Michaela on Art and Process

During the college application process, I wrote pieces that allowed me to discover my unique way of writing.  My tutor Sandy Charlap gave me words including "process," "time," "unbroken," "control," "tendrilling," and "memory" to describe freely. She also gave me questions, but once I felt comfortable I took control and continued this process on my own by asking myself questions. That’s where I found my voice with words and that voice interconnected with art. 

I’ve always had a feeling for art, but I never really experienced it. In the tenth grade, I learned art can be something bigger than what I expected.  I started by drawing boxes, learning about line, proportion, and value structure. I shifted from just making art to having an immense understanding and desire to be an artist. Exploring different ways of working, collaging, stamping, incorporating wallpaper, paint, pastel, and charcoal in unfamiliar ways.  I always ask myself, "What happens if I try this?" I am not afraid of the unknown. I actually think those moments of not knowing are the best ones. Not knowing where an unbreakable work of art will take me is fascinating. Some art work effects me and my passion for creating by transforming into the unknown. The experience of not knowing is awakening, an adventure I am willing to take. Every day is a process of transformation. I am becoming a strong artist by taking what I have learned into my voyage.  For me that evolution is tendriling. The light ahead of the tendril, uncoiling. I am the tendril, uncoiling into existence. My tendril is moving toward abstraction.

I have been forming a collective of artists who I am influenced by like Henri Matisse, Cy Twombly, Joan Mitchell, Brice Marden, Bonnard, and Judy Pfaff.  I have learned how to “steal like an artist” by taking ideas and making them part of my work. Judy Pfaff, as an artist, influenced my determination to move in new directions. Last year, I developed an installation called “Deep Space.” My interpretation of the universe. Having the freedom and space to create is meaningful.

I have the ability to want, have, or leave it.

And the last ingredient is time……
I process slowly, and it is not always easy to express myself in words. My art is my voice. I am quiet but my mind isn’t. My art speaks in ways my voice cannot. Being in the studio at my school and creating is my sanctuary. It is a place where I find my true self. Escaping in a world where I have power.

One piece of work for an eternity.
giving me the time and freedom to explore.
but my most precise and powerful work is shown when I am given time.

I take my time and present with my best effort. 
When I am creating, I am not worrying about time.
It flies by like a streak of wonder.
The urge and motivation to not stop creating.

I suffer displeasure leaving my work in a rush of swirling ideas. 

I have become independent, by making my own decisions in art by allowing my strength to come forward. I create my own choices with out having a specific ending in mind. My process reveals what comes next.

I applied to seven schools and got into every one of them with scholarships!

 

All photos (and the artwork presented therein) created and shared by Michaela.

Emily: Rolo Cake & Mississippi Mud Cake (02/08/16)

Hi, I'm Emily.  For my Edge Project I am studying baking.  Every Wednesday I bake dessert for the students and faculty.  So I thought I would share my weekly desserts with you.  I will tell you what did and didn't work (and also offer suggestions).

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A picture of the Mississippi Mud Cake.
Image selected by Emily and located at Tastes Better from Scratch!

Rolo Cake was a big hit and it’s so easy to make. It’s just chocolate cake with caramel frosting with a drizzle of melted caramel and melted semi-sweet chocolate on top. However be sure to separate icing evenly across the cake. With my limited time my icing spread a little too thick in some places. Also I suggest, if you aren’t much of a sweet tooth, to just generously drizzle the icing.

Last Wednesday I made Mississippi Mud Cake. Everyone loved it. Mississippi Mud Cake is a chocolate cake with marshmallows on top and a chocolate ganache icing generously drizzled on top. This dessert was almost a "fail" because once I started cutting the first pan into squares it looked horrible. I think the icing needed to set more. However, even though it didn’t look the best it still tasted great.

I have a couple suggestions for this recipe. One: don’t over toast the marshmallows. You want them to puff together but not turn brown. Two: if you do wish to cut the cake, dip the knife into hot water with each cut. Three: be generous with the icing, I find it really compliments the cake. Four: use a very moist chocolate cake recipe. When the cake goes into the oven a second time, it drys out a little. And five: a scoop of vanilla ice-cream would suit this cake perfectly (although vanilla ice cream is good with just about everything).

A snapshot of the mouth-watering Rolo Cake.
Image located by Emily.

Rolo Cake

Moist Chocolate Cake

Yields one small sheet pan

- 2 cups Flour
- 2 cups Sugar
- 3/4 cups Cocoa powder
- 2 tsp. Baking Soda
- 1 tsp. Baking powder
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 1 cup Oil or Butter (I use butter)
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup Coffee, brewed at room temp.
- 1 cup Milk

In the mixer combine all dry ingredients. Then beat in eggs, vanilla and and oil. Slowly add coffee and milk to the mixture. Lastly pour into the sprayed and prepared pan. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

Caramel Frosting:
http://www.pauladeen.com/caramel-frosting

Mississippi Mud Cake:
http://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/2015/09/mississippi-mud-cake.html