From the Road...

Left Billings this morning and headed out of town for Virginia. Moving to do a Masters program at CUA (for those who don't know that already). Left Montana and won't be back until December. That's kind of strange to me.
I'm open to the adventure and change, it's just kind of difficult to leave people and things behind when i don't really know what to expect on the other end of this trip. It's kind of like stepping out of the hot comforting shower into the frigid air of your apartment. I'll acclimate, there's just an initial reluctance. Kind of already have one foot out at this point, just have to keep it going.
And thus the restart of the blog here.
I am going to make my best effort to start taking pictures of more random things and actually posting them, hopefully with some entertaining stories to go along. I know i've sung that tune before, but if people would like to nag me, i take well to peer pressure.
Guess that format really isn't going to be all that interesting to read from the general public, so i might keep changing things up. There's no formula. I'm taking pictures and experiences and hoping to babble on for the sake of someone else's entertainment.

Driving along, we passed a number of trucks towing Carnival rides. Made the observation that the Carnival rides are on the move. Migration season of the Carnies is on us. Summer is ending :)
These dragons were getting topped off at Miles City. I found it kind of amusing to see them at a gas station. The magic and fun of the carnival folded up and loaded onto the back of a truck. just kind of a strange sight.

Honestly, the whole drive today was pretty uneventful. Can't say i actually have anything interesting to impart from the trip at this point. I'll try to concoct some good lies over tomorrow's drive. Will be in Illinois Tomorrow evening

a semester later...

So these are a few of the prints from my final portfolio exchange for my advanced research in printmaking. The edition totaled out to be 16 prints, but 12 of those were distributed to other students in the class, so i do not have them. these are three of the 4 i retained because i thought they were the most successful.
So the prints were built up with layers of fun. the first layer on all of them was a collograph (don't know what that means? Wikipedia does, i just don't feel like explaining it). Then some of them (all of the above three) got a second and different textured collograph that i inked up in a transparent white to push back the first collograph. the rest of the prints got chin colled (def: a collage process in which papers are laminated using glue and pressure prior to or after the final inking of a print). and then i laid down the final etching layer which is the outline figure, farmland-like lined plots as well as some finger-print texture and some hands which are meant to look like part of the landscape texture too...
what was the point you ask? well, let me tell you! I named this print "Moro Reflex" which the term for the falling reflex that babies get when they're laying down... it was a less cheesy title than something to do with Icarus, alright? the idea originates from another print (to the left) and has a little more complexity. It all started with a Mars Volta quote, "One day this chalk outline will circle the city..." i liked that image, so i made a print last year, but never really completed an edition of it. So this year i changed it a little, but used the same linework (which i like and am still scared of doing things like aquatinting...)
It has to do with identity, landscape, setting, etc. I like that looking at the images of "moro reflex" it's up to the viewer to discern where it is and what exactly is going on, like is the figure a silhouette or a solid shape.
the texture is really nice too. yay for collograph, it did all the work for me :)
semester is over now. haven't taken many photos since i started drowning in my classes, but i'm hoping to get some things done this summer. we'll see how it goes though.
it's going to be crazy.

another cop-out entry

I fully intend to sit and bullshit an entry one of these days when i actually have something interesting dwelling on my mind. Right now i'm a little preoccupied getting work done for classes.
anyway, please admire the photo from my camera phone.
and admire the billboard remarking on the awesomeness of this tree.

just because

Detail shot of some chipping paint.

sad little lonely frosty bench.

Is it spring yet?

My patience for winter is slowly ebbing. I think i would like it to be 50 degrees and moderately sunny if that's ok with everyone. As much fun as the winter and snow has been, i think i'm ready to move onto greener pastures... or at least for the pastures to start actually getting green.
Trying to think about what the objective of this blog is anymore. It hasn't really stepped into its function of getting me to shoot more photography, and i'm actually kind of disappointed that the only images i have time to shoot or even upload are digital and not even that new.
Life is taking some twists and turns at the moment, but i've been trying to focus on finishing the workload i have set before me this semester rather than thinking about it. I'm working my butt off to get things finished in my printmaking class and it feels like i'm just running in place. I have a litho stone that's been sitting waiting patiently for me to go etch it for more than a week and i haven't gotten to it. frankly, i'm a wee bit scared to do it. it'll happen eventually.
hopefully i'll have some more interesting things to impart soon. maybe take some time to reflect on the things that have been running around inside my head. I'm on this kick of circus characters in my print class that's proving to be fairly entertaining.
The materials we're discussing in my literature class are also very interesting to me, but i haven't got a firm grasp on the history so it's not very easy for me to follow it all.
It's spring break. I should be napping and lazing about...
what the hell?