No teaser photo for this post, and no real social commentary … just some personal thoughts and updates. I just took the huge step of ordering a video/photo backdrop setting, lighting, and a camera for recording video. Yes, I could probably do a good deal of that with my phone, but I wanted the external mic, and a number of other goodies that my phone doesn’t really provide. I’ll likely start out with the phone, and then move to the camera as I gain the skills to use it. I also have an old, but very good, digital SLR camera that can be used for still photography, though the newer one will probably do all that and more. I haven’t done any real photography in decades, as I was a darkroom girl back in the day…. but I do love photography, and I need to learn the digital end of things.
I watched a bunch of tutorials, and decided to take the plunge and just do it. Whatever teaching I do from here is likely to be done on video, and so this seems a sound investment professionally — and it also greatly supports the art projects I’m currently doing. The going is slow, the learning curve immense — but I can do this. It’s probably a good thing I recently cut off my hair, because I might pull it all out in the process, otherwise.
Today’s task is to finish reorganizing the physical studio area of my space to allow for the installation of said backdrop and equipment — I’m getting rid of some furniture to make space for it, but that’s just fine. I need to have more things hauled away, in any event.
Crisis has an interesting effect on people. Artists tend to want to make art, but as many of us are also highly emotional creatures, it becomes a battle between curling up in a ball and trying to shut out the world, vs. creating. I find I’m alternating between the two ends of that spectrum. I have bursts of creativity, and productiveness, and then I need to just curl up in bed and watch videos or sleep an obscene amount.
I’m finding it extremely difficult to focus on teaching at the moment — and judging from the amount of students who are asking for extensions, or simply vanishing from sight, I believe they are struggling similarly. I have no idea how we’ll manage grading this semester, but I’m thinking we’ll need to be very lenient, and probably give a lot of incompletes as grades.
In addition to getting caught up on my teaching duties, my goal is to have the studio space organized by the end of next week, and have a few beginning photos and the page completed for the second photo essay. I may get brave and try a theme layout, that allows for multiple photos on a single page. My first attempt at that was pretty bleak, but I’m forcing myself to learn. As painful as the process is, I’m exceedingly proud of myself for sticking to it. It looks as if I can also customize the layout to my liking using the tools, so that might be a less frustrating option. I will definitely be playing around with that for a while.
I’m also wanting to add a page dedicated solely to the Trickster, so that I can include academic references, as well as bits and pieces of my written art thesis. I want to add a page relating to the psychology of crisis, as well. This is turning into a multidisciplinary blog, but that’s how I am, and how I think. It’s one of the gifts of having ADHD — which I definitely have. I wasn’t diagnosed with it until adulthood, and wasn’t medicated for it until this past year, so the landscape of my inner world is that of an ADHD person. The only difference is that now, with medication, I can convey some of said landscape more clearly to others, in ways that are somewhat less circuitous. My oldschool, rather tangential teaching style was once something that my more interested students could follow; it is completely antiquated now, and I need to adapt to my new student base.
The second photo-essay that I am constructing involves visual identity as portrayed solely in a digital manner, as necessitated by the current pandemic and restrictions on meeting and even being outside. There will be much costuming, and many wigs involved in this process — and, I have discovered that there is also a very steep learning curve for how to wear wigs. I’m a novice at this; I wore one in the 90s, when I was hired by an old manager for a corporate job in a conservative office setting. At the time, I had a short bleached buzz-cut, and I have a rather large tattoo on the back of my neck … so I bought a couple of wigs then, and settled on a long, blonde one to wear to work. I didn’t know about products such as glue, wig tape, and such … and lace front wigs weren’t widely available back then, so it looked like a wig. I’ve worn a couple for costumes over the years, but I haven’t worn them properly. I had a very cute Betty Page wig that I wore quite a lot for clubbing and such, in the 90s. I have no idea what happened to it, so I recently purchased another.
Now, I’m learning (from all the fine ladies and gents who share their knowledge on YouTube) how to install a wig properly, which ones are best, how to hack a cheap synthetic wig and make it look convincing, which products to use, and so much more….. There’s actually quite a lot of work involved in customizing a wig, I’ve discovered. I think I will document some of that photographically, as it works into the project well.
That’s enough early morning rambling from me …. I need to hit the pot of coffee I just brewed, and catch up on news, before I start moving heavy objects and trying to consolidate my belongings a bit further. I get the rare pleasure of visiting the nursery today to clean the aviaries, and I have packages to pick up, and a pharmacy visit to make. I will undoubtedly look like a ninja or a very tiny thug, as my “out in the world” attire involves being fully covered, wearing a mask, goggles, and (at times) gloves. I’ve noticed that more and more people in my area are dressing similarly — pretty much everyone wears masks, some wear goggles and a head covering, and many wear gloves. It’s oddly incognito, going out in that attire.
Spatchcocking the Future 