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Art Biz with Liz: Recycled Art and Letters

October 23, 2020December 15, 2020 Elizabeth S 1 Comment

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: Art from My Desk to Yours

September 25, 2020September 26, 2020 Elizabeth S Leave a comment

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.

Extraordinary Slippers: Nicole McLaughlin

April 17, 2020April 17, 2020 vle Leave a comment

Nicole McLaughlin is a Boston-based artist and designer who produces one-of-a-kind fashion creations. Her zany accessory designs, including a slipper made out of tennis balls, or a vest fashioned out of cereal bags, span all sorts of materials and brands. I came across Nicole McLaughlin’s Instagram page over a year ago, intrigued by the hype surrounding upcycled clothing.

The young designer has also achieved more fame due to her footwear and accessory collaborations with popular brands, such as HighSnobiety, Reebok, and Opening Ceremony. She now boasts an impressive following of 384,000+ on Instagram.

McLaughlin’s compositions are the kind of simple but wonderful creative explorations I wish I could make–some designs are hilarious but impractical, others visually delightful. A graphic designer by day, she fabricates her personal experiments for the fun of it. McLaughlin’s designs are always pleasantly surprising–I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more of her work to come.

All images via Nicole McLaughlin

Video Game Photography

April 8, 2020April 8, 2020 jushutch 1 Comment

Video games are undoubtedly a work of art: they combine immersive graphics, impressive design, originally composed music, and complex writing and storytelling to create a cohesive masterpiece. Of course every game is different, and each has its strengths and weaknesses, but overall they’re one of the most unique and interesting ways in which many different art forms can come together. Surprisingly, I had never consciously acknowledged the cinematic qualities of video games, but I always found myself taking screenshots of amazing moments, or lining up the camera in just the right way to show off an impressive view or landscape. It could be argued that I’m a bit overly sentimental, and that’s probably true, but there is something so powerful about a cinematic picture of a great game and the associations that it creates. I’m not the only one that feels this way; many games have even added photo modes, allowing normal players to take stunning pictures in-game and share them with other players, plus the PlayStation 4 has both a snapshot and screen recording feature, testifying to the popularity of saving favorite gaming moments. I find this trend interesting, especially as games get more and more realistic. Is there a potential future where video games become a dominant medium for photography? Is it possible that video game photography could be its own art form? And who gets credit for the artistic value of the photo; the game developers who created it, or the photographer that took it? Regardless, here are some of my own video game photos as inspiration, and perhaps to get you thinking about the artistic value of the medium:

The Wondrous World of Felipe Pantone

April 3, 2020August 11, 2020 vle Leave a comment

Felipe Pantone, an Argentinian-Spanish artist, creates futuristic, colorful art that breaks the boundaries of art technology. I first came across his work on Instagram, and naturally pored over his intriguing sculptures, described as “a collision between an analog past and a digitized future.” Infused with prisms of rainbow gradients, black and white glitches, and mesmerizing patterns, his art is an invitation to immerse oneself in another dimension.

Pantone acknowledges that he is “a byproduct of the technological age,” an identity that is familiar to we Gen Z’s and millennials. Growing up with the television and internet has shaped the ways in which we interpret visual information, something which Pantone plays with within his contemporary work.

Trained as a painter and graffiti artist, Felipe Pantone now holds shows all over the world and creates murals, sculptures, and paintings that tie together the natural and the digital–some can be read as “glitch art” and alludes to traditions of Futurism. His unique, futuristic, and dynamic works of art are also sometimes kinetic, allowing the viewer to experience different parts of the work as it moves. I find them completely alluring and fascinating–one day, I hope to own some pieces of his configurable art, such as works from the Modular Art System.

(All images from Felipe Pantone).

subtractive variability (kinetic color wheel)

Artsy Things to Do in Quarantine

March 27, 2020March 27, 2020 Elizabeth S Leave a comment

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!