WestCoastTraveler

Conflux (Exhibit @ Pearl Conrad Art Gallery)

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:42:00 -0800

Today's edition will be sharing information about the current exhibit @ the OSU Mansfield Art Gallery. I have created a podcast (that will be added this week) about one of my favorite art installations in the show. The artist is Su Hyun Nam (from the School of Art Institute of Chicago). The two exhibits are: Woven Milieu and Dis-Integrated Memory. Additional info can be found on her website at: www.suhyunnam.com. I am inspired by her work in particular because of the theme (images that focus on trees). For many years now trees have been one of my favorite subjects to photograph and I have enjoyed seeing her interpretation of a subject that many people could take for granted. In addition to posting a podcast about her artistry I am including some of my own photos of trees.

Music from Squirrel Nut Zippers

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:32:00 -0800

Homework Video Collage

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:04:00 -0800

This assignment was to capture video images of the world around us and edit as a collage that would create a mood but not necessarily have a theme. For this I traveled to my hometown of Columbus, Ohio and visited with a good friend that I had not seen in over a year. It was great fun to see the city from her perspective. It gave me insight into how much the town has changed over the years in addition to visiting places I thought I already knew but still managed to cast an element of surprise as I shared these with her. While in Columbus I also visited my mom at her residence, my husband at his job, and two of my favorite cafes. It was a 'whirlwind' tour for the weekend and I tried to express the variety yet ensuing chaotic feeling from rushing to capture these various moments in such a short period of time.
Please Note: The 1rst, 3rd, 11th, 16th and last frame have no sound with them, so no need to adjust your computer :)

Listen and Relax, It's Just Coffee

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:50:00 -0800

     The significance of the location that I have chosen, is that it is a place I personally feel we have needed in Mansfield for quite sometime now. When I attended the downtown NCSC Urban Campus last year, I was always hoping there would be a place within walking distance for a good cup of coffee. Now that Relax, It's Just Coffee has opened, I feel it definitely has fulfilled that wish. In addition, they have created an atmosphere that is conducive for gathering with friends (or meeting new ones), reading a good book or choosing a place to study, write, check the internet on your laptop, or just sit on one of the couches and listen to music. I tried to emphasize the welcoming atmosphere in the audio.
     The audience I have in mind is anyone who is looking to find a new place to get a great cup of coffee, tea, or a bagel, muffin, scone, try Jeni's ice cream, chocolate covered espresso beans or even a Rhubarb soda. There are too many items on the menu to list here, but I'm hoping to have at least created enough curiosity that someone would be willing to find out for themselves what Relax has to offer to our community.
      By the way, if you have an O.S.U student I.D. be sure to bring it with you for a 10% discount. Also, please click on the title of this post to be linked to the official website for Relax.
      My artistic intention is to draw attention to a neighborhood gathering place that reminds me of many of the cafes I've had the opportunity to visit while traveling out West, including those in the San Francisco Bay Area and Portland, Oregon. I think that artists in particular will find Relax to be appealing.
     ***     Directions to listen to the Podcast are below the photo...

Listen to the podcast through Subscribe Now (w/ the link at the top right of this page) and click on play now under the title of : Listen and Relax, It's Just Coffee
Or, alternatively :Copy and paste the following link address in a new window, and when this
opens in I-Tunes, double click on the image at the bottom lefthand corner to view all the photos with the audio: http://www.archive.org/download/CJListenandRelax_It_sJustCoffee_0/ListenandRelaxItsJustCoffeeII.m4a

Ducks in a Row

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:27:00 -0800

Stomp

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:21:00 -0800

Top Three in the Art Gallery

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:13:00 -0800

1. Mores Zhan (Clips Island/Lost Path) This is a virtual man-made Island (on screen in Blue) w/ Foghorn and ocean waves in background
2. Su Hyun Nam (Disintegrated Memory) A digital tree on the wall (Trees became his "primary mode of creating a calming focal point when he was new to the city of Chicago)
3. Bobby Campbell (Action Figure series) Colorful digital drawings on plexiglass

Visiting Artist Raphael Perret

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:19:00 -0800

     The discussion and slide show that Raphael led was quite intriguing. His manner was informative yet informal, a refreshing combination especially when I had not expected anything more than a standard lecture style delivery. I purposely did not read too much about his work or the background he had in creating his art, so as to leave room to be surprised, and surprised I was. Even though he is from Switzerland, he reminds me a lot of the people I used to associate with while living in California. With his presence in the classroom I had an uncanny sense that he had been transported here through time and space (which isn't altogether untrue, now is it, considering plane flights and all it took to bring him to our campus), though I was referring more to being transported from a past lifestyle and place on the WestCoast).
     Three things stood out from his discussion in particular:
          1. The connection he made between computer technology and human movement creating patterns that actually became designs that were woven into fabric.
          2. His study of the Brazilian Martial Arts (Capperia) becoming an inspiration for his current sculpture pieces.
          3. The fact that his sculptures from "Project Bodycloud" were created using a 3-D printer.
     The examples he shared with us @ architecture from the book: Neufert were also fascinating.

Audacity Podcast Info

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:20:00 -0800

     I created this through trial and error as I edited the 45 minutes of sounds collected to fit in an approximate 1 minute time frame. I thought of different themes as I was editing, but the one that remained consistent during the recording and editing process was: running out of time. When I was recording I found it most interesting to collect sounds of machines and fans (humming, buzzing), elevators moving, doors opening and shutting (which was fun to copy and paste to repeat some of the sounds). Also, it was very interesting to be in the right place at the right time for snippets of conversations I happened upon. The conversations that replayed in the editing process reinforced the theme of time; how are we using it? Where are we going with it? Do we sense that there just isn't enough of it to go around these days?
     At first I listened to the audio as if I were an alien visiting earth for the first time and sent on a mission to collect 'earth' sounds...that was going to be the theme; then somehow it morphed into the sense of urgency I feel with time as soon as I enter campus- the need to be in class on time, the need to get an assignment done on time, etc. Also, when I enter our building I feel as if we are in our own time warp here (different from the surrounding 'outside' world we live in throughout the week); this feeling is compounded by the constant hum of an air vent or fan in the building.
     This podcast starts with the question: "Where are you going?" which I interpret to be taken in a literal sense (time/space) and in a philosophical sense (where am I going in life, not just at the moment, but in the general trajectory of it all)...this ends with the phrase 'there's this guy'...and if it is played as a continual loop, the 'guy' in the elevator can be heard to say "where are you going?" first, then a series of moments leading to "there's this guy"...So, ask yourself...how many times in your own life has the answer to 'where am I going' been 'well, there's this guy' ... Point being, the effect relationships (as well as time) can have on us as we try to find our own answers to the ultimate question- "where are we going?".

Great dance music (or housecleaning; depends on the mood)

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:22:00 -0800

Running Out of Time

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:32:00 -0800

Peaceful Music for this Winter Evening

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:19:00 -0800

The Hawaii we may not know

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:49:00 -0800

A Hauntingly Beautiful Song

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:43:00 -0800

Tres Mas

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:18:00 -0800

Visual entry

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:04:00 -0800

Tied

Iris Filtered

Listening to Soundlab

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:33:00 -0800

http://soundlab.newmediafest.org/e5/index1.html
Edition 5 (soundSTORY)

I chose to listen to : u n c l e j i m

the actual names of the musicians and sound-mixer are Rob and David)
You can read an interview w/ them at: http://soundlab.newmediafest.org/sip/?page_id=50

Their challenge was to create a sound piece that "used sound as a tool for storytelling".

They depicted the sound of an entrance and exit from a room, using layers of "collected sounds along with the human voice and musical components". I was first drawn to this after reading the synopsis of what they chose to do (since it is similar to what I hope to accomplish in my own assignment in class). After listening to this I was even more intriqued by the collage of sound they created and was relieved that they included music in this since I tend to get bored or edgy just listening to environmental collections (unless they are outdoors and from nature).

This reminds me of a soundtrack to a movie combined with a poetic rhythm of voice narrating. I felt peaceful listening to it. It builds and adds layers of depth with an occasional sound of a choir of female voices echoing. When the male voice talks about sound vibrations it puts me in mind of a Pink Floyd styled song. The ending lets you down gently, and as they say in their synopsis, "ultimately boom creates a circular story that implies as well as states". To find out why they entitled this piece 'boom' tune in and read, as well as listen to the whole story :) It will only take @ 5 minutes of your time.

Found at: www.soundlab.newmediafest.org/-soundSTORY-SoundLAB Edition V-2007

more photo viewpts.

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:22:00 -0800

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Mon, 9 Jan 2012 18:03:00 -0800

In the neighborhood

Listening Exercise: The Structural Nature of Sound

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Mon, 9 Jan 2012 17:49:00 -0800

Location and time:

Close to the fire station in the neighborhood I live in at 11 am on a sunny day in January:

Voice of a woman over the loudspeaker announcing a call at the station

Engine of fire truck hums and brakes squeak, then the roar of the engine as it rolls out of the station

The siren is a sudden blast of sharp, shrill, grating and abrasive

Then, as the siren fades into the distance it makes a swirling sound

Silence for a moment, then an unidentifiable bird chirps from a distant tree

As the light at the end of the street changes, cars parade past at varying intervals

Whoosh of air as each car passes me, fragmenting the moments I spend observing

The tires create a distinct flow of sound as they approach and then fade away

A soft breeze rattles a few dry leaves on a nearby tree and a wind chime from a neighboring porch

A crow caws and it sounds like laughter, and then stops as if contemplating something; a moment later this repeats, then is gone

A neighbor pulls into their driveway and a snippet of music plays through the open window of their car; it sounds like country music but I can’t identify the song; this only lasts a few seconds before they turn their engine off

The car door shuts as they leave their car, high heels click across the sidewalk

A car with a bad muffler turns the corner

Another neighbor is walking by with their dog and the chain on the dog collar clinks softly

Honking horns and the sound of a truck at the end of the street down the hill

There is a distinct, yet muted sound of a train whistle as it passes in the distance Train whistles have a haunting quality to them,(but I still find them comforting, perhaps because they remind me of summer days spent at my grandmother’s house)

Many of these sounds reference something concrete:

The cawing of the crow signifies the large black bird that stubbornly decides to stay in the Midwest regardless of days growing colder

The siren references the need for help and an ensuing rescue attempt

The tires on the pavement create a continuous melody of sound, with varied intervals and represent the preferred mode of transportation in the suburbs

I am comforted by the tapestry that is woven by these familiar sounds, (even those that are momentarily unnerving) for they still represent ‘home’ in my neighborhood

Sounds can measure quantities of time in large segments, such as seasonal (i.e. the sound of tires crunching on snow in the winter or spring, lawn mowers and crickets in the summer) or smaller segments, such as the roaring of a racecar each time it passes a certain corner on a racetrack, the ring of a telephone before it is answered, or the clicking of keys on a computer keyboard as a student writes an essay

Sounds create a ‘sense of place’; The sounds one might find in a manufacturing warehouse would unify the feeling of being at a public job as opposed to the dishwasher humming in the kitchen at night in your house as you watch TV; each one represents a distinct environment

Podcast Links

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Thu, 5 Jan 2012 22:01:00 -0800

Podcast Links:

http://www.xenos.org/podcasts/gary.xml (teachings from the Bible) (audio)

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/personal-growth-podcast/id251545184 (http://www.learnoutloud.com/ )
(audio) (@ on-line dating)

http://www.nprmusictinydeskconcerts/
(#12 Video with Yo Yo Ma )

http://www.tedtalksvideoideasworthspreading.com/
(Video/ Daniel Goldstein/ Everyday We Make Decisions)

WestCoastTraveler

noreply@blogger.com (WestCoastTraveler) — Thu, 5 Jan 2012 12:17:00 -0800

College as an Abstract construct

Yep; had those days too

Metamorphosis

Decision Crossroad

Daily

Kingwood

Even in age there is beauty

Good Afternoon