a layer of strokes, making sure to include the landmass
the effect when put by a window with sunlight coming through.
the three parts laid out on the floor
I enjoyed this process. I’m curious how to hang these. I really like the effect of the under painting coming through the starry pattern when back lit. I’m wondering how to achieve that effect in a gallery setting. That would be lovely if there were no cords– I don’t want a painting I have to plug in, but I’d also like to have an off mode, too. I will have to ask my electronic savvy friends for an instruct-able.
I’m starting to play with the border edge in these pieces for the #cosmicbunny series. I use brown, black, green, purple, and blue to create a dark base. Use the magic pen to create a texture and a figure with props (bunny with boom boom is common). Then, like filling out a multiple choice test, I fill in the ovals that are like imperfect rice grains swirling around in a two dimensional world, employing a variety of approaches. I like the starry night feel of the swirls and I am wondering what other shapes I can make with the impressionistic technique.
The title of this work is “Overwhelming Sky.” You can see the process of creating this work in layers and stages. Using a method to create a tangible pattern with first finding the stars and flowers in the pattern and then coloring outward in an orderly fashion, I created an impressionistic piece with a downward movement.
Title of piece: “Uplifting Impression of Mind-Bending Resignation” Turns out there’s an Abstract Art Title Generator. http://noemata.net/pa/titlegen/
I’m still working with the magic pens, discovering new effects. I’m intrigued by the layers. Recently, I’ve worked with the “confetti effect” and I thought about how to organize the coloring of the little rice-sized marks. Creating a coast and then following it with different colors is one way. Random is always an option. I like it when there are little pools or clusters of color (seen in this piece on the right bottom, that form interesting shapes. Using bright colors in the background and foreground flattens the work. In other pieces (like the one below), I’ve used duller/darker colors in the first layer and then brighter specks in the second layer, creating what I consider to be a glistening water surface effect.
This was during a coworking session with a new friend. It was nice having her around to gaze at the process and comment on what the titles should be. She’s creative and was working on a few projects herself.
I looked up the smallest size USPS will accept for postcards (3.5in by 5in). After working at larger scales, it seems amazing how many I can do in a session.
“The Best Part of Waking Up is Cosmic Bunny in Your Cup”
“The Importance of Marvels (ala Magritte)”
Here, in no particular order are some drawings I did in the past month. I haven’t had the frame of mind to do blog specifically about them. I’ve been using Pinterest a lot more to gather inspiring techniques/motifs. I’ve been enjoying the layering of the Magic Pens and markers and in more recent drawings, black paint pens and corrective fluid pens.
This last couple of weeks, I was filled with a curiosity and passion to understand the “Neo-Futurists Aesthetic.” See: Neo-Futurists – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Auditions were held for the SF Neo-Futurists last weekend, and I tried out. A prepared two-minute original play was requested for each auditioner.
I created and performed the Illustrated Punologue.
[Katarina stands midstage, with a stack of 9”x12” basic line drawings with minimal coloration. The drawings are oriented landscape. She holds them in a presentation fashion, facing the audience. Each italicized-bold word is a different drawing. She effortlessly tosses each drawing to the floor to reveal the next drawing while supplies last. The drawings fall to the floor with a natural and organic spread.]
Katarina: Good evening buoys and gulls. Even, though I’m the new squid on the dock, you’re about to get schooled. Hey Anyfin is possible. There are some orcaward puns I’m going to trout. I’m not shore. Water you think? My friends bassed me to do it. Talk about pier pressure!
About me, I like to keep it reel. I can be koiand seal-y, but sometimes I can be sofishticated. I’m a snapper dresser. Also, thrifty. I’ll shop at the cheaper stores, all but Ross.
I like currentevents, but I’m open minded. I like to hear from both tides, you know, look at things from a different angler. I probably shouldn’t talk about the upcoming eelection, but I can’t kelp myself.
Gillary Clamton or her opp-prawn-nent Bermy Sand dollars? Good reef! She takes anemoney from brig banks, or at least that’s what I’ve been herring. She’s not getting my boat. I’m dolphinately rooting for Bernie. He’s salmon who moves with porpoise. He needs to fine-tuna his policies. What does he think about common coral? I think with a little mussel, he can crab the nomination. The race aincho-hvy(aint over) yet.
What whale this election mean for our future? Dystopian? Everyone dressed stingray? Scannable barracudas on every neck, canoe imagine?
Now let’s a picture a turtle 180. A future with flying carp and otternewttechnologies. Keep urchin up! Don’t just want change. Beach change!
For those arriving lake, I’m krilling it up here. It cod’nt be better! I’m kraken myself up! I egret I have no moray to say! If you see me later, feel free to wave.
CURTAIN
Below is a video of me presenting the punologue sitting down on a couch in my house.
NOTE: The audition process is a confidential event so, with the permission of the SF Neo-Futurists’ director, I will only be sharing the assignments and my pieces performed in this blog post. Also, these assignment descriptions are paraphrased.
I was called back for the second part of the audition: a creative workshop with 12 other auditioners and the SF Neo-Futurists team. In this two session event, the auditioners created new original pieces with stipulations to be performed and discussed.
Assignment 1: Before the first session, we had a few days’ notice to prepare a 2-minute play in the Neo-futuristic aesthetic and perform it at the first session. Added stipulations: the piece must use the specified word in some way. Not every auditioner had the same word, though some repeated. Mine was “floating.”
[The play starts with a black out. Katarina walks out onstage with a pink balloon attached to a pink silk ribbon that measures about 4 yards. The ribbon is in her mouth. The recording plays throughout the piece. The recording is an instrumental with a layer of clips from Katarina’s last therapy appointment, recorded and presented here with her therapist’s permission. The recording also has some dialogue which is in the script below. The light comes on after 5 seconds of Katarina moving slowly and subtly raising her arms. Katarina paces across the stage and lets out ribbon from her mouth; the balloon slowly rises. 1 minute later…]
Katarina: Okay. Hold up.
[The music and therapy track stops on the recording.]
Katarina: [addressing a higher part in the theatre, a space above the audience] This is from my therapy appointment, isn’t it?
Recording: You certainly sound sad in this session.
Katarina: Yeah. It’s not all bad though.
Recording: Here. Alright, I’m going to continue playing the track while you dance with a balloon on a possibly absurdly long string.
Katarina: Is this too personal?
Recording: Don’t worry. Just look at them.
[Katarina looks at Audience.]
Recording: The audience. They’re eating it up.
Katarina: [addressing a higher part in the theatre, a space above the audience] Are you sure?
Recording: No, I’m not sure. I’m a recording.
Katarina: Right, right. Touché.
Recording: Now, just a couple more bars and finish with a bow and I think that will be it.
[Music cues back up. Katarina puts the ribbon back into her mouth, dances more, letting out the ribbon more, grabbing it with her hands, pulling it out at its full length, getting wrapped into it, lowering herself to the ground, pulling the balloon down until it touches the ground as the music ends. Lights off.]
CURTAIN
Assignment 2: Before the first session, we had a few days’ notice to prepare ourselves with a topical topic (a current event or topic that won’t be relevant in 3 months or so) to base a 2-minute play in the Neo-futuristic aesthetic and perform it at the second session. Added stipulations: the piece must use the other members of your team (there were three people in each team), write their roles with their individual voice/skills/perspective in mind. We had opportunities in the first session to get to know our team members, brief them with our chosen topics, give input and ask questions. At the end of the first session, another stipulation was added, different for each person. Mine was “audience interaction.”
[A folding chair is placed stage center in the very back of the stage. A waste basket is stage Front Left. Simon, Vanessa and Katarina stand in a row in stage center. Katarina holds a basket and open tray divided into two parts: one side has 12 blue M&M’s and the other side has 12 green M&M’s.]
Vanessa: [addressing the audience] I’d like 5 audience volunteers! Great. [She directs them to in front of the folding chair] Just stand in a line right here and face the audience, cross your arms, and look mean.
Katarina:[addressing Simon] I’m sorry. You are disqualified from the play. Just try not to get in our way.
[Simon goes to stage Back Left and tosses a crumpled up piece of paper, aiming for the wastebasket. He goes up to retrieve it and returns to stage Back Left and repeats this action for the rest of the play.]
Katarina:[addressing the audience] We’re going to have a little election. The blue M&M’s are for Hillary Clinton and the green M&M’s are for Bernie Sanders. To vote, you take the color M&M of the person you want to vote for and put it in this basket. Any questions?
[Katarina starts with audience Left, front row and offers the basket/tray to each audience member, going up the stairs and down each row, going down the stairs until everyone has had the opportunity to vote. Some might ask “What are the colors again?” Katarina is helpful and answers any questions to make sure the process is clear. Katarina returns to the stage and counts the M&M’s, then reaches into the basket and throws a small handful of M&Ms over her shoulder.]
Katarina:[addressing the audience] All those in favor of the play ending early, say aye! All opposed say neigh. Ayes have it!
CURTAIN
Assignment 3: Assigned at the end of the second session– write a 10-30 second play based off a significant moment/day in your life. Imagine the sights, sounds, smells, touches, tastes, feelings, and emotions and consider recreating/reimagining/responding to these things in your piece. You can only use one line of text.
[A folding chair is placed stage center in the very front of the stage, a couple of feet from front row. Katarina sits in it. She looks at the audience and opens up a clear glass bottle filled with a small amount (3 fingers) of water. She takes a swig from the bottle and closes it.]
Katarina:[addressing the audience, smiling, conversational in tone] He kept giving me this look… [Giving eye contact around the audience as if telling a story at a party]… like I was the killer… [Dramatic pause for effect] and I was.
CURTAIN
Ultimately, I did not get invited to join the SF Neo-Futurists. I had a very great time getting to know other creative thespians in the Bay Area and seeing amazing new work done in the Neo-futurist style. I plan on auditioning again at the next opportunity and in the meantime, exploring this aesthetic more.
A big thanks to everyone who helped me prepare with facts about the Nevada Convention and the electoral process, to everyone who gave me feedback on my plays, to my teammates for performing perfectly, to the SF Neo-Futurists who saw something in my audition and invited me to callbacks and their administration of the best creative sessions I’ve ever been to. ❤
Determined to transform the party, the senator is aiming to amass enough leverage to press his agenda at the convention — or even wrest the nomination.
In this week’s politics chat, we consider Bernie Sanders, his present and future. The transcript below has been lightly edited. micah (Micah Cohen, politics editor): It’s been awhile since we reall…
When Americans woke up on November 8, 2000—the day after the presidential elections—it was unclear whether Democrat Al Gore or Republican George W. Bush had won. There had been anomalies in the polls in Florida, and there was uncertainty as to which candidate the state should award its electoral votes, which would decide the election.
Days after a convention in which leaders incited chaos and disorder, the Nevada State Democratic Party demonized supporters of Bernie Sanders in a letter written to the Democratic National Committee.
the floor” of the state convention “ignoring the regular procedure and ramming through what they wanted to do.”— Jeff Weaver on Tuesday, May 17th, 2016 in a television interview on CNNAllegations of fraud
Three tier explanation of the Nevada Convention https://www.reddit.com/r/SandersForPresident/comments/4jid77/basic_stepbystep_of_what_went_down_yesterday_at/
Under a system of Federalism, there are levels of government – local, state, federal. Each level of government has its own responsibilities/powers. State governments have control of elections. That is why we’ve seen states pass discriminatory voting laws. It is also a matter of confusion when we go about choosing our presidential candidates (federal level) in primaries or caucuses performed in states.
As you know, a president is chosen through the electoral college system. Whichever candidate wins the most votes gets all the electoral votes of that state. The primary/caucus system is similar. There are National political parties, state political parties, and local ones. Most states use a general election for primaries. Citizens vote and a winner is chosen. Winners get delegates. Delegates cast their votes for the nominee. In some states, it is winner-take-all. In others it is proprotional. Some states are still using a caucus. A caucus is when a group comes together and openly discusses the candidates and then votes. The individual votes cast are open – sometimes by raising hands or moving to corners of the room. Very old school.
Did you hear about what happened in Nevada?
According to how that particular party at the state level has chosen to do it, the delegates might all go to one winner or it might be proportional. As far as Nevada is concerned, I’ve read conflicting accounts but it sounds as if some proper procedures were not adhered to. I’m not sure what it will mean but doubt that it will mean anything. People who control party politics like to stay in control.
Ok. Cool. Thank you. I’m going to be writing a two minute play about it for an audition to a theatre troupe. Is there anything more you’d like to add?
Superdelegates would be funny in capes.
What’s a super delegate?
Superdelegates are party members who can cast their vote for whomever they want at the National Convention. Democratic govenors and Democratic members of Congress are among them. The history of superdelegates is pretty interesting.
Do you know and could explain the history?
Up until 1972, there really wasn’t a primary system in place. The 1968 convention is historical for the rioting that took place. Afterwards, McGovern initiated getting states to have primaries and it started with the 1972 election. The democrats lost that election in a TERRIBLE defeat. The predominant thinking was that too much power was given to the primary election results when, in fact, few of the citizens were voting in them. So they wanted to give some control back to party leaders so that candidates WHO COULD WIN would be nominated.
It made sense at the time.
😕 ok. That was 40 years ago
So now we have a citizenry that DOES vote in primaries and what they want is sometimes different from what party leaders want. Yes and a lot has changed in 40 years. Especially with this large generation of millennials who are socially and politically active. Maybe you could make your Superdelegates die. Haha
In your play. You know how Superman can only be killed by kryptonite? Maybe there’s something that can kill Superdelegates.
I was thinking it would be fun to demonstrate how we vote with caucuses by showing a scene where a group of people vote on what kind of pizza they want to get.
Kismet Arts Tangent 