Wednesday, June 30, 2010: Chelsea, Mentor, & Man Date

I love the colors in this scenery of skyscrapers against the clouds.
My Frank steak I bought at Whole Food on 59th street at the Farmer Market with strawberry salad and potatoes. I was satisfied it was good.
Later today I had a meeting with my mentor at 5pm coming back late from Chelsea. Bryan was already waiting for me at the NYCAMS space so I gave him a tour of the space and mine with my artwork on display. Then we walked over to Starbucks which he offered to buy me a drink. We walked over to Madison Square Park where we sat on a bench and talked about our lives. He asked a lot about how I feel the project is going and how our collaboration groups are coming along. He talked about family and his trip to Detroit in a couple days for a family vacation. Since he will be gone for a week, it was good that we met up and we probably won't meet up against till July 17 or 18 when he can come back and see our finished product for our art show. While at Madison Square Park we people watch spotting what we thought was a crazy man talking to either himself or a bunch of pigeons but we realize he had a script in his hand so he must've been an acting student practicing his monologue. We saw two man who appear to be fighting but were really spurring against each other probably someone personal trainer. We talk about a lot of different things like what I will do after project is over to what I will do after college. After our conversation he asked if he can be any help with the project and how he can pray for me which I appreciated.

Apparently in New York there are 60 free "Play Me, I'm Yours" pianos scattered throughout New York City public spaces. When we first got to New York we spot one at Herald Square near Herald Towers where our housing it. Joseph found another Sing for Hope non-profit group piano located behind the golden statue at Columbus Circle. The cool part is Joseph was able to play and I was surprise to hear how well he can play.
Today we had a lot of studio time at NYCAMS which we use to make progress with our group collaboration. My group regather and collect our thoughts about the comments express during our first critique. We decide if we want to do images for the lightbox that are personal that it will naturally come through because we feel convicted in doing so. Jayson and I express we would like to work on images that have personal meaning to us, so that solve some concern if we were being genuine with our project. I feel my biggest "betrayal" remain to be seen with my relationship with my earthly father. My relationship with my father had developed over the years from feeling betrayed by his absence in my life spending more time at work than at home. For that reason I feel anguish against him and although I had forgiven him at times I find myself bitter about our relationship. I had made strides in constipating loss time with my father but whenever conflict arise between us I would accuse him guilty of being absent in my life which I learn is unfair.

Jayson I had notice shed some tears over his memories spent in the hospital after being diagnosed with Chrome disease. He has a severe case of Chrome disease which he didn't find out about till he had two intestinal surgeries to fix his digestive process because of the surgeries he can not digest any salad. Jayson had shared parts of his story to me butt I feel there's more to his story than what he had already shared. I can see how much he hate revisiting the past, so I understood how at first he rejected the idea of "going there". But after hearing others, I believe Jayson see that art can be a therapeutic healing process not only for Jayson but for others to share in. We made a list of what materials we would need today and call it a day.

After spending so much time in the studio I think the students were antsy and want to get out of the space into the busy pulse of the city life. David, Caleb, Daniel and I went to different Chelsea gallery hopping from 29th/28th Street between 10/11 avenue. We visited the Peter Blum gallery which has Jason Fox: Stations and Richard Allen Morris: New Works. Jason Fox's acrylic paintings are abstract, geometrical shapes of loose portraits referencing Malevich and Palermo. Richard Allen Morris small paintings are experimentation of surface painting straight from the tube on bright monochrome hue paintings reminder of Abstract Expressionism with an eye to Pop Art.

Other gallery we visited is called the Priska Juschka Fine Art Gallery which house Romain Bernini: Despite Walls and Landscapes which I thought were the most impressive body of work we saw today. His paintings deals with the state of the United States beautifully haunting paintings of entropy. In this post modern society we are often disillusioned with the merits of industrialism and idea of a utopian state. The paintings are ambiguities drawings of their audience in a alien like landscape referencing some idea of illegal alien immigrants who risk their lives to cross into American borders. The painting spell out a post-apocalyptic environment as if it looks like post-nuclear war with aggressive expression of paint and dripping of paint.

Sunny actually got our attention about what was going on outside our window on 28th Street. With Waldo's eyes Sunny spot a man sunbathing in only a thong which is quite disturbing. We all actually took a picture of him which is probably the most disturbing part.

Why does this picture show how easily amused Sunny is in seeing Joseph choking on yarn?

Today staff had the day off and all hell broke loose. Students were running around with yarn in the classroom Joseph tying up people and Larry think he is a Dragonball Z character. J/K the students were pretty tame today as we met in the classroom to discuss PR (personal relation) stuff and how we can promote our art show. Tiffany made some invitation cards as well as e-invite cards so the students and staff can send to their personal connections with professors, family, and friends who they would like to come to the grand opening. The street team will come up with other promotion ideas, such as social networks. If you have any ideas please feel free to leave a comment.
Tomorrow we have an amazing speak by the name of Sy Rogers who will make our minds explode with information about his testimony of sexual abuse and gender identity issues. He will speak on sexuality and our relation to it. He will talk a lot about the physical and spiritual aspect of sexuality in relation to God and to Christians. I'm excited as well excited about co-leading a Stripped small group tomorrow with Daniel. Stripped if you never heard of it is a new tool designed by Tanya Walker to lead others through talking about their spiritual journey with images and questions about art. I like the demonstration of it and can't wait to lead it. I will fill you in more about Stripped in my next blog.
Favorite Quote of the Day

"We should do Norah's Yoga time every day before studio time" Caleb

Tuesday, June 29, 2010: Christian Hedonism urho

Today I was paired up with Caleb and we went out to Washington Square park after receiving training in Soularium. We already know how to use the tool but today we learn how to use the tool in telling the gospel using images from Soularium. The focus was to explain the gospel using the images provided by Soularium today. Before I share with you who we talk to, I just want to express we talked to two european males so I won't bother spelling out their names because its foreign to me and I probably misunderstood their names when I heard it so I will refer to where they came from their country.

Spaniard

He was right near the stone benches near the water fountain eating his salad and bread sitting down. It must've been his lunch time because when he left he said he had to get back to work. He is in New York City to get his PHD in mathematics at New York University. We went through Soularium and my understanding is he does not believe in God yet he see what he refer to "God" in everything. He highly value the spiritual in obtaining an understanding of the world and how everything function. He talked a lot of mathematics theories which are over my head. I sense he needs a firm solid evidence of God to believe in him. But when we ask him the question: "If God speak to you would you believe in what he says?" He went on to say 'yes' and that if God spoke then everything would be answer and that the world problems would be answered. We didn't get into the gospel because he had work and had to leave but we did invite him to our art show.

Belgium Man

This young man just finish his school year in New York and working to relax with his friends in Washington Square who are from Belgium. Apparently he will leave in two days to L.A. for a vacation. At first he didn't want to talk explaining he didn't want to talk about God, since there is another group of Christians in Washington Square park who are giving a spiritual survey as well. We went through soularium anyways and by the end of it he opened up to us about his life. We didn't get into a spiritual conversation other than that we know he was raised in the culture of Catholicism but does not want to do with any of it. We talked about how he hate the city life but after getting acquainted with it he loves it and the diversity and variety of people in the city. He's staying in Harlem and he talks about how it is much quieter there than the other parts of the city. We talked about Belgium and the difference between there and America. I got a sense he got a good impression from us as Christians.

Today was our first critique of our group collaboration and we want to express the critique in this special community of Christian artists we want to play a key part in shaping our collaborations because ultimately each group will represent everyone of us. We want to produce the best high quality work yet still be purposeful in our art to express Jesus' story and the God factor in our art. Overall we had fun with mock-up American Idol judges Simon played by Piper, Paula played by Robin, and Randy played by Steve. It provided comic relief as we honesty open the floor for any concerns, questions, and suggestions each group should hear about. We are to take these comments from other people and revise and represent our pitch to the entire project this upcoming Saturday for final review and administration of financial commitment.

Questions asked:

Your personal responses:

What draws you to this piece?

How does this piece challenge you personally?

What is received by the viewer:

What does this piece actually communicate?

What questions does it ask?

What questions does it cause you to ask?

How do you see this piece exhibit intersections with culture, personal experience, others' stories, and God?

Critical Evaluation:

Are the medium and materials chosen the most effective ones?

What are this work's strongest/weakest points?

What would you change and why?

Should this work(s) be produced? Why?

How much money should be given toward it?

My "betrayal" group got some interesting comments about the word to consider. What would the images be of in term of desiring to shoot personal memory (places/scenes people would recognized) How would we regulate the number of people who be in the small dark room for the light boxes? Confrontation of not being as personal or genuine to the group. The word "betrayal" brings up strong memories which we do not like to dig up from the past ourselves may hinder the impact of our piece to be view by the audience. There are still baggage we have about "betrayal" which makes my group feel unsafe to talk openly in our work. This topic can bring about healing and theraputic carthesi for not only us but for others. We did receive good comment from Daniel who express that he had seen all our work and our group possess substantial skill in accomplishing something powerful. He goes on to mention it is up to us if we feel comfortable in pushing our art piece into our personal lives but whatever we come up with will be well done knowing our work already and that we don't have to force the word into our work that it should come out naturally.

After a time of hitting the streets, Caleb and I pay a visit to one of my old acquaintances John Jacobmeyers who is Dean of New York Academy of Arts located on Franklin Street. Story behind John Jacobmeyers was I knew him through my painting Professor Chawky Frenn. John came to my school and gave a lecture and critique some of Chawky Frenn's students and I happen to be one of those students. He was very engaged with my theme of war and death and wounds of Vietnam War victims. He said I should pay his school a visit and suggest I look into New York Academy for graduate school. Fast forward two years since that conversation I facebook John and explain my stay in New York on this Tribeca Arts Project. I thought it be beneficial for Caleb for being a painter to go with me and pay the school a visit. John was welcoming and we took a tour of the building facility. By the end of it we invite him to our art show at the end of July. He says he will be in Ireland for an artist in residency but be back July 15 so he can come visit the show the next day. I'm not sure if he believes in God but hopefully he can come and we will find out what he has to say about our theme words. On the first floor was the New York Academy Summer Exhibition of students, faculty, and alumni work. The work are high quality with different medium from paper mache sculptures of handicap people to oil paintings of dirty laundry submerge under sea water to painting of painted toe nails on top of articles about South and North Korea. John gave me a tour of the first year graduate students narrow workspace verse the second years graduate square space 120 cubic foot each. The french greeco tradition for first year students in intensive development of drawing skills from french nude sculptures on loan by the Metropolitan as a gift as well honing on fundamentals as well working once a week on Wednesday copying old masters at the Metropolitan and working conceptually with the human figures including the spatial function along with the figure. The human figures is stress in this academy with antonymy/ecorche classes which makes you build a 24" human antonymy in clay from the bone skeleton, to muscle and lastly skin. It looks highly intensive but good training of the formal structure and shape if you like to paint realistic accurate portrayal of the human body. We met some of the graduates who goes to the school there like Peter Simon Muhlhauber who currently one of two artist in residency at the New York Academy on his third year after graduate school working on his project of sculpted realistic baby models in twisted position and pose. Overall it was good learning experience for Caleb to see top quality graduate program and we talked more about where God may convict us to go after undergraduate whether that is full-time college ministry, seminary in Canada where Caleb's father is the Dean or graduate school.

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him". This is a popular John Piper'squote and he has a lot to say about Christian Hedonism and about 'grace is the pleasure of God to magnify the worth of God by giving sinners the right and power to delight in God without obscuring the glory of God'. Our devotion was on this topic of duty verse fulfillment and joy spoke by Anthony Lam. Anthony expressed his concern with parachurches use of the four laws coming across as dutiful or obligation which a lot of Christian or churched people is motivated by in their walk with Christ. Anthony read an exert from Desiring God book by John Piper. It talks about the idea that all people are incline to follow their pleasures, it happens that Christians follow a different pleasure than the world. As a Christian we believe God is the final and lasting pleasure.

Luke 6:35 says, "Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great."

This verse talks about what shall our motivation be as Christian. Anthony best described it as an empty vessel where God fill our thirst with water and because we have so much water than it would happen we would spill some on the left and right. This water is suppose to represent love that in other to love others we must first be loved. Because everyone has a yearning to be loved, even those who hung themselves. The discussion turned into "What about truth?" Shouldn't truth be the main reason we follow God? I would argue we need both but how much more would our desires be met by God? How much more sustainable would carrying the cross be if we find pleasure in imitating Christ? The rest of the time we spent on quiet mediation on the God who gives us a joy that satisfies forever.

Favorite Quotes of the Day

"Chicks like scribble" Jayson

"Want to go to a concert? You [Larry] could be jay-z and she [Kristine] can be Beyonce." Jayson

"I never thought pickle and cheese taste this good..." Kari

"It just look like you're having a seizure.." Adam talking about Larry eating chips

Monday, June 28, 2010: Art of Communication

Today we had devotional by Steve and he talked about "What is the gospel?" We basically went through scriptures preaching the gospel to ourselves reminding ourselves of the purpose we are here on this project not necessary to make art, although it is part of it as art track, but to simply work out the gospel in our lives as artists. I enjoyed it and it refresh my mind that there's no pressuring in trying to figure out a prototype for our project with the word "betrayal". We had some Theology and Art teaching and I took notes below. The rest of the day we met up in our collaboration groups and talk about our dreaded word "betrayal". I felt much better after today's studio time talking about the concept of depicting "betrayal" as a mood. The feeling that lingers over us when we feel betrayed or hold on to the feeling of betrayal. It isn't a pretty mood feeling of color desaturated our lively colored world. We thought of how we can visually display "betrayal" and mention the freedom of light penetrating our world. A preview of what we will do will be making a lightbox and shedding light upon images of our word.

Art as Communicant

Sacramentality

Communicant

1. A person who receives or is entitled to receive Communion (Eucharist).

2. A person, especially an information, who communicates something.

• Miscommunication
• Lack of Communication (lack of communication something, relationship break)
• Unintelligible Communication (communication happens but no possibility of people understanding it, language interpretation)

British verse American English

“Dancing in the toilet”

Swimming in the toilet- Jonathan

British English “He’s just in the bathroom.”

American English Where is the toilet? Is rude and cruelled

If I offer you squish to drink would you accept it?

“I assume its like tomato juice except squish” Adam

Liquid concentrated juice basically a container in stores and look like fruit juice

American mistake when making squish juice is pour it into a glass bottle

What do you expect when you find a “hump zebra crossing”?

UK speed bumps; pedestrian crossing with bumps

Which should be more valued in art, clarity of communication or obscurity?

Favorite Quotes of the Day

“A lot of art is too obscured, I would play $20 to see toy story than seeing work at the MoMa” Jonathan

“I like to say the MoMa is better than toy story. Time and place for it [obscurity] and a lot of it overdone.” Jayson

“In theater when you are talking down to your audience or at them, Christ may not have the same message come across. If you can’t get the message across, retell it a different way, even when you’re telling about your art when it is obscure it doesn’t mean ‘you have failed.’“ Elisabeth

“As a Christian if I’m making art I’m thinking about who will see the film, but I’m also seeing who God will bring to see it. I think about the intent and purpose of who will see the film.” Jayson

“As a believer I believe it will cause us to reflect more so on the tension and question more concerning with the message than me as the messenger. My motive in the art community can be strong and be more avant-garde in justify myself to the art culture.” Mike

“ I experienced the church cheapen theater in a concluding statement of the moral story at the end of a play…” Elisabeth

“My church just starts recognizing the art and the PCA format of art. Form a committee and have couple of meeting. My mentor likes to start creating art and reflect and contemplate the meaning before starting on what you really want to make…” Jayson

Mission of the church is to clearly explain the gospel. Motivation of the church, we don’t want people to ignore the gospel, drives from the gospel. Art might communicate but it might do it differently instead of a front door but through the backdoor.

Does a work of art need a title?

“I don’t think it needs a title but having a title can clarify meaning of the piece” Adam

What are our responsibilities to our viewer? Do we care about our viewers? Do we care only about ourselves?

Agree/disagree: Someone can understand and respond to he gospel through a work of art (jazz, dance, architecture, etc.)?

To begin with, men can learn nothing of the content of God’s Word from an image. “Why, “ Zwingli rhetorically asks, “Do we not send images to unbelievers so that that can learn belief from the,” Precisely because we would be required to explain what they mean, which in turn requires knowledge of the Word. “If now you show an unbelieving and unlettered child images, then you must teach him the Word in addition, or he will have looked at the picture in vain.” For is ”you were newly come from the unbeliever and knew nothing of Christ and saw Him painted with the apostles at the Last Supper, or on the Cross, then you would learn nothing from the same picture other than to say He who is pictured here was a good-k man in spite of it all, ”.. One may have images of Christ, but they are powerless; the “story must be learned only from the Word, and from the painting one learns nothing except the form of the body, the movements or the constitution of the body or face.”

Zwingli on the Gospel and Images

How has God communicated?

• Psalm 19:1-4 “communicate knowledge without speech and words”
• Daniel 2 (45b) Daniel interpreter of King’s dream
• Ezekiel 4:1-4 Draw the city of Jerusalem; Ezekiel reenact his plans for the city
• Ezekiel 5:1-12 Thirds images is clear (performance art) smell of burnt hair New Yorker’s personality out of the norm behaviors reason behind his action; why did God show his people instead of telling? It helps people internalize the words by powerful images of action (trigger memory to past)
• Jeremiah 24:1-10 Imagery of “figs” which are common in the days of Jeremiah and visual metaphors/symbols for Jeremiah about good and bad figs are like those who obey and disobey God
• 2 Timothy 3:16
• Exodus 35-38 35:30-35 God use artists to design the Ark and let them construct the template with their creativity
• Hebrews 9:1-27 The Ark is only an example of what to come in Hebrews of the Holy place “Holy of holies”. Christ as the sacrifice that does not have to be given again and again. God communicating the solution to sacrifice a high priest advocate on our behalf.
• Colossian 1:15 God is showing us the tangible God in flesh.

Rituals are performance art showing the values you upon in your life that you engage with.

Visual images of how God use art to explain his intent:

Vile being rip shows the relationship barrier between humanity and God are torn in two.

A chained shut closed door reminds me of our fallen broken relationship with God when Adam committed the first sin in rebellion of God separated us from God.

“The point is, art can portray spiritual realties. The highest and most ineffable, the very presence of the Deity with His heavenly hosts, God commissioned Bezaled to represent in the Ark of the Covenant. Art can represent spiritual reality, expressing the visible in terms of the visible (Romans 1:20). Such representations are never exhaustive of their subject matter, rather they accommodate themselves to human imagination. The difference between the images made by Bezaled and those forbidden by the commandment against graven images is that the former communicate what God reveals. They do not receive worship, but point beyond themselves to the rue object of worship. They do not pretend to contain the infinite God, only to praise him and communicate His reality to others (1 Kings 8:27-30).” Gene Edwards Veith, Jr. State of the Arts

What roles do words, narration, and explanation play in understanding art?

Can one lead to or aid the other in an unexpected way?

Symbol Gap

Synthesis in Space

My Journal 6/28/2010

How has God communicate with me?

God had communicated to me through answered prayers coming on to this project and many previous times he had blessed me. God had answered my prayers for a community, which I felt loved and belong to at my college fellowship. He has surrounded me with brothers and sisters I had grew close bonds with when I don’t understand the meaning of a family and intimacy. God had become my encourager when I am weak and in need of his strength to get through each day. God had come through and become my deliver when the world expects I would come through. God has communicates to me through people who cares about my well-being. His love is expressed in giving me mercy in situations when I don’t deserve mercy. He has shown me mercy when I broke a trust with someone. God renew me consistently each day of my mind through his scriptures of who He says He is and who I am in relation to Him.

God has shown me Himself through Jesus Christ and communicate the depth of His love through the atonement of His Son.

How do we know its God’s voice communicating to us?

Tanya Walker’s testimony

She became a Christian during her sophomore year of college like a light came on upon her but when she went to France, which is a completely atheist country concluded that “God does not exist”. She saw the world as the color gray and color become absent; “Getting by in the world”

While studying in Frances she went on a school trip to the French Alps trip as they were turning the corner of the window she was stun by the beauty of the Alps. “This is cannot an accident, someone has to design this…” hit her with the realization of God existence.

Sunday June 27, 2010 Extending circumstances

Today we went as a greater Tribeca Project to the 8am service at Bethel Gospel Assembly on 120th street and Malcom X avenue. The church was a converted elementary school which renovation the whole facility and Bethel has a space across the street from its main congregation. Something interesting of the church is two black girls got saved and want to attend church but couldn't because in the 80's segregation exist between blacks and whites so this white believer at the church started her own church planting with these girls rising them up with biblical truth and that how Bethel gospel started. The church is celebrating its 100th years old anniversary this year. Bethel was such a welcoming church never had a welcoming greeting quite like this where the choir sang and everyone else sang welcome as well greet the newcomers intentionally by shaking hands. I felt like praising because of the exciting performers who were worshipping and others within the congregation. The time was a celebration even tiding and offering which is done uniquely by rows each going down the aisle and handing their offering in person. The message was titled Extending Circumstances because he talked about an extending circumstances in his life of his grandmother. The family accuse of his grandmother being loose woman but what he believed to be his grandmother is a lie told to him. The story is complicated and not sure if I can explain it correctly, so I will glaze over this part and get to the point. The point of the sermon is base off of

Ecclesiastes 3:14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him.

Elder Darren Hicks talk about his past abuse and sins committed to him and how he believed in a lie for forty years about his grandmother and finally the truth is revealed to him setting him free of this guilt of who his grandmother is. He explain how we shouldn't fear or be ashame of our past because God design the past, present and future and everything is created for his use, even a story of abuse he use for children who were physically abuse as well as part of his testimony. It reminds me of how GOD can turn something so ugly into his glorious healing plan for Darren Hicks life. I need to learn to forgive and ask for healing from God in broken relationship in my life like Darren did.
GQ cover Larry & David
Greater Tribeca Project 2010 Group Picture

Favorite Quotes of the Day

"Why are the birds flapping their winds downward as if they are flying into the ground?" Jonathan

"I should take a picture of the dead bird I saw in central park, its probably still there." Jonathan

"Is that hot sauce?" Brian "No its Emily's strawberries." Jonathan

Saturday June 26, 2010 Good Art/ Bad Art

Today I venture out to Harlem on Malcom X street with Caleb and Jayson because their art mentor Eric is a painter and I was curious what kind of paintings Eric does. I wanted to visit with them his studio and complex as we took the 1 train uptown there. We were suppose to take the 2 or 3 and didn't realize to not take the 1 train because the 1 train does not goes East unlike the other red line trains which turns. So we end up having to walk a good 15 minutes to Malcom X, but once we were there we felt welcome. Eric has two son and a lovely wife which greet us with a homemade lunch potato and bacon soup and salad. The two sons one named Elliot is a funny playful boy who refer to lemonade as "water lemonade" because he understands his mommy dilute the lemonade with water. We went downstairs and visit his studio at home where he paint often with acrylics paint on canvas. To describe Eric work it is in the category of abstraction meets distortion of figures taken from a sci-fi world context. He use often medieval etching manuscript and illuminate them into a contemporary interpretation of a compulsive and intimate story about divine revelation by a laser beam aim at the ambiguous figures' heads. He works on multi projects like an artist from drawings of intricate details and pattern that transform into an expanding amoeba. He also show us his third eye portrait drawing of a man and his related crafted third lens pair of manufactured glasses frame which relate to this theme of revelation of the third eye. I believe the third eye suppose to mean the revealing divine revelation from God behind Eric's work. This concept that in other to receive the third eye it must also destroy your identity of "self" in the process hence the metaphor of a laser beam.
Because I was visiting Eric, I didn't have much time spent with my collaboration group- Jayson and Sunny. But we manage to discuss and talk over our thoughts on our difficult word "betrayal". We talked about the definition of "betrayal" relating to people we already have relationship with and people close to us than strangers. Betrayal exist in us through our broken relationships, whether it has been friends who backstabbed us or told lies about us or our family members who hurt us. I learn today that Jayson have an incurable unknown disease called Chrome disease where your intestine have hard time digesting food. Garrett a friend from home actually have the same disease but Jayson case is worst because the doctors didn't diagnose Jayson until much later when he had surgery and loss several of his intestines. Jayson has been in the hospital for over a year and still need more surgery to fix his intestines. As much life experience Jayson had undergo over the past year, he's a mature individual and playful to be around. He can make you laugh and his love for God shows through his art work finding beauty in the most ugliest and dislike things of this world or his own created world in his sketches. Sunny open up and I saw how normal of a person she can be. Behind her cold exterior and guard she opened up to her family betrayal of her mother and family when they found out she had a life threaten illness. We didn't get a chance to get a third party opinion on the word "betrayal". Hopefully we can get some general public opinion and stories of their thoughts on the word "betrayal".
Today we venture out to Chelsea area and saw the river bank as well as dine out at an Italian restuarant called Pepe Giallo which have nice service and friendly ambient lighting. I would recommend going back there to eat on 10th avenue between 25th and 24th street. I had the fettucine chicken and mushroom alfredo sauce with bread, and dessert. Bon appetite!

Favorite Quotes of the Day

"I have a second bellybutton want to see?" Jayson

"We're the emo kids" Jayson referring to our group word "betrayal".

Friday, June 25, 2010 Makoto Fujimura Story

Today we went out to the new Mets stadium called Citi Field. I left at the 6th inning and the Mets were leading it. I saw the final score as I return home 5-2 Mets. The fun part was Chris Du was able to make it to the game so I got some valuable time catching up while enjoying the game.

Today we were assigned into our collaboration groups for the exhibition and I am paired up with Jayson and Sunny. I know Jayson and Sunny I haven't spend much time with but I'm fine with working in different people. Jayson seem like a mature individual who has something thoughtful to say each time because of how engage he is. He work in paint as his craft and focus on texture a lot. He is a good drawer from what I saw him draw of figures in his sketches. Sunny is a mature individual often misunderstood because of her quiet observant manner, remind me of myself. She has a playful personality once she let down her guard and can work well with others. I can see our group dynamic working well together with Jayson as one of the key voice of facilitating the group thought process. I will be fully engage and prepare my best to set my group up for success being a full participant in the artistic direction of the collaboration as well as coaching the group about a timeline of getting things together. Each group receive a word and there are 7 groups so there are 7 words. The words are reunion, invitation, betrayal, pursuit, intimacy, anticipation, and . We ask ourselves to reflect and think deeply to try to understand the word we are assigned to before getting into groups tomorrow to discuss our thoughts. We will be dialoguing with people on the streets as well about our word of "betrayal". I can't wait to get started.

Today Makoto Fujimura graciously came into the NYCAMS space and give an overview of his life story before the rest of our day in studio time. Makoto is a Japanese- American 2nd generation in his family. He went to school at University of Massachusetts and received an international scholarship to study an ancient Japanese technique of painting with crushed and grind up of raw minerals called Hiroshi Senju . The artwork Makoto creates is representational of his bilingual experience being part Japanese and American and learning how things work different in America. His artwork is a combination of modern contemporary art and eastern technique of art. Makoto was saved through his artwork which convicted him of the beauty of God through it. Makoto testimony of coming to a saving faith one year after his wife accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. He joined with his wife aboard Campus Crusade for Christ staff and discover his love of working with creatives. His dream for international art movement is toe emphasis making it possible.