I recently just finished my first semester at UNC-Greensboro. Before that I was in Charlotte, NC going to Central Piedmont Community College.
Biography in a nutshell: I am the youngest of 3 siblings. My sister is the oldest and my brother is the middle child. Both of my parents are still together. I was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and lived there for a year but don't remember much because I wasn't even 1 yet when we moved to Seattle, Washington. We lived there for a few years until we moved to Baton Rouge, LA. We didn't live there long because my dad got a better job offer in Charlotte, NC. My dad is in the life insurance business and my mom sells health insurance. I started first grade in Charlotte, and graduated high school there too. I feel that I am from Charlotte because I've lived there the longest. (It has always been weird to say I am from Utah because it's not like I've spent much time there.) After high school I went to UNC-Charlotte for a semester and I really didn't like it at all, and wasn't ready to do college really. I took a year off and lived in New Orleans. I loved it down there and I miss it every day. I worked in fine dining, so I was able to learn a lot about good food and wine. After about I year I came back home and went to CPCC for about 2 years, and now I am at UNC-Greensboro.
Originally I wanted to study art history, especially after a trip I went on in high school with my art history teacher. Well actually, when I first fell in love with art was when I was looking at a book my brother brought back from his first trip to Europe. It was a book about the Vatican. I couldn't put that book down and loved reading about these wonderful pieces of art and about who created these beautiful things. When I went to Europe I went to Spain, France, and Portugal. After high school I wanted to study art history, however, as part of the requirements I needed to take studio classes. I remember signing up for classes and seeing the courses offered thinking, "WHOA! THERE IS A SCULPTURE CLASS!?" I just had never thought about what kind of classes there were at a university. Previously, I had no art background. Never drew, I didn't even doodle! Ceramics and Sculpture were my first classes... so I soon changed my mind and thought, "Studio classes are so much more fun!"
I love how I have the background of being interested in art history. It helps me tremendously because I have more resources that can help me figure things out. I still love learning about different artists, it only benefits me because I can see how other people have expressed themselves.
So where does psychology come into play? Well, I tend to get hungry. I also tend to need certain things, and do not intend to live with my parents or supported by my parents for the rest of my life. Many artists who I know have told me that it is hard to be a full time artist. Most artists who I know aren't full time. A good friend who paints and draws works as a graphic designer. Graphic design is not his passion, but it is something that he can tolerate, that allows him to still be creative, and more importantly, pay for what he loves to do... art. Psychology has always interested me, probably because people do too. We are strange creatures and all so different. Why do we do the things that we do? What is going on in our brains? I find all of those questions fun to ponder and love observing people. I also like to help people and hope to help people one day. So much of art is psychology and art therapy is a field of psychology that combines both.
I guess that wasn't a "nutshell."
This semester I took a design class and had a great teacher. He introduced our class to videos on pbs.com called Art 21. There is a whole series featuring different topics and artists. I have a general understanding of art history thus far, however, I have wondered for a while about what is going on right now? It is hard to find out because there is so much. These videos are a great source of current things happening in art.
Nancy Spero has become one of my new favorites.
"Nancy Spero was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1926. She received a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (1949), and honorary doctorates from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (1991) and Williams College (2001). Spero is a pioneer of feminist art. Her work since the 1960s is an unapologetic statement against the pervasive abuse of power, Western privilege, and male dominance. Executed with a raw intensity on paper and in ephemeral installations, her work often draws its imagery and subject matter from current and historical events such as the torture of women in Nicaragua, the extermination of Jews in the Holocaust, and the atrocities of the Vietnam War. Spero samples from a rich range of visual sources of women as protagonists—from Egyptian hieroglyphics, 17th Century French history painting, and Frederick’s of Hollywood lingerie advertisements. Her figures, in full command of their bodies, co-existing in nonhierarchical compositions on monumental scrolls, visually reinforce principles of equality and tolerance. " (http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/spero/)
I was telling a friend of mine about her the other day. I sat down today at the computer and started looking for images to send to him. While I was looking through images on this website http://www.artnet.com/awc/nancy-spero.html I was almost overwhelmed in a way. Her images have always been shocking to me, and I like things like that because it is thought and emotion provoking. I like it when someone makes me feel something, and when someone is capable of provoking that in me. The following image was one of a few that stood out to me. It is titled "Search and Destroy" (1967)
Nancy Spero did a lot of controversial art concerning war. This image is timeless, as are others. Some of them relate to specific events such as Vietnam or the Holocaust.
The following is a piece called called "Sperm Bomb" (1966) that I have actually seen. It is in the Weatherspoon Museum at UNC-Greensboro. (http://weatherspoon.uncg.edu/collections/results/?search_type=advanced_search&artist=Spero%2C+Nancy&title=&start_year=&end_year=&object_type=none&medium=&x=80&y=5)
Everyone has an opinion. When I was typing my "about me" I almost put, "I have an opinion about everything!" But we all do. (We all think we are right and all think that we are so different sometimes.) Anyway, Bin Laden was recently shot in the head. One friend says, who cares where he was buried... why get so worried over that, why not just be glad he is no longer alive. Another friend thinks, why celebrate death like some people are, it is still death and it is just as bad for us to be celebrating it. Another friend said, "I think people should feel what they want to feel. Celebrate, morn, cry, feel anger... The point of this battle is freedom. Let's at least appreciate that!" I agree with all perspectives. Some things about this country and the people in it can get embarrassing, stereotypes about Americans... you know. I realized the other day how great it is that we are free to express opinions. Only in America.... feel free to finish the sentence with a joke. But really, sometimes you just have to appreciate something for what it is and not get so uptight.
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