Interpretation - Lime Green Backpack

During class, we were given 15 minutes to go anywhere to find something that we think someone else in the class did not see. On the list was a lime green backpack. I imagine that this backpack was seen in or around our Seeing Sideways class. After I created the lime green backpack, I faintly stamped the words "Seeing Sideways" on the front pouch because I imagined the student saw this backpack in our classroom, however this was not recorded in the class response so I made it soft and less noticeable.

I wonder how closely this resembles the backpack my classmate saw...

Class Response - Frustrated at Fifteen

This class session made me reflect on all of the years I have attended school.

Walking into class, I expected to meet and have some kind of a show-and-tell with all of the students exploring the process of how they came to their final Egg project. Instead, Beth had us sit in a circle and verbally explain their thoughts and results. As many of us visual thinkers began to drift off, Beth interrupted the student's stories and asked us why we all seemed to bored. One of my classmates mentioned it would be more exciting if we could SEE what everyone was talking about while they were explaining the results of their projects. Beth responded with something similar to 'Thank you! Why did no one say that sooner?!' We all were surprised by her question, we are all so used to teachers telling us what to do and we just follow that it never dawned on us to interrupt and ask to stray from her plans.

When I was 15 years-old I thought I knew just about everything a person should know in order to drive. I did not understand why I had to wait until I was 16 to get behind the wheel. I remember asking myself "I am a mature person, how much of a difference could 1 year really make?" If it was up to me, I most definitely would have taken a ride to...just about anywhere! Because I was so eager, my mom would remind me she knows the milage on the car every time she took the other car out to run errands. Whether she actually checked the milage on the car every day or not, it stopped me from any and all of the rebellious thoughts I was having at the time!

Looking back, I understand the reason the rule is set where it is. Honestly, I wouldn't mind if it was raised a year or two seeing how careless many 16-year olds can be. I am happy the drive age is not 15 years old. Despite my frustrations as a young teenager, I understand why the rule is in place.

Egg Project

My mind went blank the moment Beth gave us the egg with the very vague project guidelines. The purpose was to get our creative juices flowing as she told us to do "something" with the egg. I took the egg home and as I sat with it on my couch, staring at the egg, thinking of the possibilities, my dog Regis came and sat next to me. He stared at me, then at the egg and then back at me. I told him he better not get any funny ideas because it was my homework! Just then, I had an idea. I thought I would put a twist on the old story 'the dog ate my homework'. This is how my project came about.

First day of class

I knew this class was going to be a fun time when Beth told us to move our swivel chairs in a big open circle then turned off the lights.

We spent the class time exploring our definitions of what 'art' is as well as what we believe entails the 'new media' industry. What we found was that defining 'art' is very difficult because many people hold different truths to it. Beth encouraged us to speak openly because no person's definition is right or wrong. In my opinion, I feel that art needs to have the intention of expressing some kind of emotion. The medium can be many different things. Because I have been a dancer for much of my life, I feel that dancing is a great way to express oneself, and therefore, an art form.

To add to this discussion, we watched John Cage's 4' 33" video on YouTube. I felt confused when I watched this video. I had a difficult time reasoning why it is art and I find it understandable why when he finished performing, he was criticized as an artist.

Although I did not have many expectations of what Seeing Sideways would be about, I felt the first day exceeded my expectations.

NewM N385 Expectations

I am very excited to start this New Media course. I have been a student of Beth's in a past semester and I really enjoyed her approachable personality and  her style of teaching. My school counselor has told me many great things about how this class has been received by the students that have taken it.

I hope to grow as a designer by understanding design principles and learning how to better problem solve in my creative endeavors.