Research Project

I have long been looking at work through collage and have still been hitting a road block in which how I would like to begin my project. I have stumbled across some interesting research and have not gotten to the two 100 page medical resources I have printed out sitting by my bed waiting, more like begging, to be read.

I have several thoughts. Over the course of this past year I have kept all of my medical printouts along with my receipts. I saw a show about a year ago that had long strips of paper hanging down from the ceiling creating this beautiful curve. I also thought about doing this with my medical reports. What does everyone think?

Or collage? Cutting out letters to form a poem on an interesting background? I am not the best at poetry but the medications and procedures I have gone through are quite poetic if you look and inspect them.

Let me know thoughts! See you in class!

Media and Research

This chapters we have been reading over the course of these past two weeks have been extremely interesting. Using media such as video to represent a person's or self culture is a very successful way of giving your audience a glimpse into their lives. As she mentions throughout her chapter technology is always expanding and becoming more advanced, so in order for a researcher to present his/her material they need to have a vast knowledge of how to edit and capture the footage. Another thing that is of key importance is the subject and the audience and how you portray them. As a researcher portraying your audience you are walking a very thin line on how you are doing it.

Her research with working with dance, music, and graffiti artists was extremely interesting. What I found amazing is that most were very open to share their skills and talents with her in order to get the word out. She mentioned that capturing the relationship between people and their surroundings is essential in research, but to do that successfully is the key. One problem she also mentioned was that a researcher may tend to hide behind the camera more often than she should. A think to remember is not get caught up in the filming instead of the moment in front of you.

Throughout the chapter she really seemed to know her stuff and how to clearly communicate it unlike some other chapters in the book. At some point in time I would like to explore video and editing, but the vision for my research is not through video (let alone my technical difficulties).

Using Bolgs as new media is not new to any of us, considering we are doing that right now. I really enjoyed this chapter also due to the fact that I could see myself someday using a public blog for research and or awareness of Celiac. Today there are many out there that I have been following let along all of the facebook groups I have joined.

Here are a few:

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/

http://www.triumphdining.com/

And many more on facebook.

I mostly use these blogs for random advice, but can stay on them for hours doing that.

I could see myself using a Blog for two purposes. One being a way to communicate with other individuals or groups who were diagnosed. The other being a researcher and compiling all of my informations in a way that is organized and dated. To be able to access things through a bolg anywhere that has internet, which is practically everywhere today if you want it to be. Once again as a blogger I need to be aware and cautious when posting and how I got about posting such things. (but if not that may be the fun of it)

Also to let a Blog be used as a tool for others to critique your work. I have never thought about this, but it certainly makes sense. One of the great tools for a blog is people to be able to comment and give advise through your Blog and you are able to see/ comment upon their responses. This I suppose could create an amazing dialogue.

Zines, I could also see as a potential for my research, but would that reach my audience. After constructing several zines i am not sure if i have been successful in creating one that has been a break through in my mind. Overall I enjoy the idea of photocopying and giving the zine a handmade look that I desire. Being able to collage and do it successfully is key and that is where I am running into my problems.

Sharon Bridgforth’s Performance

Sharon's performance was an experience I was really glad I got to be a part of. Her language and how she performed her piece were very unique to her style. I, like so many other people in the room, did not always understand the slang and other terms used in the presentation, but the stories flowed so well that without knowing all of the language I was able to understand the key points or ideas.

After this performance a few students spoke about culture and how important of a role that plays our lives. When speaking about our own, it didn't seem as interesting as what her culture was or as strong as hers was. This really got me thinking about what culture I come from and how I celebrate it. Ha the main thing that came to my mind, due to my family being Irish, we celebrate St. Patricks day, which doesn't say a whole lot about us besides we like to get together and drink.

We have our traditions during group gatherings, but nothing comparable to traditions such as hers. It is kind of a sad thought, but needless my family may have a few small or minor traditions but we take the small traditions to the extreme. One would feel overwhelmed to walk into dinner on the Sill side of the family, and probably turn and walk the other direction. (This has happened several times with cousin's boyfriends/ girlfriends. It takes a special person to handle our group!

Inspirational artist

I was looking through art axis, a ceramics website, and I found a woman named Carrie Longley. Her artwork is extremely interesting! Check it out!

http://crafthaus.ning.com/profile/CarrieLongley

New York to Philly!

I feel a little lost due to the fact that I have not been in class the past two weeks! My trip to the east coast was wonderful! I was able to stay in a beautiful neighborhood and see a ton of amazing artwork. The one issue I knew would be a problem for me was eating! I was very fortunate to be staying down the street from an organic grocery store! I was able to get a few snacks and some very interesting bagels (If anyone has every had squeaky cheese, these were very similar, none the less, I ate them).

Traveling with a group of college students who don't have a ton of money to spare is very difficult for someone who can not eat cheaply. Pizza, sandwiches, or other quick venues was were everyone wanted to go. Great for them, but kind of a pain for me. Luckily, I was not the only one on the trip who needed to watch what she ate. I was traveling with a grad student who has crones disease, so she was in the same boat as me. One key thing I learned from her was the ability to enjoy smell rather than taste. We bonded in the fact that we could not touch or taste but we could still smell the aroma of pizza and mexican burritos.

3 days into New York I began to get frustrated. I got stuck with salads while everyone was eating these delicious looking meals with sauces and french fries! All I ate were salads with no dressing, if I was lucky oil and vinegar, but mostly very bland. I let myself get upset for a few minutes, but had to be realistic in the fact that I may never get to eat that again and I just have to deal with it. I slowly began to look and eat my salads differently. I ate much slower enjoying the taste of different cheeses, vegetables, and nuts. Reading 'Out of This World' by Mary Swander has really opened my eyes to enjoying the foods we put into our bodies. From the time they are planted in our garden to preparing them and finally eating them. She has really taught me to slow down and enjoy the thing we can have in life.

Anyways, back to my trip. Eating controlled most of my time there. Where and what I could eat, and when would be the next time I could eat. It looks like I have to prepare a lot more in the long run for trips. Packing all my own snacks and GF food.

I did however slip up almost every time I ate out whether it be a salad or just fruit, most likely due to cross contamination. I made it though and a lot of lessons were learned along the way!

As everyone else has mentioned spring has arrived and with it bike rides and planting of I hope to be a garden for myself this summer! Onions, green beans, peppers, herbs, tomatoes, and strawberries, and many items from the farmer's market and the Amanas'.

This past week a lot has been developing with my research. I have gone through another round of blood tests, all relating to Celiac Disease, and have just gotten out a biopsy on my esophagus and my small intestine. Unlike my previous biopsies I ask for plenty of photos and I got them. Not the most beautiful photos but quite extraordinary non the less.

My Lit Reviews have expanded beyond my control with several blog sights, collage resources, and books and articles newly published from Celiac Clinics. It is great to have all of this at my finger tips but getting started on it is the hardest part!

I am off to New York this next week to look at some galleries there and than to Philly to National Ceramics Conference. It is funny and frustrating that my stress about this trip is Eating! I will be sure to journal and paste as I go along!

Right now I taking a break from the University of Iowa Special Collections and Archives. I have visited The Archives in the past with projects focusing on Artist's Books and Cookbooks from the 1950's. Currently I am looking at different collage works that the Archives have collected. All have been very interesting, and some very confusing. What I am focusing on is the construction and different techniques that artists use when creating collage works. I have felt many types of paper and have felt things that were pasted and painted over; each done for a specific reason with the hand of an artist. Some are neat and clean, while others are a little less neat with smudges.

What is amazing to me is that every mark or paste made by an artist is thought out long before the decision is made. I was looking at a JELLO book made of collage and each aspect of the book related to jello from cut out recipes and different boxes used to hold the jello.