NM 11th Annual Juried Student Exhibition

Last Friday (April 6), I stopped by Highsmith Gallery to enjoy the reception for the opening of the New Media department's 10th Annual Juried Student Exhibition.   I went there last year and had such a great time that I could hardly wait to go back this year.  Last year, the show was hosted by the Multimedia Arts and Sciences department, which has since changed its name to the New Media department and upgraded its website.  Just like last year, this year there were a lot of really interesting and interactive pieces.  I enjoyed playing around with this piece, called "intra," which allows users to connect to each other as part of a sort of electric circuit.  When we stood barefoot on the metal plates, we powered various electronics around the gallery.

Artists: David Allen, Kevin Boggs, Drew Glover, and Hannah Trussler.  "While most digital  media connects people across distances, intra creates an immersive environment that promotes direct interaction.  Each person stands barefoot on a metal plate and adjusts the environment by touching adjacent smaller pads.  When all stations are occupied, the users become part of the same circuit with a single current connecting them all."

I also really enjoyed this piece, which reacted to the movements my fingers made across a piece of paper, and displayed them on a computer screen.  I have no idea how this piece worked, but I had a lot of fun with it!

Last year, my friend designed the poster for the show and had three pieces featured. This year, he had more work on display. His piece, called "Soundstage" allows one to experience simultaneously any number of sound clips submitted from other users from anywhere in the world.  He told me that we hear many things, but only choose to focus on a few sounds (two or three), and the rest become some kind of white noise. "Soundstage" mimics this phenomenon.  Cool, right?  He also had an interactive game called "Snowflakes" but I didn't get a picture.

Here are more pictures from the rest of the show.  The exhibit closes today.  I hope you had a chance to experience the creativity of our students in the New Media department over the past week!

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China Through Films

With the semester winding down, and my time at UNC Asheville coming to a close, I thought it might be fun to tell you a bit about some of the classes I am taking this semester, as well as some of those that I have taken over the past few years.  One of my favorite classes at UNC Asheville is called China Through Films, and although it is only two semesters "old," is extremely popular among students of all departments.  I chose the class because it counts towards my Asian Studies minor, and also because I am interested in learning more about Chinese cinema.  Prior to taking this course, I had seen few Chinese movies; in fact, the only one that I can remember clearly (because my family has seen it many times) is The Road Home, directed by Zhang Yimou, known for To Live, House of Flying Daggers, and Not One Less.  


Because I have a rather limited knowledge of Chinese film, I began the course (Monday nights, 6 pm) unsure of what to expect.  Luckily, our professor provided articles for us to read or assigned essays from a book on Chinese cinema, all of which contributed in some way to my understanding of either the film we were watching or the genre in which it was categorized.  At the beginning of the semester, I was also unsure of myself as a student in a film class.  As it was my first time taking a film class, I did not know how to look at a film objectively, how to describe the composition of various shots, or even how to discuss filming techniques.  I hoped that the technical language of the course would not be too difficult for me to comprehend, and luckily, our professor has worked hard to ensure that the course is easily accessible to people like me.  On the first day of class, she spent time going over these various techniques and providing examples throughout the various stages of Chinese cinema to illustrate each.


The course itself is divided into three units to focus on mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.  We have been able to witness a variety of genres from each, and each film has moved chronologically to the present, allowing us to experience the evolution of Chinese film.  We meet only once a week.  During this time, we watch a movie and in the remaining time, participate in student-led discussions.  These discussions allow us to share our thoughts on each film with the rest of the class, ask questions, and draw comparisons between movies.  Although they are led by groups of two or three students, our professor does take time to interject where possible to provide her opinion or some information crucial to our understanding of the movie or theme which we are discussing.  This format, although one which I am not entirely comfortable (I prefer lectures to group discussion), has allowed me to consider the subject matter of the films we watch on deeper levels, and to understand them in new ways.  


I have enjoyed every film we have watched so far, but if I had to choose my favorite films, they would be In the Mood for Love, Kung Fu Hustle, Not One Less, and Running out of Time. I highly recommend watching each one, and if you're thinking about coming to UNC Asheville, signing up for the course.  

PS: This is the blog's 100th post.  Thank you to everyone who's been reading!  

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Graduation Countdown

Reality check--graduation is on May 5, that's almost one month from now. According to the official countdown, 30 days is the exact number. 30 days, and that's including weekends and exam days.  This is a number that is as daunting as it is exciting.  It will be an awesome experience to gather with the senior class for the last time to receive our diplomas, bid farewell to UNC Asheville and each other, and begin a new chapter of our lives.  On the other hand, after May 5, we will no longer be UNC Asheville students, a bittersweet reality that we will bear with us s we join the ranks of the alumni.  Yesterday, I picked up my cap, gown, and tassel from the school bookstore, and got an e-mail detailing the activities for seniors in the coming weeks.  Tomorrow we will have the 29 Days 'til Commencement Senior Lunch on the Quad.  In previous years, I have wondered what this cook out was all about, and now I finally get to experience it for myself.  If I can remember to bring my camera tomorrow, I'll take some pictures to share.  Other senior events in the past few weeks have included Senior Movie Night  (classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off at the Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co.) and Grad Fair, which was a one-spot stop for everything related to graduation and post-grad events.  I've included the final senior agenda below in case you're interested in getting a greater look at what we seniors have been up to as we prepare to say goodbye to UNC Asheville.

Senior Class Events

 

Grad Fair for May 2012 Gradutating Seniors

Mark your calendar for Tuesday, March 20, because Grad Fair is an event you don't want to miss.

Grad Fair is an all-in-one event where graduating seniors receive their cap and gown, order commencement invitations, shop for a class ring, receive career advice, learn about services provided by the Alumni Association and even take a break to enjoy a snack.

Because Grad Fair is the all-in-one stop for graduating seniors, anyone planning to graduate in May 2012 is highly encouraged to attend. Grad Fair will begin at 10 a.m. and will go until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 20.

Grad Fair will be held in Room 417 of the Sherrill Center in conjunction with the UNC Asheville Career Center's Internship & Job Fair. Visit the Senior Class webpage for more information on these important events.

Grad Fair

Tuesday, March 20

10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Room 417, Sherrill Center

FREE

Senior Movie Night

Your votes are in and the winner is....Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

Make plans to join other UNC Asheville seniors for a FREE Senior Movie Night on Thursday, March 22 at the Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company's Merrimon Avenue location.

Be sure to check out the Senior Class Board's mock trailer for Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Watch closely and you'll see some familiar faces from UNC Asheville.

Senior Movie Night

Thursday, March 22

Doors Open at 9:30 p.m.

Movie Starts at 10 p.m.

Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company

FREE

Professional Development & Real World Event Series for Seniors

Your coverletter and job resume are not the only tools you need for life after college. Be sure to attend one, two or all of the upcoming events that will be focusing on professional development and lessons for life after college.

Odds & Ends of the Real World

Friday, March 16 (updated)

2:30-4 p.m. (updated)

Room 223, Highsmith University Union

Sponsored by the 2012 Senior Class Board and the UNC Asheville Alumni Association.

FREE

Click to download the presentation.

The Office of the Real World

Monday, March 19

6-7:30 p.m.

Room 143 (Grotto), Highsmith University Union

Sponsored by the 2012 Senior Class Board and the UNC Asheville Alumni Association.

FREE

Dress for Success

Monday, March 26

7-8:30 p.m.

Room , Highsmith University Union

Sponsored by SAIL and the UNC Asheville Alumni Association.

FREE

Real World: Love Your Money

Tuesday, March 27

4-5:30 p.m.

Owen Hall Conference Center

Sponsored by the 2012 Senior Class Board and the UNC Asheville Alumni Association.

FREE

Moving on from College: The Real World

Tuesday, April 10

3:30-5:30 p.m.

Room 159 (Alumni Hall), Highsmith University Union

Sponsored by the 2012 Senior Class Board and the UNC Asheville Alumni Association.

FREE

29 Days 'til Commencement Senior Lunch

Take a break from studying, final papers, and senior projects. The Senior Class Board invites all seniors graduating in May to a FREE celebratory lunch on Thursday, April 5.

Lunch will be served from noon until 1:30 p.m. in Curry Courtyard located beside Phillips Hall. This is fun opportunity to relax and spend time with fellow May graduates.

Be sure to wear your Class of 2012 T-shirt to this senior event!

29 Days 'til Commencement Senior Lunch

Thursday, April 5

12-1:30 p.m.

Curry Courtyard, Phillips Hall

FREE

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Biltmore Village

Hello, everyone!  What did you do this weekend?  I hope you were able to enjoy the lovely spring weather.  Although homework had me occupied for a majority of the weekend, I was able to meet a friend for a walk around Biltmore Village.  I talked about this part of Asheville in this post, but I'll give you a quick refresher.  Biltmore Village is located in South Asheville, close to Asheville High School, the hospital, and of course, the Biltmore House itself.  When George Vanderbilt started construction on his estate, he had his architect design a small village that would match, closely in appearance and layout, the feeling of the Biltmore House and grounds.  This area today has been turned into a sort of leisure center where visitors who visit the Biltmore Estate can shop, dine, and relax.  It's a beautiful little area of Asheville, and home to some famous Asheville landmarks like All Souls Cathedral and the Grand Bohemian Hotel.  If you get a chance, why not explore this tiny village that allows you to enjoy contemporary Asheville and get to know better its rich historical past?

Places mentioned in this post (Visit them in person or on the Web!)
Just Ducky
Chelsea's 
Corner Kitchen 
All Souls Cathedral
Grand Bohemian Hotel 
Biltmore Estate
Biltmore Village 

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Grove Arcade Vendors

One of the drawbacks of living in Asheville for an extended period of time (or in my case, your entire life), is that there is the danger of taking for granted the artistic community thriving here.  For example, I have grown so accustomed to seeing the vendors tending their booths outside of the Grove Arcade (the area is formally called the "Portico Market") that when I walk past these days, I hardly pay them any attention. However, last weekend as a friend and I exited the Grove Arcade, a display of beautifully painted T-shirts caught our attention.  Although we were not necessarily interested in the more "usual" wares offered by some of the vendors (magnets, jewelry, tie-dyed garments, etc), the unique images from this particular seller stood out.  We approached the vendor and chatted with him about his designs and the process behind creating his merchandise.  In the end, we bought two shirts at a slight discount.  The artist told us that the shirts can be washed like any normal shirt, and that the design will last for many years.  I love the simplicity of the designs and the colors used to create them!  What do you think?  

Interested in visiting the Portico Market and seeing what its vendors have for sale?  Check out the official webpage of the Grove Arcade for more information. Weather permitting, the market should be open every day of the week.  

Want to see more shirts like the ones we bought?  You could check out artist Jordy Williams's Etsy shop here, but I recommend taking a trip downtown!  There's nothing like the comfortable atmosphere of the market to brighten your day.  

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Bulldog Nation

If you've been following Bullogs basketball, you may know that the men's season has officially ended.  In light of the hard work our team has put not only into their athletic, but academic lives, a friend shared this reflection with me.  Although I am disappointingly out of the loop when it comes to school athletics, this message made me feel proud of our team for such an amazing season, and our school for supporting them regardless of game outcome.  Thanks, Bulldogs, for all that you have accomplished!  We can't wait to see what you'll do next.

7:40am. The school cafeteria doors are about to open.  A handful of students wait outside. Wearing sweatpants and sporting fancy headphones, some alert and grooving, while others look like they are ready to roll back into bed, the students are not your typical early-morning breakfasters. These students are members of the UNC Asheville basketball team.

Every morning of the school year, the UNC Asheville basketball team eats breakfast together. It doesn’t matter if the season is about to start, or if it is the last day of school; the players make the early-morning trek to grab an omelet or some cereal with their teammates and their coaches.  During breakfast they joke around, do homework, or chat with incoming students, as Coach B.’s cell phone gives off a cheery whistle every few minutes. This is just one example of the camaraderie and connection this team consciously works to develop.  In the afternoons, one is likely to see the seniors in the gym shooting hoops and scrimmaging long before practice begins. After practice, the players walk through campus, chatting with classmates and friends outside the team, but everyone knows that the basketball team is a tight-knit group.

UNC Asheville’s men’s basketball team has a lot to be proud of.  With a new basketball arena and high expectations going into the season, the team delivered. Their chemistry and exciting play drew students and the community to each new game. They dominated conference games and packed the stands for the conference tournament. Asheville students became accustomed to twenty-point leads.  When the team was selected for the NCAA tournament, the school and community celebrated with the team.

But, basketball is not the only thing that Asheville’s team can be proud of.  Representing such a small school, the players battled snide remarks about being “inconsequential” or an easy game for other “great” schools to run over. They dealt with this while simultaneously practicing hard and maintaining their academics.  Few in the world of the NCAA or ESPN recognize how strong players from small schools must be to prove themselves on a national level.

Here are some reminders:

UNC Asheville athletes succeed because of talent, not height.

UNC Asheville athletes attend and participate in class, they do not have tutors to complete their homework, or lenient school officials that allow them to fudge their academic record. Class work at a small school is difficult!

UNC Asheville athletes don’t receive benefits from boosters or even have guaranteed fans, this year’s team earned each new fan with good play.

UNC Asheville athletes fought for every minute of TV time by spending time on and off the court with one another.  Congratulations to the Bulldogs for an amazing season! 

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Guest Blogger

Because I write about myself so much on this blog, I thought it would be useful to share a glimpse into the lives of some other UNC Asheville students.  So, I have decided to periodically invite students to share a description of their daily routines or interests, to be posted here.  The inaugural guest blogger is my friend Nicky.  Nicky is also a senior, and majors in marketing.  Here is what her typical day at UNC Asheville looks like.  

"A typical day for me includes waking up around 7 am. I am a marketing major so I usually have a few business classes in the morning. I just finished my last season on the university’s tennis team so I like to find other ways to stay active. Right now I am taking ballet and modern dance, which I love; and I also regularly attend the Sherrill Center’s group fitness classes.

Part of the reason why I chose marketing was because it is very interrelated with the fashion industry. I find the field to be very inspiring and creative so I would like to become a professional fashion stylist. Last year I started my own personal blog on Chictopia.com that I try to update regularly. This week, in light of the recent one-year anniversary of the massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan, I blogged about a picture of myself in this beautiful pink silk kimono that I hope will remind people of what a significant moment this was for Japan and what we can do to help resolve these challenges of humanity.

In the afternoon, I may have another class or work. I am a Spanish tutor for UNCA, I work for the Athletic Department as a videographer, and try to volunteer with local magazines and photographers as much as I can. This usually keeps me pretty busy but on weekends I love to walk around downtown, take some pictures for my blog, and get a bite to eat with my family and friends."

Have any questions about the marketing program here?  Leave a comment! 

Check out Nicky's awesome fashion blog here

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Salsa's and Spring Break

For most college students, Spring Break is just around the corner, but here at UNC Asheville, it's already over.  Today is the first day back, and Spring Break couldn't have gone by more quickly.  Some of my friends went to the beach, others explored big cities, and a few simply returned home to take a much-needed break from school and work.  As boring as it may seem, I had a nice time just staying in town, going to work, and meeting friends.  Although my break was not accompanied by any major events or adventures, it was wonderful to be able to clear my head and think about something other than school.  Regardless of the fact that I am taking my lightest course load in my college career, I have been the busiest this semester, and homework is always eating away at my time!  So, sleeping in and pushing thoughts of school to the back burner was a real treat.   

Since the weather has been so nice lately, it was fun to walk around town this weekend and bid farewell to Spring Break over dinner at a popular restaurant downtown.  Yesterday, a friend and I checked out Salsa's, a restaurant that's always teeming with customers, but which neither of us had tried before.  As this was seriously the high-point of my break, I thought I'd include it on the blog.  Salsa's serves Mexican-Caribbean food and has a warm and colorful atmosphere that is perfect for lively conversation and relaxation.  Although we have a lot of Mexican restaurants around Asheville, Salsa's fusion menu is unique, and for me, pretty unexpected, since I’m not used to eating this kind of cuisine.  All told, it was an exciting excursion into a world of new food, and a nice way to end my otherwise quiet Spring Break.  During this last month and a half of the semester, look forward to learning about some local coffee shops and hiking spots, new residence halls, student activities, and even more good stuff to help acquaint you with life here at UNC Asheville! 
PS: Check out Salsa's website here!

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