rachel Winningstad

9/15/07

2007-09-19T03:37:00.000-07:00

I finished my project! Last night while we were out in the "bar" district in Beijing I started taking picture of the lights. The use of lights for everything is insane. They use them for pharmacies, bars, KTVs, grocery stores, pretty much anytype of business warrants a neon sign. I didn't use my flash so they came out all blurry and kind of starting looking interesting so I kept taking them, waving my camera around in the middle of the street trying to get the best colors and angles. I'm sure I looked ridiculious. But they turned out well I think, it would be nice to install them larger on an entire wall. There is a lot of color and motion in each of them and both of those things remind me of China.

I'm sad to see everyone go. I think the group has been a pretty dynamic, and diverse group. We've had a lot of fun and laughed a lot. It's been a great and very successful experience.

9/14/07

2007-09-19T03:34:00.000-07:00

The day at the Temple of Heaven was ... unfortunate. I wasn't expecting the weather to be like this and stupidly didn't pack anything warm and my umbrella leaked. It was a little miserable. I'm disapointed. I would have like to have spent more time there and really wandered but I was freezing. I did really enjoy the visuals of the circle vs square. It is a very intriguing concept. I wish I could have seen it from up above to get a better look at it.

I worked on my project today. I'm not solid on my concept, it seems a little wishy washy. I feel as if I haven't really gotten to know Beijing as well as the other cities we have been at and so I might do an overall responinsive piece.

9/13/07

2007-09-19T03:30:00.001-07:00

It was a little hard to really get a sense for the Forbidden city with the mass amounts of tourists and I would have like to have explored inside the buildings more. I still enjoyed the architecture and the colors. The exhibits about the weaponry and armor were very intriguing. Everything is so detailed, even the canisters for there gun powder had small enamel peace signs on them... (which is a little ironic). After the forbidden city we went to the electronic store to get more memory cards. I can't believe that people put up with that, it was so overwhelming and frustrating, people yelling at you to get you to buy stuff. I need a nap.

9/12/07

2007-09-19T03:22:00.001-07:00

So we woke up to the sunrise on the Great Wall today. It was gorgeous. It was kind of hazy today, but still very beautiful. The hike kicked my ass, but I loved it. I'm glad I could take my time and enjoy it. The 798 was intense. I like it more than the one in Shanghai because it seemed a bit more up beat. I love the terracotta porcelin warriors painted with various designs. I also liked Konoki Mikuo's work, the large watercolor paintings of various bazaar everyday items. It's so surreal that you can find something like that in a developing country. Not that China isn't full of rich culture (which it is), but it was very... Pearl District. I wasn't expecting that.

9/11/07

2007-09-19T03:17:00.001-07:00

The train was nice today, I got a little rest. After the exhibition I've been really tired. I enjoyed going to CAFA. The campus is amazing, I'm sure they would have totally worked me if we did our project with them. The difference in academic philosophy between the East and the West is so vast. Education is not to be taken lightly. Also art is so much more valued here than in the US. Going to school for art is usually viewed as less than desirable.

I loved camping on the Great Wall. I don't think many people can say they've done that. We played cards and goofed around.

9/10/07

2007-09-19T03:12:00.000-07:00

We met with the President today. I didn't know we were such a big deal. The exhibition wen twell. there were way more people there than I thought. I got a bit man handled by my partner when he was saying goodbye, it was a little awkward. The dinner was CRAZY! The president is academic royalty, it was a little bazaar, but entertaining. I didn't see that coming. Overall I've enjoyed my expereince here, I'm flattered by the hospotality and I have thoroughly enjoyed the learning experience.

9/9/07

2007-09-19T03:11:00.000-07:00

So today was a wrap up day; printing etc. It was a little stressful, people were kind of freaked out. I think everyone is just a bit axious and tired. Hopefully the exhibit will be a success.

9/8/07

2007-09-19T03:09:00.000-07:00

It has been a very long day on campus, we didn't get back til 11pm or so but I finished my projects. I'm still a little intimidated by the whole project. It's overwhelimging. Hopefully I have produced somthing that is interesting and reflective of my experience.

9/9/07

2007-09-19T03:06:00.000-07:00

This process is remarding and fun. Despite the few frustrations it seems to be working out. My partner and I got off to a rocky start but I think we are figuring things out. Attempting to communicated with the language barrier is very challanging, hand gestures and physically acting out what we are trying to say has become the standard way of communicating, which must look funny to thers. Anyway, it's been a great learning experience and I am sure it will continue to be. I'm very thankful for such an amazing oppurtunity.

9/5/07

2007-09-19T02:58:00.000-07:00

So a free day, kind of. I chose to go on the Wufong trip and it was the right choice. I really enjoyed seeing the local crafts and bing able to participate in the traditions. the print making was amazing. I was astounded by the detail that goes into each print. The artist styles of the artists I have seen thus far, those who practice old crafts and the contemporary artists, are all unique to China and maintain elements of their rich culture.

9/4/07

2007-09-19T02:55:00.000-07:00

We went to Mt. Tai and Confuscious's burial and home. It was very interesting. The tradition and order is overwhelming. S\Chinese social structure seems so heirarchicial. i loved the colors and detail. There is so much to see, it's difficult to really take it all in. Having the camera there all of the time is a bit bazaar, as if we didn't stand out enough. But I apreciatte that we are that welcome.

9/7/07

2007-09-19T02:52:00.000-07:00

A major element that I have observed of Chinese culture is ritual. Social interactions, eatting, praying, and most everything else are rooted in ritual, tradition, and history. There are a lot of innate, almost instinctaul (for the locals) heirarchies and responses to such things. The Chinsese culture is rich and vast and very intricate.

9/6/07

2007-09-19T02:50:00.000-07:00

The students are very focused. What is expected is a little intimtidating. I am hoping to be able to live up to the expectations.Today was a successful day. My partner and I got a lot done. I think we have come up with a solid concept. Our different styles will make for an interesting collaboration.

9/3/07

2007-09-19T02:47:00.001-07:00

I'm digging Jinan. The weather is nicer and less humid. Also so fewer people which is so nice. This seems like more of a lifestyle, less go-go-go. The welcome was unexpected, their hospotality is very intricate and intense. The dinner was amazing, I enjowed the food, espescially the clams. the professors and schoool administrators were very welcoming, I'm anxious to get started.

9/2/07

2007-09-19T02:08:00.000-07:00

I think I accomplished my goal. I chose a common Chinese symbol found on fabric and architecture and tweeked it a little bit and then I did a cityscape of Shanghai. The trace was pretty loose and turned into more of an organic hilly shape that sort of references the ink drawsins. So it kind of works out. I used the symbol to represent population/people and chaos and the cityscape is meant to represent hills and space, or lack thereof.

9/1/07

2007-09-19T02:01:00.000-07:00

Free day...? It's been a rough start on my project. My initial idea wsa to do a stamp by carving a seal, but I couldn't really get started. I can't really figure out a way to convey my concept with that particualr material. So instead I'm doing a digital pattern design that I hope to work on throughout the trip. So far the concept is "structured chaos" or "theoretical structure, actual chaos." A pattern by nature is repetitive so to convey this beyond the image I want to create somthing that looks like a pattern but isn't, it never truly repeats itself.

9/31/07

2007-09-19T01:54:00.001-07:00

The humidity is a little rough. I'm sure I'll acclimate soon, but in the mean time I am very sweaty in China. I'm still overwhelmed with the intensity of the city. I can't imagine living like this everyday, so many people, loud traffic. But I'm sure for most of the Shanghainese, it's normal. Definitly something to get used to. The innovation in advertising is bazaar. It seems that there is so much saturation visual saturation the advertising is moving to the river on boats... weird.

8/30/2007

2007-09-15T22:33:00.000-07:00

The art district was pretty awesome. I appreciate the feel and the atmosphere. Seeing all the different types of art was very interesting. It was sort of a bazaar little community of artists. I wouldn't mind living the lifestyle. Hearing the artist speak about his work and seeing his studio was definitly an awesome experience. He has had so much experience both western and chinese, his perspective is very unique and valuable. His factory approach is very interesting, he seems to really embrace that he is not a pro at every medium. He is not intimidated by the unknown!

8/29/2007

2007-09-15T22:23:00.000-07:00

The heat is still a little rough, but I'm sure I'll acclimate soon. I'm spoiled by the Northwest weather! I've really enjoyed the museums and the tradiational ink paintings with a modern twist. That huge ink painting in the modern art museum was innovative. A central theme it seems with Chinese modern art is to bring traditional forms of art such as ink painting into modern day and give it a little twist. I was also very interested in the seals and the furniture at the museum. Reading about the significance of the seals and how one would display their rank or accomplishments was interesting. Chinese culture seems very heirarchical (sp?).

8/28/07

2007-09-15T22:18:00.000-07:00

Acclimating has been a little tough. The weather is pretty intense. I really enjoyed the garden and getting to walk around the city to get a feel for it. Shanghai is such a huge big city; I'm a little overwhelmed by the intensity of the energy of the city. This is not what I pictured. I'm not sure exactly what I did picture, perhaps something more reminiscant of a developing country, but I know Ying has talked about the extreme developing that is going on and how fast it is all happening. This is definitly going to be an unforgetable experience.