Monday, December 8, 2008
art school?
If You Love it, Don't Leave it.
I wasn't a writer until I got to Columbia. It's something I always thought about and knew I would enjoy doing, but I needed guidance. I didn't know what I was doing and I believe I have found that direction I needed. Not only was I not a writer, but I didn't even know what kind of writing I liked to do. It wasn't until being at Columbia a full semester did I truly enjoy the art of Playwriting. I can consider myself both a writer and a playwright now. I have in my time here completed numerous short stories, but also an entire play. If not for Columbia I wouldnt have had A.) the tools neccessary for the craft of writing and B.) I wouldn't have the actual drive to do it. This school is a place for people who care about their work, nobody is going to make you live it or love it, it has to come from within, and that's what I like. The only pressure you get is the pressure from yourself. If you don't love it, than leave it. If you love it, and it works for you and you work for it, stay. I've got a good thing going here and I am truly content with my college experience, which is something a lot of college students can't say.
Columbia Experience
When it came to classes, I couldn’t have been happier as well. From English to Programming, I was able to learn a great deal from classes and assignments, as well as having a great in class experience. I’ve never had a semester of school where I actually enjoyed waking up every morning and going to all of my classes before and I’m happy to say I have this year. My department (Interactive Arts & Media) has been incredibly helpful when it has come to my administrative- related questions and with helping me set up my future education-related endeavors here at Columbia. I am incredibly excited to continue classes after winter break and greatly look forward to expanding my knowledge of programming related material over the next few years as I delve further into my major.
Columbia College Chicago
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Co-co-mo-lumbia
My Columbia College Experience
my ccc experience
The Life Columbia!
Also the atmosphere is great. I used to tell myself and everyone else that I'm going to a big city other than detroit because it isnt so hot here anymore. But i never thought it would actually happen so i love it here even more becasue is was a goal that reached myself. Also at other art schools everything is a huge competition, everyone i fake "emo" im not really sure what a real emo is, but still its annoying either way because they try to show everyone how good they are, whatever. The students here are laid back and cool, we dont mind helping out each other. At least the people that i have run into have been, i cant really speak for everyone. And i think that great, we all are still competing but we are kind of here to help each other. i think thats cool
They tell me that its not what you know its who, and the constant message of network, use your resources and save everything is very relevent and constantly useful. I think that Columbia gives a push but they arent always going to be in your face. Thats what we need.
CCC
Saturday, December 6, 2008
A New Found Respect
I realized that Columbia is not like most other colleges. At Columbia, students can major in certain subjects that they wouldn’t be able to at any other college in the country. Columbia also has really cool general education classes. Geometry in the Arts, Science of Natural Disasters, and even a class about The Simpsons! At what other college are you going to find those classes?
What I enjoy most about Columbia is my area of study; radio. Columbia is the cream of the crop when it comes to a college specializing in a radio major. All the other colleges I visited had a general broadcasting major. At Columbia, they pin point and cover every single aspect of radio. Also, the radio faculty is outstanding. Most of the teachers have real life professions in what they teach. That gives us an advantage when it comes to networking. The radio department has also put together many events which give networking opportunities. In only my first year at Columbia, I have already met many big radio names. I met Johnny B, Larry Lujack, Dick Biondi, and big station program directors. (The program directors are the people who hire the on-air personality.)
I take great pride in the City of Chicago and I especially take great pride in Columbia College Chicago.
Columbia
Friday, December 5, 2008
CCC
So far, my experience at Columbia has been pretty awesome. I love being there. I transferred from St. Xavier University on the southwest side of Chicago and have no regrets whatsoever. I have met many new and exciting people that I would have never met by staying on the Southside. Columbia has so many diverse people that it just continually drives you to welcome change in yourself, and others. I have learned so much this past semester. At times, I forget that it’s even school that I’m actually going to. I mean, I do feel that it can demanding with homework, essays, and other things, but it’s all worth it. I also love the fact that everyone is so driven by their passion. It’s not like a university where some people are becoming something that their parents want them to be or they’re simply majoring in something in order to make a ton of money. That is one that I will always love about Columbia College Chicago; love life and live love. When you have a passion, it burns in you to do it and naturally, you love it. There’s always work involved, but it is not viewed negatively at all. Radio is what makes me happy, and I hope to remain happy after I graduate. =)
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
CCC
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Columbia
I have had both positive and negative experiences at Columbia, but mostly positive. I love and have loved all the classes I took as well as professors teaching them. Of course I am not a fan of many science and math classes because it’s an art school, but I’ll tell you that enjoyed them. I learned something in each class and I can’t say that for high school. I love the whole idea about college and choosing classes, when do you want them and the teachers that you want. I love living on campus and meeting people, as well as being Downtown. Truly I believe I got enlightened in college and this is only the beginning; I will be a sophomore in two weeks. I met some cool and serious people but not that many which disappoints me. I hope that will improve over the course of years. I partied a lot in high school so I am not all that crazy about the life on my own and all that freedom. It is nice but still it is time to get serious. The one bad experience that I had was my first semester. I tried to film a short movie of mine and the actress that was in it was also in my class; she quit on me and I wasn’t able to finish the movie. I put a lot of time into it and even my acting professor was a part of it. It seems like I wasted his time and nothing came out of it. I met some shady people that think too much of themselves and I believe they don’t focus on their careers as much as they should. I thought that aspect of college would be different; that high school days are over and that I would find passionate and willing people to work with. I did meet some but also many bullshiters. Anyway, all in all I am satisfied so far and I know it will improve and I’ll be able to show off my creativeness, ideas and talent as well as learn the craft.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Blog Post #12: Columbia College
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Placebo
The next section of the show was about the role that the doctor has in the placebo effect. There was a patient who had a disease and the doctor hypnotized him and the disease which was congenital icthyosis went away on one arm. The doctor showed the person to a surgeon who was in a surgery. So they called a conference and the president of the royal society of medicine said that the condition was incurable that led him to not be so sure and not be able to cure any of the others that came to him who had the condition.
Another part of this radiolab episode was the fact that someone named Anton Mesmer believed that fluid flows through all things, which he named animal magnetism. His theory said that the fluid that was within all of all of us would get stuck or bunched up and that would cause disease. The person mention above would dress in a lilac suit and the person would have what he called a healing episode. The doctors lost business becuase of this animal magnetism so they protested to the king. Because of this protest they devised what is known as the first placebo test. In this test they said that one of the trees was magnetized and by the time he got to the third or fourth tree he was having a healing episode.
The final part was about faith healing and the christian religion.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Laughter
Mortality - Fountains of Youth
I listened to a really interesting topic; it was on extending life. I believe all of us would be interested in this; maybe there are people who are tired of life and just want to rest but most of the people would be trilled to live longer and stay young. I learned that rats live up to 3 years and squirrels up to 25. They still don’t know why different animals and things have a longer life expectancy. Human’s average life is about 70 years. The scientists have been performing experiments on worms to try and extend their life, and it has worked. There are 20 thousand genes in a worm. The Def 2 gene they call the Grim Reaper because it is the one who is shortening the worm’s life. Yeah, there is death gene. Scientists have extended the worms life from 14 to 28 days by damaging this gene, kind of like cutting it shorter. This might not seem a lot but it doubled the worm’s life span and it is a huge change. There is also a Def 16 gene that is the youth gene, keeping worms young. By damaging the Grim Reaper gene it liberates the Def 16 gene and now it springs into action; the Grim Reaper gene kind of squashes the activity of the Def 16 gene. So now the Def 16 gene has been like extended which extends the worms life span. This is some great stuff. The scientists are working to see if this could work on humans. They haven’t found things like it but the possibility is still there. I mean how great would this be, to live longer by science?
Sleep Deprivation
Friday, November 21, 2008
LMAO
Since I love to laugh, I decided to pick the Radio Lab story titled "Laughter." In this episode, Radio Lab tries to figure out the meaning behind laughter.
As Radio Lab attempts to explain laughter's purpose, they refer to Aristotle's thoughts on the subject-it is what separates humans from beasts and a baby is without a soul until it laughs. A baby's first laugh, in Aristotle's mind, takes place when the baby is 40 days old. Since Radio Lab leaves no questions left unanswered, they go to psychobiologist Dr. Jaak Panksepp to test Aristotle’s hypothesis. For this experiment, Dr. Panksepp tickles rats. The rats laugh and even follow the ‘tickler’s’ hand after it is removed. They seem to find pleasure in laughing. For the baby experiment, Radio Lab works with their producer Amanda Aronczyk who just had a baby. The baby did not laugh until the 97th day. Both of these dispelling the thoughts of ancient philosopher, Aristotle.
Laughing is a social thing that is neurologically programmed by evolution. Without an outside source, there is no laughter. For example, if you are sitting at home all alone-with no media-you will not laugh. Even thinking about something funny, is an outside source, so that doesn’t count either. Because chimps laugh, we can conclude that it was programmed by evolution. The only difference between a chimp’s and a human being’s laugh is the “H” sound made in “haha.” A chimp only uses the “a” sound, making it sound like it is panting.
Radio Lab concludes the episode with a story about a small town in Tanzania in the year 1962, when a laughing epidemic struck. A girl in a boarding school was taking a math test and just began laughing. The laughing spread from girl to girl, and eventually throughout the entire school. The laughing lasted anywhere from a day, to a few days. The laughing was intermixed with crying too. Radio Lab went to Tanzania to find the meaning behind this event. While their reporter was there, she heard different reasons including an ‘adolescent girl laughing syndrome’ in which the young girl laughs to ensure safety, and there was also the thought that it was a curse brought upon the town by caterpillars. Radio Lab finally found a man that was actually apart of the sickness. The man claimed that nearly a couple weeks before the event, the village received independence from Britain. A new political system was introduced along with Christianity. The villagers lost their former freedoms. This is the reason that the man thinks the laughter started. The dramatic change caused silence and grief. Once the girl laughed, everyone couldn’t help but to laugh with her. They hadn’t done it in so long. It was a form of release, of independence.
http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2008/02/22
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Blog Post #11: Radio Lab

For this post I want you to listen to an episode of Radio Lab and discuss what you learned in 250 words or more. There are five seasons and many episodes to choose from so explore the site and find one you might be interested in. Try not to repeat an episode that someone else has already written about. You can also download their free podcast off of itunes, but make sure you write about a full hour long episode.
Remember to post a comment on a classmates blog. If you have not done this in the past please go back to previous posts and comment! Last week hardly anyone did it and you will be marked down! These are due next Wednesday.
Public Education Needs a Change.
if i was the pesident
If I were president...
Kosovo
If I was the president of United States I wouldn’t just have power in America, but also in some other parts of the world. Since US is a superpower it has a lot of influence on the rest of the world. Not just that, but this problem many other countries would also agree to solve, like Russia. Anyway, I know it is not in the US but it is in the part of the world where I come from, Europe and specifically Serbia. It is the Kosovo problem. For people that don’t know about this issue, Kosovo is a province in Serbia and is trying to get independence and become a new nation. So far it has been working for them, despite some countries refusal to recognize it. Kosovo has declared it’s independence illegally and breaking the UN Resolution 1244 that protects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yugoslavia, present day Serbia. The majority of Kosovo’s population is Albanian and therefore it was easy to sick for independence. However I believe that majority can’t take away someone’s land if it’s unlawful. Kosovo is still a de-facto state and it is in the process of legal dispute. However, United States recognized the newly formed government and if I was the president I would change Americas opinion on this. It would have a great effect since the EU is partly divided on this ruling and Russia is against it. Kosovo is Serbia and considering history it is the cradle of our culture. I know if Albanians wouldn’t have American support it would all be different.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Universal Healthcare
I believe that we should give everyone equal and universal health care. why is this the case. Because then everyone would be able to have some level of health care coverage. Then if people were interested they could purchase an upgraded health care plan that would cover more of their medical costs. This would be the case so that the rich could have a plan that suits them.
This is the case for other countries so why should it be the case for our country.
Barack Obama, believes in affordable accessible health care so, I am aiming to provide the lower and middle class a standard health care package that they can keep as it is or upgrade it so that they have a higher price package and they will not have to pay so much out of their pocket.
But this will allow the lower class to have a decent healthcare package, because in our current state of affairs, some or the majority of the lower class do not have access to decent healthcare, or they have no healthcare at all.
I believe in this very strongly because their is a necessity for people in this country to be able to get the care that they very much want and need in order to survive once they reach middle age and beyond then.
President David
Jade N Amey: Prez Elect . . .
But first and foremost, the first thing I would do is to LEGALLY separate church and state. Only because it is a huge pet peeve of mine, and I had a couple of problems with it when I was in high school.
For example, I was the chief photographer on the yearbook staff my senior year. The yearbook staff was in charge of the hallway displays, including the one in the lobby. During the holidays, our principal wanted us to put up a holiday display that exhibited all holidays for different religions; not just Christmas as we all had been familiar with in the past.
When our principal proposed this, not only most of the year book staff, but the whole school had a fit because "no one in our community is Jewish or Islamic". The fact is, the school had a couple of students from each religion, even some who practiced Wicca. My high school was so closed-minded about this, and it made me so mad.
Not only does church and state appear both in our school systems, it also is a basis of why a lot of laws are not passed, such as gay marriage. If it isn't approved or stated in the Bible, then it can't be done at all. It's not about religion; it's about two HUMANS, no matter what sex, gender, or sexual orientation he or she are, that are in love. Shouldn't everyone have that right if they are in love? The current laws on this make absolutely no sense, and it's mind boggling.
There are many other reasons as to why I would make the separation of church and state indefinite, but I don't want to bore anyone by composing a mad novel.
Jade N. Amey
President
If I Were President...
Monday, November 17, 2008
President
If I Were President...
This music video that i posted below has doesn't have anything to do with immigration (it's mostly about war), but it does have to do with what Wyclef Jean would do if he were to be president.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POTARsZ00AQ
Sunday, November 16, 2008
prezzzzZzZzZZzzzZZzzz
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Blog Post #10: What Would You Change?
Due next Wednesday 11/19. Remember to comment on at least one of your classmates posts.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Black and White
David Anderson presents the photograph in black and white, which correlates with the title of the piece. The photograph is of two cats in a field: one black cat and one white cat. In the foreground, the pure-white cat is in a deep sleep. Directly in the middle of the composition is a white rope. The white rope divides the picture and divides the cats. In the background, the black cat stands at attention. The black cat does not seem as relaxed as the white cat is. He stands very close to the rope but does not cross it. He is blurrier than the white cat. One cannot make out the features of the black cat. On the other hand, every detail of the white cat is seen.
http://www.dbanderson.com/portfolio.php?name=rough%20beauty
Black and White
There are these two cats in the grass, one is white, and one is black. There is this line in between separating them. White cat is in focus and black isn’t. White cat is sleeping and the black one is up. The author of this photograph is Dave Anderson. This is a photograph from his art shoot, Rough Beauty, of life and people in a small town of Texas, called Vigor. All photographs kind of linked and preceded each other. They were all as he was explaining it, a small conservative town with isolated and naïve people. It seemed like they weren’t in the 21st century. This photograph of a white and a black cat can mean so much in different ways. It could be racial point of view as a white cat is a white man and a black one is a black man. It could also represent the people of Vigor and how they are on the other line of civilization, undeveloped and not moving in the developing direction either, but falling behind. Dave Anderson is a former New Yorker, now residing in Little Rock, Arkansas. He studied history and film in college before entering the photography world. “He worked for President Bill Clinton’s communications and media affairs office, MTV’s nation-touring Choose or Lose bus recruiting young voters, and later for Madstone, a maverick independent movie studio in New York”. Dave is now in his mid-30s.
Citation:
http://www.roughbeauty.com/biographies.htm
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Spain by Henri Cartier-Bresson
The collection spain came about in 1932-33. They were pictures of the likfe in Spain duing the war, and a civil war that was brewing in the country. The pictures varied form happy pictures of children, so sad pictures of dead bodies in the street, and poor people in the ghettos. Thats where my picture came in on the three old women. There were heart-wrenching pictures of kid playing in dangerous, derelict alley ways, that some how sitll looked happy unitl one looked at the atomsphaere of the happiness. He is by far my favorite photographer.
Leashed
The photo called leashed is of a dog that is sitting on top of a wrecked car with plants growing out of the hood of the car. There is a line attached to a tree, on that line is a chain which connects with the dog that is standing on top of the car.
I believe that this photo is saying that animals are not always taken care of properly becuase there is abuse of animals. Also you will find cases of neglect of animals because they will be left outside of a store becuase animals are not let into the store. Animals need to be loved and cared for because they look up the person who takes care of them in the same way that a child looks up to their father or mother. Animals are loving, and caring creatures who will never think badly of you no matter what you do, and they will always look up to you for care and respect.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6442777
http://www.dbanderson.com/viewer.php?pid=2&id=433&orderid=27
Cindy Sherman
In fact, she only photographs herself in all of her projects.
She doesn't see her work as self-portraits. She proclaims herself to be "anonymous" in them. It may be because she takes on many different roles in her photos.
Cindy Sherman was born in 1954 in New Jersey; but she didn't grow up there. Shortly after he birth, she and her family moved to Long Island. She attended Buffalo State College, where she first got into doing art. Sherman first started out with painting, but soon became frustrated with the medium and decided to take up photography.
Cindy Sherman has done a lot more than photography. She is also a film director and has been commissioned to do advertising work for Marc Jacobs and designed two album covers for the band Babes in Toyland in the early '90s.
Citation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cindy_Sherman
Jade N. Amey
Russell Lee?
Sharon Lockhart (Maja and Elodie)
Fascinating Photos
sources
www.mcachicago.org
www.publicartfund.org
www.tate.org
Dave Anderson-'Ray Wilson'
The black and white image of this man titled ‘Ray Wilson,’ was taken in a small, narrow, and somewhat crowded room. Ray Wilson is an older looking Caucasian man, maybe in his 50’s or 60’s, who is sitting at a desk. He is drinking Miller High Life and smoking Marlboro Reds. The cigarette smoke rising and floating throughout the air creates a type of movement in the photograph. Ray is a little left of the center; to the left of him, a poster of Marilyn Monroe, and to the right, a window, balance him out. The beer, the cigarettes, and the poster of a sex symbol, all form a type of unity. It seems as if Ray Wilson is resisting change, as if he were still a teenager who has just discovered the thrills of drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and having sex.

http://www.dbanderson.com/portfolio.php?name=rough%20beauty
Janine
Nighthawks
Sources:
http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/111628
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nighthawks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Hopper
Claude Monet
Monday, November 3, 2008
Blog Post #9: Research
Your post is due by next Monday and be sure to comment on someone elses blog!
Remember, if you use this information or any information from an outside source you must cite it in your essay. Also, if you use researched information it must be relevant to the work you are discussing. In your essays you should not give a long biographical background of the artist if you do not use that information to help analyze the particular work you have chosen.
Banksy's Underground Tunnel Exhibition
Whistlers Velvet Revolution

created absract paintig. He refused to be realistic, "Damn realism" he once said. In my opinion he painted how it made people feel in the scenes. If I had been in the scene of the Home of the Heron painting, i wouldnt have felt the actual scenery, i would have felt tranquil and soft like his painting. I believe thats what Whistler wanted his audience to feel and hear.
The author of my article often said that Whistlers paintings were reminiscent of the Japanese painter Sesshu and the Japanese style in general with his light, subdued color palette, and minimal brush strokes. The author also said as I stated before that he chose to rebel along with Georgia O' keefe.
He did a lot research on this painter. He had many quotes from peers and Whislter himself. I even learned a little about Whistlers life. How his price for his paintings were high, even after he went bankrupt after paying for a lawsuit he won. His proud persona was sure that he would, "be born when and where i want" and he was able to keep his prices up.
I found this article very interesting because I had never seen a painter like this before and I plan on doing research of my own.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Sculpture of a Scavenger That Hints at Horrors Seen
The methods that the author used in analyzing the work is that she describes the work in extreme detail. She mentions the award and the fact because the artist won that award that some of the artists work gets to be exhibited. The author of the article describes the background history of the artist in a little detail, which means she did some research. The author goes on to say what she thinks about the piece and mentions the physical and psychological aspect of the Second World War. The author also mentions that it references sculptural tradition ranging from modernism to that of ancient Egypt and Greece. The author also mentions that the artist refers to her sculptures as landscapes of human debris. Then the author concludes the article by mentioning that the piece refers to ancient monumental traditions where a heroic figure is placed on a pedastal. Then she sums up the review with her own thoughts.
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/10/19/nyregion/19artsct_CA0.ready.html
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Art or Not
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
"Flesh Architecture"
The Beat Goes On
I read an article in NY Times, New Orleans Rising, by Hammer and Art. The thing about this article that captured my attention was the soul of the art. The painter, Mark Bradford, built a three-story ark in a part of the Lower Ninth Ward that had some of the worst flooding after the hurricane. It is there to create a new beginning for New Orleans; even after devastating losses, the spirit will rise. Artists are trying to show and boost peoples’ morals with their creativity. The art represents the wounded city but as a fighter that got stronger through all that has happened. I believe that although this gift by the painter is for the people of New Orleans, it is for all the mankind. The fight goes on and I think that’s the message to everybody who is going through a hard time, anyone that will or that has experienced that feeling. This is not the only piece of art that is representing and helping the wounded New Orleans rise again, the roster of 81 artists are building new houses. This is all a part of an ambitious new art biennial that has opened Saturday and will continue through Jan. 18. It is said that it is the largest exhibition of contemporary art ever held on American soil; intended to restore the cultural vibrancy of a city after Hurricane Katrina.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The Mind Museum
Babylon - Myth and Reality
The detail of the venue is very clear, the date, the time and location of the show are all clearly represented in the article, and it seems he did quite a bit of research of the subject matter and had a detailed interview with the team that put together the exhibit. However, I don’t feel he was able to present the extensive history of the subject matter until the end of the article, where if I had no previous knowledge of the subject matter would have passed over his piece after the second paragraph. Babylon’s rich history and mystery can only really be seen in ancient stories from the art and works in the museum themselves and not from his piece. Still, the author gave me the urge to want to travel to England to see this exhibit.
Art or Not
Art Not For Sale
War Vets
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/22/arts/design/22berm.html?scp=6&sq=art%20review&st=cse
Monday, October 27, 2008
Blog Post #8: Art Review Review
NY Times
Chicago Tribune
Seattle Times
Slate.com
Times Online
Due next Monday. Remember to comment on someone's post.
