Autobiography

Throughout college, and life in general, I have spent a great deal of time explaining my interests, my goals for the future. As anyone studying in an art or media related field knows you are constantly under fire from peers and adults. “What exactly does media studies mean?” and “Will you ever find a job?” are cringe-inducing questions, but having survived for this long, I think it’s safe to say I’m where I belong. This fascination with media began at a young age, when my dream was to become a great actress. After getting cut from multiple school musicals due to a horrible lack of vocal skills, I set my sights on film and art. I took every art class I could and participated in apprenticeships at the local filmmakers’ studio. Any form for creative output had my attention. I also became obsessed with reading media critiques – film reviews, literature reviews, art reviews, etc. Therefore, when college rolled around the choice seemed obvious; I automatically chose to study communications.
However, I sadly succumbed to the pressure of my parents and ditched the field due to insecurities fostered by constant scrutiny. “Oh, you’ll never find a job.” “My co-worker’s daughter’s sister-in-law studied communications and she works at Kaufmann’s selling shoes now.” So, I caved and I’m not proud of it. I took up a double-major in journalism and art education; setting my sights on becoming a teacher, but still keeping the door open to return to the field of media.
I chose Art Education based on the recommendation from my high school Art Teacher, Maurice Allsopp. My favorite educator, Mr. Allsopp, fostered a love and appreciation for art in students. He also always encouraged me to study what I was truly interested in, and was the first to point out that it’s unrealistic to expect a 17 year-old to know how they want to spend the rest of their life. Advice I still keep in the back of my mind. Mr. Allsopp also recognized in me the ability to relate to others. So off I went down the educators’ path, and participating in the studio environment of my art classes in college taught me how to deal with critique, which would help me in the long run.
After graduation I took several jobs in the teaching field. I enjoyed practicing and teaching art to higher-level students who could engage in intellectual conversations about style and composition. However, the following year I could only find work teaching elementary school. While some educators are ideal for fostering skills and knowledge in young children, it was not my cup of tea, which I can admit. So, I ignored my parents’ pleas to continue substitute teaching for another year in the hopes of finding a full time high school gig, took out a loan, and returned to studying that which I was truly and always interested in.
Now, I definitely learned a few things about myself and my likes and dislikes along the way. I moved several times and traveled around the U.S. and Europe. I held multiple part-time jobs in bars, boutiques, and art galleries. My parents grew to accept I was never going to the “money-maker” in the family, and now lovingly refer to me as their “rolling stone.” So here I am, ready to take the next step in the hopes of beginning my career. So I’ll start with my interests. Obviously I have a strong interest in the fine arts. In college I specialized in ceramics and painting. Aesthetical composition and form have always been aspects of art I enjoyed analyzing and critiquing. In addition, I’m an avid fan and practitioner of bold color use. I veer towards the abstract and the postmodern. Favorite artists include Kandinsky, Klee, Schiele, Warhol, and Ray, filmmakers being Tarantino, Danny Boyle, Gilliam, and Michele Gondry; and graphic novelists include Chris Ware ad Jeffery Brown. Needless to say I enjoy unconventional narratives. I must also state that I am a magazine junkie. This stems for a long line of family members obsessed with news, fashion, and celebrity gossip. Vanity Fair, Vogue, People, GQ, W, Interview, and Time littered coffee tables at home. There was always something to look at and absorb. In addition, due to my step-mother’s profession as a computer-programmer, my household was one of the first in the neighborhood to get the internet, and my sisters and I furiously chatted away on America Online. “New” media had officially entered my life.
After college I engaged in the standard unemployed, post-grad ritual – I backpacked across Europe for six weeks. One of the most amazing experiences of my life, I spent hours each day reflecting and acting upon the new and exciting environment around me. My traveling companion and I journeyed to cities and country-sides. We hiked in the Alps and dodged mopeds in London; my appreciation for all kinds of landscapes deepening. At the end of our voyage, I returned home and firmly decided that I could never live with my parents. I packed my bags and moved to Chicago to live with an old friend. Chicago was a time of great self-discovery. It was cold and dreary. I was surprised by the lack of diversity my new neighborhood had to offer. I substitute taught within the public-school system and was instantly disillusioned due to the poor organization. However, one positive thing my time in Chicago afforded me was work in a local art gallery. It was there that I was able to try my hand at designing and constructing window displays, in addition to producing advertisements for the gallery. I loved the practice of art-making that would affect the public.
I returned home to Pittsburgh the following spring to take up a position as a long-term substitute in a high school art classroom. I enjoyed working with my advanced classes, structuring classes around contemporary artists and issues, and I loved acting as a teacher and advisor to my students. Sadly, my position ended with the school-year and I was back on the job hunt. I found employment as the art teacher for a small, private elementary school, and by the end of the year had almost sworn off teaching altogether. While I was the sole art personnel in the school with total creative control, with little funding and lack of resources, I spent most of my day feeling frustrated. It was then that I decided if I was to stay in teaching I could only teach higher-level classes. Since art education is moving in the direction of new media, and understanding visual communications, I decided I would work towards becoming a college professor to educate future educators about the “art” of today. So I began applying to graduate programs. While this was taking place, I revived my own art production. I started designing and creating again, rediscovering my love for art and the creative process.
In the spring of 2009 I was accepted to the program at The New School, and didn’t think twice about attending. I knew that I needed to finish what I started back in undergrad and work towards a more media-oriented degree. Due to my background of theory and practice in Art Education, I knew this program suited me perfectly. I love learning about the historical theory behind the production. In addition, I knew I wanted to increase my creative production abilities.
Therefore, I know I like theory and I know I like practice. I know I like design and producing it effectively to present an intended message. I know I like to create. I know I like travel and urban experiences. I love images of cityscapes and the hustle and bustle of the people. I love absorbing the art that covers every city corner and studying how people collectively react to this environment. All in all, I know I like how the social structures in the urban environment and how they interact with media.
My hopes for my education in this program are geared towards an equal number of theory and practice courses, as the goal of The New School is provide a harmonious balance between the two. I want to be able to contribute creatively to the field; enhancing design that will reach urban audiences, but also include a more creative, experimental aesthetic. I want to study how to achieve that effect. In addition, I’ve recently become very interested in Political Communication. I’d like to take some classes to understand how the creative design and proper utilization of new media can contribute to advancing the political economy of media and media awareness. I hope to examine how these tools can help broadcast issues to larger audiences and encourage (inter)action.
Some classes I am interested in taking are design courses: The Design Process, Emerging Media and Documentary Practices, Storytelling Through Visual Analysis, Media Practices: Design and Interactive, and political communication theory courses: Political Communication, Political Economy of Media, Media and Social Theory, Project in Media Advocacy. Therefore, as of right now, I plan to go with the Thesis option of the program. I know I’d like to do more research in regards to how societies collectively interpret and share media experiences; how we all engage within our visual culture. However, due to my interests in the fine arts, I’d like to study the differences between abstraction and realism in design especially in regards to affecting larger audiences. Therefore, I’d eventually like to return to school to obtain a PhD, in the hope that additional research, aided by my continual experience, will lead to a position working in academia. I do not know how all of this will come together to create one, clear track within my education but I know I’m where I need to be to begin the journey, and this opportunity for further learning will steer me down the right path.