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!

How Lucky You Are

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Seniors mourn their cancelled celebrations. People grieve over ill or lost loved ones. Many are unemployed and face hardships even after all of this is over. It’s true that the future is uncertain, which is why it’s important that you allow yourself to grieve. Allow yourself to be angry, frightened, or sad. Allow yourself to be concerned about your health, your job, and the economy. But also allow yourself to heal.

I turn to a song featured in the musical called Seussical. Seussical, created by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, is based on a variety of children’s books of Dr. Seuss. Having performed it during my senior year of high school, I will forever be biased towards this zany show; however, as much criticism as the musical gets, it’s undeniably a good time for performers and audience members alike. In all its wackiness, Seussical also projects positive themes and messages for all. One such message is found within a song that hits home right now titled “How Lucky You Are.”

How Lucky You Are

When the news is all bad
When you’re sour and blue
When you start to get mad
You should do what I do

Tell yourself
How lucky you are

When your life’s going wrong
When the fates are unkind
When you’re limping along
And get kicked from behind
Tell yourself how lucky you are

Why decry a cloudy sky
An empty purse
A crazy universe?
My philosophy is simply
Things could be worse!

So be happy you’re here
Think of life as a thrill
And if worse comes to worse
And we all know it will
Thank your lucky star
You’ve gotten this far
And tell yourself how lucky you are
How lucky, how lucky, how lucky, how lucky, how lucky, how lucky you are!

In the musical, “How Lucky You Are” takes place as the Whos’ clover—with all of them on it, of course—is dangerously soaring through the air. The Cat in the Hat, who acts as the musical’s narrator, freezes the action and sings ironic lyrics about how “things could be worse.”

Much like the Whos and their clover, the current epidemic and situation surrounding it can feel like a free-fall. Our world has been rocked, with many things we previously viewed as stable no longer being as solid. Our loss of our sense of security and social connections provide an even greater need for those connections, as we need a way to bear witness and communicate what’s happening around us.

In addition to educating yourself about the virus and following the instructions to stay at home, try to find new ways to adjust and move forward. I challenge you to acknowledge the grief you’re feeling, but to also know it’s okay to smile. During challenging times such as these, it seems impossible—or even wrong—to have fun and be joyful; however, being open to finding happiness in the mundane is important. Fear and anxiety over the COVID-19 pandemic can be overwhelming, but healthily coping with stress can help make you and your community stronger. Gratitude and empathy can help us connect with one another and conquer these difficult times with grace. With that, I hope you stay safe and “tell yourself how lucky you are.”

Artsy Things to Do in Quarantine

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The abrupt transition from life in the dorms to life at home has been strange. It’s been less than two weeks, and I already miss my friends, in-person classes, and other aspects of college life. Like many other students, the changes⁠⁠—coupled with growing concern⁠ over the virus⁠—have had a negative impact on my motivation to do schoolwork. As I’ve tried to keep in contact with friends, I’ve noticed a trend: we all seem to struggle with finding things to do.

It’s easy to feel helpless during the epidemic, as our active role in solving the problem is simply being inactive by staying at home. As students, we are also caught in a weird situation; there is still some sense of normalcy, as we have full course loads to keep up with. At the same time, the loss of jobs, clubs, and other aspects of college life can be an uncomfortable change. Whether you have unexpected free time or are looking for a stress reliever, here are some ideas for artsy things you can do while in quarantine.

  • Play an instrument or sing. Google “benefits of playing an instrument”, and you’ll find a plethora of reasons to pick up the guitar or keyboard. Don’t have an instrument? Your voice is an instrument that doesn’t require an external object to make music. Belt it out in the shower, I won’t judge.
  • Knit or crochet. If you’ve been wanting to crochet or knit, now’s the time to learn. Plus, you’ll end up with a really neat craft as a product of your work.
  • Paint or draw a picture. The perfect balance between creativity and therapy.
  • Write in a journal or blog. Journals are a great way to self-reflect, relieve stress, or inspire creativity. Do you have an idea you’d like to share with the world? Consider starting a blog!
  • Write a poem or story. Just write. Let those creative juices flow and find inspiration in everyday things.
  • Make a scrapbook. Turn those old pictures into a memorable keepsake by making your own scrapbook. This will not only exercise your creativity but allow you to preserve memories for future generations.
  • Learn calligraphy. Whether Western, Arabic, or Oriental, learning how to do calligraphy could be useful in other projects, or as an art in itself. There are countless books and YouTube videos to get you started.
  • Color a picture. With plenty of adult coloring books, coloring is not just for kids.
  • Create your own comic. Need to see some examples? We have some pretty talented comic creators here at Arts, Ink.
  • Write letters to family and friends. Sometimes, a Facebook message just doesn’t do justice. If you’re fond of sending and receiving mail, why not get the pen pal exchange started by writing a letter?
  • If none of these appeal to you, you can always enjoy the art of film by playing a movie on Netflix or Disney+. Chat with friends online via Netflix Party or Discord to enjoy socializing quarantine-style.
  • If you’re incredibly ambitious, try “pottery and ventriloquy”, “candle making”, or “paper mache” and “a bit of ballet” (“When Will My Life Begin”). You can be just like Rapunzel from Tangled and live out your days doing an array of artsy activities.

And there you have it! To follow my own advice, I’ll work on some of these things in the coming weeks and update you on my progress. Do you have another idea not listed here? What are you doing to ward off the quarantine blues? Comment below!

The Media and Xenophobia: COVID-19 Edition

Elizabeth S 1 Comment

On March 1st, a tweet by the New York Post stated, “First case of coronavirus confirmed in Manhattan”, followed by a link to the article. The attached picture, however, was a photo of an Asian man in Flushing, Queens. While the caption was referring to the case of a middle-aged woman who had contracted the virus while traveling in Iran, the misleading thumbnail was an example of bias in the media and the perpetuation of racist stereotypes.

In the past few weeks, social media has been flooded with myths, memes, and warnings about COVID-19. Among these antics are tweets relaying incidents of racism, narratives by victims of xenophobia, and plenty of “reputable” sources exacerbating the creation of racial or ethnic connotations. There’s not only an outbreak of the virus, but of racism.

Fear, unsurprisingly, can make people do strange things. Across the U.S., stores are selling out of items such as toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Besides shortages and a spike in delivery services, anxiety about the virus is also bringing out racist underpinnings, and the result is not pretty. Text, images, and videos on various social media outlets portray discriminatory rhetoric and behavior against certain Asian identities, specifically those of Chinese descent. Reports include “No Chinese” signs outside of businesses in other countries, incidents of harassment in public areas such as subways, and tremendous losses by local Chinese restaurants due to lack of patronage. Luckily, there’s been an insurgence of people and online comments calling out the discriminatory behavior, but the problem still stands, especially when news outlets pander to rumors and xenophobic stereotypes.

During times of crisis like the current COVID-19 epidemic, it’s easy for fear to play into “legitimizing” discrimination against “outsiders” perceived as potential threats. While looking out for one’s own families, communities, and nation can be a good thing, what’s not a good thing is the exclusion or detriment of others. Relying on a sense of white nationalism won’t fix a global crisis, nor the spread of COVID-19 in our own country. By referring to the epidemic as a disease brought by dangerous foreigners, we create a metaphor for invasion; yet, however much we label the virus as an external menace, the truth is that it’s now within our own borders.

As the outbreaks continue to spread, so do panic, politics, and tension. While examining the details regarding the first COVID-19 diagnoses in Wuhan, China, it’s important to separate the facts from personal biases. This isn’t an argument on the origin of the virus, but rather an acceptance of the danger that comes with attaching certain identities to the virus. Racial undertones both demonize and detract the biological facts of the virus. By being sensationalist, the media is perpetuating a false image of the virus, thus causing people to be misinformed and antagonistic towards each other.

As someone who is immunocompromised and struggles to battle even simple colds or infections, I understand your fear of the virus and the unknown; however, as an Asian-American—or simply someone with a sense of humanity—I urge you to be aware and refrain from channeling fear into racism. The enemy is a virus, not the Asians that are being used as scapegoats. Rather than letting your fears and other emotions get the best of you, try your best to gather evolving information about the virus from a credible source. And, as always, wash your hands.

The Grand Rapids Art Museum

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Besides midterms, this past week has been full of discussing spring break plans. I’m planning on spending half of my time in Michigan and the other half visiting my sister in Cleveland (I know, Ohio, gross). Anyways, while it might not be Europe (*ahem* to the girl who sits next to me in Sociology), Michigan is full of awesome things to do. As such, this post reflects on my adventures in Michigan during winter break, since the beloved mitten state has decided that winter needed a comeback.

Right before second semester started, I soaked up the last few days of freedom by taking a trip to Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids wasn’t any warmer or less snowy than my hometown, but a different setting was certainly nice. There, I enthusiastically attempted to ice skate, ate a colossal loaf of french toast at Anna’s House, and visited the expansive Frederik Meijer Gardens (which I definitely recommend). One last adventure was a trip to the Grand Rapids Art Museum, or the GRAM.

Now, maybe I’m just a huge nerd, but I LOVE visiting museums. In downtown Grand Rapids, the GRAM is a beautiful building right by Rosa Parks Circle. According to the website, it is “internationally known for its distinguished design.” Inside the building, the works of art were equally impressive during my visit. Art on display ranged from Renaissance to modern art; I also really enjoyed the  contemporary art on display, though the impressionist paintings were also nice. I’d say the way the museum was set up overall was tastefully done.

I may not not always understand art, but I appreciate its creation and the opportunity to see it. With over 5,000 works of art in its collection, the museum allowed me to do just that. In addition to permanent pieces, it also featured temporary exhibitions such as Billy Mayer: The Shape of Things and Worth a Thousand Words: Storytelling with GRAM’s Collection. Worth a Thousand Words consisted of permanent works in GRAM’s collection which were organized to create an imaginative, emotion-evoking display. As a creative writer, I enjoyed the hands-on activities the museum had for guests, in which they could start from scratch or use provided prompts to craft their own narratives regarding the art on display. Billy Mayer: The Shape of Things, on the other hand, featured large and small-scale sculptures by Michigan’s late Billy Mayer. Besides the collection of 440 skulls, my favorite piece in this exhibition was a 1987 piece entitled “Writer’s Block,” which, like the name, captures a mundane element of everyday life that can be monumental to those it impacts. The personal connection I had with the piece of course inspired a picture.

Another exhibition was David Wiesner & The Art of Wordless Storytelling. The exhibition featured 70 original watercolors from some of Wiesner’s most famous books. His books, like Tuesday and Mr. Wuffles, communicate stories through rich imagery rather than text. It was very cool to see his original paintings and sketchbooks, which allowed me to gain a deeper appreciation for the meticulous process required for creating works like his.

Overall, I had a wonderful time at the GRAM and hope to return to it one day. If you plan to make a trip to Grand Rapids and its art museum anytime soon, be sure to note “Meijer Free Days.” On Tuesdays, there is free general admission from 10 am – 5 pm, and on Thursdays, there is free general admission from 5 pm – 9 pm.

For more information about the Grand Rapids Art Museum, please click this link.

Paint Night, Date Night

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About two weeks before Valentine’s Day, my boyfriend and I realized that it was already February. This, of course, meant that Valentine’s Day would be right around the corner. As many couples do, we planned on celebrating by going out for dinner. It didn’t take long for us to realize that many of the restaurants were already booked for Valentine’s Day weekend.

We could’ve just waited until the night of and tried our luck with walk-ins at a random restaurant. Instead, we—and by we, mostly I—decided to switch things up. Thinking that we could go to a restaurant or see a movie some other time, I turned to Google for new date night ideas. Now, as previously noted in other blog posts, I love any art-related events or activities. I’m not much of a painter, but when I stumbled upon the concept of painting as a date, I knew I had found a winner. 

After classes on Friday, there was no need to get dolled up for a fancy restaurant (though dressing up once in a while can be fun). Instead, we would soon be donning aprons. Like myself, my boyfriend is not incredibly well-rehearsed in terms of visual arts; however, we were both very excited for our session at Painting with a Twist. We had signed up for a “couples” event, which entailed creating a complementary set of paintings. By this, I mean the canvases could be put together to form one image. They could, however, also work individually, as there were individuals in the workshop that painted one half of the set as a stand-alone work of art. 

Once we arrived at the studio, we were escorted into a smaller room for the session. Our painting supplies and canvases were already set out for us, so all we had to do was put on the provided aprons and wait for the session to start. For the next two hours, we followed step-by-step instructions with leeway given to make the paintings our own. Painting something such as this was new for the both of us; luckily, no painting experience is needed for these types of workshops, so the paintings were not too difficult to do. We painted our halves individually but occasionally set them side by side to ensure that they lined up correctly. Though we worried about getting the background, colors, etc. to match up, we learned to appreciate the originality exhibited in each other’s work. With a fun, encouraging atmosphere, the paint date night was an exciting and relaxing way to put aside the stresses of college life, spend quality time with a loved one, and connect with one another (and our art).

After getting pictures taken, the couples trickled out the door until only my boyfriend and I were left. We looked up at all the paintings around the room, admiring the variety of sceneries and painted objects. As we were whisked back to our dorm via Uber, we shared smiles over the night and the paintings we created.

Overall, I had a wonderful time. The activity was more expensive than we would normally spend on a date, especially as college students; however, for a unique, fun activity to do every once in a while, it was worth it. Along with fond memories, I now have some awesome art, with both halves currently on display in my dorm room. In the future, we might try a DIY painting date night at home!

FYI: In Ann Arbor, places such as Painting With a Twist and Paint and Pour offer the type of art instruction sessions noted in this blog post.

RC Players and Evening of Scenes: Playing a Diva

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Residing in East Quad, RC Players is the Residential College’s own theatre group (though you don’t have to be in the RC to be involved). The organization is student-run, with new shows chosen at weekly meetings led by the executive board. Through RC Players, students get to direct, act, write, produce, and handle tech for various productions throughout the school year. These shows include full-length productions, Evening of Scenes, and Red-Eye, where a show is written from scratch and performed within 24 hours.

Evening of Scenes, or EOS, is a series of original short comedy skits. Like other RC Player shows, the pieces are written, directed, and presented by students. The sketch comedy show is performed at the beginning of each fall and winter semester. This semester’s EOS occurred last weekend, January 31st and February 1st. According to the performance’s facebook event description, the show included a variety of eccentric scenes, from “frat guys running the constitutional convention to the Adpocalypse.”

This semester, I decided to try out for EOS at the last minute, and I’m glad I did. Cast in “Open Call Auditions”, a parody on the Bachelor and its audition process, I played Giselle Evans. The character was a diva “straight off Broadway” who eventually lost her temper and caused drama onstage. Add sassiness, sexual tension, and a verse of “Memory” from Cats to make her character even more memorable. Giselle’s loud, confident demeanor was quite the opposite of my own; yet, that’s what made playing her character so fun. Another thing that I liked about my scene was the awesome ad-libbing that came from my cast mates. Thanks to the liberty granted by our director (you rock, Alexa!), some of the biggest laughs we received were due to witty one-liners not in the script. Whether for transitions or humorous reactions, the improvisation made for a different show each night, as per live theatre in general.

       

One thing I love about EOS in general is the flexibility. I’m currently not an active member in RC Players, but the show is one of many open to all for involvement. College is a busy time, and amidst classes, jobs, and other extracurriculars, it can be difficult to find the time to dedicate yourself to a full-length show. For someone who loves theatre but doesn’t have enough room in their schedule to take a ton of drama classes or frequently do said full-lengths, EOS is a good compromise. After auditions, there are only two weeks or so of rehearsal before the performances. The people in RC Players are hard-working yet fun and accommodating, so rehearsal times vary depending on the availability of the group. For any RC freshmen or sophomores, living in East Quad makes heading to rehearsal convenient, as you can just walk downstairs (as a reminder, RC Players is set in East Quad).

Prior to last weekend’s EOS, I have been an assistant director for one EOS show and an audience member for the others during my time at college. Whether behind-the-scenes, on-stage, or in the audience, EOS is a blast. I highly recommend to keep your eyes open to opportunities for getting involved or watching EOS and other shows by RC Players.

Want to get involved or learn more about the RC Players? Click this link for their Facebook page!

Photo Credit: Mitchell Salley and RC Players