What to write

Hello everyone. SO I have been brainstorming about what to write about this fall and I have to say that it is quite difficult to find books and articles that really relate to what I want to talk about. So I was wondering if anyone had any ideas or suggestions for me. If you all remember, my summer work dealt with characters from classic fairytales. I have been free writing a lot in my sketchbook and have decided that the reason I was having such a difficult time trying to create new depictions of these characters was, that these were all well established and "over-done" characters, and though I found them interesting they didn't have a true deeper connection to me. SO it was like I wasn't really creating anything new and personally tied to me. Does that make sense? So I had this idea to maybe start writing short stories and create my own drawings for these stories and then eventually create three-dimensional sculptures of the drawings. This is something I'm really excited about and I think because the stories will be of my own creation that the content and context in the sculptural pieces will be clearer.(could I have used the word "create" any more in that paragraph?)SO, I have been thinking about looking into Mythology, figure drawing, cartooning, and even caricature drawing, but all the books I find are "how to..." Books and collections of stories, and that's not what I really want. I'm more interested in how myths and fables came to be told; their history. And I guess I'm looking for a good book or article on ceramics and sculpture and figure and character creation in ceramics. A lot huh? Well if anyone has any input it will be more then helpful I'm sure. Let me know! Thanks!!

So... how do you become an art critic?

Readers of ArtsJournal.com saw an interseting posting this morning - an interview with The Nation's art critic, Arthur Danto (if you missed it, you can find it here). It's interesting to note that Danto was a painter before deciding to pursue philosophy (and wierd that he compares himself to Lana Turner at one point...), and I hope you're interested in his ideas about how we're all practicing after the end of art. Strangely enough the Boston Globe is accepting applications for the position of art critic (see the sidebar of artsjournal, which frequently posts opportunities and professional news). Enjoy.

I'm very proud that I learned how to do this. Hey Girard, now you don't have to struggle w/ opening files! 

this was the runner up 

whats up everyone!!! 

Pictures! Excellent....

I'm glad to see y'all getting some pictures posted on this thing. Please feel free to use it post images through the semester. Perhaps I'll even figure out how to use that feature...
Meanwhile, I wanted to announce another link in our column at right - this one connects to the website for Diana Hacker's text book, "A Writer's Reference", which is the default book for our program's writing requirments. You might wish to consult it for guidance on making bibliographies as well as other questions. Enjoy!

Introduction

Let me introduce myself.

Where is "I" in this essay?

Note: This is the first in an occasional series of postings on general writing concerns. As always, your comments are welcome and encouraged.

One of the most frequently asked questions in my writings classes must be, “can I use the word ‘I’ in my paper?” I usually toss off a rather flip answer (did I ask you to write the paper? Do you refer to yourself as I?), but I’m in constant amazement about this question. Are there still legions of teachers out there telling people that I weakens a paper? Does anyone really think readers prefer the opinions and experiences of semi-anonymous constructs to the thoughts and ideas of their students? Or does no one really have an idea where I belongs in a paper?

Okay, some guidelines. Ask yourself, before you use I, if you are doing so because you’ve not been able to locate another reference who says what your about to say. If not, you may not be done with your research. If you can honestly say that no one in your research is saying what you’ve got to say, go for it. This of course means that you have to use I when you’re talking about personal experiences or observations. Which brings us to the real reason I can’t stand teachers who refuse to admit the first person singular to an academic paper.

Once upon a time, academic writing consisted of carefully researched and annotated prose. These were not the good old days; they were the days in which only certain things (things others had written about before) were admissible subjects for academic discourse. One of the major arguments of feminist writers in the late 60’s and early 70’s was to get I taken seriously in a world in which one was only taken seriously for his ability to refer to the experience of others.

Finally, I’m of the school of thought that if you can’t deny subjectivity, you might as well admit it wholeheartedly. An assignment to write a paper is an invitation to take your place in the ongoing conversation that is education. You are assigned to write because we want to know what you think about a given subject. So when you have made an original observation or have an original thought, and you’ve done your homework to be certain that it’s yours, use I fearlessly. Take your place in the conversation to which you’re invited.

Welcome

In addition to students' responses, I'll be occasionally posting excerpts from essays I've been working on for comments. I hope this will be a litlte like a writing lab, where we can reherse ideas.