Victor D. Franco *final entry*

05.01.10


All assignments:

Bring in basic tools
Autobiographical questionnaire
Being Mindful blog (on-going)
In-class (handful of clay)Time Commitment
40 Maniplations from given words
Four 12' x 12' drawings of slections from Manipulations
Read Wayne's Art and Expectation speech
Go to Fosdick Nelson faculty show and look at Wayne's piece and...
Come up with a question to post on blog for Wayne's piece
Four Elements
Four drawings on 12' x12' of finished Four Elements
Container (Conceptual Box) for 12 Manipulations
The 'Perfect' Box
A site (pedestal)for the 'Perfect' Box
Help Mahlon load glaze/greenware kilns (on-going throughout semester)
Bring in two objects: one natural, one manmade
Drawing of the two objects combinations
Hybrid Sculpture of two objects
8 Press Molds based on final Hybrid Sculpture
Glazing of 8 Press Molds
Attend the Raku firing (see events)
Project Phoenix
The final blog entry

Videos, events, and formal crits/discussions:
Maya Lin
Half-American, half Japenese guy (forgot name)
Louise Nevelson
Mahlon Artist Talk
Wayne Artist Talk
Two Tea Party Crits
The Raku Firing


The MOST DIFFICULT moment:

A combination of five moments: When my Four Elements piece cracked and continued to crack, when I first discovered my 'Perfect Box' was nowhere to be found, when I first discovered my pedestal for my 'Perfect Box' was lost, when Mahlon made me feel stupid with his patronizing attitude (mockingly completing a sentence for me after asking me a question about what I was doing), and when I had to apologize to Mahlon. Most of all, the most difficult moment was having to apologize to Mahlon because I was extremely embarassed for having sent out an angry e-mail to him and other members of the class implying that it was his fault my pedestal was missing. Later on I found out that my pedestal was in a seperate kiln and had been unloaded at a later time. I also realized that Mahlon, like I, had the right to make mistakes. Human errors are the most taxing for me. I dislike failing those around me and I also dislike feeling like I have no control. Surrending my frustration and humbling myself before Mahlon, or it could have been almost anyone, was the worst moment. This moment made me realize further, as I have always known, that I cannot always trust my firey Latino blood (feelings) and that I need to cool down before acting. I tend to be really emotional.


The BEST moment:

When I got to break all my pieces, except for my pedestal (which I will hold on to). This was my best moment because it was very therapeutic. Thank you Wayne. After all the misery, it's over -it hit me then. All this was all very fallible, and very temporary -it was only around to make me learn a few things. We all break...sometimes.