Day 331 (of the Pandemic)

I just realized I didn’t post in January – I post monthly at a minimum, but time is weird now. I kept thinking “I need to post” the last couple of weeks, then… BAM, it was February. Oh well. It isn’t like there is a lot to post about at the moment! LOL

My final semester of this program started and we’re now a month in. Time is going by so quickly. We are 100% online right now as the Province is shutdown, but we were told by the Dean of our faculty that the studio classes will be allowed back into the studios after February 10th, when the lockdown is lifted. Hopefully this stays true, as I am hooped if I can’t work on my installation in the studio. There is absolutely no way I can finish it at home.

I have to take Rapid Prototyping/3D Printing this semester. I did not enrol in Fine Art to do 3D Printing (or Film & Audio Production, or Videography, or…) but I am stuck doing it. It hurts physically – I have arthritis and other things in my hands/wrists and having to use a mouse to that extent for that amount of time is exhausting me. It was suggested I try a tablet so the college loaned me one. Nope. Have to hold the button on the stylus down in order to use it – hurts worse than pressing the mouse buttons. So I have to take painkillers, then work in short spurts.

The first thing I “created,” which almost killed me, was an elephant. This was doing the class (video) learning exercise for intermediate tools. It took 11 hours! Given how much I suffered doing this (in tears a few time) it turned out pretty decent for a first attempt. Although, once this course is done I am NEVER doing this again.

The next thing is our second assignment, have to create a hybrid creature – research, sketches, make our own alpha brushes, and make it… Due in nine days. I’ve got my drawings done and reviewed, and made an alpha brush to use, and now have to make it. I’ve told the instructor NOT to print anything as I have absolutely no use for it and do not want them.

Other courses are ticking along pretty well. Mid-term marks will be posted three weeks from today!

I received an offer for the BA (Hons) Fine Art program (one year add-on for the degree) from a university in Ireland. I’ve until mid-April to accept to qualify for a reduced tuition (which is great as the exchange on Euros is currently $1.55). If I wait longer it goes up to the posted rate.

I had an online interview for a MA Fine Art program in the UK, but haven’t heard anything from them since. And the other school I applied to for their MA program hasn’t made contact other than to confirm my application (this school had pre-reviewed all my transcripts and portfolio BEFORE I applied.) The deadlines are in May I think, so I am early.

The vaccine rollouts have hit major delays with Pfizer stopping shipments, and other issues. This is frustrating as I am pretty sure I will need mine in order to travel in August/September. Initially I was supposed to be in the April-July group, but with the slowdown I have no idea if I will be able to get both shots required before leaving.

Day 287 (of the Pandemic)

I’m glad that the vaccines are finally in play, but this is going to get much worse before it gets better. Numbers are soaring here. I’m still staying away from people as much as possible and I have to say I really miss interacting and conversing with people. Not that I was ever a social butterfly but I was busy with volunteering and my make-up/face painting business, school and work and that provided contact with lots of people.

Friday was the last day of the Fall semester and also was timetable selection for the next. There is only one course scheduled for on campus at this point which is our Studio Thesis class. All the rest are now online. If everything here goes back to total lockdown like they did in the Spring, there is a possibility that class too, may end up remote. Which is NOT good. Hard to work on large studio projects when you can’t work in the studio.

Marks are out on Tuesday and I have my applications pretty much ready to send off to degree granting schools as soon as I have the marks. I’m applying to both BFA and MFA programs abroad.

Close to 95% of all the work I did this semester tied into my thesis theme of Threatened and Endangered Species. Here are some of the final works as submitted:

This is a painting Conservation successes (so far) – species that humans managed to save by taking action. The assignment was to produce two images suitable for publication (8.5 x 11″) in an arts magazine, on a social cause or issue. The companion piece is of Extinctions that humans caused.

This is my elephant mixed materials sculpture at the stage he was at for final review and marking. I’ve still a fair amount to tweak! Each stage I spot something that isn’t quite right (to my eyes) and have to do some alterations. As long as we are on campus next semester I will be able to finish him.

This is one work that didn’t fit my overall theme. The assignment was to research an ideology and narrow down a focus. I ended up concentrating on women’s reproductive rights being out of their control. I was horrified to learn about symphysiotomy and pubiotomy – I mean, sick to my stomach horrified. And these were still being performed in Ireland at a catholic hospital up until the 1990s and are still being used in the developing world. I’m not going to get on my soapbox but the fact that women were not informed of the procedures, were not aware of them, gave no consent and went into delivery thinking everything was fine… to only wake up to to find themselves in a hammock with their legs tied together for months because their pelvic cartilage or their entire pelvic bone had been severed to get the baby out easier… and most women NEVER properly healed and were in pain the rest of their lives. I’m getting irate again typing this!

I did this mixed media piece for this project. It is called “The Garden of Men” and is collage on acrylic and stretched canvas. I did a lot of drawings of the female reproductive system, scanned them, replicated many times, printed, coloured, cut them out (got blisters from the scissors) and made this collage garden out of them.

And this is one of the 17 paintings I completed in my main thesis project. This is a Kakapo, a flightless parrot from New Zealand who is critically endangered. They are the only flightless parrot, the heaviest and the longest lived (around 100 years.) Conservation efforts started in the 1890s but weren’t successful until the 1990s when they took drastic measures and cleared two islands of all predators and relocated every specimen they could find to the islands. They only found 49 to relocate so the genetic pool is limited and unfortunately issues are developing.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas (at home please!) and here’s to a healthy and happy New Year for the whole world.

Day 255 (of the Pandemic)

How is everyone holding up?

Second wave of the Pandemic is here in spades, but at least there are multiple promising vaccines being worked on. I’ve heard that it probably will be at least another year before things could be back to “normal” (whatever that turns out to be) if the vaccines are effective and start distribution early in the new year.

I have a collection of 12 fabric masks now, and a large supply of TrioMed Active Surgical & Medical Single Use Masks – which are treated with an antimicrobial that kills the covid and flu viruses. Gives me a bit more comfort when I have to get on transit, go to class or appointments.

I’ve been taking part in National Portfolio Day. It is completely online this year and I have to say I like it this way! I’ve talked to 10 art schools and universities from around the world so far, and still have three more dates where I can talk to more. I’ve already scheduled a session for this Sunday with another school.

If you are thinking about attending post-secondary art programs I highly recommend it – you can still sign-up and participate! I’ve found that with them running sessions since September that there is no waiting to talk to the school reps. And, even though it says 10-15 minutes a session, I’ve been getting 30-60 minute sessions as there is no one waiting after me. I’ve had some excellent portfolio reviews, critiques, suggestions, lessons and discussions about various program options. The link to register is: https://nationalportfolioday.org/

All the UK schools I’ve talked to have suggested applying straight into their Master’s programs. That isn’t an option with the Canadian schools I’ve spoken to, at least not one they are promoting. In the UK they go there straight off. I’m a “mature” student with a decades long arts based career, and lifetime of producing work in multiple media. I am VERY interested in that option as I was thinking I’d like to get a Masters of Fine Art and assumed it would happen after finishing a BFA. But… skipping the BFA would save time (1.5 to 2 years) and overall would cost less as well (comparing MFA to MFA.)

I’m finishing a three year diploma in Fine Arts – Advanced (Honours) and the Canadian schools’ maximum credit to transfer into their BFA programs is only 50% to 75%. And even with a 75% transfer credit it would be three semesters to complete a degree. And that was only one school, the others were 50% – you have to complete two years of their program to get their degree.

The Master’s programs are three semesters straight through which is a full year. Compared to finishing a BFA that is faster as most BFA programs run a traditional schedule with the summer off. I’m not getting any younger, so that is very appealing to me too. The last year of a BFA is the thesis year – researching a specific theme or topic and producing a body of work… the MFA is also a thesis with a broader/deeper scope.

I’ve been working hard on my Statements of Intent (different ones for different programs) and portfolio to get them ready for applications. I’ll be applying to several schools (some have waived their application fees due to the pandemic) as soon as I have my final marks for this semester in December, for both BFA and MFA programs to start in September 2021. Then I’ll see what happens!

Below is one of my current projects – I built the box which is is 2 x 2 feet, and I’m creating an elephant from cloth mache. So far I’ve recycled egg cartons, meat trays, an old fitted sheet, a sheet of foam core from another project, six different types of sponges and a used lot of glue. Tomorrow work continues – will install the background as I have to do that before I secure the armature for the ear. I’m pretty pleased with it so far.