musical art: part 3

And here is the third and final installment. I'm excited to see them printed and put up on the wall. Actually, I'm just excited to see the walls in person!

I've been on the look-out for a bedding set for my apartment as well. Since I'm renting a studio apartment, the bed will be a significant fixture, so I wanted to be sure that I like the duvet cover I get. I saw one online that caught my eye, but wanted to see it in person. When I got to the store, they didn't have the one I was looking for, but I found one I liked better that was on clearance! And, thanks to some coupons I had, I got an additional 20% off. Score!

musical art: part 2

Part two of my three-part musical art series.
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My iTunes: Beethoven's 5th Symphony

musical art: part 1

In lieu of purchasing art to decorate my apartment this fall, I'm planning on decorating it with some of my own works. I want something a bit more abstract, but still involving photography. Since I'm slightly obsessed with music, I thought I'd try my hand at creating a series based on images of music. This is the first of the three I've created so far.
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My iTunes: Beethoven's Ninth Symphony

pictures at the coffee house

Pictures at the Coffee House
September 2008

My iTunes: Je suis une enfant by Carla Bruni

Here they are -- I've just ordered 11x14 prints of each of these. I'll pick them up later today (because it's almost 2:00 a.m. on Saturday) and take them over to the coffee shop. I was there last night and the owners were really excited. I'll try to remember to take my camera with me and share a shot of the line up.

Now, time for bed!

sienna, italy

Sienna, Italy
August 2008

My iTunes: Romeo Et Juliette by Gounod

I guess it's time for a quick update, this time with a picture. The computer is back and running like it was before... whatever that means. The data recovery guy wasn't able to get any of my research or my 50-page paper off of it, so I'm actually sitting in a Cosi in Philadelphia right now after two days of hard core research. It's one of my favorite chain restaurants of its kind, and we don't have any near where I live, so I'm enjoying the chance to eat here.

Yesterday I spent 11.5 hours in the archives with one bathroom break (yes, I counted) and only stopping otherwise to go outside to inhale a granola bar while waiting for the next of my research items to arrive. Thank goodness today was shorter -- the archives were only open for 8.5 hours. You know you're hard core when you get there before half of the librarians and have to wait outside until they open, and then the head librarian offers to stay late so you can finish up. In the past two days, I think I've covered what nearly took me two weeks to do in June (only this time instead of having searchable, transcribed versions typed up, I just have pictures of everything, which means I've taken thousands of pictures, but none that I'm allowed to share). It might actually be possible to look at everything in three days that I looked at in three weeks.

So that's the latest on the computer and research. As for photography -- a big thanks to everyone for their encouragement and support for my show! I've gotten to edit a few shots so I can pick which ones to sell at the local coffee shop. I've made a Flickr set -- check it out and comment on which ones you like best. This is one of my personal favorites.

I'm not relishing time spent with my computer at the moment, and I still have a ton of work to do so I can make the most of my last 8.5 hours in the archives tomorrow, so I'm going to end this here.

Ciao!

diptych quadrants

Diptych Quadrants
August 2008

My iTunes: Maria from West Side Story

This is one of the projects I was working on yesterday. We're working on putting together flyers and mailers to advertise events and such at the beginning of the semester, and were hoping to get them printed and mailed before the freshman move in. My project was to design images for the flyers. This one is for the flyer about small group Bible studies. I love that I get to use the word "diptych" here -- having been trained by a medieval art historian, I have looked at my share of diptychs (and triptychs and polyptychs), so it's exciting to get to create my own. (Although I have to say, I prefer the old ones in some ways.) Too bad it wasn't a paid project.

Today has been a very productive day, with the exception of the 2 1/2 hours wasted in my evening class. I took a 50-question final exam this morning (I got out in less than 20 minutes, having not studied at all), mailed two packages, practiced piano, straightened up my car and my room, created the images for the flyers, studied a little theory, cleaned up my schedule for the next two weeks, caught up with some correspondence, and finally started studying aurals.

For those non-music-geeks, aurals is a nickname for aural musicianship, which basically refers to ear training. After hearing something once, I have to notate and/or repeat it perfectly. Eventually the sequences are quite challenging (long and multi-layered). I hadn't looked at (or rather listened to) aurals since March, before my back surgery, and the longer I put it off the more daunting it became, which is not good because I have to place into third semester, having never taken an aural course. No pressure, right? Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised, but as I was working on dorian and mixolydian scales at 11:45 p.m., I decided that I like them. I must be a glutton for punishment.

But now it's time to hit the proverbial sack (if I can stop thinking about dorian and mixolydian scales!)...

westminster

Westminster

May 2008

My iTunes: Say So by Free Chapel

I'm back from my week away, and guess what: I didn't take a single picture! I'm slightly disappointed, but things just didn't work out. First, there was the problem with the weather -- while I had gorgeous weather driving up and back, the whole week was cold and rainy. I could have dealt with cold, but my camera really isn't a fan of being rained on. Then there was the schedule. While my time away was relaxing, I spent nearly eight hours a day manuscripting passages in Genesis. Not exactly conducive to photography, but all the talk about the beauty of creation made me want to go out and see it through the lens! Hopefully the weather will begin to cooperate soon and I'll be able to go out, camera in hand.

And hopefully this week won't be so full that I won't have time to take pictures. I leave next Sunday to spend three weeks in Philadelphia doing an undergraduate research fellowship, and I have a lot to do to get ready: unpacking from this past week, organizing everything from moving out last week, packing for the three weeks in Philly (I am determined to get some good photo sessions in while I'm there!), finishing all the required reading, starting to look through preliminary research (aka more reading), hopefully getting some graduate school research started, and catching up with a few friends. And of course physical therapy and a voice lesson! If I'm lucky, a little sleep would be nice as well. I hope that one day my life will not go at such a break-neck speed. Or maybe I should say back-breaking? = )

Just as a quick update, my back is doing well. I've started physical therapy, which feels great -- I can finally move again! I'm only supposed to sit for 30 minutes at a time, but that's more than I was sitting for the past two months or so. Apparently my back is rejecting the stitches, though, and one or two have already come out. I'd post a picture because I think it's fascinating (and since I can't twist around, the only way I can really see my back is if I take a picture of it), but I don't want to offend the squeamish...

Also, the grades for the semester were just posted today -- I made it through with flying colors. I'm quite pleased with how I did, especially given all the health issues I struggled with!

Finally, I heard back about the audition -- they don't have any spots open for sopranos for the next season. I'm fine with that and wasn't expecting to get anything anyway; I'm just thankful for the audition experience and I really look forward to trying again! I still plan to be in the two operas in the fall, though -- it will just be as a supernumerary again rather than as a chorister (which will probably fit better with my schedule anyway).

look for joy

Look for Joy

May 2008

My iTunes: Steal Me, Sweet Thief by Gian Carlo Menotti

Today is a long day, and I'm reminding myself to look for joy in the midst of how busy I am. I had my piano final and my voice jury this morning, several meetings this afternoon, read a book that one of my exams tomorrow will be based on, officially declared my third major, signed up to take a voice lesson for credit, and moved half my stuff out of my house.

Tomorrow, I have to pack the rest, study for my last two exams tomorrow, finish writing the massive paper, go to physical therapy for my back, and drop of transcripts. BUT as a reward for finishing all of that (and the semester), I am going to see Elektra at the Washington National Opera tomorrow night! My voice teacher had two tickets, so I'm bringing my friend Catherine. I'm very excited, but am losing my motivation to do work... I'm going out for coffee tonight and will be talking with my future land-lord/friend about logistics of moving in and such. Hopefully the caffeine will help.

venetian bridge

Venetian Bridge

May 2008

My iTunes: Fleurs by Poulenc

The is the last of the three images from Venice that I donated to the silent auction. All the pictures seem to have done well: this set went for $27. The black and white set went for $22, the first inspirational set went for $16, the other for $22. It was fun to hear how people liked my images.

In other news, my audition today went as well as I could have expected. I don't think I made a fool of myself and I think I made it through with composure. It was a very stream-lined process without any chit-chat and I felt like I was in and out before I knew it. Everyone seemed to know what they were doing and I felt a bit lost, but the process was pretty simple and I'll know what to do next time. I think of this experience like my first master class -- an unknown quantity presenting a challenge that will be something I enjoy once I get my bearings. Overall, I think it was a success and I feel very proud of myself! I look forward to more auditions!

venetian street

Venetian Street

May 2008

My iTunes: Violon by Poulenc

This is possibly my favorite of the pictures I've donated. Even though Venice is gorgeous and it seems like it would be impossible to take a bad picture of Venice, it can be hard to get a really nice shot. There is an "unnamed" place that I visit relatively frequently that had bare walls for a long time and they recently put up some pictures of Venice. While I'm happy to see the large expanses of blank wall covered, you can tell the pictures were not taken with a photographer's eye. I wish they had taken me up on my offer to give them some of my photos...

The auction ends tonight at 5:00, so I can post the results with tomorrow's picture.

Yes, this is another of the three French songs that I am starting to work on. After tomorrow's audition that is. I am feeling much more nervous than I'd like to let on, which is a strange feeling for me because I don't get nervous very easily. 2:40 p.m. tomorrow seems to have snuck up on me since surgery.

And speaking of surgery, I can sit down! I was so busy running errands yesterday that have been put off for a month that I didn't have much time to sit and I completely forgot to mention the good news yesterday! Thank you all for your prayers! Sitting is more wonderful than I remembered!

the grand canal

The Grand Canal
May 2008

My iTunes: Mon cadavre est doux comme un gant by Poulenc

This is another fresco, but not like the one I posted yesterday. This is fresco-a-la-Photoshop! I thought it would be a nice segue.

Over the next eight days, I will be posting eight images that I just matted and donated to a silent auction to raise money for one of the groups on campus that I am very involved with. I'm actually donating nine photos, one of which is the picture of the lamp that I posted a few days ago (see it here). They will be packaged in sets: three are "frescos" from Venice, four are inspirational, and two are black-and-white shots of different lamps.

My good news of the day: I may have reworked my long term schedule so that I will be able to graduate on time AND have all three majors, with honors. I've spent the past few days talking to the bursar, the registrar, my advisors, a few professors, and the vice president of finances. It's been a long process trying to figure out how to manage my desired course of study, but it may work. I have to take two classes this summer, will get credit for the research fellowship I was awarded, will finish two classes from this semester that I just added, and teach myself a good amount of aural skills. It seems like a lot, but if I can accomplish that, I can potentially save myself $10,000. Here's hoping I can do it all.

This is one of my new songs. It's from a gorgeous series by Poulenc, of which I happen to be singing three. I accidentally stayed up until 1:00 last night working on pronunciations with my friend, Caroline, who is from France. Funny, but I've been "accidentally" staying up late a lot recently due to getting excited about school work. That seems rather unusual...

cityscape

Cityscape

March 2008

My iTunes: Je Veux Vivre from Gounod's Romeo et Juliette

I'm getting an early post in today, just to be sure it's up! We have rehearsal tonight starting at 6:00, so it'll be a full day!

This is a shot I took just before going into New York City through the Lincoln Tunnel a few months ago. I liked messing around with it in Photoshop and just used it in a presentation I put together for a group here on campus. It reminds me of Heroes, the TV show.

candyland

Candyland
January 2008

My iTunes: Giovinette Che Fate All'Amore from Mozart's "Don Giovanni"

There is something about the bright colors of candy that seems timeless in a way. Our parents and grandparents probably bought brightly colored lollipops for a penny when they were kids, and candy still hasn't gone out of style (though some health-conscious parents may think it should). Seeing candy in a candy shop, or especially in an old-fashioned country store like the one I took this picture in, just reminds me of my childhood and makes me wonder what it was like to be a kid 50 years ago, or if the kids 50 years from now will have some of the same experiences I had. I'll bet that sugar highs at age 5 are definitely going to be around...

I thought I would try something a bit more abstract with the filters and editing on this picture. I went really abstract when I was playing with it and it ended up looking like something Picasso or Dali would have painted. I go back and forth with my feelings on heavily edited photos. Sometimes the editing really makes the picture, but then other times I miss the feeling that a picture gives of a snapshot of time and the truthfulness to life. There must be a happy medium somewhere, right?

best of 2007

Best of 2007
January 2008

My iTunes: Vienna by Billy Joel

I think that a good way to start off the new year is to reflect back on the old year. I'm a frequenter of several daily photo blogs and I noticed that a lot of them are doing something like this, where instead of posting a new photo today, they're posting their best or favorite picture from 2007 to kick off 2008. So I thought I would take a leaf out of their book and do the same.

It was hard to choose a favorite, but I kept coming back to this one. It's not a "normal" photograph -- perhaps that's why I like it. This photo collage was probably the most challenging and intimidating assignments for me in my digital photography class. I wanted to do a good job, and I felt like I had a lot more artistic freedom with the assignment, and necessarily a lot less boundaries off which to work. But I didn't just want to get a good grade on the assignment -- I wanted my collage to mean something to me in a personal way and to reflect some small part of me. I think I achieved that.

But I thought I would ask you, my readers (or maybe only my one, faithful reader from Philly), which was your favorite picture from 2007?

Happy New Year -- good luck with 2008!

the hat lady

The Hat Lady
December 2007

My iTunes In Uomini, In Soldati from Mozart's "Cosi Fan Tutte"

I just finished installing the printer-scanner-copier-faxer I got for Christmas. Why is it that technology sometimes seems like more trouble than it's worth? At least the printer installed... I can't say the same for the driver software for the new cell phone I got as well (the old one was the freebie almost 3 years ago, so old it isn't even listed online anymore, and something inside it rattled when I shook the phone). Eventually it'll all work, right?

This is another picture of the same friend in "Girl in a Red Hat." This was another hat she tried on in the antique shop that day. I set out in Photoshop to try to make her look kind of like a statue, but then realized that too much hair and not enough neck was showing for the look I had originally envisioned, so I went with this instead. Kind of fun.

flower pot

Flower Pot
December 2007

My iTunes: "La Cenerentola" by Rossini

I really liked these flowers when I saw them. They decorated the entrance to a bridge in Bath, England. The weather was beautiful the two days I was there, as you can see a little bit from the blue sky behind the flower pot. Unfortunately, much of my time in Bath was spent in meetings so I didn't get to sight see as much as I had hoped to. Perhaps one day I'll be able to go back and see a little more of the city. I did, however, get to see the Roman baths -- definitely a highlight of my trip because I am an avid scholar of Roman art!

merry christmas

Merry Christmas
December 2007

My iTunes: It Feels Like Christmas from "The Muppet Christmas Carol"

I always thought this little chapel looked like it could be a painting. Now it IS, thanks to Photoshop.

Merry Christmas!

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests." When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told."
--Luke 2:1-20 (NIV)

coffee drinker

Coffee Drinker
December 2007

My iTunes: The Sun Has Fallen by Kyle Engler

2 days until Christmas...

snowy steeples

Snowy Steeples
December 2007

My iTunes: Clair de Lune, Op. 46/2 by Kyle Engler

I'll bet looking at this shot you have no idea that the tree on the left is really half the size that it appears here. Yay Photoshop. One of my friends was sitting with me as I editted the picture and she thinks I could make it into a Christmas card. Perhaps one day...

Happy first (full) day of winter!

girl in a red hat

Girl in a Red Hat
December 2007

My iTunes: Bravo (Monica's Waltz) from Gian Carlo Menotti's "The Medium"

My friend and I walked around the historic main street section a few miles away from my parents' house yesterday afternoon. It was fun having a mini photo shoot in the antique galleries and as we walked. She liked to try on the hats in this one shop, and this is one of my favorite pictures both of her hat adventures but from the day as a whole.