So if you came, or saw via the ODU Art Dept. blog, we had a visiting artist in the ceramics studio last Monday and Tuesday (10/20 and 10/21). Erin Furimsky is an incredibly cool lady; she teaches at Illinois State and brought her insight and techniques down here to ODU and was a surprisingly informative and entertaining presenter! She annecdoted her instruction with bits-of-life stories and allowed us a small peek into an artist’s mind at work. It was lovely (and reassuring) to hear about how much she toils over the details of her work; it always makes me feel better to know someone else has spent 3 hours trying to achieve a certain shade of celadon blue.

I took some notes which may or may not be legible, but feel free to poke through them here, here, and here.

I also took lots of crummy shots with my BlackBerry camera, which you can peruse here. On Thursday I snagged a few decent shots of her tiles with my Canon, and in the set, those shots begin here.

Needless to say, it was an inspiring and fun demonstration. Unfortunately I had class during Monday’s and had to show up at the ODU gallery on Tuesday at noon, but I got a good 3 hours of awesome ways to apply printmaking and other techniques to ceramics. Thanks so much, Erin!

You can view her portfolio here.

When I was in the ODU Gallery, being counted for attendance in 279, I was looking at the wall of text written on the glass of Stephen Sagmeister’s exhibit. There was a lot of Korean writing (none of which I can read), and I saw some Japanese, so I decided to leave a message in Japanese myself. It’s down in the left-hand corner (if you are inside the exhibit, facing the lobby), and written in white and red. Here are a couple photos:

Here’s what it says, in my really awful Japanese grammar:

???

?????????????????????
????????????????????

???
????????????

It roughly translates to: “Hey; The English alphabet has 26 characters, but they are all boring (that’s what I think). Regards, “Those Damn Kids” (Manard-Jini).”

I hope sensei doesn’t see this…she just gave me a 94 on my JAPN395 midterm, and I don’t want to lose any of it!!!

That’s about all for tonight. I need my beauty sleep (as you can clearly see in my Flickr……)

xoxo
that damn kid

Even if it is only 2 weeks…..

Here’s whats cool:

1. Did the photo/film shoot on Wednesday for the ODU video. I can’t wait to see it!

2. Snapped these at the bookstore, I might have to get them…

See the text on the heel? It says FREUDIAN SLIPPERS! lololol~

3. Trip to DC is postponed until uh…I have gil, lol. I know, it sucks. I’m waiting for my reimbursement check from my financial aid extras, which won’t be a lot, but who knows. I’m definitely going back to NYC in late Sep/early Oct. Depends on when I’ll be at work/have a big test at school. More on that closer to the day.

4. Yesterday was the opening ceremonies at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. It was monstrously cool! I’ve never seen anything like it, and even though I like the winter Olympics more, I was wholly impressed with the pomp. I’ll be watching all of the aquatic events (in that badass cube thing), equestrian, fencing, gymnastics, judo, and table tennis. I’m kinda upse that Joey Cheek got the banstick, but I’m excited to see Mike mc-hotty-hot-pants Phelps compete. Ruarrr.

5. Yesterday was ALSO the 8/8/08 event on Flickr. This was my submission:

I saw that in P-town on uh…… yeah Thursday night when I went to go see Batman with my Dad and Jane. Strange. Good thing I don’t go to school there any more.

6. I finished FFTA2! Now to buy FFIV. I think I’ll get a PS3 soon, and FFXIII will be out sometime this holiday season *crosses fingers* but I dunno…I’m still kinda wanting an XBOX360. Who knows…

7. Last but not least: grades! They’re not out yet, but I know I kicked ass. I really enjoyed Heather’s painting class, and Carla’s communication class. Clay’s 2D design class, even though I knew everything going into that class, was still fun. I’m still enrolled in Eva’s PSYC323 until the week after next, but I’m pretty sure I’ll score at least a B. Only need a C for finishing up my Psyc minor. Yeehaw! If you ever get the chance to have classes in the art dept. with Heather Bryant and James (Clay) Mcglamory, go for it. Same for Carla Harrell in communications. My PSYC323 is online, so I can’t really say much for Eva Clarke, but I know that Misty Hixon who is an adjunct for the psychology department kicks ASS, so take her Theories of Personality and/or Abnormal Psychology classes. You’ll learn a ton and have fun too.

Anyway, happy summer to all you crazy people. I’m off to do some back to school window shopping…Did you know American Eagle now sells their *ubercomfy* jeans in size extra-long on their website? That’s right…longer than size long. MY DAY OF JOY HAS COME. NO LONGER WILL I HAVE TOO-SHORT JEANS BECAUSE I’M PART AMAZON! Yeeeeeeaaaa! You’ll see me baby, shakin that ass.

xoxo

Jini

I had the screen test for the ODU film/marketing thing today. Kinda fun. I was still putting together the presentation I have to do in art crit tonight so I can’t even recall their slogan… Minds in motion? Monarch mentality? Some M & M phrase….mmm m&ms…..

While I demolish these Pepperidge Farm white chocolate macadamia cookies, enjoy some new pics:

My backpack (and my little Toro buddy!) and one of those recycled totebags I got from the Monarch Market (Webb) for 98 cents.

Underpainting for still life #5, the self portrait. I got a lot done on it today but I didn’t want to ruin the fun, so I’ll get a pic of it 60% done and finished tomorrow. The reference pic I’m using is on my Flickr, and I taped it on my easel right above the canvas. Maaaaac :3

It’s me!

Back to chilling here on this window bench thing and eating cookies. Nom nom nom…

A few of the many on ODU’s campus:

“Artipotimus” on a shutter in the painting studio at the VAB.

“Dog in a sink! Wow!” next to “Artipotimus” on a shutter in the painting studio in VAB.

“You just lost the game” on a bench in the womens upstairs north bathroom at Webb.

Pics or it didn’t happen, right? Check it out:

Detail of text:

Silliness. I added the grammatical correction and the purple. I don’t even watch Stargate: Atlantis, but I’m pretty sure a squid couldn’t use one.

Here’s a shot of the underpainting for the next still life in my painting class. It won’t dry, so I’m threatening it with my little fan.

Oh oil paint, I hate you so… Sure you’re fun to mix but you dessicate my fingers and then have the audacity to take forever to dry! See you in hell, oil paint.

Still working on that Vitamin Water Essential from earlier, so again, cheers.
Jini

P.S.: I’ve decided to critique Philip Ayers’ “Plant Mister” for art crit. It’s at the Chrysler.