Sir Duke

“Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand”.  These lyrics from Sir Duke, a song in our choir’s repertoire, could not have been more accurate than when they rang out during the several friendship concerts in which I participated as a member of the BHS Choir that traveled to Italy for an international choir festival and competition this past spring.  During this trip, we performed in many friendship concerts with other choirs from Italy.  During these concerts, I had a chance to not only experience a different dialect of music, but the traditions of the Italian people.  I will never forget that long bus ride all the way up the winding mountain to the small village in which we performed our first friendship concert.  The entire ride, I could feel the excitement in the air.  Upon arrival, we were greeted with friendly smiles from the other choirs and each of the singers was eager to introduce him or herself with a giant hug.  For us, this was strange: hugging people we did not know, especially since they were soon to be our competition.  However, after we all sang our separate repertoires, and we sang Modonella and Irish Blessing together, as one choir, it was as though we were one, big family.  The language barrier and cultural differences did not matter; we were all there to sing, and because of that, we understood each other perfectly.  Another of my favorite concerts in Italy was the one after which the Italian choir made us homemade gnocchi.  The men were dressed in their Alpine uniforms and served each of us a generous helping.  It gave me a great sense of home in a completely strange land.  I would not expect to have this feeling in a different town here in the United States, let alone another country.  This was a great gesture of hospitality and showed how accepting the Italians were to other cultures.  Even though we did not speak the same language (although we did try) music created a bond between the choirs that could not have been created in any other way.  The best example of such a bonding experience was during the closing ceremony of the festival.  As the master of ceremonies stood in front of us all, he began to hum Amazing Grace.  The theater was soon filled with a harmony of voices that could not be found elsewhere.  It was absolutely amazing how hundreds of people were able to produce the same song without even speaking the same language; but in actuality, we did all speak the same language: music. People always claim that Americans stick out in a crowd of Europeans, but when the Americans are singing, they do not stand out.  They are able to blend in and be one with those of a different culture, even only for a moment, creating a lasting bond across different lifestyles and traditions.  

Changing Chalk: a Closer Look at Pavement Art

In Germany it is called strassenmalerie , in Italy, modnnari, and in the U.S., it is pavement art.  For decades now, the sidewalks of America have been covered in chalk.  It used to be that hopscotch courts and marble rings lay in front of every household that had children.  Later, chalk was used by children to create drawings of flowers, and dogs, and everything in between.  Now, the sidewalks and streets of America are still covered in chalk, but for different reasons.   Chalk is used as a medium for street art and as a means of advertising.  Just walking down Academic row on the UMBC campus, one can see a variety of upcoming events advertised.  Similar to this idea are the paw prints that lead to the RAC; they are there to draw you into athletic events.  Besides advertisements and paths to follow, chalk is being used as a medium for artistic expression.  Artists have taken to the streets drawing everything from optical illusions to recreations of famous masterpieces.  Art such as this has become so popular that there are even national and international festivals and competitions.  Today, street art may have religious motives behind it, like Kurt Wenner’s Dies Irae, but many pavement pieces are optical illusions.  Whatever the subject may be, there is no doubt that the tradition of pavement art has come a long way from simple hopscotch courts and marble rings.  Pavement art has changed a great deal over the past decades; what used to be a form of entertainment for children has now grown into a complex art form used, not only to advertise, but to intrigue the minds of the common passerby. 

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This paper will start out by looking at pavement art on an international scale, then narrowing in on the U.S., Baltimore, and then UMBC itself.   A major portion of this paper will focus on the artwork itself, including where it can be found and how it is created.  The artists themselves will also be a major topic.  There are several artists who are very well known for pavement art, one of whom, Michael Kirby, is actually based in Baltimore.  In addition to discussing pavement art in its current form, this paper will address the evolution of sidewalk art over time.  Examining pavement art is significant in that it is a traditional art form deeply rooted in history that people tend to over look.

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Works Cited

Ball, David. "Artists to Make the Pavement Come Alive in Sarasota." Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 23 Oct. 2010. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20101023/ARTICLE/10231041/2055/NEWS?Title=Artists-to-make-the-pavement-come-alive-in-Sarasota>.

Eff, Elaine. You Should Have Been Here Yesterday. Print.

Masterpieces in Chalk. Perf. Kurt Wenner. Kurt Wenner. 1986. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://www.kurtwenner.com/gallery_movies/pages/MasterpiecesChalkpt1%23230C61.htm>.

"Murals of Baltimore." Murals of Baltimore. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://www.muralsofbaltimore.com/index.htm>.

Nguyen, Patrick, and Stuart MacKenzie. Beyond the Street: the 100 Leading Figures in Urban Art. Berlin: Gestalten, 2010. Print.

Oring, Elliott. Print.

Park, Malcolm. Three Street Drawings by Gustave Caillebotte. Burlington Magazine. Aug. 2010. Web. 27 Oct. 2010.

Pocock, Phillip. The Obvious Illusion : Murals from the Lower East Side. 1980. Photograph. UMBC Library Special Collections, Baltimore.

Rizzo, Mary. The Cafe Hon. Print.

The Greens

Built in the 1970’s, The Greens Condominiums lie encircled by trees, almost detached from the busy Route One, the access point to the rest of the town of Branford, which is conveniently located only a few streets away. 

When I was about 4 years old, my family moved into a condo on Walden Green Dr inside the circle of The Greens.  At the time, there were not many children; most of the people living there were older adults.  Now however, more and more families are starting to move into these homes, and there is no reason why they shouldn’t.  The Greens was built in a circular fashion, and in the center, is a small island of grass and trees with a large rock right in the middle; the perfect place for childhood games and adventures.  On the outer ring is a small playground, and just across the street is a pool.  In addition to being a great place for children, The Greens, although on the outskirts of town, is close to one of the best school systems in Connecticut.    

Not only is the population changing in The Greens, but the condos themselves are actually getting a face lift; with the influx of younger tenants, has come a younger community board which has begun to improve the area in which it lives.  New siding is being put on the buildings, the pool is cleaner, and there are more social events.

One of the best aspects of The Greens is that all of the streets are named after something having to do with literature, such as Robert Frost Drive.  No one is exactly sure why this is, but I believe it brings a calming and intellectual charm to a neighborhood that, at one point, was housing for those who could not afford ocean front houses, and is now turning into a place of coveted homes.  (313)

Look at those cool kids over there

Have you ever seen those 'cool' kids with the vintage outfits that appear to come straight from the thrift store? Yes? Then you have witnessed an American subculture on the rise. 
    In an attempt to reject labels and the so called ‘ignorant’ ideology of mainstream culture, Hipsters have created an elite lifestyle of their own. 
    Although fashion is the easiest way by which Hipsters are identified - in the words of Time Magazine, “your grandmother’s sweater and Bob Dylan’s wayfarers,…jean shorts, Converse All Stars and a can of Pabst” - there are many other ways in which they are identified.
    Hipsters never frequent McDonald’s or Dunkin’ Donuts; rather, they tend to flock to local coffee shops and cafes to read works by such authors as Dostoevsky and Burgess.  When they are not at these venues, hipsters can be seen at organic food stores and outdoor farmers markets.  Often turning to foreign films, Hipsters, as with everything else mainstream, reject popular music, listening, instead, to Indie and underground artists. 
    Hipsters came into being through the desire to stray from the popular and traditional ways of modern culture; however, as the ideas of this elite group of individuals have become more popular, the hipster population has grown and become more popular.

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Curious?

Post Secret: UMBC

Whether it is how one feels about another, or what one did last weekend, everyone has a secret to share.  Based off of the phenomenon known as Post Secret, started by author Frank Warren in 2004, this project would look into the similar idea here at UMBC.  By looking at the entries in the Joseph Beuys Tree Partnership journal, this project will examine the ideas of anonymity and secrets, and those ideas which people feel society disapproves. The findings will be presented in the form of a small booklet with accompanying pictures relevant to the journal entries.

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Shall We Dance

For centuries, dance has been a popular form of socializing in America.  Over the years, dancing has evolved a great deal.  With each major event in history and each wave of social change, dance in America has changed in both purpose and style.  This study will examine dance in each era, from sock hops to discotheques, and how it has changed.  Special attention will be paid to how particular cultural events affected dance in America. 

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Apple Pie and Baseball 

When one thinks of America, many times two things pop into his mind: apple pie and baseball.  Baseball has forever been America’s pass time.  When America is in times of trouble, she knows she can always look to baseball to keep her going.  Over the years, baseball has also changed with the times and has created many family traditions.  In this study, the impact of baseball on America will be looked at starting with the rise of baseball, through WWII, the Civil Rights Movement, and ending with the baseball we all know and love today.      

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I Am From My Family

It is difficult to say how one’s opinions, traditions, character, and principles form.  Most people say theirs were formed by their own free mind, or by certain experiences.  I, however, have come to the conclusion that I am a direct product of that motley crew that I love so dearly: my family.  

The other day I received an email from my godfather.  He told me that “it has been an honor and a privilege to watch [me] grow into the woman [I] have become”, and that if I ever need anything, “all [I] have to do is ask”.  To anyone else, this is just a nice email from a distant family member that they haven’t seen in years.  For me, however, this was at least the twentieth time, whether by phone, email, Facebook, or text, that someone has told me the same thing.    I grew up with family down the street, on the other side of town, across the nation, and in a completely different country all together, along with my friends, young and old, and especially those whom I consider the best.  

Although I always knew I had a large family that cared for me, it was not until now, as I begin questioning  my character and principles, that I realized how greatly my family has influenced my thoughts and actions, and how much support I have.  This may be cliché, but I am who I am because of my family, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.   

 

Word count:  250