Second Meeting

Our second meeting went swimmingly, but with things beginning to snow-ball I worry about myself a bit. Setting these goals is great! The Jodowrowsky film Holy Mountain came yesterday, Monday, I will watch it soon.

these were my goals for Monday

1. make case for t.v.

I was able to find the material to make a case

2. cover box in formica

Done, but parts looks raw, so I'm going to have to re-do it

3. add door

Got the hinges on but didn't know what do until I got a knob

4. essentially finish Memento Mori (the name of the sculpture!)

I suck at life and this didn't happen

5. meet with Prof. Lindemann and Shimon on Wednesday

met with Johnny, went well

6. have a revised bibliography with added artists

Added: Viola and Rath

7. roughly hammer out conceptual ideas for Seven Deadly Teddy's

Purchased Wrath Teddy

8. create a maquette for Teddy T.V. and brain storm a digital short prehaps

Removed head from teddy bear, would have had a T.V. if some guy didn't get to it before I did at the store.

9. a blog post with a link to my digital shorts on youtube, and an entry explaining them

did that

I feel like a major failure, it seems as though I've accomplished nothing. I did go thrifting and found two more bears. Which was great, but no T.V.s it was a bad weekend for television thrifting. Except Last week I DID find a second personal television which is great because its just like the television from Momento Mori with a few exceptions. Otherwise the project is going swimmingly. I hope to have more accomplished by next Monday.

Thrifting

Yesterday I went to some Thrift shops, in hopes of finding televisions and teddy bears. I found a second small black and white personal television with AV input. I also went to Pawn America, a new pawn shop that opened up, to look at televisions. The TV's there are rather pricey for being pawned and used, I can get one at St. Vincent for HALF the price. However, a bunch of them were decent size, but the AV input was in the front of the television and I need AV input to be in the back otherwise the final product does not look polished enough for me to actually like it.

I'm going thrifting again later today. Hoping for some sweet finds.

-N.M.S.

I will take pictures of and at these thrift stores sometime.

Digital Shorts

Last year, I took classes with professors Lindemann and Shimon, Associate Professors of Art at Lawrence University, in digital processes. These classes focused on an array of themes, old and recent, in New Media. It was in these classes that I discovered Avant-Garde film makers and was introduced to Fluxus artists and where I researched more recent new media artists like Brian Knep.

Over the course of the year, it was required of us to upload videos and picture to YouTube, and other websites on the internet. The basic idea was to use the internet as a means of getting our work out there. It really supported the idea that anyone can upload their work to the internet a begin cultivating followers, prehaps with the hopes of obtaining internet fame.

I've posted a link below to some of my digital shorts that I created. Most of the videos on there are split into two parts, or two stories, both parts complement one another while still being able to stand alone, I was influenced by non-linear narrative, drawing inspiration from writers such as Borges and Calvino.

Nick Michael Stahl on YouTube

I plan on continuing with making digital shorts this year. In preparation for my senior exhibition and Mudd Gallery Show.

-N.M.S.

First Meeting: Yesterday

Yesterday marked the first meeting of my independent study in Advanced Sculpture and New Media Installation. I screened my second version of Memento Mori, which startled both my Professor and my friend Jen. It went well, but needs more work. I really wanted to hit the ground running and hit a wall with my project and did just that. I do not have any pictures of my work yet, but I plan on shooting a couple photos this upcoming Friday or Thursday. We discussed a lot yesterday, the conversation spiraled slowly into themes of death, duality, self-portraiture, and how art maybe directly influenced by personal things from the artists past even thought that may not have been what the artists was getting at the information about the past carries with it significance that the audience may not notice.

I'd like to mention that I'm in this independent study with another student at Lawrence, Jen Gabriele, although we are working on separate things we still meet together to discuss our work, critique one another, and provide staggering amounts of moral support. That last part is a bit dramatic, we typically carry our selves well, "typically."

I made a mental list of things I would like to have done by next Monday. Setting goals for yourself can be daunting at times.

1. make case for t.v.
2. cover box in formica
3. add door
4. essentially finish Memento Mori (the name of the sculpture!)
5. meet with Prof. Lindemann and Shimon on Wednesday
6. have a revised bibliography with added artists
7. roughly hammer out conceptual ideas for Seven Deadly Teddy's
8. create a maquette for Teddy T.V. and brain storm a digital short prehaps
9. a blog post with a link to my digital shorts on youtube, and an entry explaining them

-N.M.S.

A Brief Introduction

My name is Nick Stahl, I'm an undergraduate student at Lawrence University in Appleton, WI (just south of Green Bay), double majoring in Studio Art, emphasis sculpture and digital processes, and Biology concentration neuroscience. Contrary to popular belief it is possible to do both, but, it does involve a bit of schedule finagling. So if you're reading, this and people have told you it isn't possible, they are liars.

I've started this blog to share with the world, lawrence campus, faculty, friends and some family an accummulation of my work towards my senior show, Mudd gallery show, and possible honors project for the 2009-2010 academic year. And, the occasional post about whatever it is that I find fascinating at the moment.

I'm currently in an Advanced Scuplture and New Media Installation independent study with my professor Rob Neilson, Associate Professor of Art at Lawrence University.

My interests at the moment, look back toward Fluxus, Avant Garde film, and contempoary artists who use thirft stores as a means of inspiration for their work. I myself have made several digital shorts, and sculptures but towards the end of the 2008-2009 academic year began fusing both sculpture and new media together. Drawing inspiration from artists including: Nam June Paik, Anger, and Jaar.

I'll be updating this blog with weekly and prehaps daily posts, in regards to the ruminations and processes of my work.

-N.M.S.