Georgia O'Keefe

Georgia Tatto O’Keefe is a woman painter who truly captured the Southwest in every piece she created.  She was born in 1887 in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin on a small dairy farm and decided at the age of 10 that she would be an artist.  After graduating high school, she attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, but for a short time.  After one year, she moved to New York where her art really took flight in 1916.  After many years and several annual visits, she moved to the Southwest, Santa Fe, New Mexico, to really expand her artistic abilities.

Georgia O’Keefe is widely known for her magnified floral pictures.  She would take a small flower and magnify it hundreds of times onto a canvas.  She wanted to take a different direction than other artists and really show the beauty of the flower as opposed to just a glimpse.  She wanted to really capture its beauty.  People were enthralled by her different approach and loved her pictures.

Once she moved to Santa Fe, she began really capturing the Southwestern culture.  She painted pictures of adobe churches, cultural objects, and the bones and rocks she would find lying around the desert floor.  She loved the beauty in everything she saw, and when she felt the right inspiration, she painted.

As a person coming from New Mexico, I really did not see anything in the bones lying around, or the churches I would see all the time, but when I look at Georgia O’Keefe’s paintings, I see so much beauty and I can see the unique quality of culture that you can really only find in New Mexico.  I think that is what she wanted to show people.

Childhood Symbol

 I don't know about you, but this symbol means a whole lot to me.  This symbol IS  my childhood.  It is Nickelodeon's orange slime splattered on a white wall with Nickelodeon written in the middle.  Nickelodeon, or Nick, is a television network that caters to children, and adults, through funny cartoons and live action TV.

Nick arose from the American culture in the late 1970s, that had a line-up that wasn't exactly for children at that time.  AS time passed, the shows became more kid friendly with some "hidden" innuendo.

Nickelodeon holds a different symbol for different people.  It could mean the best TV to one person, and the worst TV to others *cough, Disney lovers, cough*. Nick symbolizes childhood for me.  I grew up on it.  I woke up early every Saturday morning to watch it with my cousins and siblings--our ritual.  I would watch it at my grandma's house after her soup operas.  I would watch it after I got home from school.  This IS my childhood.  This symbol is fun, messy, amusing, exciting and it honestly makes me think that Rugrats or Hey Arnold is about to come on.

The connotation that comes with this Nickelodeon symbol is childhood memories.  If I showed this picture to the people in my generation, I am positive that it would bring a smile to their face.  All of my friends and I have watched or at least seen this symbol splatter onto the TV in between shows.  It let us know that there was more and that we didn't have to get up to leave and do other things--we were invited to stay.  This image holds so many memories for people in our culture.

My Morbid Curiosity...

          I actually really enjoyed Morbid Curiosity, which actually sounds ironic given the name. Everything was just so interesting!

          From the bone chandelier to the mound of clothing.  What struck me at the very beginning was how much the skeleton theme reminded me of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a Mexican celebration of the dead. It reminded me of the parties and celebrations back home with my friends and their families.  As I moved further into the exhibit, though, that feeling quickly disappeared.  I was frightened and disgusted by everything I was seeing.  At times, I felt that the people the sculptures could be representing would be insulted by such a grotesque display.  One in particular was the display of a half deteriorated body.  As I really examined it, the statue seemed to come alive and I actually threw up a little bit looking at it!

           I was really excited to see the Guerra de la Paz portion of the exhibit because I had done research on them.  My favorite piece was the mound of clothing that sat in the center at the back of the room.  I found it interesting how many different articles of clothing there was and in how many different colors.  I couldn't help but wonder who might have worn these pieces of clothes and where they are now. I find it so fascinating that they wanted to bring people and spirits back to life by using their clothes. I had never thought about the life that remained in clothing after its wearer passed away or just stopped wearing it.  I think about that now when I get clothes from my sister.  I think about what she must have done, where she had gone, who she met, etc.  I think it's the coolest thing and the best fossil of our time.

           I definitely had a good time at this exhibit. It got me really thinking and wondering what these artist must have experienced to want to creat such art.  I don't think they just woke up one morning and said they were going to create dead people for art.  What did they go trough? Could they have experienced a horrible death? Did someone close to them die out of the blue? Do these people FEAR death??  I wonder what they must think of the afterlife...

Dinamic Duo!

Guerra de la Paz is the combined name of an American artist duo.  Alain Guerra and Neraldo de la Paz were dorn in Cuba in 1968 and 1955 respectively.  They currently live in Miami, FL where they create their one-of-a-kind art. 

Alain Guerra was born in Havana, Cuba.  He went to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL and the Center for the Expressive Arts in Miami, FL.  Neraldo de la Paz was born in Mantanzas, Cuba.  He went to Northern Illinois University in De Kalb, IL and graduated in 1978 with a BFA in Drawing/Painting.  Guerra and de la Paz have been working with each other since 1996, creating crazy sculptures out of recycled objects.  They create all of their work with a base of some kind of universal message. They use old clothing to create their work, and their sculptures symbolize political conflicts and consumerism issues as well as some symbols of faith.  They work very closely with the Pepe business of Little Haiti, which allows them access to a variety of clothes.  They believe that they are "relics that once helped define an individual's personality."  They view their practice as a kind of “archeology.”  A lot of their sculptures involve the feet and legs of people which symbolize working together as a community.  One sculpture in particular titled Nine shows nine legs holding up a heap of clothing.  They say that it is testimony to the strength and value of community.

Guerra and de la Paz do group presentations of their work as well as individual presentations all over the United States, with a couple in the UK, one in Turkey and one in Switzerland.



Identity Exploration

Hippie.  That seems to be what people think of me when I start to share my beliefs.  My dad always tells me that I was born in the wrong decade.  He thinks that he will see me on the news one day tied up to a tree yelling "SAVE THE TREES!! SAVE THE TREES!!" (...that could actually happen)  He laughs at me when I talk about how the government is no good and how they use and manipulate us (he works for the government, by the way).  I can be almost certain that a lot of people think this or something similar when I first share what I think.


I am a vegetarian, humanitarian and peace activist.  I hope to volunteer for the peace corps one day and I want to save the rain forests.  I love all animals (but I don't 'like' dogs) and I am sad that the beluga whale is going extinct.  I love long dresses/skirts and putting flowers in my hair.  I listen to indie music and visit 'peace' websites.  I have the 'hippie motto' tattooed down my back in kanji.  This. Is. Me.


Its crazy when I share these things with people that they automatically have the same thoughts as my father.  They call me a tree hugger (which I am happy to be) and some say that I am one of those people who care more about the survival of others than our own survival.  When people who don't know me hear what I believe in, I can guarantee the first thing to pop into their heads is the 60s.  They automatically think that I am some new age hippie ready to TAKE DOWN THE MAN!


It's weird because my best friend is like my twin, but she is into ROTC and the Air Force and stuff, and I am all for peace and living in tranquility.  When I hang out with her and her friends, I can't stand it! They are mostly republican and conservative and I absolutely hate being around those kind of people.  I don't know if it is actually because of my hippie-like qualities or if it's because I hate close-minded people, but when I am around them, I just want to pull my hair out!


Hmmm...Was I really born in the wrong decade?  I often think to myself, if I were to go back to the 60s, would I really group myself with the 'hippies?'  I find it really exciting thinking about this actually...What even makes a hippie a hippie?  Why can't I just be a person who CARES?  Why can't I be an all american girl who won't eat hot dogs on the Fourth of July?  Why can't I hang out with my best friend and her friends without judging or being judged?  Bahhh.  It's just craziness, I tell you...

Tattoos

This is a young girl whose heart has been broken a few times.  I don't think she is that much older than 20.  She is a very pretty girl, but I think she is heart broken.  I feel like she has given her heart to people who have returned it in awful conditions.  I think the mechanical heart symbolizes repair.  I think the heart is trying to repair itself but is having a hard time.  None of the gears or mechanics look like they belong together, so I am thinking that she she had to keep repairing her heart in different ways to keep it from completely falling apart.  There is a large crack on the bottom right side that looks like it won't ever repair.  I think she might be permanently hurt by someone or something.  The red swirls on the bottom and top may be there to make it look nicer, but I think they represent the blood escaping from the broken heart.
"A FIN" written underneath I think might mean finished or end.  She is done having broken hearts and wants it to be over.  I think she cares a lot about who she trusts now and who she is willing to give her heart to.

Views, Values n' Vegetables!!

I have been a vegetarian for almost two years.  Of course, be then, I ate as much meat as any normal person.  My favorite meat food was hot wings.  I loved Hooter's hot wings.  I also ate many cheese burgers!  Now that I'm thinking about it....YUCK!
My junior year in high school, I took a Marine Biology class.  In this class, I watched a documentary called Dolphin's Cove.  Basically, it was about the game of killing dolphins.  I was so disgusted, and that was when I decided to really research the food I was eating.  After much research, I made the choice to stop eating meat.
This is the origin of my identity as a vegetarian.  I not only wanted to stop eating meat, but I wanted to stop eating the animals around me.  I decided that I wanted to live a more harmonious life with the world and creatures around me.  I became a certified tree (and animal) hugger!
As I approach my topic of Vegetarians in Chicago, I want to explore the reasons of becoming a vegetarian and the impact that it could have on other communities.  Being a vegetarian can go deeper than just being a dietary decision.  I made the choice because I wanted to be more in harmony with the world around me.
I feel like my own beliefs will influence the way I approach this topic in such a positive way.  I am excited to find out how other vegetarians feel and how they live their lives just by changing one small thing in their diets.  I am always open to learn new things about subjects I am already familiar with, so I am hoping this topic will really give me more insight on my own choices.
Overall, I am just excited to explore this topic.  I am always willing to listen and learn about other point-of-views and I feel like this could make me feel more close to my values.

Cultural Text: SNL

When I think about culture, I think about the things that interest us, make us cry, make us happy and make us laugh.  I find it fascinating that we all different from each other, but that we can have so many things in common.  We look at our society today and we all have similar problems, worries, goals and interests.  I think about television and how through satire, it seems that we can all relate in one way or another.

Saturday Night Live is THE BEST example.  I am not a devout watcher, but when I do watch it, I cannot help but laugh, poke fun at myself and just say "I so know what they mean!"  I feel like we can all relate to what they are laughing at or joking about.  It blows my mind that at the end of busy week at work or school, we as a nation can get together and tune into a single show that will make us laugh at what happened during the week.

Saturday Night Live consists of sketch comedy and satire.  They take any issue or current pop culture and poke fun at it.  The show consists of many comedians and American Stars.  When it came out in the 70s, when this show first aired, there were so many things going on.  The country was changing, revolting and warring.  People were going against each other and the government and it seemed like there just needed to be an outlet.  I feel that Saturday Night Live enabled people to stop what they were doing for a moment and just laugh!

This show IS culture.  It takes everything that we as a nation calls our culture and makes fun of it.  It takes what is currently popular and makes us wonder, "why the hell we enjoy that so much?!"  It can also take things that we were so worried about during that week and make us feel a little more at ease.
We go to watch this show to wind down, take a breath and laugh.  Almost anyone who watches can relate and understand that sometimes, you just need to take a step back and laugh at your own culture and way of life.

Project Topics

1.  Veggie City: Being a Vegetarian in Chicago
I want to find out more about being a vegetarian in a big city and being part of the vegetarian community.  Are there some kind of support groups?  Is there a major area where mostly vegetarian's hang out?  Where are the major places to eat?  I want to explore the community and find out any challenges as well as successes of being a vegetarian.

2.  The Whole World's a Stage:  Theatre Life in Chicago
I want to explore the life on stage in Chicago.  I want to visit different theaters and theatre companies and get an idea of the inner workings.  I am an aspiring actor, so I want to know what it takes to get there.  I want to find out more about being an actor here in Chicago as opposed to New York or LA.

3.  Being Green in a Big City
In a huge city, it may be challenging to live a lifestyle that is not harming the environment.  I want to look at what Chicago is doing as a city to go green.  I want to see how far people go to keep their busy lifestyles green.

Assignment I

    My name is Samantha Jai Henderson. I am named after my grandfather, Samuel James Henderson, who passed away just a little while before I was born. I was born on the 26th day of September in the year 1992 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I am a person who strongly believes in peace, love and freedom.  I have a tattoo on my back along my spine that says “peace love freedom” in Kanji, a Japanese script.  I try my best to be the change I want to see in the world and I hope to one day make a difference.

    In my spare time, I like to do crafts, bake and just think about impossible things.  I like having time to myself, but my biggest fear is being alone.  I like to have friends or family close by just so that I know there is someone around me who cares.  Don’t get me wrong, I am a very independent girl, but when it comes to actually being by myself, I hate it.

    In my spare time, I also love to watch movies. I enjoy several different genres like romance, comedy, horror, mystery, adventure and cartoon. My favorite actors are Will Smith and Johnny Depp. They inspire me to do my best despite what anyone else thinks of me. They have so much fun in what they do and they are always willing to go the extra mile to put on a good performance. They inspire me greatly to become an amazing performer like them.

    In my pursuit to become an actor, I felt that I needed to learn so much more about my craft. I chose to attend Columbia College so that I could learn in an environment that was open and not constrained to the idea of being “the perfect actor.”  At Columbia, I am given the freedom to express and grow in a way that fits me perfectly.  I get to learn at my own pace and I don’t feel a pressure of having to be perfect in everything I do.  I am encouraged to give 100% in anything and everything.

    With that being said, I feel that by performing and acting, I can express myself in any way possible. I feel that by acting, I can truly get my point across to a listener or viewer. I feel that if I were to express a concern or feeling about a subject, the only way I can really do it is by performing.  I can really get into what I feel by acting, thus showing my viewer exactly what I mean to express.

    By being in this writing and rhetoric course, I hope to learn more ways of expression. I hope to explore different mediums and experiment with other things I may not be so comfortable with. I also hope to learn some things that could help me as a performer, maybe by listening or reading different stories and gaining ideas, or seeing someone else perform in the class. I am concerned, however, about being able to express myself fully in another medium.  I have gotten so comfortable with my own medium that changing to another one could affect my results. On a lighter note, I AM excited about this course and the opportunities it holds.