I miss THIS.

Since I've last written, I moved out of the apartment I was sharing with Sarah and into a new one with another roomie who ended up leaving halfway through the lease. And, luckily for me, Sarah moved into this new place with me a couple weeks ago. Due to this shifting of space and roommates, a lot of reorganization has been needed on my part. So, I have spent many hours sorting through scattered masses of notes, diaries, travel journals, and other random scrawlings. This, of course, led to countless hours of procrastination in between, during which I decided to reread many of my online blog entries from the past couple of years. Spending so much time reviewing this blog (and all the writings that could have been a part of it) has made me realize something: I miss personal blogging. A LOT.

Why did I quit?

I suppose because I've been trying to turn my online efforts toward more professionally productive avenues, such as building my artist's website (nriceart.com) and a Tumblr account (nriceart.tumblr.com) to go with it. There were business cards to be made, artworks to be photographed, and even a QR code to be created that needed to lead my contacts to a self-made mobile site. With all of this artistic ammunition in hand, I attended my first SGC printmaking conference in New Orleans.

"It's For The Best" Litho by N.Rice (2012)

But that conference took place in March, and since then, outside of creating some awesome new prints, I was just doing a lot of Facebooking. (I also traveled to Amsterdam, started working on music with a new band, and dealt with all sorts of man-drama in my personal life... all quite noteworthy ways to spend one's time, but those stories are for another day.)

And so I'm back!! I'm turning 30 in 13 days, am about to start my LAST year of art school (yes, I will actually have a degree soon, and after only 12 years of on-again-off-again college attendance), and I'm not about to miss out on documenting the achievements and horrors that are sure to befall me over the next year. Riding on the cusp of thirty has me doing all sorts of reflecting, analyzing, obsessing, and promising myself changes in lifestyle and thought patterns. I need to share it all somewhere, or my life may as well be a tree falling in the forest, with no one to hear it.

So, can we take the next hour and talk about me?

6 Movies in 2 Days

I have two rooms in the flat that I share with my roommate, Sarah. One is my bedroom, and the other is my art-music-media room, which I recently cleaned and rearranged. Since it houses my overwhelmingly large VHS collection, I created a cozy little video-watching area that's getting a lot of use. I've seen five movies since yesterday afternoon - while doing other productive things. I swear.

1. Half Baked
• It always makes me giggle.
2. Se7en
• Brilliant story, brilliant acting. "What's in the box?!"
3. Milk
• It was my first time seeing this one, and I loved it; a funny, inspirational true story that had me emotionally invested to the extreme. It even made me cry a little, which is tough for a movie to do. I highly recommend this to anyone who's interested in political activism, gay rights, contemporary history, and/or emotional biopics.
  
4. Office Space
• I watched this one twice in a row. Seriously. 
5. Friday the 13th
• Slasher classic.

...and I'm currently watching a 6th: The Squeeze, on VHS. It was still in it's original shrink wrap, which was pretty exciting to tear open. The cover sold me, with its classically corny 80s style and a tagline promising a "comedy thriller," starring Michael Keaton, no less. Unfortunately, I'm 10 minutes into watching it and can already tell it's not going to be as fantastically bad as I expected; it's going to be "mediocre bad," which is the worst.

20 Something Bloggers

I just joined a blog networking site called 20 Something Bloggers, and have been tooling around on it for hours. I love it!

So far, I've gotten tons of possible post ideas, learned what a "blog hop" is, become addicted to the juicy rantings found in Mommy Has A Headache, and opened more Firefox tabs than I ever thought possible.

Check out my profile on 20SB, then join up, fellow bloggers and blog enthusiasts.

Is that all there is?

My mantra song for the weekend:

"Is that all there is?
Is that all there is?
If that's all there is, my friends,
then let's keep dancing!
Let's break out the booze
and have a ball!
If that's all there is..."

Peggy Lee is fantastic, but one should also check out Firewater's amazing cover of this song.

Let's have a quickie!

My first class was canceled, so I'm killing time in the computer lab. I was going to post all about my recent trip to the MCA with Chryssa, and highlight some of the phenomenal artists we saw, but I don't have time right now. I do have time, however, to list what I got in the gift shop: a set of glass plates that look like a paper plates, a few little presents for some of my loved ones, and a magnificent book about my favorite performance artist, Marina Abramovic. I'm most excited about reading the Abramovic book, which comes with an audio guide narrated by the artist herself. Looooove. Oh, yeah, I bought a membership to the museum, as well. That means a whole year's worth of art-tastic fun.

I have printmaking class in about 15 minutes, and it's woodcut critique day. Ugh. My woodcut came out terrible, in my opinion. It was a passionless project for me. Sometimes when you struggle with a piece, it becomes your favorite, your pet, a challenge to be conquered with pride; other times, you just want to chuck it in the garbage can, out of pure hatred and frustration. Unfortunately for this woodcut, it fell into the latter of those two categories.

Cheers, all. My band is playing a show next Wednesday at The House. Y'all should come and drink and dance and laugh with me. It's gonna be a time. Here's the link to the event information.

"Designs On You" has a Facebook page now.

I just created a Facebook page for this blog. Please visit it, click "Like," and share it with your friends.

Liking "Designs On You" via Facebook is a simple way to get updates about new posts, and an easy alternative for those who don't use RSS feeds. I'm also hoping that the Facebook availability will encourage people to leave comments about what they're reading here. Don't be shy! Talk to me. :)

Love Your Fellow Artists

Chryssa and I were having a discussion last night about how important it is, as art students, to stay involved in the local art community and to form good relationships with your fellow artists and colleagues. Many of us who make art were raised on the myth of the "genius artist," a man whose greatness was born into him, a natural talent, who works alone, whose work is so profound that it speaks for itself, insisting that this man be "discovered" and immediately promoted to elite status in his society. In reality, 99 percent of the time, this just ain't the way things work. In order for most artists to find success and carve out a comfortable spot in the vast art world that surrounds them, they need to work together; community is of the essence.

Too many times at school, especially in my studio classes, I witness classmates being too shy or closed off to ask an opinion of someone working next to them. I see them defensively arguing over their pieces during critiques, or cutting down the work of others, in terribly nonconstructive ways. They skip most of the gallery shows in town, only gracing the ones that are presented by their friends. All this behavior makes me wonder one thing - why are they art students? I mean, a major or minor in Studio Art doesn't seem like a choice one would "default" to.

I'm not saying that I've got this all under control, but I know where I strive to be within my community, and I know that I expect my success as an artist and art historian to come with support from others. I know that I want to go to as many local gallery openings as possible this year, and that I'd like to widen my circle of artist friends. I enjoy discussing my work and the work of others as much as possible, and find the opinions of my friends and classmates to be invaluable; I always leave artistically focused conversations feeling like I've learned something new.

And next Friday, I plan to buy a membership to the MCA in Chicago. I would like to plan monthly/bi-monthy trips there, and I'd love it if others would join me. Chryssa and I are going together next week, to buy the memberships, and after that I plan on making event announcements to see if others would like to join. We can take the train, or carpool, check out the museum, then, afterward, talk about the work we've just seen. Doesn't that sound great? If not, that's okay, just don't rain on my parade.

 

The exhibit I'm most excited about seeing is called "Works on Paper" from the MCA Collection (running until October 3, 2010). It features work by several artists, including some by a most interesting character - Henry Darger. My last roommate introduced me to Darger's work, and I have since fallen in love with it, as well as with the story of his life. There is a wonderful documentary about him, called In the Realms of the Unreal, which I highly recommend.

Art on, brothers and sisters.

First! Episode 2

More firsts of 2010! Some recently recalled, some recently happened...

• first time at the Atlantic Ocean, and Myrtle Beach (March 2010)
• first show with Wienerslav (April 8, 2010)
• first time intentionally eating seafood (Friday, the 13th of August, 2010)

UPDATE! (...which is not as cool as an "UPGRADE!")

I have officially moved into my new house in DeKalb, with my new awesome roommate, Sarah B. I'm still not completely unpacked; it's a huge task, considering the ridiculous amount of trinkets that I own. 472+ VHS tapes, 300+ owls, and who-knows-how-many books later, and the unloading is coming along slowly but surely. Tomorrow is my 28th birthday, I start school on Monday, and I'm going to be in an arts and crafts show next weekend in downtown Aurora. Did I also mention that I started a new job about a month ago? I'm busy, busy, busy, as usual.

As if all this wasn't enough to fill my time and brain, yesterday my electric went out and will not be turned on for one to three days. Thank you, oh so much, previous tenants who did not pay your bill. My fridge is filled with soon-to-be-wasted food, I can't listen to my stereo, I can't charge my computer or phone, and I did my make-up by flashlight last night. Oh, yes, and I had to cancel the birthday house party I had planned for Saturday night.

So here I sit, at The House Cafe, checking my email, blogging, and swigging coffee... I'm just going with the flow and trying not to worry about things that are out of my control, counting to 10 over and over. Chryssa is going to lighten my roots this afternoon, and I think I might buy a new dress to lighten my mood.

P.S. I'm reading a fascinating memoir right now (thank you, Sarah!) called I'm with the Band: Confessions of a Groupie, by Pamela Des Barres. I'm devouring all its juicy details of rockstar trysts and sordid tales from a life I could only imagine. As a girl who's always been in the band, and not with the band, I'm absolutely engrossed in Pamela's life story. And come on, who hasn't wondered what it would be like to make-out with Jim Morrison??? It's a must read.

"Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forward." - Soren Kierkegaard

I know I'm supposed to be working on posting my travel journal, and that's exactly what I'm NOT doing right now... but trust that this post IS related to my recent transatlantic journey.

I have made it my summer goal, and perhaps a late New Year's resolution, to try as many new things as possible this year. I've long considered myself to be an adventurous, spontaneous individual, and in this year of 2010, I am striving to prove that to myself everyday. And so, I am beginning a list of "firsts." Maybe you'll do the same?

• first trip to Greece (May 26, 2010)
• swam in the sea (May 2010)
• ate a whole, uncooked tomato and LOVED it (June 2010)
• went down a water slide (June 31, 2010)
• tried liver pate (July 2010)

Admittedly, these things may not look so exciting now that I've got them laid out in front of me, but THEY ARE... I've been terrified of fish, oceans, and the sea for my entire life, so when I took a  swim with Chryssa in Greece, it was an amazing step in my life. By the end of my vacation, I was loving every second I had in those refreshing waves. I've also always been really weird about food - I didn't eat any vegetables, aside from corn and potatoes, until I was well into my twenties - so eating a whole tomato or trying something uncommon like liver pate is a big deal for me.

What I'm getting at is this: no matter how insignificant a new experience may seem to be, it's still new, and it's still a chance to hop outside your comfort zone; a chance to break down a boundary. Most of our boundaries are self-imposed, and each time you crack one of them, even in a small way, you are giving yourself more room to grow.

Fewer boundaries = more room to play = a happier life. It makes sense, yes?

Greece 2010 Travel Journal: May 31, 2010

Three days since my last entry, and there is already much to catch up on...

On Friday evening, Chryssa and I decided to stay around the house and relax. I tried to go to bed early, but my legs and feet were very tingly and achy from the long travel and a lack of sleep. I laid awake in bed for hours, anxiety-ridden over the thought of experiencing foot or leg trauma on yet another vacation.

Shortly after I fell asleep, Spero barged through my door and turned on the light, ready to hang out and take some shots. We sat and talked for a long time about the things he misses about the U.S. We talked about the difference between respect and fear, and how to recognize where you are loved, and in which way. It was a nice time.

Chryssa and I spent all day Saturday at the sea, and it was wonderful! We drank juice and coffee under an umbrella at a beach cafe, and I am developing a lovely tan. We also went to birthday party at Landi's friend Maria's house. Maria is from Chile. Her family was very welcoming to me. She and Landi used to belong to a group for foreign wives in Greece, and they told me great stories of old time. I am at the beach with them now.

Chryssa, Spero, and I have been out drinking every night, and it's been fun to "party" again. I have a different control over alcohol these days, so it's been all pleasant experiences. I've met so many people that I'm having a hard time remembering their names. I need to work on this. One of my favorite people I've met is Ilias, a friendly, young gay man who works with Spero. He has a opinion on everything, but is not pushy. He is a dancer and a theater student, and seems wise beyond his years. I also really liked the girl Spero invited out last night - Xara. She was a blast, and we became quick friends. She works at a hotel on a vacation beach in a nearby town, and I think we will visit there for a night. Ilias would also like to take us on a mini-vacation.

There is so much more to tell, but I've written enough for today. Maybe I will write more at the beach tomorrow. Kalinihta! Good night!

P.S. Spero hurt his knee "80's dancing" the other night, so he is a bit incapacitated. :(

Greece 2010 Travel Journal: May 28, 2010

I am sitting on the balcony and just finished doing my make-up. Spero, Chryssa, and I are going out to coffee at a cafe called Exis before Spero has to go to work

Kalamata is gorgeous, and full of tiny privately owned shops. It is laid out very differently than any American city I've seen; you walk through small alleys to find the entrances of buildings, and all the streets are paved with different types of stone. You can easily walk everywhere, and many people have scooters or motorcycles.

Yesterday, the three of us went to a cafe called Bar Fly and had frappe, then beer. Spero went to work, then Chryssa and I went to meet her friend, Danny Kargas, at his graphic design office. After we met Danny, who is very outgoing and friendly, we went to visit Spero at the bar where he works, called Vino Banco. It is a cozy place, very classy, with warm lighting. We drank and laughed until early in the morning. I met many people, and drunkenly practiced the few Greek phrases I have learned so far: "thank you," "fuck you," and "I'm hungry." Haha! Starting with the basics...

It was wonderful to spend time with Spero. I knew I had missed him, but didn't realize just how much until we had the chance to hang out yesterday. I am glad to be able to see an old friend, and to meet new ones. I hope to spend some time with Nike, as well. Though she is busy with the baby, we plan to have coffee and maybe go clubbing soon.

Greece 2010 Travel Journal: May 27, 2010

Arrived in Kalamáta at Chryssa's house around 11:00 p.m. last night. I'm extremely tired from traveling, but also too excited to sleep! We flew from Chicago to Zürich, then from Zürich to Athens, then rode two buses to Kalamáta, then took a cab to Chryssa's house [where her brother, Speros, and sister, Nike, live]. Amazingly, I did manage to nap a bit over the course of the last 24 hours of travel.

We had dinner with Landi [Chryssa's mom], Nike, Aggelos, and little Panayiotis [Nike's baby]. He is adorable! We tried to stay up to say hi to Speros, too, but I am going to pass out at any moment. So far, Greece is beautiful and amazing. I can't wait to see more of it tomorrow!

Presenting! Greece 2010 Travel Journal

 
As most of you know, I recently spent four weeks in Greece, with my friend Chryssa and her family. While I was there, I kept a journal, and I've finally found the time to transfer it here to my blog. It was an amazing trip, and I know that my meager writings won't do justice in describing the thrills and happiness that I felt each day that I was there, but I do hope that they will give you a glimpse into the experiences that I had...

Countdown to relaxation:

It'll almost be like you were there!

Wienerslav played a show on Wednesday night, and my friend Chrissy was kind enough to take some videos of our set. Below are the videos of our two originals. The videos of our covers are being posted to our Facebook page as I type, if you'd like to check out more.

May Madness

Someone is ringing the ghetto doorbell outside - honk honk honk honk - seriously? Just get out of you car and go to the door, jerk face. Grr.

School's out for summer, my roommate has moved out, and I'm leaving for Greece in less than three weeks. Also, I will be moving out of my apartment before I leave for vacation, and I'm a little sad about letting it go. Even though the electricity and plumbing are shit (I can't run a toaster and a coffee machine at the same time without the power going out, and every time I take a shower water leaks into my neighbors' bedroom), I do like this place a lot. Not only that, but since I moved in a little less than a year ago, I've managed to acquire approximately 80-100 new owl collectibles, and probably about 60-80 new VHS tapes. Moving is gonna be an overwhelming process. As it always is.

In other news, Wienerslav has been asked to play another show at The House on May 19th, opening up for a Virginia band called The Judy Chops. We are also going to get together to record a couple songs on Monday and make ourselves a MySpace page to showcase our tunes. Keep your ears open!

And though I haven't had a moment to make any crafts for the Etsy shop I mentioned a couple months ago, my friend and fellow blogger Chrissy has, and her items are posted and ready for sale! Check them out at The Tawdry Owl on Etsy. And while you're there, check out my brother's shop, too.

Last but not least, here are some photos of my final sculpture project. I'm really pleased with how it turned out, and I wish it would have been finished early enough to be in the show with my other works. Too bad. Maybe I will be able to show it sometime in the future...

"Better Version of Me"

Nikki Rice

May 2010

Living This Life

April has been a month spent immersed in art and music, just as I prefer. On the 8th, both of my bands, Eat Your Heart Out! and Wienerslav, played a benefit concert called Rock Against Rape (see my previous post for info). It was fantastic! About $1000 was collected for the local non-profit agency Safe Passage. Then, on the 22nd, Wienerslav played another show with some amazing musicians - most notably, Jason and the Punknecks. The bill was filled with high energy country-punk-blues bands that I felt honored to play amongst.

I don't have any future shows scheduled yet, but am looking to book one for my birthday, at the end of the summer. And hopefully a few in between, once I get back from my summer vacation to Greece. Yes, I'm going to Greece!!! For a whole month! Could I be any luckier?

In other news, two of my sculpture pieces were featured in NIU's 2010 Graduate and Undergraduate Sculpture Show at the Pleasant Street Gallery in DeKalb. It was my first time having any of my art in a gallery, and what a wonderful feeling it was. Being back in school is opening up so many opportunities for me to explore and share my artwork. I could go on and on about this, but the real world duties of laundry washing and final exams are calling to me. Until I find more time to write all I want to, here are some photos of the sculptures I had in the show. (Sorry, the photos are only iPhone quality.)

"The Mytho-Mechanics of Sexual Biology"
Nikki Rice
February 2010 

"Breathing in/Breathing out (Homage to Marina & Ulay)"
Nikki Rice
April 2010
* Click here for info on original piece being reference.

Happy April Fools' Day!

In honor of All Fools' Day, I suggest you buy a metric clock to be proudly displayed upon your living room wall. I know I'm going to.

In 1975, an Australian TV show called This Day Tonight put forth one of the most clever April Fool's pranks ever. The show convinced many viewers that Australia would soon be converting to "metric time" and explained the guidelines for the new system. In fact, metric time (or decimal time) is a real system that has been explored, but not yet perfected for public use. Pretty good. Prett-ay prett-ay pretty good.

See also: Top 100 April Fool's Day Hoaxes of All Time.

"Oh, go on and cry. You'll pee less."

 I'M STRESSED OUT.

I've been wound up like a spring for the last two weeks, and each time I think all has fallen back into a sensible order, it's crisis time again. It's like I'm trying to file a bunch of papers, see? But there's an army of little men who live at the bottom of the filing cabinet drawer, and they just can't wait until I tuck something away so they can tear it to shreds. Party. Confetti. Life's a beach, man.

As of yet, my patience has been serving me well, but it's running thin tonight. Luckily, I'm somehow still smiling and the shinola continues to outweigh the shit. But I'm stressed, damnit. Why don't I have that Valium prescription anymore? Time to count to ten.

I watched Postcards from the Edge for the first time tonight. Great movie, containing the awesome quote that inspired this whiny post. It seems that I will be peeing a little less after this.