I am shocked at what I’ve accomplished this season. I rode 108.7 miles at the Apple Cider Century, made my first plant based emulsion and print, and started developing film with caffenol and mint(enol)((thats what I like to call it). As I recover opening up some deep personal work for critique, I am grateful that I am working.

I also got a great opportunity to be a technical assistant in a 16mm film class where I even got to lead demos. It was like something I never even dreamed of until recently. It just seemed like it would be impossible to get to this point in my education and career. Next semester I’m looking forward to observing in a 300 level experimental sound class and working at Katelyn Patton’s Art Garden at the UIC Greenhouse. I have been there since last May but now that I am a grad student I will be there more often and researching and experimenting with eco-chemistry and emulsions, as well as teaching some workshops on how to be more sustainable and less dependent on toxic chemicals in art practice.

In the next couple of weeks I’ll be working with the Yah-Yah collective on making charcoal in a fire pit. This will be the first round but hopefully we’ll get better at this, theres always twigs that can be picked up and made into charcoal!

I’m going to make a second post showing some of the work I’ve made this semester but I just wanted to post something to show that I am here, as always struggling through the season of the least sun but still here and working.