I want to...

..adopt a dog. If only I didn't live in a small apartment, oh and if chris wasn't allergic.

--Stephanie

The Way We Live.

So in the process of getting a B.F.A there are a few obstacles to overcome. First, getting past the first year of classes called the "core." The classes are drawing 1, 2, and 3, Color and Design, Color Theory and some others. At the end of the year you have to go through the "core review." If it wasn't for Colleen drawing half of my entries, I'm not sure I would have passed.(thanks!!) After getting accepted to that, in order to get your BFA you have to go through the BFA review. This is where you show all your best work for the professors to see. If they decide you are heading down the right path and have a cohesive idea, then you are granted your own show at the end of the year. This is pretty much your thesis, the big finale to college. Thankfully, I had enough marbles in my head and had an idea, well more like the beginnings of an idea. It all started when I signed up for a trip to the the west that was offered every summer. It entailed a 3 week adventure, with 20 other students and professors that let us explore the geography and geology of the American West. Well, after taking that class and realizing how much I love traveling, my thoughts and ideas were brainstorming. It amazed me at how little people really look at the landscape. How little people care that we live in a beautiful country. How we just sit in the car, the plane, the computer chair or sofa to " experience" life. Peoples lives revolve around work and money. Life is lost in the corporate world, a world that I hopefully will never experience. This led me to the process of creating my senior thesis called, "The Way We Live." I had a series of pictures and serigraphs that portrayed my views on society. If it wasn't so long I would post my artist statement, but the gist of it is what I just stated. My process was to overlay pictures of car lights on top of the landscapes. The thoughts behind this was that on my trip, a lot of my pictures were taken through a car window, or while stopped on the side of the road. These lights now compromised the picture as it originally was, and now creates a new composition. Not sure how successful I was in my message, but I sold all but two of them, so I guess people liked them!










As my good friend Taylor said to me, "While always going somewhere, we are prevented from ever being anywhere."

--Stephanie

NJ Holidaze.

Once I moved to Utah one of the first things I did was buy a plane ticket home for the holidays. I was home from Dec 20th til Jan 5th. I had an awesome time hanging out with friends, family, and getting snowed in. The snow kind of back tracked me for a couple days, but I still got to see a lot of people! Christmas was great! We went to Aunt Cathy's on Christmas Eve and then we had dinner at our house on Christmas Day and then headed over to Aunt Micheles for desert. Since Christmas Day is also Nick Watsons birthday, we had to go out and celebrate!! Some of his friends drove down from New York and we all went to Joes. Unfortunately, the bartender didnt accept out of state licenses. Bullshit. So we went to this place in Garwood (cant remember the name) and saw Joelle! We also had a girls night at Chrissy's house were we all caught up, drank some Mikes hard and played Just Dance! New years was fun too! I went to the Poconos with my family, Stacy's, Carolines and Paulines families as well. Boy oh boy are they a blast! It was also Nick and Jenna's first time snowboarding, and they did great! They were sore afterwards, but they toughed it out and made it all the way down a green trail! New Years Eve was so much fun! Luckily I had my camera to document the crazies.



nick on the lift

me and jenna

jenna, nick and I

the crazies a.k.a eileen, stacy, pauline and caroline

big love

all the boots

happy new year!!

She loved those aluminum bottles!

Happy New Year!! woohooo

Sparklers!

Jake

Pauly

Nick

After new years I headed down to visit Momma. The time flew by so fast. Before I knew it Tommy and Chrissy were driving me to JFK to get on my flight. Hopefully Ill be able to go back home for a few weeks this summer, if not the whole summer! I really love and miss every one in NJ, but life goes on and the bills gotta get paid. If only the cost of living in NJ wasnt so dang expensive...

--Stephanie

Cant win them all.

Even though the Steelers didnt win, even though they had plenty of chances to score, and turned over the ball way too many times, and couldnt get those last five yards for a first down, it was still an amazing game. The Packers deserved it. They played a better game. As for the half time show, I thought it was entertaining! Every one was hating on it, but I thought it was good. Not as good as the Who, but still good. I liked the light-up suits and SLASH! Aside from that I had great food and lots of fun watching it! (Even though I was the only Steelers fan in the room. )Thanks to JR and Laura for making awesome dips, meatballs and some kind of cheesy, gouda, bacony, deliciousness on bread!


JR making guacamole.

Every one watching.

TANK!!

Tank is getting down and dirty.

--Stephanie

Black and Yellow.

Today is the day!! Super Bowl XLV (thats 45 for those of us that dont know roman numerals.) Im so pumped for the Steelers to play! I have lots of friends that are Jets, Giant and Cowboy fans.. but today is my day! Its Steelers v. the Packers so its going to be a heart pounding, and probably close game. Im just hoping for the Steelers to come out ahead! Speaking of Cowboy fans, Chrissy, my best friend, is a Cowboys fan (bless her little heart.) Even though we dont have a mutual love for the same team, we do have a mutual love for Beauty and the Beast! Ever since we met in Gymboree we have been best friends. Chrissy would let me play with her chewed up Barbies (aww kelly!) and boss me around, you know the usual. So while in school I had a project where I had to remember the first movie I ever watched and create a series of photographic images representing that. Obviously I chose beauty and the Beast! Here are the images from that project. (notice us playing with a coors light bucket...)









We still like to joke that we were WT, but our parents did the best they could and we still have so many stories and good laughs about it! Its still my favorite Disney movie, and she's still my best friend! (even if she is a Cowboys fan) Well, enjoy the Super Bowl every one!!

--Stephanie

Keeping up with.... the bills.

Before I start talking about how much it stinks to work all the time blah blah blah... Chris and I watched the movie "Snatch" last night. Probably my favorite movie ever. If you havent seen it then you absolutely have to. Theres a ton of cursing, very witty banter, brad pitt with no shirt, and every one has a british accent. Amazing movie.
Im trying to make an actual website to have as a portfolio. you know with the galleries, my resume, and contact info. I signed up for a free 14 day trial at smug mug, and im not sure im sold just yet. I dont know anything about java or html codes so I cant customize my page. I guess I'll be doing my homework to figure that stuff out. In other news, its freeeeeezing here. The car thermometer read -4 the other day. Lame! I signed up for this medical study that pays $1750, but it's not until March. I know i need the money to pay off my loans, but I really want a new camera too! Oh the decisions. Well, I have a month to figure that out. Its also laurens 23rd birthday today!! ahhh! we are getting so old! It stinks that i cant be there to celebrate, but i know they will have tons of fun! Sometimes i wish i can go back to highschool. Life was so simple. Well, gotta get ready for work. Here are some photos that I edited for a present for Momma. They were all taken in Utah when I first moved out here.


Twin Lakes Reservoir, Brighton

Twin Lakes Reservoir, Brighton

Lake Catherine, Alta

Mirror Lake, Uinta's


Til next time,
Stephanie

Starting Over

Ok, well, I admit, I havent really been the best at keeping up with my blog. Lets be honest the last post was over two years ago. So my new years resolution (I know, I know, im a little late for that) is to keep my blog updated. A lot has happened since I last posted, so I'll make it quick: I still snowboard, not very well, I went on an awesome trip to the west summer of 09 and fell in love with it, I graduated college in may 2010 and miss it every day, worked like crazy over the summer to save up money to move to Utah, where I currently reside, Sallie Mae has taken over my bank account, I wish i was still in college, I have a job at the Cowboy Grub as a waitress cause lets be honest, I gotta pay the bills, I have been slacking in my photography cause I am so dang tired from working all the time, I am in the market for a new lens and flash, I miss my family and friends all the time, I love salt lake city, im working on not being a walking truck driver but its hard, moose and cows are still my favs, did i mention i wish i was still in college? So yeah, thats my life and I wouldnt change anything. I have so many pictures that I want to upload, but im still in the process of sorting them out into the good and bad categories. More to come soon.

--Stephanie