The Parsons Experience

Adventures of the Hairless

2010-04-24T17:48:00.000-07:00

I've decided to post some photos of my bald head. I sometimes forget that I have Alopecia Areata. I forget about it until I hear a random stranger comment, "Look it's Sinead!" Or I get asked if I'm going through treatment. There are days when I have "hair envy" and wish that I could do things like get a haircut. Change up the look a little. If I was into wigs I could change it up every day. But, for now, I'll stick with bald.

Mid Semester Photos

2010-04-02T16:45:00.000-07:00

2010-04-02T16:40:00.001-07:00

Holga Fun

2010-03-22T21:16:00.000-07:00

Shooting at the ocean is always a pleasure.
Missing the California coast....

Ready for Spring!

2010-03-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

Snow is fun for a while. But Fletcher and I are ready for some nicer weather!

My Living Space

2010-02-16T12:29:00.000-08:00

This was an assignment for my Design II: Line to Pixel class. Not a totally accurate representation of my NYC apartment....this space is bigger than my apartment! I really like how it looks like a set on a theatre stage. The only things true to life are the view out the window (my actual view!), my dog, and my friend Sabrina.

City Views

2010-01-23T21:44:00.001-08:00

My Latest Adventure

2010-01-23T21:29:00.000-08:00

I'm surviving life in the Big Apple....barely. I have completed my first semester at Parsons The New School for Design and have not fully adjusted to my new "home". Manhattan is quite a change from quiet Northern California.

It's 2010 and I've decided to..... I've decided to join the living. I'm crawling out of my shell and facing the world. I can't hide forever I suppose. Not sure where life is taking me but, I might as well try to enjoy the ride, right?! My iPhone has been a fun way for me to capture my new life here in NYC. I think I'd like to post photos on a regular basis. We'll see how long this lasts.

Looking at my last post....wow! That was a year ago. That was my Parsons Project. Sadly my Grandmother passed away in May of last year. She was the best model! She was so eager to help me get into art school. Grandma you are missed. I hope that I'm making you proud.

The Parsons Challenge

2009-01-27T12:44:00.001-08:00

My grandmother is not dead. Sometimes I forget that. I have to remind myself that she is still with us, the living. The fall and the broken hip sent her away and I let her slip from my consciousness.

I pass her by five days a week on my way to work. Speeding along in my car, oblivious to my surroundings, sucked into my own self-centered world of made up miseries and dramas I see her “home”. The skilled nursing facility jogs my memory. I’m brought abruptly back to the moment.

So involved in my own life I have forgotten hers.

She sits patiently in her wheelchair, quietly watching as the world leaves her behind. What does she have to offer? She’s tired of this “job” and would gladly quit at any time.

If only God would let her.

Still, she waits for me. I try to remember the last time I saw her and I can’t. What day was it? Saturday? Sunday? My life has somehow become more important.

When did Grandma become irrelevant?

When I see her it is not the woman I remember and knew as a child.

The woman I remember would swim with me in mountain lakes on family camping trips. Her soft arms wrapped around my cold, wet little body.

Her warmth would envelop me and make me feel safe.

She sat with me on the back porch after her brain surgery. I see her smile and hear her laugh. We’d pet the cat and talk about our love of animals.

I’d sit and listen to her play Baby Elephant Walk on the organ for the umpteenth time.

She would always play it just for me.

When I was ten Grandma took me to the movies to see Annie. That was the beginning of my love affair with musicals and it was one more thing we had in common.

She braided my hair even though her hands were stiff and arthritic. She didn’t complain.

She did it because she loved me.

How did it come to this? How could I forget her? Where have I been?

I see her hands and think about the life she has lived.

Her hands have held the hands of ancestors that I have never known. They have felt the ancient redwoods of the Pacific Northwest, canned peaches in the farm towns of California, and stacked cords of firewood in the Sierras.

Those beautiful hands have danced with, held, and lost the love of her life.

They are the hands that cared for a husband until he couldn't fight the cancer anymore.

Her hands changed countless diapers of four children who are now grown and have children and grandchildren of their own.

Gentle hands tended and mended skinned knees and bruised egos.

They took care of me.

She takes my hand and gives me a kiss and I thank God that she is still with us, the living.

And I remember

My grandmother is not dead.

New York, New York

2008-06-19T09:05:00.001-07:00

Start spreading the news
I'm leaving today
I want to be a part of it, New York, New York
These vagabond shoes
Are longing to stray
And make a brand new start of it
New York, New York
I want to wake up in the city that never sleeps
To find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap
These little town blues
Are melting away
I'll make a brand new start of it
In old New York
If I can make it there
I'll make it anywhere
It's up to you, New York, New York.

I want to wake up in the city that never sleeps
To find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap
These little town blues
Are melting away
I'll make a brand new start of it
In old New York
If I can make it there
I'll make it anywhere
It's up to you, New York, New York.

Get Smart in Soho

2008-06-19T06:34:00.000-07:00

Wooooohhoooooooo!!!! I got to see Anne Hathaway live and in person!!! I even got to ask her a question!?!?! It was a fun event at the Apple Store in Soho for the movie Get Smart that opens tomorrow. I waited for a few hours in the rain to be sure I'd get a seat. It was worth it!

I was the fifth person in line. As the line grew longer, more and more people stopped to ask "What are you waiting for?" So we made a sign in an attempt to curb the questions. Unfortunately, Mr. Apple Employee made us take it down.

This is Steve Carell's #1 fan Elisa. She had been to Good Morning America at 4am. Regis and Kelly at 9am. She had tickets for The Daily Show but decided to wait at the Apple store instead. She had been waiting in line since 1pm for the 9pm event. Elisa you are awesome! I'm sure that Steve Carell would appreciate your enthusiasm.

This is a very unflattering photo of Anne Hathaway. She was inside doing interviews. Alas, I had no press pass.... I don't think she saw me with my face pressed to the glass drooling like an idiot.

Anne Hathaway and her "people".

This was the line for the event.

The line wrapped around the block....

The fantastic five up front..... only one (and #1) Anne Hathaway fan.

A link to a news article about the event:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2008-06-19-getsmart-apple_N.htm

The surprise guest was Stephen Colbert from The Colbert Report. He conducted the interviews. He was so funny! He and Steve Carell had been in Second City (comedy troupe in Chicago) together and can't be serious around each other. Anne Hathaway was lovely and gracious as usual. Keep an eye out for the podcast on iTunes.

I, unfortunately, was not the photographer of the photos below. Perhaps I should make a career out of shooting celeb events?

Sunset Stroll in Soho

2008-06-18T06:59:00.001-07:00

My feet and mind were restless. I needed to get out so I decided to go to Soho and try to catch the beautiful light of the Golden Hour. This is the time from when the sun is about to set until just before it is actually dark. This is when many artists feel that light is at it's best. I was shooting with my Holga lens so all of the photos are soft/fuzzy.

I've also developed a strange obsession with the rooftop watertowers. They always remind me of Old New York, Lower East Side Tenements, and E.L. Doctorow's Billy Bathgate. Not sure if that's a good image or not? I've seen way too many movies! "Living in the Lower East Side really sucks."- Johnny Dangerously

Photos From The Summer of My Twelfth Year

2008-06-17T06:41:00.000-07:00

Photos From the Summer of My Twelfth Year was inspired by a weekend trip to Coney Island. I was reminded of annual vacations to the beach boardwalk in Santa Cruz, CA. Every summer we would travel in the family Suburban for two hours to escape the Sacramento Valley heat. The highlight of the trip was the day we’d spend at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. I would try my luck at the carnival games, ride the Giant Dipper roller coaster at least 10 times, and savor a greasy corn dog. This was the summer I was on the verge of “growing up”, that awkward time when you’re not a child and you’re not yet a teenager. It was when everything was exciting and frightening at the same time. You were well on your way to being an adult, but you still had a long way to go.

In these photos I have tried to create the look and feel of photos from that year. When I look at the family albums the color of the photos has faded and the grain of the film is obvious. The colors are a mix of old 60’s and 70’s and the futuristic 1980’s. The composition is basic. In this series I tried to re-create the typical tourist's snapshot.

These are my memories.

Coney Island

2008-06-15T15:06:00.001-07:00

I had to go to Nathan's....I have no idea how anyone could eat 64 of those dogs in 12 minutes.

Yep, that's right. "Bump. Bump. Bump your ass off!" It's on a loop so you can hear it over, and over, and over again. They are bumper cars by the way- not an 80's dance/strip club.

Very straight forward and direct. Not afraid to tell you how they feel. Typical New York style.

The Wonder Wheel. Don't know how "thrilling" it really is.

Very colorful. Very American. Very thirsty.

A Panoramic View of NYC

2008-06-13T11:09:00.000-07:00

This was taken from Long Island City in Queens.

Brooklyn Bridge Walk

2008-06-13T10:38:00.001-07:00

I can now check another "to do" off of my list of things to do before I die! I have finally walked across the Brooklyn Bridge. Not a big to do I know but I've wanted to do that for a long time. I thought of my grandmother as I walked. There was a TV show we both liked- "Brooklyn Bridge". A nostalgic look at life in Brooklyn in the 1950's.

I felt like the photos had to be in black and white. Color seemed odd to me.

Bryant Park and Environs

2008-06-11T13:39:00.001-07:00

The Odd Pigeon Out

The lions watch over the never-ending NYC construction.

The children's carousel in Bryant Park.

The Chrysler Building

The Empire State Building

I went with the class to the International Center of Photography (43rd and 6th Ave) to see....you guessed it, Photography! Then I went to take photos from/of Bryant Park. Luckily it isn't so humid out today. It's starting to cool down a few degrees. There was a nice lightning show in the sky last night that I watched from inside a Ben&Jerry's. A fun way to wait for the storm to pass!!

Halfway to Nowhere

2008-06-10T13:11:00.001-07:00

These shoes were left on the curbside. They look very confused.
Where are we going? What path do I take? Do I go down 4th Ave or do I head down 12th Street? Should I get a college degree in photography? Does my dog miss me? I'm tired. Am I happy? What should I do?

More Midtown

2008-06-10T11:39:00.000-07:00

In NYC everything is stacked on top of one another, smashed in to cubes, or really tall. That goes for the humans as well.

The main stairway at The Met (opera house not museum...). I wanted to get a photo from the front but they are under construction. So no photos for my opera loving friends! Sorry.

An evening out at Lincoln Center.

I spent a few quiet moments in St. Patrick's Cathedral thinking about the state of the world.

I didn't come up with any answers but I did discover another lovely church just up the block.

I shot this photo looking towards 58th down 5th Ave. I was walking to another subway line after yet another subway car malfunction that forced me to change my plans.

I was looking heavenward out front of Tiffany's.....if there is a God.....a diamond ring in my size will appear in my future.....

God, I'll be waiting.

Central Park At Night

2008-06-10T07:16:00.000-07:00

A view of Midtown in the evening.

Central Park looking northwest.

The boathouse at dusk.

Bethesda Terrace

I went for a walk through Central Park and took these photos. It was still HOT at 9pm and very humid. Phew! I'd love to go back again and take more photos. Hopefully it will be cooler in a day or two so I can go out again without running the risk of heat stroke.

Nolita/Little Italy Walk

2008-06-09T08:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went for a walk with my suitemate through Nolita (North of Little Italy), Little Italy, and Chinatown. We only walked 2.5 miles but it felt like 10. It was 95 and humid.... I wilted.

Fire escapes always make me think of a hot New York City summer.

A typical restaurant/scene in Little Italy.

I'm always interested in old cars. The curves are beautiful.

What year was this taken?

This is one of the many fantastic views on my walk to school.

2008-06-09T08:39:00.000-07:00

I went to Midtown and saw the mother of all Art Deco designs- The Chrysler Building. I hadn't realized that there are several other Deco buildings in the neighborhood. They are absolutely amazing. I love the details in the designs. They aren't your average modern box building!

Save Union Square 2008

2008-06-04T17:56:00.000-07:00

I've uploaded some of my images from today's protest/rally at Union Square. I haven't gotten the blogging thing down yet and forgot to post them in reverse order.....sorry. The way they are posted it seems rather anti-climactic. This was my first time photographing anything political. It was strangely liberating and refreshing. I was totally unafraid and was focused only on the task at hand- photographing the event.

The protest was put on by Reverend Billy and The Church of Stop Shopping (www.revbilly.com). They were last seen in the Morgan Spurlock film titled 'What Would Jesus Buy?'. They are protesting the privatization of public spaces in NYC. Currently there is a lot of construction going on in Union Square. It turns out that a private corporation is trying to build a high-end restaurant in the historic pavilion that has played host to many political speakers and radical thinkers. Public space is disappearing at a rapid rate. More traffic lanes are being added for cars and pedestrian/public space is being eliminated. Did you know that the first Labor Day was celebrated here? Read about Union Square here: www.nycgovparks.org.

What I found interesting is that many NYC dwellers that stopped to talk had NO IDEA that a restaurant was being built on this historic site. Almost all were upset by the idea and vowed to do something about it.

Some observers were very serious....

Some were working.......

while others were having a good time.

2008-06-04T17:53:00.000-07:00

These photos represent our past, present, and future.
We are walking in the footsteps of the radical pioneers who fought for our individual rights and freedoms. Most of us take our rights and our history for granted as we pass through this life, totally oblivious to the world around us. What kind of world are we creating? What kind of world are we going to pass on to future generations?

2008-06-04T17:51:00.000-07:00

Who have you spoken up for today?

Are you willing to stand up for the rights of others?

Or will you ignore them and walk the other way?

2008-06-04T17:50:00.002-07:00

2008-06-04T17:50:00.001-07:00

Union Square Is Not For Sale

2008-06-04T17:49:00.001-07:00

Reverend Billy and the Save Union Square 2008 Rally

2008-06-04T17:45:00.001-07:00

Night Photography in Times Square

2008-06-02T11:58:00.000-07:00

Saturday had been overcast and muggy most of the day and it rained off and on. I thought it would be interesting to try to get some photos of Times Square "wet". When the pavement is wet the light is reflected in puddles and off the street and colors seem brighter and more vivid.

Theatre goers after a show.

The hustle and bustle goes on 24hrs a day.

Trying some old photo tricks with my digital camera.

Views of the West Village

2008-06-02T11:27:00.000-07:00

This building's modern architecture and shiny metal caught my eye.

Florent, a West Village institution, is closing. This patron brought a very unusual dinner date.

A new perspective of an entryway.

Here I tried to show the interesting patterns of the building and roof line.

Space is a premium. Nothing is wasted.

The West Village is a mix of old and new- meatpacking warehouses and chic boutiques.

Hidden patterns and lines that I hadn't seen before.

Dogs waiting for their owners outside Pastis. I found it funny that humans were looking one way and the dogs another. What was so interesting?

Harlem

2008-06-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

These photos are from a trip up to Harlem. It was a hard day for me. I'm not very comfortable photographing people or doing street photography as it is, but it was especially hard this day. Most Harlem residents were NOT very happy that I was there and trying to take their photos without their permission. I don't think they were happy that I was there period. I was especially drawn to the run down pool in the local park. It was a perfect metaphor for Harlem. It was hard to access/enter but it had enormous potential to be beautiful and refreshing.

Update from Gotham

2008-05-29T13:35:00.000-07:00

The first day of my Digital Photography & Video class was Tuesday and I have already taken well over 200 pictures. Not that hard to do when you are shooting digital and you don't have to worry about running out of film!

Wednesday morning our class walked to Union Square. I didn't take as many photos as I could have due to the Green Market. The organic cheeses and baked goods were very distracting. In the afternoon we took the subway to Williamsburg, Brooklyn to take even more photos.

There are so many things to take photos of that it's almost hard to know where to begin. I'm finding so much color in the city. New York is full of bright colors and greenery. Quiet spaces are easy to find if you take the time to look.

Greetings from NYC!

2008-05-27T10:50:00.000-07:00

I have arrived!! After a sleepless red-eye and a two hour nap I was off and running in the Big Apple. The weather has been perfect- sunny and breezy- and the locals were out enjoying the Memorial Day holiday weekend. It is a little known fact, but New Yorkers do smile.

I'm out early on my first day of class. I've only taken 2 or 3 photos.... NYC can be a bit overwhelming. So, that being said, I need to get out on the street and start shooting. We have to post photos/write a blog for our class so you can all keep tabs on me. This four week class is going to fly! We are shooting in the morning and "processing" photos in the afternoon. We are also going to be visiting galleries, artists, and a different "nabe" (neighborhood in the local dialect) practically every day.

Check back soon for more updates.