Art Month

October is Art Month at the Foundation Center. They offer free classes, a library and an online directory of grants for individuals. If you search online for grants, you have to weed through all the grants offered to non-profits. I forget the exact stat, but it is like 9 to 1 that a grant is for a non-profit instead of an individual. The reason for this, is so the person giving the money can get a tax break. By having a directory of grants just for individuals saves tons of time! You can use the directory for free at any Foundation location or pay about $12 per month to access it from home via the web.

I've been to many free classes at the Foundation Center and they have been very helpful. I've taken Grant seeking basics for individuals in the arts, finding foundation support for your education and getting started with foundation grants to individuals online. Some classes are offered every month and others are one-time deals. Every time I am there, I am shocked by the knowledge and helpfulness of the staff. I've also used their library to look up art residency programs.

I've been taking it a step at a time. I feel like I don't have time to write a proposal, research a grant then apply. So I am taking the first step by take classes so I will know how to write an effective grant.

Now is the time to take a class especially if you are an artist. As before mentioned, this is Art Month. Check out their calendar.

Senior Show

Senior Show at Academy of Art University

Opening Reception: Thursday, October 2, 5:30-7:30

688 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA

Group Show of graduating BFA sculpture, painting and printmaking majors.

Featuring: Mandy Berglund, Elizabeth Conley, Allison Danbom, Gene Guynn, Paul Konzen, Nathan Kurzmann, Carina Lomeli, Anne Olson, Amberlee Rosolowich, Tura Sugden, Doo-Hwa Sung, Elizabeth Symington, Michelle Tapia, and Rosemarie Vasquez.

paint your next artist's statement

This week I came to the realization that an artist's statement isn't proof that the artist failed to communicate what they tried to say through their art. Rather it is a tool to reveal another layer of the message, process and mindset of the creator. Without it, how would we hear about the happy accidents that they came across? Or the research that was done to create the sculpture?

As always with left brain activities, I have to remind myself that as an artist I can use my creative powers anywhere, including the intimidating, rule centered world of grammar. I treated paperwork, such as my artist's packet, web page design and art residency applications, with the same playfulness and spontaneity as I would making a sculpture. To get past my mental block of designing my web page on the 2D plane of the monitor screen, I busted out real paper, moss, and tempura paint, and let myself create. Then I translated the shapes and color scheme that I came up with, into a Photoshop template for my webmaster to use.

The thing that I remember the most from my art apprenticeship to a Colorado oil painter, is to play. If you are tense, the results will be hampered. Relax and have fun. I agree that paper work isn't more exciting than making art, but it can be treated in a playful manner of collage, drawing and painting. Try to have fun with it. You have to do it either way.

New Job

Monday was a huge day! I started my first day of school for my last semester, found a new job and a new place to live.

I am taking my last 2 classes! They are business oriented, which is exactly what I need and want right now. My new job is amazing. You should of heard me jumping around, giggling when I got the phone call. I am a manager at a loft complex that is a big artist and dog community. I get to use my creative, organizational and interpersonal skills! This job couldn't be more perfect for me. I am also moving there this weekend! I get to live in a loft and make art. How perfect is that?

last of the photos

I finally developed my last role of film and resized the images from my Northwest trip.
The new pics are on days:
21
23
24
25 and 26
28
33
37
49

Enjoy!

Fear of Change

Elizabeth Symington
Fear of Change, 2008
8' x 6' x 4'
stretch cord, nails, found objects

The difficulty with change is trying to figure out if it is good or bad. I am graduating in December with a BFA in sculpture. This is definitely a good change. Everything else in my life is transforming: where I live, work and make art.

This sculpture represents a dilemma. Are the bowling pins ensnared in a cob web, facing the end of their lives? Or are they snuggled inside a cocoon, slowly evolving into something better?

The black stretch cord was knit with circular knitting needles. I made the needles from a 3/4" wooden dowel and red duct tape. Most of the knitting was done in the car riding back from Hearst Castle.

Recently, I went from dwelling in a basement apartment to living in a loft. When I was packing up white found objects left over from a past sculpture, it hit me. I suddenly knew what to do with the black stretchy socks. Aggressively I shoved the white objects into the black socks. Since my hammer was already boxed up, I grabbed a C clamp and nailed the socks to the underside of my deck. After a good deal of rearranging the objects, I found what I'd been looking for.

Amazing tricep work out!

Anthony Gatto
5-club world record holder
45 minute time on his 1st try in
Baltimore, 1989 using clubs...
















Elizabeth Symington, Blue Footed Boobie Pins, 2005
Ceramic
about 12 inches tall
















My inquisitive boobie

As you can see, I have a connection with bowling pins. It was only natural when it occurred to me that I can use my real bowling pins to juggle! I priced plastic juggling clubs, and for 3 they are $100! Yikes! That's too much to spend on my every changing hobbies.

For the past hour I've been tossing 1 pin up and down, figuring out the right amount of rotation. After jamming my fingers several times, I learned to watch the pin land in my hand, then pay attention to the other pin in the air! I built up to 2 pins, getting fairly consistent tosses.

Now I want to build up to 3 pins and go juggle with some other people. Most major cities have juggling clubs. Here is a list of the Bay Area clubs:

• Berkeley (+37.8731,-122.2587) maps
  Berkeley Juggling Club. Wednesday, 6:00 PM. In front of Evans Hall. If dark or poor weather, in the Hearst Mining Building lobby. Sometimes on Sundays in Willard Park, weather permitting. E-mail info@BerkeleyJuggling.org.

• San Francisco (+37.7720,-122.4558) maps
  San Francisco Gutter Jugglers. Sunday 2:30-5 PM. Peacock Meadow in Golden Gate Park, on Kennedy Drive, just east of the Conservatory. Andrew Conway, 415-333-7576, e-mail conway@juggling.org, 289 Surrey Street, San Francisco, CA 94131.

• San Francisco (+37.7658,-122.4554) maps
  San Francisco Gutter Jugglers. Sunday, 6:30-9:30 PM. Theater room at the San Francisco School of the Circus Arts, 755 Frederick Street (at Arguello), San Francisco, CA 94117. Up stairs to left of gym. Dress warm in winter. $2. Karen Quest, 415-487-0787, e-mail questaroni@aol.com, c/o SFSCA, 755 Frederick Street, San Francisco, CA 94117; or Andrew Conway, 415-333-7576, e-mail conway@juggling.org, 289 Surrey Street, San Francisco, CA 94131.

Check it out!!! This would be so sweet to go to!!
10^th - 12^th October, 2008 4th Annual Berkeley Juggling & Unicycling Festival, Berkeley, CA, United States