ITS UPDATE TIME!!!

Thesis: I have a personal deadline of September 25 for my second draft. I feel like I am almost there just the little nitty gritty work is eating up all my time.

Also, am I going with a hard cover or a soft cover? No idea yet. Nor do I know what I want to write for my artist statement.


Deep breathes. The finish line is almost in sight.


"Brave, brave Sir Robin. He bravely ran away."

Mental Notes

1> Be more positive. (Maybe I need to say that over and over constantly until I believe it).

2> Post more of my own images...

3> Make more images (that are not for, or having to do with, work).

4> Find more time to read, see, observe. I have been very lax in that regard. BIG NO NO!

5> Be more positive!

Book Layout Experience...

Place, place, place, place, place, DELETE, DELETE, DELETE, place, place, place, place, DELETE, DELETE, DELETE, DELETE.

I Think I Am Gonna Be Sick!

What do you say to a person that you've admired for so long when you first meet them?

I dunno but lets see if I don't vomit all over myself or say something completely offhand, unrelated and juvenile.

Meanwhile I could be setting myself up for disaster for no reason. He might not be coming up anyway and I may not meet him even if he does.

A Pledge Being Realized

On April 27, 2008 I made a post, a pledge, to myself that I would exhibit my work more often and at more places.

To my surprise and joy that is exactly what I have been doing this year. So far my CV is coming along.

I am not claiming that I've taken every opportunity (I have to work on that confidence thing I've been hearing about). However, I have been doing my best to take as many opportunities as I am comfortable with.

Here is to making the rest of 2009 a successful time for my budding art (and thing) making career.

I'd let you pat me on the back but my hand is in the way.

SMAC (Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center) in Auburn, NY will be featuring some of my little creations in their gallery. Here is the link to their website:

http://www.schweinfurthartcenter.org/exhibits/2009/CollageAssemblage2009.html

If you are in the area (and more importantly, if you are actually reading this) stop on by. I don't bite so if you wanna say hello I am all for that. Artist reception is August 30th.

Now I go to do a little happy dance.

News Flash

After trying to pretend that it wasn't a problem, I have finally started to update my website. Its coming along well, especially if I consider that it used to look like and how it had no function. Lets just hope this new motivation lasts well into the middle of October.

Anyway, check out the website if you like...

www.ronagelman.com

Not Just an After Thought

Here are a few sample images from the thesis project: Since these were made I decided on a black background. But the general idea is the same.

Bumping Elbows

Its really hard to hob nob with big time artists or attend the "right" art shows when they happen to take place during the times I work.

I've made peace with that and I wish others in the art community would make peace with that too.

I'll just have to find different ways to get people's attention. I'm not worried!


Now, off to ignore my circadian rhythm.

Linearity

"Success is not something we reach at a linear point."

The western world (or someone/ something) has drilled it into our heads that success is measured in a linear manner. Point A will lead you to point B which will finally lead you somewhere down the road to the Gold Mine of LINEAR SUCCESS.

You apply to a college of choice, get an education, you find the perfect internship which leads into a promising young career, followed possibly by yet another degree or two, then you are on your merry way to a "career" with the perfect salary, prestige and perhaps even fame.

WHATEVER!

So the other day when I saved a goose from oncoming traffic (true story) or the time I volunteered to teach photography to kids, neither of those things were successes? Did they make no difference because I gained no monetary rewards from the deed? Or is it because I couldn't put it on my ever evolving resume/CV?

What is a career? What is success?

My passion in life is observing, recording and cataloging the human experience through a long time under appreciated discipline known as ART. My passion will probably not lead me to the holy grail of career success, but I assure you (and myself) that I will not feel like I have not been successful. With every click of the shutter button and every stroke of a paint brush, I will be successful just for having created something out of nothing (well not really out of nothing but you get the point).

So bring it on LINEAR SUCCESS! I refuse to let you drag me down into feelings of inadequacy.

Beginning of the End; The Thesis Debacle

In my mind I am ready to be done with this whole thing. This thesis thing. It makes me physically ill to still talk/write/think about it and yet there are miles and miles to go before I can rest.

In my mind everything is already laid out. Everything is edited, color corrected, marked and printed and ready to go.

So how come nothing is done yet?

I am mentally exhausted by the whole project and I won't lie when I say that I procrastinated way longer than I should have.

The main problem is that my attention span is not good for such a serious project. Its too much focused thinking for someone that enjoys working on multiple projects all the time.

I have about 20 other ideas just lingering up in the ol' attic and they are all in some hurry to get out.

BREATH!

One step at a time I suppose.

My goal is last Friday in September although first Friday of October doesn't sound that bad either.

Well, back to the grid I suppose. 5 days and I want to be done with shooting. Sleep be damned.

Crossing my fingers!

Trapped on Glass

From last semester's Historic Processes Class with Jenn Libby at the Visual Studies Workshop.

Great instructor, great class.

Enjoy!

Overdue and Under Done

Summer is proving to be busier that I had anticipated or really desired it to be. July was pretty much a bust. Had to run down to NYC to see relatives from abroad and then the following week I was once again volunteering out at PEEC as a photo instructor.

The PEEC experience was weird again. Its really hard to get kids (who's brains are on summer break) to get rolling on any sort of project. The first 2-3 days are spent convincing them that you actually do know what you are doing and you are not just playing some trick on them (or trying to make them do 'HOMEWORK'). By the time day 4 or 5 rolls around they finally like you and beg you not to leave, just as you are ready to pack up your gear and head home.

The director at PEEC has asked me to come back next year to teach either for the entire summer or to come in and teach the older kids, seeing as how A) I am cool & B) most of the kids I've taught the last 2 years will be aged out of the younger group by next year. I said I will consider it. Although really I hope to be employed full time by then. (Someone has to start paying off her college debt.)

THESIS:

SO some of you (I am talking about all my imaginary friends and readers) are probably wondering how the thesis is going, seeing as how I planned on showing in September. Well things are really behind. I wish I was more on the ball but once again life got in the way. I am planing to motivate myself to get things going here and at least get some proofs going. Maybe I should put it in writing?!?!?!

OTHER ART STUFF:

I got accepted to a show in Auburn, NY to display some of my creepy little boxes (I will attempt to post some pics up one of these days). I hope they sell.

I have also been showing off some other work at some group shows around town. Even though the support from gallery staff has been encouraging, so far the public has not picked up on what it is I am trying to do. Maybe its because I don't really have a clear vision either.

I hope that once the thesis is over, I can start working on other things that have been festering in my brain. Here is to creativity and its free flow. (I loath artist blocks).

Thats all for now!



Hoping to follow this up with some sample images soon. Keep your fingers crossed!

Sugar Coma

Some new work that will surely keep me up at night... until the sugar runs out.


Enjoy

...In Addition

Not knowing your own self worth, totally and utterly stinks.

Hmmm....

Overlooked again?

Why am I not surprised?

This is starting to look like the story of my life.

Hungry Like the Wolf

Thanks to the geniuses behind the video game Rock Band (and the new expansion Rock Band 2), I once again find myself getting stuck on songs that I have no business remembering. One in particular is that all time favorite of yours and mine; Duran Duran's Hungry Like the Wolf.

So, since my mind is now plagued with this 80's music nightmare, I figured I'd leave you with some images loosely associated with the subject matter: FOOD.

I find that the shape, color and texture of food makes for interesting possibilities for unique compositions. A large part of my undergrad work involved food (and its ability to decompose). It was a very smelly endeavor but luckily I had some very awesome professors that supported the stink-fest.

Here is Irving Penn's take on FOOD

the Enchanting Work of Peter Gasser

I've always enjoyed the works of creative minds (and eyes) of image makers such as Edward Curtis, who dedicate(d) their lives to capturing the world's diverse cultures, customs and people. With that in mind I would like to share some works by Peter Gasser; a photographer that I hope to learn more about.

Focus Please

When blurry photos happen to beautiful people.

I am observing a recent trend of bad photographers trying to pass off blurry pictures as "SOFT FOCUS" photos.

There is a distinct difference between the two.

Here is an example of a blurry photo that some photographer is trying to pass of as a work of a professional.

Please beware.

It Goes

Met with my AWESOME advisor today (you know who you are). I am super pumped about this new idea for a final thesis. Hopefully I'll be sticking to my guns, although I see very little reason for why I would change my mind.

I rather not divulge much before I really take a deeper plunge into this project, but I will say that it is going to deal with archives, curation, use of digital media, rethinking of the term "tactile" and the new role of a user/viewer interface in a gallery setting... among other things. (I think that was a terrible sentence structure.)

Right now there are a lot of pragmatic issues with the project that need to be smoothed and figured out. I never thought I would be in the position to say this, BUT, it seems that technology is turning out to be very limiting in this case. I am definitely out of my league and treading on unfamiliar ground.

First there is a question of whether or not I can find the right type of technology to meet with my projecting and display needs. If I had an endless supply of money (which I do not) I would opt for the best of the best, however, at this time I need to concentrate on how to use the funds I have available to create something that is close to my vision.

Problem number two is either finding a way to program or finding a person who is experienced in the art of programing. My idea may seem simple (ish) but putting it all into a fully functional program is somewhat a problem for me.

The one part that is truly a joy in this project, is getting to appreciate the archive that I am working with. I have to constantly remind myself to keep on track as I am catching myself being mesmerized by some of these images. The issue, at this point, is not deciding on which images to include as a good representation of the archive, but which images must I exclude, as slowly I fall in love with all of them.

As the weeks roll on, I promise to be a lot less cryptic as to what my project idea is. Also, I invite anyone and everyone to comment and/or suggest any reading and/or visual references that may be relevant.

And so it goes.


(Oh man!... can my sentence and paragraph structure be any worse? My high school English teacher is crying right now and I bet she has no idea why... this is why!!!)


Image by Jill Greenberg from her "End Time" exhibition. There is definitely something about the colors in her work that I find very appealing.