Tag: art

Mixed on Campus #12 – Abimelec Guerra

Alice Conner Leave a comment

Name: Abimelec Guerra
Mix: Puerto Rica (Black & Caucasian-Spanish)
Year: Sophomore

I am a musician( lemme know if yall wanna pull up to a concert!), and I also do a ton of marketing projects!

Q: How has being mixed affected your campus experience?

A: Sometimes being mixed means not being fully part of a community. I often feel that I’m in a constant state of limbo when I meet people and not being able to fully integrate.

Q: What do you wish more people knew about the mixed experience?

A: That mixed people sometimes go through many identity crisis where we have a hard time “picking a side” from our ancestry or being able to identify which side of our genetics to we lean the most.

Q: What is your proudest moment?

A: Learning english on 2018 and being able to speak it. Thanks to that, I’ve been able to meet so many cool people, and create many memories that I shall always cherish.

Q: What are you most anxious about right now?

A: Not disappointing my peers/ mentors.

Q: What kind of person do you aspire to be?

A: Someone that can make others feel welcome and at peace.

Q: Who is the most influential person in your life?

A: Personally, my family( especially my mother) which she taught me the resilience that made her so strong during the time that I was fortunate to have her by my side. Professionally, Bozo Paradzik/ my goat Messi

+1: I am so excited to get to know the rest of the people in this community and to immerse myself with other mixed people as well!!

Mixed on Campus was inspired by the Humans of New York project. The purpose of Mixed on Campus is to give a voice to this university’s mixed community and shed light on its members. Being mixed means to be multiracial, multiethnic, and/or a transnational adoptee. Through Mixed on Campus, mixed students have the opportunity to have their portrait drawn and share their experiences!

MediaScape Musings #3 : Rebirth

dsuart Leave a comment

In this week’s Collaborative Projects: Experiments in Interdisciplinary Installation and Performance course, our team embarked on a remarkable journey to create an impromptu installation performance at Duderstadt. Our creation, known as “Rebirth,” unfolded in a unique and unexpected setting.


Our creation, known as “Rebirth,” unfolded in a unique and unexpected setting. The elongated corridor of Duderstadt became our canvas, providing a space for contemplation and decision. As visitors approached our installation, they were met with a choice, symbolized by two distinct pathways. Our creation, known as “Rebirth,” unfolded in a unique and unexpected setting. The elongated corridor of Duderstadt became our canvas, providing a space for contemplation and decision. On one hand, participants could opt for a fresh start, a metaphorical rebirth. This path offered them a certificate of renewal, accompanied by the collective applause and praise of those around them. It was a moment of catharsis, a symbolic shedding of the old and embracing the new.

The essence of “Rebirth” lies in its whimsical and spontaneous nature. It’s about offering the Duderstadt community a lighthearted and bright interlude, a moment of joy and warmth. Just like the “Free Hug” campaigns that have traversed the globe, “Rebirth” was a reminder that happiness can be found in the most unexpected places and through the simplest choices.

As a team, we hope that “Rebirth” brought a smile to the faces of those who encountered it and encouraged them to consider the transformative power of the choices they make. In our world filled with deadlines, exams, and responsibilities, this installation performance was a brief but essential reminder that we hold the power to start anew at any moment, with just a simple decision.

Fiber Fridays #3: Tapestry Crochet

rissaw Leave a comment

Hello everyone!
This week I wanted to focus on tapestry crochet patterns and explain how to read them. These patterns can also be called alpha patterns. Alpha patterns are gridded images (such as pixel art) that can be directly translated into a 1:1 crochet pattern. These crochet patterns are straightforward once you know how to change your colors as you work. I personally choose to use a 5 mm hook for these in generic acrylic cheap scrap yarn that I find. With just a couple rows of single crochet, you can take your piece visually to the next level.

For my example, I crocheted a dinosaur. This was my first attempt at making an alpha pattern, so I believe it came out well! My color changes didn’t turn out exactly as I had hoped, but those will become cleaner over time and with more practice. I chose to use a single crochet for every square in the pattern. It is best to use tighter tension when crocheting this way. This creates a tighter crocheted image which will keep your lines cleaner. Tapestry patterns can come in any type of image you’d like to create. You can look up pre-made images that have already been turned into pixels, or you can pixelate your own images at home. These are super cute and can be applied to sweaters, bags, blankets, etc to give a little more detail. They can also be used as wall hanging decorations just as they are.

Here I have included more advanced samples if anyone would like a starting point for ideas! Pinterest is a great resource to find different patterns for every genre.
I would personally like to create more of these and use them in my “scrapbooking” sculptural work. I would like to create a bunch of images and sew them together to make a story. I am currently collecting small tapestries , granny squares, and amigurumi figures that I have created over time to hopefully be able to consolidate them all into one great piece. The incorporation of 3D forms could also be really cool to layer amongst the pieces. I also really like sculptural wearables and plan to work more on the human form. Applying these illustrative images to garments could also be really interesting.
I encourage you to try out this method and let me know how it goes for you in the comments!
See you next week,
Marissa

Fiber Fridays #2: Dying Fibers

rissaw Leave a comment

Hello everyone!
This post is coming to you a bit late due to wifi issues so I apologize for the delay! This week I want to discuss with you guys what it is like to dye your own fibers for your work. Spoiler alert! It’s hard, at least in my own experience. Getting the perfect shade that you are imagining in your head can prove to be difficult.

My original intention for this fabric was to weave a really long sheet on a loom and use it to sew little purses and bags. I imagined almost “forest-ish” colors, such as deep orange, dark green, and a pale yellow for my weft. I wanted to weave in brown and beige colors and have a soft look to it.

I had to start out by measuring yards upon yards of threads for my warp , and spending hours in the weaving studio spinning them into the perfect measurements. I then took them to the dye studio, where things quickly felt more complicated. I had to mix the appropriate amounts of each dye with other chemicals in order to get the colors I wanted, and I had never dyed anything besides my hair.

When I finally got the bundles of threads into their respective dye buckets, I felt confident. The colors looked dark and moody, exactly what I wanted! I let these colors sit longer than the yellow. The yellow seemed like if I just pulled it out quickly it would be the lighter yellow I wanted.

The above photo was the result. I was embarrassed. These look straight out of a lemon lime ad. They looked citrus themed, far from what I ever wanted to work with. Far from anything I even care about. I was stuck on how I could make this work. I turned to a color palette generator, and put in the colors I had created in the fibers. The computer gave me a variety of different colors that could work as the weft. I decided to turn the cloth into an experimental project. At random intervals, the fabric would have a new colored weft.

Shifting gears with this project is what I believe really saved it. I ended up loving the end cloth and was able to use ti for the small bags that I wanted to use it for, as well as reupholstering a vanity chair. Weaving is always a rough journey for me, and dying my own fibers made it even harder. I would do it again though, and recommend it to others who would like to try!
See you guys later this week for actual Fiber Fridays!
-Marissa
Below is some of the final products:

MediaScape Musings #2 : Kiss The Earth

dsuart Leave a comment

An ode to nature’s gentle touch,
Where the lips of dawn meet meadows
in a loving clutch,
A warm and caring grace,
The soul returns to its actual, tranquil space.

Today, I had the pleasure of sharing my most recent photography project -“Kiss The Earth!” This project is an exploration of the profound connection between humanity and nature, a visual journey that seeks to rekindle that timeless bond, reminding us to return to our roots.

The inspiration for this project came from a deep yearning to capture the raw and unadulterated essence of nature. It’s all too easy to forget our intrinsic connection to the natural world. “Kiss The Earth” serves as a visual reminder, urging us to reconnect with the Earth’s beauty and power. Through my lens, I aimed to remind viewers to embrace the simplicity and grandeur of nature and rediscover their own beginnings.

# find more of my photography works on Instagram: @dsu.photoart

Mixed on Campus #11 – Grace Sirman

Alice Conner Leave a comment

Name: Grace Sirman
Mix: Mexican & White-American
Major & Year: Art; Junior

Disabled and queer

Q: How has being mixed affected your campus experience?

A: It was a bit of culture shock coming to the Midwest, coming from a small, predominantly Latinx neighborhood. I get homesick very often, and my mixed identity made me a bit insecure about engaging with Latinx campus organizations initially because of my upbringing and my appearance, but many of the Latinx individuals involved are very welcoming and I appreciate all the acceptance I’ve encountered.

Q: What do you wish more people knew about the mixed experience?

A: The mixed experience is very unique for everybody, and there is a vibrant perspective many mixed identities can offer! Everyone is approaching their mixed identity differently, and mixed people should not be forced to choose or represent one ethnicity/race or the other. There are many complexities that come with a mixed identity!

Q: What is your proudest moment?

A: As a Latina first generation college student who struggles with disability, making it to college in the first place is something I will always be proud of myself for achieving. My parents had no idea how any of the application process worked, and neither did I. But somehow I figured it out, and now I’m here!

Q: What kind of person do you aspire to be?

A: I want to be unapologetic about myself. I’m not quite there yet, but I want to be someone who owns their personality loudly, especially with bold makeup, a colorful wardrobe, and who doesn’t care what others have to say about myself.

Mixed on Campus was inspired by the Humans of New York project. The purpose of Mixed on Campus is to give a voice to this university’s mixed community and shed light on its members. Being mixed means to be multiracial, multiethnic, and/or a transnational adoptee. Through Mixed on Campus, mixed students have the opportunity to have their portrait drawn and share their experiences!