Going back and forth to Toledo every day for school opened much time to listen to the radio. I listen to a Toledo station to get weather and traffic alerts, but I also heard about local events too. For months, it seemed like, the Toledo Museum of Art ran an airtime ad promoting Kehinde Wiley’s art exhibit. What they were saying about it sparked my interest. So, when mine and Kellyann’s museum day came about, I was eager to see what all of the hype was for this temporary exhibit. The way it worked out, we saw this display last. I guess you could say we saved the best for last, in my opinion. I knew the work of Kehinde Wiley was going to be on the edgier side of art, but it was fresh, vibrant, and colorful. I am not an art critic, but I think this exhibit was a spectacular example of making a relatable statement to a young audience. The diversity and pop culture that came to life in the paintings was unlike anything I had ever seen. After seeing classical paintings from world-famous artists, I thought I had seen it all. I am in no way knocking down the iconic paintings, but I believe we get stuck in a rut when it comes to defining what is expected at an art gallery. I was shocked when I saw the face of Michael Jackson included in a painting of Kehinde Wiley’s. Many pieces stood out to me, and I commend the innovativeness and bounding creativity to make historical paintings with a modernized flare. It got me to thinking about the reasons why we are so reserved to accept or merely recognize a current stance. Times change and people change. History is the only thing that will remain, so we must adapt our ways to reach new audiences. We sometimes have to meet a new way of thinking somewhere in the middle. Kehinde Wiley did just that by making a statement through art against the grain. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2017
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Probably a month or two ago, my friend, Kellyann, made a post on Facebook asking if anyone would make a trip to the Toledo Museum of Art with her. Normally, I had class on Fridays, but on this Friday, my lab had been canceled. I, of course, jumped at the opportunity to go. It was perfect too because we were counting down the days to go to Europe together. So, we considered this our practice run for getting ready to see many museums later on our trip. We were both in different art classes at different colleges. For Kellyann, this was an assignment to go, and for me, it came highly encouraged to visit the museum and check out the exhibits. Any chance I can get to see a museum is one I will always take. I love seeing the works of art, and I can easily spend all day in a museum. One piece that stuck out to me was a neon light sign. Any typographic art ranks high in my book, but the message resonating from this one left an impact. The information card on the wall next to this lighted sign, again, validated the connection I had just made with this art. “Alfredo Jaar has a desire to change the world; he also accepts how naïve that goal is. He believes his art can affect change, informing and engaging his audience and illuminating his message—figuratively and literally.” I understood the art, identified the message, and I found an appreciation for both intellectually. The unmistakable message from the art sign tells us to “be afraid of the enormity of the possible.” I have often said that we should not let fear stand in the way of life, and I still stand by that. This art form may seem contradictory to what I have been saying all along, but I am going to argue its stance. The way I interpreted this was that there are endless possibilities with an infinite number of outcomes. Fear should be a driving force to allow us to break through only seeing what we are comfortable in seeing. After we open our heart and eyes to the world’s possibilities, we can never go back to ignorant bliss. Then, the only fear we should have is not accepting the call to adventure and discovery. Kellyann and I enjoyed spending the day together at the Toledo Museum of Art. It is not often that spur-of-the-moment plans work in favor of my schedule, but I am so happy it worked out. I put my art analysis skills to the test, and it was great to see some of the pieces that were discussed in my art class. This field trip helped me when it came time for me to write my final paper. I am sure the rest of my classmates were not as excited to do this assignment, but I had a lightbulb moment when I saw Waterlilies by Claude Monet. I have loved this piece ever since I saw a picture of it, and my love only grew after seeing it in person. I ended up comparing Waterlilies to Jackson Pollock’s Forest. It was a stretch to do so, but I made it work. All in all, I would say the Toledo Museum of Art is well worth the trip to see some unique pieces of art. To have such a rich and diverse museum near me is wonderful. I think it is easily forgotten about, but I would recommend it to anyone. Spend an afternoon, and see what it has to offer; you will not be disappointed. A day spent at a museum is a day spent getting lost in a portfolio of masterpieces. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2017 It is about time I give an update. This school year has been a weird one for me in general, but this semester especially gave me a run for my money. For so many big things to be happening and events to look forward to, I did not feel well for most of it. My health got in my way many times this semester, but I tried to push through as best I could. So, here is a recap of the high points. The biggest event that took place was applying to grad school. I had mixed emotions going into this process. All the thoughts and feelings a person could have are the ones I was having. The thing I dreaded the most was taking the GRE, a standardized entrance exam for my program. My original test date was scheduled for October, but because I was just getting over one health issue, I postponed it to the day after Christmas. That was not my best idea in the world, but I did what I had to do. My hope was to score high enough the first time to avoid spending another $205 to take it again. Lucky for me, I scored what I needed to on my first try, and that monster of an exam is now behind me. The GRE was not as bad as I expected it would be; it was just the buildup of taking it and the pressures that accompanied it that got to me. The next step of my application process was gathering documents for my portfolio. I chose carefully when deciding to include an academic resume. Ultimately, I thought it was best to include. I had asked three people to write letters of recommendation, and I had meticulously edited my letter of intent through multiple revisions. Since I applied through early admissions, I had to email my application portfolio to my professor. Hitting send on that email was a huge relief, and then the waiting game began. I discovered I had been accepted into the grad program when I checked my email during a break between classes. It was a Thursday morning, and my friends were with me in the computer lab. I was beyond ecstatic, and knowing I did not have to worry anymore or search for other programs made me the happiest person. Another fun thing that happened this semester was getting to work on a research project with a professor. Getting to do this type of research as an undergrad is not always an option, but I jumped at the opportunity after being asked to join the project. My friend, Yasmina, and I were paired up to read and collect data from numerous interviews from adults who stutter. I found it fascinating to read from their perspective and gain new insight about an avenue in my field. We just finished the first phase of this research project, and we hope to see it through to the end. I think it is important to document these accomplishments when I can, not to brag, but to capture a moment in time. I am the first to admit that this semester was rocky, and I was not even sure if I was going to sink or swim, but I cannot deny the few highlights their glory. Even with everything that was going on and dealing with my health, I still managed to make Dean’s List rankings this semester. Life is too short to get hung up on the few low spots compared to the great things happening in life. Some days, I was a hot mess, but at least I can look back and appreciate the mess that I was. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2017 We were challenged as freshmen to come up with a community service project to give back. A group of us got together to brainstorm and plan. I thought about how we could benefit the most people and get the most meaningful investment in the project. Almost everyone knows someone who has battled with cancer, so I proposed we start a Relay for Life team. The idea stuck, and I was the designated team captain to get this plan going. What began as a one-time project turned into our high school’s yearly service plan. For five years (I went to a five-year high school), I served as the team captain, but I could not have done it without the help and dedication of my classmates. Our weekend spent at Relay each year was the one time during the school year we collaboratively worked together as a school. Sure, there were other times we worked on other big projects, but this was by far our biggest and involved the majority of the student body and faculty. I always looked forward to Relay for Life each year. We were just a bunch of high schoolers, but to see the comradery build and the kind-heartedness among us was inspiring. I am sure there were other places our team members could have chosen to be during those weekends, but they chose Relay. That showed great dedication on their part and is a testament to the character of the school. We understood the effects cancer has on families, and some of us had personal ties to those effects. My favorite memory from each year will forever have a special place in my heart. The nine o’clock hour is always the hour we celebrate and honor the won and lost battles by lighting candles in white luminary bags with names on them. My only request during Relay was that every team member be at our tent site during this time. My heart was so full during this time at the event. The entire fairgrounds fell silent, the bagpiper could be heard throughout the sites, and to see fifty (plus) students and some parents during this time was emotional. To see the support and compassion shown among peers brought hope, and gave us time to reflect why we were all there. Of course, we had a great time those days and nights at Relay. We also got the majority of our volunteer hours we needed to graduate. But, that is not why we did what we did. The goal was to raise money and awareness for The American Cancer Society to hopefully see the world with less cancer and more birthdays. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2017 |
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