and my pet goldfish (R.I.P., Lucky) dominated the scene. In addition to writing practice, the program gave students insight into the publication process. My story and drawing of Lucky, for example, were immortalized in a book that was housed in the Charlotte Community Library. I’m not sure whether the archives of all the past winners are still there, but it was a great experience to go through the writing process and reach the publication stage at a young age (even if just for a local competition).

During those years, I looked forward to the end-of-the-year assembly, where we were reminded of the stories that we had written months before. The Christine Wonch awards were handed to us in a manila folder amidst other certificates and documents. Some years, I earned purple ribbons with gold stars and “young author winner” embossed in gold print. Other years, I received participation ribbons in a rainbow of bright colors. Either way, the message to young Elizabeth was clear: my work was recognized. Our work was recognized. My peers’ creative stories, poems, and essays had been read and appreciated. Someone even cared enough to judge and critique them.

Like most things, writing well takes practice, which is why opportunities to do so are extremely important. While it is a difficult skill to master, writing is an important part of our daily lives. The Christine Wonch Creative Writing Program encouraged children to get a head start in developing writing skills with simple activities, incentives, and outreach efforts. It allowed them to begin exploring the craft, laying a foundation for learning in later years. The program was not just for writing, either; it encouraged growth and self-confidence in young students.

I’m not sure what prompted my memories of the Christine Wonch Creative Writing Program, but I’m glad to reflect on them. The program blossomed a love of writing among students like me, nurturing our interests in the art form. Its legacy illustrates the positive impact of creative writing on children. From broadening the thought process to encouraging self-expression, there are numerous benefits to practicing creative writing early on. I owe some of my first attempts at creative writing to the Christine Wonch Creative Writing Program, and I’m forever thankful to the organization and its volunteer efforts for encouraging me to stretch my imagination.

 

 

For more information on the Christine Wonch Creative Writing Program, click here to find a local newspaper and an article on page 2 regarding the program’s legacy.

Art Biz with Liz: The Cube

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This past week, I finally spun the “Cube,” a sculpture iconic to the University of Michigan. The Cube, I’ve recently learned, is officially titled “Endover.” It was a gift from UM’s class of 1965 and was installed on Regents’ Plaza in 1968. Throughout most of my first two years of university, cube-spinning was non-existent due to the 20-month renovation of the Michigan Union. During this time, Regents’ Plaza was closed for construction, which also included enclosing the Cube for protection. The reopening of the Michigan Union last January meant the return of the famous sculpture.

The Cube’s creator, Bernard (Tony) Rosenthal, was a University of Michigan Alumnus. After taking sculpture classes at the Art Institute of Chicago, Rosenthal attended UM and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1936. He was known for his public art sculptures, of which can be found in many of the United States’ largest cities.

Ann Arbor’s Cube is among Rosenthal’s numerous outdoor sculptures. The massive cube sculpture spins on its axis if nudged, contrasting its initial motionless appearance. It has clean corners and a geometrical aesthetic, but its faces aren’t entirely flat, as they are full of various shapes, planes, and indentations. The Cube, or Endover, is considered a version of the Alamo, a nearly identical sculpture located on Astor Place in New York City’s Manhattan. Both cubes are made of Corten steel and measure at 15 feet wide by 15 feet tall. There is a difference, however; while the Alamo rotates like Endover, its pivot is on a separate platform, whereas the Endover’s pivot is lowered into the ground.

I’m looking forward to stopping by the Cube whenever I visit the Michigan Union, though students aren’t the only ones who enjoy spinning the Cube. According to UM legend, the president is tasked with spinning the cube each morning on their way to the Fleming Building. While this might not be happening with COVID-19, current UM president Mark Schlissel was noted to give the Cube a push following his approval as U-M’s 14th president. His predecessor, Mary Sue Coleman, was even featured in a Youtube video enacting the UM tradition.

For more information:

https://arts.umich.edu/museums-cultural-attractions/the-cube-endover/

http://www.tonyrosenthal.com/

https://record.umich.edu/articles/cube-access-be-closed-during-michigan-union-renovation/

 

Art Biz with Liz: Art from My Desk to Yours

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Starting this school year, I felt a mixture of anticipation, excitement, and unease. While I was looking forward to coming back to campus, there was great uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and the university’s handling of it. I like having the opportunity to see friends and walk around campus, but health and safety concerns are still incredibly important things to consider. For a nerd like me, one of the things I loved most about being a student in Ann Arbor was the array of opportunities to attend concerts, workshops, and other arts events. What does this look like during a pandemic? Is life in Ann Arbor drastically different without movie dates at the Michigan Theater or SMTD performances in the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre?

The end of classes last school year marked the beginning of a strange summer, which then led to an unprecedented fall semester. It’s understandable to feel nostalgic for a “normal” college experience. For many students, it can be exhausting to sit in front of a computer screen all day. For me, these are reasons to incorporate more art into our lives. Experimenting with a new art medium—or, if you can handle more screen time, adding a virtual arts event to your schedule—could be a good way to break up the monotonous routine of working, studying, eating, and (hopefully) sleeping. Along with discussions about topics such as musicals and current events, my blog series will document my journey in connecting with the arts from home. This may include digital arts experiences, reflections as a writer, or my attempts at different art forms/arts and crafts that readers could potentially also do at home (watercolor painting, letter writing, etc.).

As bitter as 2020 has been, the pandemic revealed how crucial creative expression is for people. Through social media, many people have shared their artwork, ideas, and more to emphasize how important it is to have a connection to the arts. The lengths we’ve gone to adapt to this new normal underline the innate desire many of us have to express and explore our creative sides. While traditional access to the arts has been limited, television and the internet have become increasingly valuable tools in displaying art and providing access to different art forms. Various organizations, artists, and venues, for example, have worked hard to make their art accessible online. Of course, the role of audience members and magic of live performances aren’t the same, but offering virtual options is an innovative way to remain relevant and spread art to the masses during these trying times. It’s admirable how people have maintained accessibility to live events—performances, festivals, classes—through virtual means. Think about it. Even if you haven’t viewed a virtual concert or attended a painting workshop via Zoom, you have probably watched a movie or television show. Quarantine has given people an ample amount of time to “consume film as a visual art” (i.e. binge watch Netflix). Through my exploration of the arts such as these, I hope this blog serves as a way to continue the conversation of incorporating art into our everyday lives at home.

A Beautiful Body

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Your body reminds me of one of those statues, like that of a Greek goddess

Your words invoked tears and a gentle smile

I don’t know if you knew it then or even now

But that’s one of the best things someone has said to me

I made a promise to love myself

When I look at my body in the mirror

With its curves and flab and indented ridges of stretched skin

My frown dissipates

My body is like that of a Greek goddess

I wrote this poem during a time in which I felt particularly insecure about my body. As I said in a previous post, I’m new to this whole poetry thing, but I feel as though this poem—or at least this attempt at one—was the best means of expressing how I felt at the time. I know I’m not supposed to have to explain what a poem means, but I think it deals with an important subject of people’s ever-increasing worries about their “quarantine bodies.”

It’s no secret that many people go through times when they grapple with body-image issues. It seems like we more often receive negative feedback than positive, and dealing with insecurities about one’s body can be a struggle. When confronting these issues, you can look at the comparison of a woman’s body to that of Aphrodite. Now, Aphrodite is the Greek Olympian goddess of love, beauty, sexual pleasure, and fertility. Many stories portray her as the epitome of female beauty, and it has been said that men can’t help but fall in love with her.

While Aphrodite is said to be infinitely enchanting and desirable, she is also depicted as human-like in many physical renderings. She has beauty, but she also has flaws. This doesn’t mean you have to look identical to Aphrodite’s statue to be beautiful, but rather contributes to an understanding of respect. If the body a statue represents is respected, why can’t yours be? What is it about Aphrodite’s curves and rolls that are impossibly different from yours?

Perspective matters, as does artistic expression. Rather than idealizing the images shown in social media and advertising, which often inundate us with objectified or altered depictions of the human body, turn to art. Art doesn’t exclusively characterize the human body as a product. It represents a variety of body types that have been embraced throughout different cultures and different times. Art is also vulnerable to different interpretations. There is no one, singular perfect piece of art that all other artwork is meant to emulate. Similarly, idolizing one set body type diminishes the natural beauty that resides in each unique body. Statues that depict Greek gods and goddesses are works of art and so are human bodies.

The Bummer Game

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Last summer, I had the opportunity to live and work in Ann Arbor. From the Ann Arbor Summer Festival’s Top of the Park series to the Ann Arbor Art Festival, there were a variety of events and activities to enjoy. Along with these, I went to parks, restaurants, and other parts of the city I hadn’t been to previously. One place was the Ann Arbor District Downtown Library (AADL). I made frequent trips to the library, not only for books, but for the events led by the library’s incredible staff and guest speakers. In addition to being fun and educational, many of the events were part of the AADL’s Summer Game.

The AADL’s annual Summer Game consists of finding codes, solving puzzles, and more via the library’s catalog and branch libraries. There are also opportunities to earn online badges, rate/review items in the library’s catalog, and log what you’ve been reading. There are also codes at various locations in Ann Arbor, encouraging participants to explore the city. These codes and challenges are used to earn points that can be redeemed for an array of real-life AADL prizes at the end of the summer.

I had a blast playing the Summer Game and received some awesome prizes (shout-out to Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library). So, you can imagine my excitement when I found out about the “Bummer Game.” With everyone hunkered in their homes for an unknown period of time, the Bummer Game offers a neat distraction from boredom or stress. The game includes online puzzles to solve for badges and points, which can be used toward the 2020 Summer Game. For Summer Game fanatics, this is a great way to gain a head start in earning points to spend on AADL merchandise at the end of July. For new players, the Bummer Game could be a nice introduction into the Summer Game. Either way, it is a cool activity to curb boredom and switch up your Netflix and quarantine routine.

Both the Bummer Game and the Summer Game are unique opportunities to discover new books, trivia, and more. Besides offering points and prizes, the Bummer and Summer Games present interesting ways for people to learn about history, art, literature, and more. Like its summer counterpart, the Bummer Game doesn’t require a library card, just an online account which you can use to keep track of points and order prizes.

Click here to start playing today!