Introduction

1. What has been your favorite course of study in or out of school? Why?

My favorite course has to be Negotiating Rapture and the Transcendental Vision. It’s a film course taught by Phil Solomon, that studies the transcendental film style. We watched everything from experimental films, big Hollywood, small independents, and the films that truly define the style. (Films by Bresson, Ozu, and Dreyer). I understood it to be a film with a higher meaning than the literal that ends with an ascendance to the divine. It could be a direct result of a plot, or a glimmer of slight shot for half an hour (Like Brakhage). I left this class everyday with a million new ideas I could never find the time for.

2. How many pages was the longest paper you have written? Did it include endnotes and bibliography?

In high school I had to write a make up paper for my US history class in order to pass and avoid summer school. I chose to discuss the dropping of the atomic bomb in WWII. My Grandfather had fought in the Pacific and afterward gathered volumes of records dealing with the Pacific war and the Atomic Bomb. The records dated far back enough to be considered primary source documents, and I proudly cited them all. I didn’t have to include endnotes, but the paper ended up being twenty-five pages long. I got an A, but failed the final and had to attend summer school.

3. Which was your favorite paper? Please tell us about the topic in a couple of sentences.

I remember writing a paper on a short story I read, but the details are a little fuzzy. The story was called “The Yellow Wallpaper”, about a woman who is told she is sick, but is actually going through postpartum depression and is forced to stay bedridden. The bedroom walls have old, sickly yellow wallpaper that is peeling off that becomes one of her obsessions while slowly descending into madness. Writing about this story and issues with how to treat depression was fascinating for me, because I was being diagnosed with a type of depression at the time.

4. Is there a particular kind of writing you love to do?

I love writing stories. I’ve only written one on my own, but when they are assigned for class they are just too much fun. I always picture it as a film, so the writing starts out more like a screenplay, but that’s never been the assignment.

5. Which books have you read lately: art, fiction, non-fiction, sci-fi, poetry, environmental, film? Any comments are welcome.

I recently read the Hunger Games trilogy, and if you like an easy read it’s pretty fun. It doesn’t pretend to be anything deep and insightful.

6. Which artist or writer really impresses you? Why?

I’ve been reading Shakespeare recently and the beautiful, clever language always amazes me. I have to re-read lines over and over before truly understanding what they mean, and after reciting a few I find that my interpretations are slightly off. I’m constantly discovering more and more in a single line.

7. What is your main interest besides writing, art, music, (i.e., the humanities)?

Recently I’ve been obsessed with landscaping and gardening. I’m renting a house in South Boulder, and the neighborhood is beautiful, but our house is the obviously eye sore on the block. So I’ve been tearing it up all summer and making it look as best I can. But I worry about wasting water on just keeping the aesthetics of the property up. So native Colorado plants seem like the best move.

8. Please describe briefly an article in a newspaper or a magazine that got you thinking lately.

I was sent an article recently about an influx of missing cat reports in Lakewood Colorado. Just a week ago my friend living in Lousville lost his cat to a wild animal. The cat disappeared one day, and my friend looked and finally found a paw. So I was interested in what was being said about all this. There are some people who feel the predators should be hunted. And as hard as it is not to develop a Moby Dick complex after a tragedy such as this, but that’s all it would be if they killed any other animals for this reason.

9. Which recent cultural even has really impressed you? This can be a museum, a concert, or anything like that, but also a sports game (if you consider this a cultural event, for which there are good reasons).

I was taking photos for a friend at Red Rocks during a John Butler Trio concert. I had never heard of them at the time, but a free ticket and a photo pass are worth checking it out. Preforming between the openers and the headliner was a Native American dance troop, who was invited by John Butler. The dances were choreographed to utilize the extravagant traditional garb that flowed and changed color as their angles shifted. When John Butler came on, wasted, he thanked them enormously for a few minutes and then rambled on about something that probably made more sense in his head. It was when he asked the whole crowd to turn around, look at the moon and salute mother earth that I got tired and left. I’m sure the music sounded fine.

10. Is there another, non-cultural event that has affected you deeply.

I guess it’s the loss of my friend’s cat mentioned earlier. We had gotten the cat together when we were roommates though it was always understood that he would pay for everything, scoop, feed and get to keep him in the end. Almost two years ago, this same cat was attacked by a coyote in front of our house. I heard it so I got there in time, but it was a little traumatic at the time, so for him to die being eaten was even harder to learn. I always disagreed with him about letting the cat outside, but it was his decision. I found he’s much better at dealing with these things than I am.

11. Please share with us a thought or an idea that really widened your intellectual horizon. If possible, give a source for this idea so that those who are interested know where to go.

When I first read this question I decided I didn’t want my answer to sound stupid. So I consulted this website on how to sound intelligent.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2273276_sound-intelligent.html

Introduction

1. What has been your favorite course of study in or out of school? Why?
I transferred here at the beginning of last year from an art school in Chicago called Columbia College. There I also studied film, but their program started reverse of CU's, so I began learning all digital media. I loved just being able to bring my laptop to class to learn about editing in Final Cut Pro and working with HD cameras that saved to tiny Panasonic memory cards. I also took a couple of audio classes that were fun and taught me a lot. I really enjoyed one project where we had to make a three minute comprehendable story using only sound effects and no voices.

2. How many pages was the longest paper you have written? Did it include endnotes and bibliography?
I believe the longest paper I've written was for a creative writing class I took at Columbia and it was roughly 15 pages with all the bells and whistles.

3. Which was your favorite paper? Please tell us about the topic in a couple of sentences.
My favorite paper that I've had to write was an homage paper at Columbia to someone who works in the field I wanted to focus on. I really want to go into editing, so I chose to write about Themla Schoonmaker, Martin Scorsese's personal friend and editor. It involved me watching a lot of movies they did and analyzing how the editing techniques she used enhanced his story telling. The Departed, Good Fellas, Raging Bull, and The Color of Money where the ones I chose to write about. I've since seen Shutter Island and also thought that was a great movie, if you guys haven't seen any of these I'd highly suggest them.

4. Is there a particular kind of writing you love to do?
My mom always told me that I was great at poety as a kid and should keep it up. I don't do it often, but sometimes I write a little something for her. Other than poetry, I guess I like to write about other people and analyze their work and opinions. I like to research them, because often the person is not someone I know much about, and I feel like randomly the information you learn then somehow makes a connection or return later in life.

5. Which books have you read lately: art, fiction, non-fiction, sci-fi, poetry, environmental, film? Any comments are welcome.
I unforunately am not a big reader, but I really trying to make a conscience effort to read more. I'm in the middle of a little novel called The Alchemist, though. My mom tried to get me to read it for years and I never would. Two winters ago I broke my hand snowboarding and ended up finishing it in two nights and loved it. It's a philosophical book about a shephard and his travels; the people he meets, the places he sees and the ups and downs along his journey to find his personal legend, or meaning in life.

6. Which artist or writer really impresses you? Why?
Film editors really impress me. Directors get most of the fuss, but it's amazing how much the editing makes or breaks the telling of a story and making of a film. A lot of the kids who were directors that I worked with had some good ideas and knew what they wanted to shoot, but never really thought how it all needs to be put together. It also taught me a lot of what to look for when I film, and most importantly to just keep recording somethings.

7. What is your main interest besides writing, art, music, (i.e., the humanities)?
Snowboarding is my love and my passion. I know I'm not going to be infront of the camera, so I want to be behind it. I also love all outdoor activities and sports. I'm a die hard Chicago Cubs fan, so I love to go to games. Attending shows is also always a great time, I saw Pretty Lights at Red Rocks just before school; first show there...pretty epic!

8. Please describe briefly an article in a newspaper or a magazine that got you thinking lately.
I read an article about a week ago about how HP is being forced to go under because they just can't compete with Apple anymore. I love Apple products and respect Steven Jobs, so keep up the great work.

9. Which recent cultural event has really impressed you? This can be a museum, a concert, or anything like that, but also a sports game (if you consider this a cultural event, for which there are good reasons).
I am embaressed to say I didn't make it to a Cubs game this summer because (insert bad excuse here), but games one of my favorite past times. My grandaprents would always take me to games as a kid and I loved it. Now I can drink, which makes them all the better. I get to hang out with the bleacher bums and watch us lose, ha. It really is amazing the culture and tradition behind Wrigley Field and the Cubs though. Wrigley's one of the last standing original stadiums and the scoreboard is still man powered. The Cubs are also hold the record for longest time since winning a World Series, 103 years now. I'll back 'em until I die, and at that point still may not see a World Series, gotta love the goat.

10. Is there another, non-cultural event that has affected you deeply.
My best friend and freshman roomate passed away this past April. It was a tragic and unbelievable accident. I went to New Hampshire at the beginning of the summer and was able to see all of his family and a lot of my friends from my freshman year in Salt Lake City. Ryan Bishop, love talking about that kid, that's why I wrote my first paper on him, I was thinking about getting a tattoo in his honor, ask me about it and help me decide if it's good.

11. Please share with us a thought or an idea that really widened your intellectual horizon. If possible, give a source for this idea so that those who are interested know where to go.
I actually really liked Connor's ending note, I really agree with it and had never heard it before, so scroll down and check it out.

Introduction

1. What has been your favorite course of study in or out of school? Why?

Going through mostly lower-division requirements at this point, there aren't too many classes that I have taken that have truly inspired me. However, I just began this semester a course on 20th Century Architecture and I am quickly thinking that it will become my favorite thus far... I think architecture is so interesting!

2. How many pages was the longest paper you have written? Did it include endnotes and bibliography?

In high school, a 20-page cumulative paper including bibliography. However, it was split into different sections. I think that the longest paper I have ever written straight through was about 10 pages.

3. Which was your favorite paper? Please tell us about the topic in a couple of sentences.

Honestly, I haven't had to write a whole lot of papers thus far in my college career (most of my classes have been test-based) and the classes I did have to write essays in (philosophy), I disliked. I did in journalism write a short essay comparing and contrasting The Daily Show to regular news sources and I thought that was an interesting assignment.

4. Is there a particular kind of writing you love to do?

I don't really consider myself much of a writer, nor do I do it in my spare time. If I had to pick, I'd probably say opinion or research papers.

5. Which books have you read lately: art, fiction, non-fiction, sci-fi, poetry, environmental, film? Any comments are welcome.

Recently I have read A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving and Stiff by March Roach (non-fiction about what happens to cadavers). Both are very good!

6. Which artist or writer really impresses you? Why?

The two writers I mentioned in the last question are some of my favorites. John Irving's books are always sort of sagas and they are always wonderful. His characters have incredible character development and they are always very honest and make mistakes. I admire his writing for that. It is also just very original. Mary Roach, as a journalist, manages to take subjects that could very easily be boring and makes them funny and approachable.

As for artists, my favorite right now (and for the last few years) is John Dyer Baizley. He does incredible linework that I'm incredibly envious of--I love art with intricate details. He is the vocalist for a metal band called Baroness and along with designing all of their artwork he has done albums for other bands and has just branched out to create some awesome prints.

7. What is your main interest besides writing, art, music, (i.e., the humanities)?

I am pretty passionately involved in where I work, Radio 1190! So I suppose music definitely ties into that. I am passionate about a variety of things: concerts, mid-century design and architecture, architecture overall, the Internet... I also like to paint when I get around to it.

8. Please describe briefly an article in a newspaper or a magazine that got you thinking lately.

I read a TIME article recently called "Don't Blame Social Media for Social Unrest" that I appreciated. I've done a lot of work with social media at this point and I'm doing an internship in it as well. I think it's amazing to see how much social media has change our culture, for good or for bad. Though it was in many ways detrimental in the London Riots, it's incredible to see what it did for the Egypt uprisings. I appreciate that in the face of concerns (which I understand), this article put a positive spin on social media and reminded us of its potential for good.\

9. Which recent cultural even has really impressed you? This can be a museum, a concert, or anything like that, but also a sports game (if you consider this a cultural event, for which there are good reasons).

This summer I visited Chicago to go to Pitchfork Music Festival... that was pretty wonderful and full of people and exciting. However, what I want to discuss is when I went to the Art Institute there. They had a design exhibit that I thought was just wonderful. I think that the world of design (industrial and otherwise) is pretty wonderful and it was intriguing to see the innovation and steps forward that certain people are making within that world. I am very inspired by design and seeing this exhibit opened my eyes to seeing certain dilemmas in different ways.

10. Is there another, non-cultural event that has affected you deeply.

This is very cheesy, but my boyfriend! We have similar interests but they vary enough to introduce me to new things. I'm also just very happy and I definitely have a more optimistic outlook on life right now because of him.

11. Please share with us a thought or an idea that really widened your intellectual horizon. If possible, give a source for this idea so that those who are interested know where to go.

Honestly, I think that sometimes people forget the vast capability of the Internet to teach. Of course we all use it for Facebook, assignments like this, email, etc but when you go out there and avoid stupid blogs and look for really enriching content, there is so much to learn. There are plenty of reliable websites out there to teach you anything! There's always something new to be learned.

introductions

1. What has been your favorite course of study in or out of school? Why?

I worked in a kitchen for about a year. While I was there I washed a lot of dishes and learned a lot about what it means to make a dollar. It would be a stretch to say that I was actually studying, but I definitely never stopped learning. The two head chefs were amazing role models and I guess you could say I studied their character and tried to be more like them. I won't go in details here, but let's just say it makes me very happy that they both have kids because the world needs more people like them.

2. How many pages was the longest paper you have written? Did it include endnotes and bibliography?

I wrote a 14 page paper one time with all the fixings; endnotes, bibliography.

3. Which was your favorite paper? Please tell us about the topic in a couple of sentences.

My paper that I wrote for this class is my latest favorite. In an attempt to be entirely honest, I ended up writing about something completely personal...until now. It was about the first time I fell in love and how serendipitous of a situation it was.

4. Is there a particular kind of writing you love to do?

I'm still trying to figure that out.

5. Which books have you read lately: art, fiction, non-fiction, sci-fi, poetry, environmental, film? Any comments are welcome.

I have been reading a lot of fiction.

6. Which artist or writer really impresses you? Why?

David Lynch is really crucial filmmaker. He just fucking nails it, it's hard to put words to it. Go watch "Wild at Heart".

7. What is your main interest besides writing, art, music, (i.e., the humanities)?

I like fishing. I usually catch and release, unless I'm hungry.

8. Please describe briefly an article in a newspaper or a magazine that got you thinking lately.

I read an article about Ron English and famous street artist. He shed some light on the recent documentary "Exit Through the Gift Shop". Apparently that guy Thierry was a millionaire in France. When he moved to L.A. he bought a bunch of really crucial property that he commissioned the famed street artists to paint on them. He was sort of this funny guy with all of this awesome wall space that all the artists wanted to meet.

9. Which recent cultural event has really impressed you? This can be a museum, a concert, or anything like that, but also a sports game (if you consider this a cultural event, for which there are good reasons).

I went to the Dali museum in spain a couple years ago. That guy is a real nut.

10. Is there another, non-cultural event that has affected you deeply.

At one point this summer I didn't really have a place to go. My buddies mom kinda took me in and it had a huge effect on me. Without question she would feed me and drive me to work, she would even try to give me money. When she dropped me off at the airport and told me she loved me I couldn't help but cry a little bit.

11. Please share with us a thought or an idea that really widened your intellectual horizon. If possible, give a source for this idea so that those who are interested know where to go.

A friend of mine from Chicago takes a lot of pictures. One of his greatest struggles has been trying to discern when to actually take a photo. Sometimes moments can be too perfect to capture.

Introductions

1. What has been your favorite course of study in or out of school? Why?

My favorite course of study was a honors course on primate behavior. The course used primate behavior to help explain human conduct and I found it extremely insightful. We can hypothesize the reasons for male aggression, patriarchal society and monogamous relationships by just looking to our closest relatives. We also compared the difference between chimpanzees and bonobos, and discussed the constant debate within the field of whether or not we as humans could form a peaceful matriarchal society like bonobos or we are doomed to our aggressive tendencies like chimpanzees.

2. How many pages was the longest paper you have written? Did it include endnotes and bibliography?

The longest paper that I have written was 15 pages long including footnotes and bibliography.

3. Which was your favorite paper? Please tell us about the topic in a couple of sentences.

My favorite paper was a 12 page research paper in which I did an anthropological study of Día de Todos los Santos in Villa María del Triunfo, Lima. The celebration is the equivalent of the Day of the Dead in Mexican culture. I went to Virgen de Lourdes Cemetery, known as the Cemetery of the Poor and one of the largest in the world and spent the day celebrating dead loved ones through drink, dance and song. When writing this paper, I found that our form of private grieving is purely cultural and some other forms of grief might be beneficial and more healing.

4. Is there a particular kind of writing you love to do?

I really love writing research papers because I truly enjoy the research aspect. I especially like when I am able to do my own original research.

5. Which books have you read lately: art, fiction, non-fiction, sci-fi, poetry, environmental, film? Any comments are welcome.

Lately I've been reading Latin American literature and poetry. I love the literature of Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Colombian), Julio Ramón Ribeyro (Peruvian), and Julio Cortázar (Argentine). Poetry-wise Pablo Neruda (Chilean) is hands down my favorite.

6. Which artist or writer really impresses you? Why?

I have recently become really impressed by graffiti art. In Valparaiso, Chile, the tradition of mural painting and graffiti has extended to an outdoor museum and an extremely colorful city. I spent a whole day just walking the hills, exploring the small multicolor alleys and examining whole works of arts covering buildings. I was extremely impressed by the community sense of artistry and the fact that these graffiti artworks were not only allowed but promoted.

7. What is your main interest besides writing, art, music, (i.e., the humanities)?

Besides the humanities, I am interested in volunteering. I have volunteered from a very young age and have worked at humane societies, after-school programs, and teaching english to name a select few. This upcoming year I will most likely be working with Spanish speaking children at a family center in Boulder.

8. Please describe briefly an article in a newspaper or a magazine that got you thinking lately.

The Clinic is a Santiago-based satirical newspaper. Although it obviously isn't a good source for local US news, their commentary on international politics is highly enlightening and a great way to look at the globalization outside of the American perspective. This newspaper reminds me of The Onion, although it is more political and ironic.

9. Which recent cultural event has really impressed you? This can be a museum, a concert, or anything like that, but also a sports game (if you consider this a cultural event, for which there are good reasons).

While in Santiago, I visited the Museo de la Memoria which is a museum about the Pinochet dictatorship and the thousands of disappearances that occurred under the military regime. The exhibits are extremely moving and I was overwhelmed by the pain and suffering that was evident throughout the museum. As Americans we are lucky that our political history hasn't been dominated by corruption and oppression. Unfortunately there has been a military dictatorship with associated violence in almost every Latin American country within the last 30 years. This museum made me be thankful for my luck in being born in the States. I spent five and half hours in this museum and wish that I could have spent more time. I recommend it to anyone who goes to Chile, although regrettably the exhibits were only in Spanish and isn't accessible to non-Spanish speakers.

10. Is there another, non-cultural event that has affected you deeply.

On July 9 of this year, South Sudan declared independence from Sudan. Sudan had been ravaged by continuous civil war since its independence from the British empire in 1956. The second civil war, 1983-2005, is the longest civil war the world has seen with similar civilian death tolls to WWII. Roughly two million people died during this period of violence, war-produced famine and disease. Over 4 million people, mostly from southern Sudan were displaced, often repeatedly. South Sudan is now in an extremely precarious situation as the poorest country in the world with the worst health conditions. The CIA has predicted that in the next five years there will be another string of mass killings or genocide in the young country. Although I hope that this prediction will not become true, with the ignorance of the international community to this region's needs, violence might be inevitable.

11. Please share with us a thought or an idea that really widened your intellectual horizon. If possible, give a source for this idea so that those who are interested know where to go.

I went to the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (Malba) in Argentina in May. There was a contemporary collection on display by Luis Fernando Benedit. His work the Phytotron, originally displayed in 1972 at the MoMA, tries to replicate the natural world artistically, growing crops without soil. This piece was hard for me to wrap my head around as I saw it more as a micro laboratory than artwork. The greenhouse, an aluminum structure with transparent acrylic glass, encases plants growing in volcanic rocks. The plants are watered regularly with a nutrient solution which is then drained and recycled. To ensure photosynthesis 250 volt bulbs shine over the plants. The Phytotron is an efficient machine for the development of agricultural production. This project not only shows how to close the schism between the fields of art and science but also how they can work together to form new ideas and designs for better living.

Introductions

1. What has been your favorite course of study in or out of school? Why?

Not to sound boring, but as it's my area of focus here in college my favorite courses have all been production classes. In particular Film 3400, or Cinema Production. It granted me the opportunity to tell the stories I really want to tell, the ones I haven't had the opportunity to since I started school. The class as well was a great venue for comparing and contrasting the different styles and genres other students are interested in.

2. How many pages was the longest paper you have written? Did it include endnotes and bibliography?

The longest paper was 16 pages or so, it included footnotes and a bibliography.

3. Which was your favorite paper? Please tell us about the topic in a couple of sentences.

My favorite paper was the same as my longest paper. It was titled Ingmar Bergman and the Artist's Deception. It focused on the representation of an artist's impact on society, and also what impact society has on an artist as seen through Bergman's films. It presented the artist as a intuitive liar telling truths about society.

4. Is there a particular kind of writing you love to do?

I prefer creative writing, as it can be complete creation. Essays and research papers are also venues for idea creation, but in almost all cases they wind up being an amalgamation of other ideas that support your ideas. So it's never wholly original, but maybe nothing is.

5. Which books have you read lately: art, fiction, non-fiction, sci-fi, poetry, environmental, film? Any comments are welcome.

I've read mostly fiction books lately. The last two books I read were The Blood Meridian and Inherent Vice. As of late I'm trying to read more that thematically relates to the kind of film I'll be making at the end of this year.

6. Which artist or writer really impresses you? Why?

Akira Kurosawa. He was trained as a painter, and his films reflect it. . This is probably best realized in Dreams. His films are moving paintings meant to be taken frame and by frame and examined on a base level, with instant reactions. Beyond that he is one of a few directors who can balance these intimate character pieces like Ikiru with immense epics like Ran.

7. What is your main interest besides writing, art, music, (i.e., the humanities)?

My main interest is probably in backpacking, getting out of town and spending a weekend or weeks in the mountains is really beneficial.

8. Please describe briefly an article in a newspaper or a magazine that got you thinking lately.

I have a grand obsession with our universe and the unknown that exists beyond. I recently read an article about the discovery of the darkest known planet. It's 750 lightyears away, and the surface is darker than coal, as the atmosphere is made of light absorbing chemicals. The existence of bodies such as this and their discovery presents the potential for entities far more unique than something as strange as this, and that always intrigues me.

9. Which recent cultural event has really impressed you? This can be a museum, a concert, or anything like that, but also a sports game (if you consider this a cultural event, for which there are good reasons).

Though not particularly recent, it was last large cultural gathering that left a strong impression me. In January I went to the Sundance film Festival in Park City. I made the decision to go months before in order to save up for it, and upon arrival it was sort of immediate shock. The amount of people who gather with similar outlooks, and similar passions is incredible. Perhaps it's true that the institution has commercialized a bit, but it didn't effect the way the film lovers who attended experienced the festival. Every one was there for the experience, not the status attributed by attending.

10. Is there another, non-cultural event that has affected you deeply.

I lived in Sicily for a few years, and else where around Europe when I was much younger. From the pieces I can recall, there are stand out moments that stick with me now. For example, in Sicily we lived on a guarded compound as it truly was the only house we could find in our area. There was thick wall surrounding the compound, guard dogs, security cameras, etc. The owner of this compound was constantly surrounded by large men, who you had to ask permission of to speak with the land owner even as a child. Every friday and tuesday night, this man would give my father money to take us out to dinner and out of the compound as he had to meet with people. This was the way things were and it always stuck with me.

11. Please share with us a thought or an idea that really widened your intellectual horizon. If possible, give a source for this idea so that those who are interested know where to go.

As a filmmaker the most inspirational set of ideas that have influenced the way I approach a new piece comes from Jim Jarmusch. He released his "Five Golden Rules of Filmmaking" a few years back, and the purpose of these rules is to show filmmakers to forget rules. They are more guidelines than they are rules. My favorite of these rules is number 5:

"

1. Nothing is original.
Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic.
Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent. And don't bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: "It's not where you take things from - it's where you take them to."

Introductions

1. What has been your favorite course of study in or out of school? Why?
My favorite course of study in and out of school has always been art history. I've never taken a bad or uninteresting art history class and in my free time I like to read biographies of some of my favorite artists.

2. How many pages was the longest paper you have written? Did it include endnotes and bibliography?
The longest paper I've written was over 10 pages, I can't remember the exact number though. It did include endnotes and a bibliography.

3. Which was your favorite paper? Please tell us about the topic in a couple of sentences.
My favorite paper I’ve written was for an architecture class. I could choose any topic that a wanted so I chose to write about the Wainwright building in St. Louis. Louis Sullivan was the architect for this building. In my paper I discussed the nature of form versus function and I argued that the Wainwright building’s structure is expressed through Sullivan’s design. Although the piers and spandrels that decorate the building do not show the function of the interior clearly, they do express the main purpose of the building which is to be “tall.” (This was innovative because skyscrapers were only just beginning to emerge when the Wainwright was built in 1890.)

4. Is there a particular kind of writing you love to do?
I'm not much of a writer and I don't see myself as a creative writer at all. Therefore I would probably have to say that research papers may be my favorite type of writing. Research requires me to just report the facts instead of making up stories.

5. Which books have you read lately: art, fiction, non-fiction, sci-fi, poetry, environmental, film? Any comments are welcome.
I haven't read too many books lately. A few months ago I did read biographies on Claude Monet and Paul Gauguin. Those were incredibly interesting. I'm starting to read The Lost Symbol and The Milagro Beanfield War. Hopefully I can get through those before the homework piles up this semester.

6. Which artist or writer really impresses you? Why?
By far, Claude Monet impresses me the most. I am speechless in front of his artwork because of the beauty, colors, and detail of the pieces. He also never gave up on his dream to become an impressionist. Like many artists of his time, he endured being completely broke without a home or food because he only wanted to paint what he liked in the style he liked. Monet always believed in himself and his artwork and his dedication shows in every one of his paintings.

7. What is your main interest besides writing, art, music, (i.e., the humanities)?
I am interested in ecology and conservation particularly in tropical ecosystems.

8. Please describe briefly an article in a newspaper or a magazine that got you thinking lately.
Although not terribly recent, I read an article a few months ago about a new perspective on conservation. The article was in the Nature Conservancy magazine. The article was about how people should experience the wild and everybody should get out and be involved in the nature around them. If everybody does that then conservation becomes inherent because people will care about their natural environment more. I had to disagree with the article because I believe that putting people into an environment that needs to be protected may only harm the environment more than if people were not allowed in. The article got me thinking of another point of view that I can understand, but I ultimately do not agree with it.

9. Which recent cultural event has really impressed you? This can be a museum, a concert, or anything like that, but also a sports game (if you consider this a cultural event, for which there are good reasons).
About a month ago I went to the Metropolitan Museum in NYC for the first time. The experience was absolutely stunning. I’ve never been that close to such famous and well-known works of art. I was wandering around completely speechless for most of the visit. The Met absolutely reiterated my love for art.

10. Is there another, non-cultural event that has affected you deeply.
There have definitely been events that have affected me, though none are very recent.

11. Please share with us a thought or an idea that really widened your intellectual horizon. If possible, give a source for this idea so that those who are interested know where to go.
In my EBIO major I have always thought of things on a small scale. For example, one thing happens that causes one other thing to happen. I took an ecology class last semester and it really opened up my mind to the bigger picture – one thing happens that causes hundreds of other things to happen. I couldn’t believe I was always thinking so small before. Now I try to think of everything with a bigger picture in mind. In art, for example, when I learn about a new piece of art or a different art movement I try to put it into context by remembering what I’ve learned about what is happening elsewhere in the world at the same time. Although this may seem like a vague horizon-widening moment for me, it was one of the bigger “aha” moments recently in my life.

Introductions

1. What has been your favorite course of study in or out of school? Why?

My favorite courses in school have been photography and digital art. Photography is my area of emphasis for my Studio Arts major and I have always loved it, and can spend hours doing a photo shoot and refining my photos in the darkroom (I prefer film photography). Digital art was something I hadn't really tried before CU and was suprised with how much I loved working with photoshop, flash and dreamweaver. I am pursuing a minor in the Technology, Arts and Media program.

2. How many pages was the longest paper you have written? Did it include endnotes and bibliography?

My longest paper was 20 pages for my freshman writing class, double-spaced. It included footnotes and a bibliography.

3. Which was your favorite paper? Please tell us about the topic in a couple of sentences.

For my freshman class I wrote a research paper on body image in female college students which included eating disorders, the mass media's protrayal of beauty, and Barbie and it's impact on young girls. It was a topic I was very interested in and enjoyed researching.

4. Is there a particular kind of writing you love to do?

I like any kind of writing as long as I am interested in the topic. I probably enjoy opinion pieces the most.

5. Which books have you read lately: art, fiction, non-fiction, sci-fi, poetry, environmental, film? Any comments are welcome.

I am always reading a fiction. I don't think I've gone for 8 years without being in the middle of a book. It is what I do to unwind. In the past two years I have been picking New York Times bestsellers at random and have been really enjoying them. I have recently read Water for Elephants, the Help, and Angeology. I adore historical ficition. That being said I also read all the nonficition and textbooks required by my classes.

6. Which artist or writer really impresses you? Why?

Like I said, I've read hundreds and hundreds of books at this point, so I can't really choose any one. I probably admire the historical ficition authors the most, because they do research of the time and people they are writing about, learn about the real history, then add thier own color to the stories. One of my favorite artists in Gary Uelsman, who is a film photographer who does amazing multiple exposures with film and photo paper in his darkroom.

7. What is your main interest besides writing, art, music, (i.e., the humanities)?

I am interested in health and nutrition. I took a nutrition class and love to get outside to exercise or do some yoga. I am very health conscious and am very interseted in the body and how it processes food and harnesses energy.

8. Please describe briefly an article in a newspaper or a magazine that got you thinking lately.

I read about Michelle Bachmann winning the Iowa Straw Poll last week. I'm vaguely political (democratic) pro-choice and pro-gay, and after reading that article, I read up on Bachmann online. Needless to say, I was apalled. What was Iowa thinking?

9. Which recent cultural event has really impressed you? This can be a museum, a concert, or anything like that, but also a sports game (if you consider this a cultural event, for which there are good reasons).

I isn't super recent, but New York legalizing gay marriage this summer truely impressed me and made me really happy. I read a couple articles about it and they all included photos of couples who had waited outside of courthouses until the clock struck 12:00 am on the day of, and they were able to be married. It must have been such a wonderful atmosphere there.

10. Is there another, non-cultural event that has affected you deeply.

There hasn't been anything that has affected me deeply recently unfortunately. I have been very busy and haven't really been keeping up with the news.

11. Please share with us a thought or an idea that really widened your intellectual horizon. If possible, give a source for this idea so that those who are interested know where to go.

I recently looked at a website for my Digital Media class, called http://processing.org/exhibition/, which is a exhibition of artwork made with the program 'processing', which is the main program I will be using in class. It was really incredible to see all these artists created with the code I will soon be learning. I really enjoyed the One Hundred and Eight piece and encourage everyone to check out the site!