WLP-ArtsMagazine (2016-17)

ArtsMagazine

2016-17

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Preface GWU Women’s Leadership Program/International Arts & Culture The International Arts & Culture (IAC) cohort of the Women’s Leadership Program incorporates a study of the humanities and active involvement in performance and studio arts into a first year experience. Students in this cohort are immersed in the artistic culture in and around Washington, DC. They attend performances, watch private screenings, and meet with innovative women artists to learn more about their lives and bodies of work.

The courses in this cohort include: Women and the Creative Process, a performing or studio art course, and a University Writing course.

This Magazine is dedicated to the IAC Women’s Leadership participants during the 2016- 2017 academic year. It includes a collection of works from all the WLP students in this cohort.

Contents Museums 4 Art Shows 18 Performances 22 In The Studio 32 Community 44

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Museums

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Migrations Willa Scout Alexander-Jaffe

Near the beginning of the school year, the International Arts and Culture cohort of the Women’s Leadership Program took at field trip to the GW Textile Museum’s exhibit Stories of Migration: Contemporary Artists Interpret Diaspora.

As explained in the exhibit’s description, these artworks “illustrate an amazing variety of ways in which migration affects the lives of people around the world (Sielman).” Thus, many of the artworks depicted the artists’ stories as diasporans and these artists discussed their hardships living in America. The exhibit’s catalog states: “The origins of some diasporas may lead members to sustain greater ties with the place of origin, owing either to inability to integrate into the host society and/or to an intention eventually to repatriate (Sielman).” Not only were the textile artworks breathtakingly beautiful; they also conveyed powerful messages that are important in understanding cultural values.

Although most pieces were relatively easy to interpret, a few artworks proved a greater challenge to understand without additional background. Some of these artworks were beautiful and intriguing, but to be fully appreciated supplementary context by the exhibit’s curator enhanced our appreciation of the work.

Towards the front entrance of the exhibit, Cotton, Triangular Trade by Susan Lenz demonstrates how context and meaning create a greater appreciation. This piece consists of strings that hang from the ceiling in a circular fashion. Each string contains balls of cotton spaced a few inches apart from one another. The display gave the appearance that it was raining cotton balls or shielding observers beneath a white, fluffy canopy (SAQA). Lenz used her artwork to brilliantly represent the cotton gin—a machine that revolutionized the production of cotton by greatly speeding up the process of removing seeds from cotton fiber (History).

During the 1700s, cotton was a huge cash crop for the South and slaves were forced to work on plantations growing cotton. Through her art, Lenz explained how cotton gins were a symbol of slavery in the United States and a reminder of the struggles that AfricanAmericans endured. Upon further review, it appeared the cotton balls raining down could be seen as tears shed by long-suffering African-Americans slaves. And the piece’s circular shape could be interpreted as a cyclical pattern that continues to haunt society—although slavery ended in the 1800s, racism remains to this day. Indeed, society may have improved but it hasn’t shed this cycle of discrimination.

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Although the piece is interesting to look at, not knowing the context makes the artwork seem unimpressive and boring. It is obvious that the amount of skill needed to create the piece is significantly less than a detailed De Vinci painting or an organic Rodin sculpture. This is not pointed out to criticize Lenz’s skills, but to question why this piece of art was picked for display.

Truthfully, the basic outline of the art resembles a kindergarten project, in which children were given only glue, string, and cotton balls. This artwork is obviously created with more intricacy, skill, and professionalism than a five year old, however, without the context of the piece it loses its importance and is bland.

For most observers, this piece was uncomfortable to view because it clearly depicted a “good” and “bad” perspective. Many of the artworks in this exhibit portrayed the struggles that certain ethnicities encountered. However, Larson chose to reveal her views on some of these struggles.

Observers who don’t know the meaning behind Larson’s piece could interpret it as racist. But Larson wanted to illustrate the struggle she faced while growing up with racist parents: A person’s culture and environment during childhood and adolescence typically affects their beliefs and morals. Because students in the Women’s Leadership Program come from many different places, they have likely been exposed to varying degrees of racism and discrimination. Some girls raised Another piece in the exhibit, Defining Moments in the southern states of our country are likely 7: Fleeing the City by Carol A. Larson, can also to have dealt with homophobic parents or racist be more fully appreciated and respected with teachers. Still, this type of environment did not additional contextual information. Larson’s piece cause these students to adopt the beliefs of those is placed in the back area of the room, and thus, around them. In Larson’s piece, she was trying to is not seen immediately. After experiencing communicate how she established a moral comother artworks in the show, this piece felt a little pass that was in stark contrast to the moral comout of place. Larson’s textile contains different pass of her parents. As her own person, Larson shades of green and brown. Random-sized hopes people will see her artwork and understand rectangles are woven throughout the textile as a its message: People don’t have to adhere to cerrepresentation of buildings and city life. In addi- tain social pressures and beliefs. tion, irregular shapes underneath are comprised of various fabrics signifying hills and suburban Larson’s piece is beautifully created, however the life. At the bottom, a white house appeared with message is not obvious. The textile only has one the words, “We moved so you would not have white house in the piece, which makes it seem to go to school with colored children.” This bold as though Larson’s family was the only one that statement was disturbing to read — causing moved. During the time, however, most white one’s stomach to drop and ears to turn red. families fled from the city to segregate themselves The buildings were different shades of brown, from other races and ethnicities. Also, it would be presumably to represent the manner in which more beneficial to have the words written in black, most “colored people,” or African-Americans, for the statement to catch the eye quicker. Howlive in the cities. Of course, Brown is also the ever, Larson does a nice job of keeping the dark, color of dirt, which may suggest that “colored dirty colors towards the city and the light, clean people” are dirty. As Larson worked her way colors toward the suburbs. down the textile, she created a sea of green to represent a collection of hills. She changed the shade of green to gradually emphasize a contrast between the dirty city and clean suburbs.

She made the house white to suggest that white people find themselves purer or somehow better than African-Americans (SAQA). .

Without context, many artworks are difficult to interpret and enjoy. Because of its title, Migration: Stories of a Diaspora provided some context of the exhibition’s theme. But certain pieces required additional knowledge of the artists’ backgrounds and intentions to truly understand their work. For example, Susan Lenz’s Cotton, Triangular Trade was striking but somewhat meaningless without an appreciation of the connection between cotton and slavery. And Carol A. Larson’s Defining Moments 7: Fleeing the City seemed slightly out of place with the rest of the textiles until the observer discovered that Larson was creating a statement about her racist parents. Although many of these pieces about the pain and struggle of leaving home were understandable on a basic level, additional context gave observers more appreciation of the artworks. Ultimately, context offers a fuller appreciation to understanding the true meaning behind many works of art.

Intersections: Photographs and Videos from the National Gallery of Art and the Corcoran Gallery of Art Paul Graham shot three photographs of Port Authority on August 17th, 2010 at 11:01:33. What drew my eye to these three photographs was their enormous, glossy size. The immensity of visual art always leaves me awestruck. Seeing these three life-sized photographs put me into the scene. And for me, it really drew me back to home. I am from a small suburban town in Northern New Jersey. Everyday my father drives to an area outside of NYC, and parks at the park and ride. Every morning and evening, he takes the commuter bus and passes through Port Authority. This photo really reminds me of my father and the work environment he experiences everyday.

This became more than a piece of art to me. It became a capsule of life. A memory and a moment from life every day. My personal connection to this piece reminds me of the passage But is it art? by Cynthia Freeland. Freeland discussed the significance of context in art. Freeland argues that “information adds considerably to our experience [of art].” (66, But is it art?) I completely agree with this.

For instance, I think the composition of Graham’s piece is really great. I admire how he has captured each moment at a slightly different position, and that over the three images, the viewer is able to see the slight movement of the figure in the yellow shirt over each shot. However, since I am familiar with when and where these photos were taken, I deeply can appreciate this set of photos. I know that New York City feels like a stinky, steamy, hot box in mid-August. I know that Port Authority is gross but the bathrooms are even grosser. And like the rest of the city, Port Authority is overcrowded with people rushing to get in and out of the city. Anyways, I may not know the exact context of what’s going on in the photo, but I feel as though I have a better understanding of the setting and scenario due to my knowledge of Port Authority. Therefore, I think context has helped me to better understand and connect with this work of art. Furthermore, I think context is important in understanding other works of art, especially art from different cultures.

Context can help viewers to better understand the meaning of art, and guide interpretation.

“I think context has helped me to better understand and connect with this work of art.�

Lucy Jane Meyer

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Carmen Agra Deedy “Confessions of a Bibliophile” Carmen Deedy states that falling in love with reading was an experience that changed her life forever. Deedy’s storytelling at the Hirshhorn Museum redefined the way I look at children’s authors today; it also gave me insight into the importance of never giving up on one’s dreams.

With colorful descriptions of place and character Deedy, a dynamic storyteller and masterful writer, brought the audience into her childhood world. Moreover Deedy’s rendering of these experiences provided a meaningful message to the youth of my generation. She values education, preservation, and determination, as well believing in oneself, and these values place Deedy as an exemplary role model. Her hard work and strong moral compass continue to inspire and encourage the audience to create the best versions of themselves.

Samantha Carpenter

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NATIONAL MUSEUM of WOMEN in the ARTS

Last year, I took an advanced placement course in art history and the final exam focused on two hundred and fifty works throughout history, only a few of these were by women artists.

This inequality and undervaluing of women’s art permeates our society. Though women artists have existed throughout history, their art never garnered the same attention as their male peers.

The National Museum of Women in the Arts offers a good survey of women’s contributions to different art movements throughout the centuries, including the impressionist, cubist, and surrealist movements.

At the museum, I loved seeing the presence of women’s art through different periods of time.

However, it was weird because I saw works of art by women that I associated with a male painter, rather than immediately identifying the correct artist’s name. My AP Art History class had introduced me to part of the art canon, excluding the women artists. For example, I saw ‘The Springs, 1964’ by Lee Krasner and I immediately associated the work of art with Jackson Pollock until I read that the piece was created by his wife, Lee Krasner. I had the same experience with the art of Remedios Varo. When I saw her work, I was reminded of Salvador Dali instead of the surrealist movement itself.

This thought process could be due to the fact that I’ve been taught mostly about male artists, but I should not always associate works of art with male artists. Instead, I want to associate works of art with the art movement itself. I am astounded at how my brain has been warped by a male-dominated art narrative.

However, as new women artists emerge, I do correctly identify their works and their inspirations rather than associate the work with particular male artists. For instance, I saw one of Frida Kahlo’s self portraits and I immediately knew it was her work. I also visited a room full of modern sculpture and large paintings and I did not associate the work with anything but the contemporary era. Therefore, I think my association with works of art to male artists is only specific to art created before the contemporary era.

This could be because the contemporary era is still developing, and because women’s art has a more prominent position. Anyways, I think that it is important to teach about both female and male artists throughout all of history, even though only male artists were considered legitimate for a certain period of time. Women’s art should be considered just as important as men’s art. After all, art is art. All art matters.

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National Museum of African American History & Culture

During this week’s study break we finally visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The museum’s design is chronological, beginning with African American history at the onset of slavery and ending with modern culture and the progressions within the community.

I wanted to focus mostly in the beginning section to expand my knowledge of this history. While walking through the slavery exhibition, I focused a lot on the Middle Passage. In this section there was an actual passage, where you could walk through and hear stories of many slaves experiences through their voyage to North America.

This section has low lighting and you can almost feel the audio on your neck, transcending the emotions of the stories being told. While the museum was great, that certain section really resonated with me. Walking through the ship like passage created an emotional link from myself to history.

Though I can personally relate because it’s part of my history, the museum makes an experience for everyone. Unlike other museums we have attended, it was very personal for every person.

Referencing the passage again, the museum made the history extremely interactive and really placed the viewer back in history. There was also a section of the museum where you could go inside of a booth and record your story. Your story could be the history of your grandparents or your personal interactions with blackness. This interactive element made the viewer leave their mark in the museum, allowing them to inevitably become a part of the history.

Desirree Adegunie

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Art Shows

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Katie Sigety helped curate the Destruction Art Show with her fellow students throughout her Art in the Exhibition- Dean’s Seminar Class. During this class she learned how to curate an art show from beginning to end.

The show was a great success for the GW art community.

Samantha Carpenter & Linsey Stiff both participated in the Corcoran Freshman Art Show that was on display at the Flagg Building. Samantha Carpenter displayed two photographs composition while Lindsey Stiff presented a video from her digital media class.

Lindsey Stiff also participated in the Gallery 102 Art Show for the Presidential Scholars in the Arts.

This show was made up of a wide variety of students displaying their individual artwork.

Throughout the year Katie Loos participated in The National Museum of American History Volunteer Program. During this program she helped by welcoming visitors and providing a broad range of information about the Smithsonian.

Samantha Carpenter worked as a Studio Assistant for the Education Department at the National Gallery of Art. She Prepared materials for over 400 workshop participants. As well mentored High School Seminar students throughout their journey, as well as help document the Gallery’s program

Cecelia Halle volunteered at the Hirshhorn Museum. During which she helped guide visitors through the well attended Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors exhibit. Cecelia worked first hand in this contemporary art museum surrounded by modern artists of our time.

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Performances & Theater

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My studio art class, Basics of Production Design, has been a great and intense experience.

The class is extremely fast paced, and each night we have to do at least 1 sketch. Currently, we are working on costume renderings for the musical Sweet Charity, which we will continue to work with until the end of the semester. For this project, we have 6 characters for whom we must create a unique costume including all aspects of clothing such as undergarments and shoes. Although it isn’t my favorite musical, each character has very distinct personality traits and occupations that make designing their costumes more straightforward. For example, Charity (the main character) is a young, naive woman who has a long string of failed relationships and works as a dancer at a nightclub. So, for her costume, I worked to bridge the line between innocence and maturity. To do this, I designed a pastel yellow dress with a low sweetheart neckline and full, above-the-knee skirt with a red flowered pattern.

I also gave her a red faux leather trench coat (very popular during the 1960s). On her feet, she wears typical dance shoes (covered toe, small heel, strap). To do these renderings, I first created sketches using graphite pencils. Then, once I had a final drawing that I was happy with, I copied it over onto watercolor paper, and created a colored rendering, showing the different types of fabrics and materials. I have not had a lot of experience with watercolors, and I am really enjoying using them so far. They are very different from acrylic paints, the paint I am more comfortable using, specifically because it is much more difficult to fix mistakes made with watercolors. However, because of this, I feel much more successful when I complete a piece that I am happy with, and that is how I feel about my costume rendering for Charity.

Although it was more difficult, in the end I think it was more rewarding to learn this new technique and work to master it.

Kyra Armstrong

All My Sons Last weekend, I was in GW Department of Theater and Dance’s production of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons.

Throughout the process of the show, we discussed the question of “Who are we responsible for?” in great detail.

Originally, the cast was a little confused. How were we supposed to use this question to better our performance?

I think once we saw the set, though, it all came together. Our set designer used the concept of newspaper to make the world of 1946 Ohio come to life. The bushes were made of newspaper and paper airplanes hung from the set. Additionally, the tree, which was a memorial to Larry Keller was made of newspaper. This tree was the most essential set piece because the fact that it gets knocked down is the catalyst of the whole show. This visual reminder helped the cast wrangle and get our focus set.

I played Lydia Lubey, one of the neighbors, and we did a lot of work with paper airplanes. We made them while sitting onstage and held them up as we walked off. It was intended to symbolize Chris’ diminishing hope and respect for his father as he finally figures out the truth about his brother.

Hannah Sessler

The Kennedy Center Debbie Allen’s Freeze-Frame

Today, words are hallow. Big name politicians spout lies and spew hate. Mass media broadcasts violence as commonplace, and a nation jaded by empty words carries on and tunes out. Hate turns routine. Prejudice is welcome.

Words lose all power, as a nation stops listening. When vain remarks and idle talk fall short, art perseveres. Debbie Allen’s “Freeze Frame” fuses the visual arts of theater, film and dance with the vigor of contemporary rhythms and song. In her mission to surpass the banal conversations, Allen narrates one Los Angeles community’s story. By highlighting the individual narratives of a collective loss, “Freeze Frame” develops a familiar account of violence deeply rooted in American culture. And through the faculty of performance, the elegance of movement, tempo, meter, color, and voice, Allen speaks to her audience beyond hallow words.

“Freeze Frame” expels the properties of time in a fast-paced world. The perpetual motions of the day-to-day can overwhelm a moment and undermine the severity of even the most traumatic events. As technology spurs rapid communication, news of violent acts appear in an instant, only to be forgotten in the next, replaced by some new unpleasant horror.

Debbie Allen focuses a world in anguish down to the community, to the individual, and to the frozen moment in time.

The performance opens with a short film depicting a familiar scene, a black male committing a fatal crime. From the projection, the screen pulls away to reveal the fugitive on the run. As he collapses to the ground, his limbs extend and contort in manic fury. His long hair whips with the motion of his body’s distress. The audience bares witness to his barbaric and irate moment; an affirmation of the nationwide disregard for the typecast black male. Then, in a rapid transition of setting, the getaway chase tears through a community gathering.

A final shot is fired, this time ringing out from the hands of police. The entirety of the performance develops around a single gunshot. Time slows, the moment expands, and a world of violence reduces to a single story. However, the narrative of this story is not limited to one individual. The community is the driving force behind a collective message against gun violence. Through a series of monologues highlighting each character’s respective hardships, Allen presents a layered dialogue on the issues of race and social conflict.

The piece is reminiscent of Anna Deavere Smith’s response to the Crown Heights riots with her performance work, “Fires in the Mirror,” from 1992.

The play unites character monologues spanning age, race, and education to explore American identity within interracial communities. While Smith’s work is comprised of a single actor portraying several roles to exhibit a breakdown of racial barriers, Allen’s performance displays a similar appeal to diverse perspectives by utilizing an entire cast.

However, some scenes do not succeed in such a successful collaboration between stage and screen. Both in the public forum and church scenes, the video background detracts from the onstage performance. These segments include the majority of the characters onstage, often moving in several distinct groupings. The intensity of the theatrics conflicts with the onscreen illustration and develops a chaotic display confusing the message and diffusing the audience’s attention, rather than focusing it.

From an honors student athlete to a mute painter, accounts of gun violence are embedded deep in the narratives of each community member.

Despite the occasional visual mayhem, Allen’s choreography prevails as the underlying force behind a message of peace. Dance serves as a universal and uniting factor emphasizing the humanity of all characters. Politicians move with a systematic elegance, the church choir sways under the light of a higher power, and police pop and lock, then march in standard uniform. The elation of dancing highlights the collectivity of a community defined by the unfortunate reality of violence. We see a young ballet dancer, who is able to move the audience with her grace while simultaneously embodying the empowerment of personal freedom and demonstrating the suffering of many. In this manner, Debbie Allen effectively transmits a message of intolerance for gun violence, while understanding that not everything can be spoken, nor agreed upon. And in these moments of uncertainty and stifled hatred, art speaks louder than words.

Katie Loos 27

While characters render personal accounts of their lives through the format of dance, song, or poetic verse, the cinematic element of an immense projector screen accompanies the performance with photographs and graphic visuals operating continuously in the backdrop.

In the case of Eleo, a young Latino man suffering from mutism, the projection serves to construct a visual of his graffiti art as he glides across the stage and strikes the air with an imaginary paintcan. Eleo moves with an impassioned intent to create, held under the weight of his personal traumas. His dance is accompanied by his aunt (Debbie Allen), who narrates Eleo’s internal dialogue as “The Quiet Man.” Here, the fusion of visual, spacial, and lyrical elements functions with an intended unison and frames Eleo’s narrative with clarity.

For my final presentation project in the Women and the Creative Process class, I will perform traditional Korean music and Western classical music, juxtaposing the eastern and western cultures.

By incorporating instruments from each culture: a Korean bamboo flute and a regular flute, I hope to emphasize the stark difference between the two musical styles, and also deliver the fundamental message that music can bring us together. One of the most interesting aspects of my project will be the visual presentation of myself, the performer.

I will dress in both a Korean traditional garment and western formal dress, reflecting the different types of music I will be playing. The Korean garment represents traditional Korean culture, which has been developed separately from western culture. The costume I will wear while playing western classical music is intended to represent the music from the Victoria and European period. By presenting two traditional and classic styles of music together, I hope to build bridges across the two worlds like the artist Maya Lin.

Similar to Lin, I want to represent my identity which encompasses both authentically being Korean and American.

The songs I will play on the Korean bamboo flute are “Arirangs”, Korean Traditional Folk songs, reflecting Korean history. On the Western flute, I will play the minuet from “L’arlesienne Suite No 2” , by Bizet, a classical flute piece.

With these music choices, I hope to guide the audience across cultures and guide them through my cultural journey.

Jeanie Jeong

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My art class this past spring was “African Dance,” taught by one of the most talented and dedicated professors.

I selected this class because, not only did I want to learn about my roots, I wanted to learn how to dance and relax from the stress of other classes. By far, this has been my favorite class; I felt at home when I stepped foot into this dance studio. The professor introduced us to many African dance styles and she included background on how the traditions have changed over time. This class not only expanded on dance but it taught music and rhythmic moves. Most of the music we listened to involved men’s voices; however, there are many moves that are made strictly for women and these moves quite often translated into feelings of power and leadership.

In one of the videos, “Zambio,” the women performers are just as powerful as the men. They shake their bodies and do tricks that look easy but are very challenging to perform. Therefore although much of the music itself does not involve women singing it definitely includes women in the dance performance. I would recommend this class. Not only are you learning about different cultures, you are also having fun.

Especially if you are from the homeland, it brings back many memories and in a way empowers you to dig deeper into your culture and your background. Most of the music that we danced to had background stories of colonization, loss, or happiness.

“Zambio” is about war, winning a challenging fight, and finally making it to the top.

Bontu Kumsa

Acting tells us how to interpret other people’s thoughts and feelings and transform into anyone in the world. As a little girl, acting was something I wanted to do and, in high school, I performed some shows. But during the last two years in high school, I realized that I lacked a strong theatre knowledge, while I was attempting to create school plays. So I decided go abroad to study theatre.

Several top theatre colleges that accept less than 30 new students out of 12,000 applicants control theatre study in China.

It is a challenge to get into these Chinese theatre colleges. Additionally, Western theatre is very different from Eastern theatre. Maybe coming to a foreign country would fill my mind with new ideas about theatre.

Most importantly, I have family here.

That’s why I decide I want to be here to study theatre. Pantomime practice is my favorite part of the class. During class we are asked to bring an object and hold it in our hands. Is it small or big? Is it long or short? Is it rounded or not? Is it easy to use or you have to untie it first and then use it? Through this practice, we began to pay more attention to the object and pay more attention in our relationship with the object. Concentration is a very important element in acting. Concentrate on your character. Concentrate on your dialogue while you are acting in front of the audience. This practice really made me have a new respect for acting.

Mengyuna Wei

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In The Studio

Sara-Jane Mathews presenting her final project from her hand built ceramics class.

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For the past semester I took my first photography course. During this course I learned how to process and develop film and how to capture motion and movement in a single photograph.

For my final presentation I chose to showcase a collection of my photos from my final photography project.

Wendy Liu

For my Spring semester art elective course I chose to take a Fundamentals Drawing elective course.

Throughout high school I took many art classes, and within these classes I always enjoyed creating my own style. When the opportunity arose for me to take a fundamentals drawing course I thought it would be a great way for me to keep developing my own artistic style. For my final IAC presentation I brought my entire portfolio to display,from charcoal sketches, to blind contour drawings, to the final project. I wanted to share the evolution of my work throughout the semester with the class.

Katie Sigety

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Due to the fact that I enrolled in the Augmented Reality art class with the intent to fulfill a requirement of the Women’s Leadership Program, I felt it would be disingenuous not to incorporate female leaders into my final project. My augmented reality experience guides the viewer through the floors of Phillips Hall, and asks them to survey cautionary signs, paper fliers, and other minute details that cover the walls, ceiling, and floors of the building. The “scavenger-hunt” is thematically constructed to exhibit female poets. I wanted to venture beyond sharing an experience I was familiar with, and take the time to research a subject I know little about. Therefore, this project simultaneously introduced me to the work of eight incredible female poets as well as challenged me to apply the Adobe softwares and Aurasma program which assemble our course curriculum.

The final project requires the student to create a “self-portrait� by leading the viewer through an augmented experience. As a freshman, over the past year my understanding of higher education, measures of time, and all of which I hold to be true and of importance to me have rapidly altered and transformed. My final project takes place in Phillips Hall, the home of the Columbian School of Arts and Sciences, and it serves as a reflection of education, what I may choose to make of it, and of course, women in the arts. The piece covers all eight floors of the building, with each floor a tribute to a different poet.

Viewers can start at any floor and follow any order. I welcome the objective of discovering the trigger without direction.

Katie Loos

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Frame by Frame Animation: My Journey to Early Onset Arthritis After registering for Frame by Frame, I was beyond excited. I had a brief experience with stop motion animation in middle school, and although it was short, I still had a fun time (my group’s project got 2nd place in the class competition).

The GW class definitely introduced me to new techniques; I had never used programs such as Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Bridge beforehand. By learning these programs, I was able to complete projects for my other classes because I felt comfortable enough with the design programs, without my teacher’s assistance. So, after animation class is over, I still use the techniques learned in my personal and professional life.

My design process was actually quite simple, I would find a quiet space, like a booth at Pelham dining hall, my desk in my room, or a study room and sit for hours drawing or arranging my paper cutouts. With a storyboard as a guide that marked my ideas, I would write down an approximation on how many frames I needed for each scene. While shooting, I would often run into the problem where I had a lot of frames left over. My solution was to create other scenes, on-the spot, and I would usually ask my classmates or siblings if they had any quick ideas to help me brainstorm those new scenes.

One great tip my teacher taught us was “shooting on twos”, this is a method that many animators use where instead of drawing a distinct image for each frame, you shoot it twice. By doing so, you cut the amount of work you have to do in half, and the project comes out a lot smoother when it transitions frame by frame.

Quite a few times throughout the semester I doubted myself, as basically everyone in the class was a fine arts major. It was difficult when I compared my work to my peers. Although my drawing abilities were limited, I really think my work came out pretty well.

When we showed everybody’s work in class, many people complimented me and I was really grateful for the positive learning space.

One thing I can definitely say after completing the semester in Frame by Frame Animation, is that if I kept up with it, I would definitely have early onset arthritis! My hands hurt so much after having to draw the same frames over and over again, and then having to color each frame after that. I honestly feel bad for the professional animators out there because it truly is tedious work. Nonetheless, I had a lot of fun with this class and I almost wish we had more than three projects, so that I could show more of my work to my friends and family.

Zakiyyah Mandisa

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This semester, I am enrolled in a drawing fundamentals class with Professor Dolan. We have primarily been focusing on still life, but sometimes we emulate famous paintings. Whatever the assignment topic, Professor Dolan insists that we have the correct scale for everything: for the dimensions of the paper, the objects, and the negative space.

Instead of using rulers and definite measurements to create a correct scale, we use a rod.

Looking at a still life, I measure the size of one object that can roughly fit across the page of my paper 6-10 times (ideally 8).

Then, I use that size to estimate the other sizes of objects. For instance, if the bowl that I use as my base measurement is ó the rod’s size, I calculate how many bowls can fit into the bigger vase. I repeat this process throughout the entire piece.

Lindsey Stiff

Lucy Jane Meyer

Lucy presents her final project from sculpture class. The wooden box Lucy created can stand on every angle no matter which direction one places it.

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A Ballerina with Fire My attention was captivated by the ballerina gracefully dancing across the wall in the common area of our dorm. Last Sunday, we watched a documentary on the well known Misty Copeland. This was of particular interest to me after having danced for the Atlanta Ballet for so many years. I watched this from a dancer’s lens, as I know how it feels to work so hard towards something that can always be improved. However, Misty Copeland’s articulation is so near perfect. Her ability to mesh every movement together gives her performances a sense of fluidity that is uncommon. She not only captures the definition of grace, but also strength. Of course she stands as the image of strength through her physical power, but she is also a pillar of this value to the African American community.

As the first African American dancer in the American Ballet Theatre, she stands out amongst her seventy-nine white peers. Her upbringing was also much different from the other professional dancers. She used dance as a way to escape a life of financial struggles. Her success lifted her out of the endless cycle of oppression, and her story continues to inspire young dancers around the world. With her unique style and technique, she stands out amongst the crowd as a beautiful dancer as well as a symbol of perseverance and courage. After watching the documentary about Misty Copeland, I was inspired. Her passion for dance reminded me what it is like to have that feeling of endless connection with your art.

The desire to do your very best in something you love fills a void. I want to love my career as much as Misty Copeland loves dance. This goal is something I am going to work towards, just as she tirelessly works towards performing her best. However, her path was clear cut. She knew that she was going to spend her life dancing, as soon as she began dance classes. She continued in her practice with the goal of making it a career. It is not always as direct for everyone, and I know I am going to have to take my time figuring out what it is that will take my heart and passion. I guess that is part of the journey, and I can take Copeland’s image beyond that of a dream, and turn it into a piece of my own learning experience.

Sara Rountree 43

Community

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For my community service I will continue my work with Jumpstart. Jumpstart, an AmeriCorps organization, prepares preschool students for kindergarten. I chose this organization primarily because I love kids, and I helped my aunt with her daycare when I was younger. Also, growing up I didn’t have access to tutors and it was hard sometimes to play “catch up” to other students. My previous experience led me to believe I would be a successful mentor and I really believe in Jumpstart’s mission and values.

I go to the preschool, two times a week where I lead a lesson that includes, song, poems and games. Sometimes I work as a classroom assistance, where I help out the teacher with the activities she has planned. As a team leader for this organization, I also lead weekly meetings with my team to review and practice each session plan and we create materials for the lesson of each week. Every other month or so, we also attend training sessions that cover a variety of things. By participating in this service, I have learned a variety of skills, such as public speaking and the qualities of being a leader. I’ve also seen the growth in my students from the beginning of the semester until now, and I know that I am making a lasting impact despite the short time period I am with them. Although I knew we were going to be teaching kids, it was a bit surprising to see their growth. Watching them take in the lessons, start using new vocabulary, and gaining self-confidence was astounding. I really love being a part of Jumpstart and I’m probably going to do it again next year.

Zakiyyah Mandisa

During the school year each WLP student must participate in a community service project. Here are some of the ways IAC members contributed to their community. Alana Stolnitz contributed to the Relay For Life Team at GW. Kia Mandisa & Desirree Adegunie volunteered for the Jumpstart program.

While Katie Loos and Samantha Carpenter helped tutor children at the Little Friends For Peace Organization.

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Women’s March

h on Washington

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The Women’s March on Washington was the highlight of the weekend. I loved that IAC got together beforehand to make signs and arrive as a cohort, it was very empowering and gave me hope for the future. Just the contrast in the atmosphere between the inauguration and the march was astounding. Arriving at the march everyone was extremely friendly and uplifting, I will never forget that when we stopped to take a photo as a cohort that all the women around us started cheering!

Seeing such a large turnout of women really made me happy and I felt so supported , and the day before at the Inauguration I felt alone. Speakers, such as Gloria Steinem outlined the fight ahead of us for the next four years. Knowing that I will be here for all four years really made me feel as though I have to continue the fight for those who can’t always be in the center of it all. The march made me feel so hopeful to know that there are millions of women who refuse to be silenced and will keep fighting the good fight.

Katie Sigety

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Leadership for afor Leadership Better World

a Better World

Too often in our contemporary society leadership is characterized by the ability to control and organize others. Great leaders are easily recognized by their commanding presence, their ability to work in-groups while maintaining a constant vision for their end goal. While these are crucial elements and facets that characterize someone as a leader, it fails to focus on the guiding beliefs and principles which one needs initially before one can become a great leader.

In a sense, great leaders are never born in a vacuum. They draw from their experiences and the experiences of those in their communities to take on challenges in nuanced and spectacular ways, emphasizing the importance of personal values and growth to further themselves and help others.

Helen Molesworth, the chief curator of the LA MOCA and the ex chief curator at the ICA/ Boston (the museum I worked at throughout high school) is a woman leader I admire greatly. Though no politician or community organizer, Molesworth is a person who understands deeply the social justice power of art and who understands the capacity of museums as organizing spaces.

In her time at the ICA she organized This Will Have Been: Art, Love, and Politics in the 1980s, a retrospective of the major cultural and political movements in the 1980s as captured by artists in that time period. The exhibition gathered the likes of Nan Goldin and Jean-Michel Basquiat to explain complex issues of race, wealth, and sexuality through visual artistic means.

Through this exhibition the ICA provided powerful institutional insight into politics and identities many of us still struggle with today, ultimately making these struggles accessible and relatable to Bostonians.

While curators are not typical figureheads for leadership, I find Helen’s powerful ability to reposition art into a vehicle for conversation and discourse to be the perfect encapsulation of model leadership. Like any other great leader, she works to empower communities and people through mutual understanding, ultimately creating dynamic functional workspaces for all. Molesworth understands that the power of art goes far if it is portrayed in the right way, brought to everyone on a level playing field, and can be accessed by all. These sentiments emphasize her powerful leadership.

Cecelia Halle

GW Women’s Leadership Program Class of 2016-2017

Thank you so much Professor Buckley & Hope Ajayi for all of your help and support throughout this year.

Thank You!

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Designed, Edited, & Written By Samantha Carpenter