Nokia Europe - Nokia N8 touch screen smartphone with a 12 MP camera – Specifications

This phone seems like it does freekin' everything. Its freeky. Nokia Europe - Nokia N8 touch screen smartphone with a 12 MP camera – Specifications

I've got a yellow and blur parakeet screaming over my shoulder. It reminds me of a previous time in the history of my life owning a yellow and blue parakeet. Ones that had 3 babies, each of them receiving an ill-fated end. Their parents met the same fate. The mama got eaten by a cat, (I am assuming since there were scattered feathers but no bird), the papa flew away in my yard and got killed by Blue Jays in front of my eyes. (I actually didn't see the death go down. He flew high into a tree and all I could hear was a high pitch song while 4 Blue Jays encroached on him. Creepy.) 2 babies got given away, and the third we kept. It flew away too. The back door got pushed open for a split instant while the household cat was coming in from outside. The bird went truckin down the block.

Stop Animation Class

I finished my last class, teaching middle school this month. The project went really well. I broke the class into 5 groups, and gave them each a job title; director, set designer, camera person, and animator. Overall it went very well. I had a budget of only $75 for 75 students. This had to over their clay as well as a DVD, and a few other items to make their sets. We didn't have a tripod, so the students balanced their cameras on books. We marked out where the books would sit and the set on a large piece of paper. Kind of like making a registration sheet so they could film again with the same dimension of space as the first shoot. We only had 4 classes to start and finish this project. The first class they brainstormed and created their stories and started making the characters and sets. The second two classes they finished their sets and began taking pictures. The last class was in the computer lab, downloading their pictures into iPhoto, and then importing it into iMovie to make a timeline and do any edits. The final step was to export it as a Quicktime movie and burn it on a disc. It was stressful trying to get 20 kids to follow the steps exactly with me. The combination of them having access to the main server where they could download their pictures and broken CD drives made for a few hectic moments. They would grab files they weren't supposed to on the server so things would go missing in the middle of directing the class. All in all, considering the limitations, the class went really well. It was a great way to introduce technology and art through a fun project. I will be posting some of the best movies up soon.

Teaching

Tomorrow I am teaching a class that is going to last for the month of January at a charter school for middle school children. My classes are going to be making a stop animation film (10 sec) with clay and digital cameras. I am a little nervous, as kids can be hard to get to focus. I am dividing the class of 20 into 5 groups, so they have to share clay and the sets within the group. If they get this done, they will learn how to import their pictures onto a Mac and create a video with it. They will then burn it onto a disc to take home. Hopefully this goes well! Lol. I have learned to have the steps carefully outlined so that they don't get distracted or stuck. I have also learned you can't be too rigid, because kids can come up with some unexpected creative ideas you didn't even think of. If I get any good results from this class I will post the video!

christmas

Long sliver, silver, and sleek;
moving like graceful tides
with a chicken speech.

It all means something if we want
it to be. Sometimes its sinking
black and warm,

its like trying to catch a
bird that thinks you are ugly.
It never wants to be caught.

Winter time again~

I've been meaning to post some new sketches up here. But the natural light has been so dim, and my camera I bought last summer was not taking good pictures in this kind of light. But I did a little more research on my camera, and it turns out my settings were wrong, so I am going to be taking some photos really soon.
I have been pretty inspired by photography lately, perhaps ignited by this girl, Alison Scarpulla

Fleet Foxes animated Video! Amazing!!

The Shrine / An Argument from Sean Pecknold on Vimeo.

the grand scheme of things

We all do what me must do, whether it was nothing or accounted for something.
It seems we decide individually what to account for in our lives.
Sometimes its easier to take our minds off of matters and think outside those thoughts.
With a little music, some crazy patterns and juice for our eyes.
Here's a sample of some vintage patterns that have caught my eye. Made available via etsy. Vintage wallpaper. Plain....but the possibilities! I am going to start making vinyl wallets soon. Little clear windows to cool patterns, something to put in your pocket and pull out and look at.

Random Art

I found some old pictures from a couple years ago of some clothing and art I did. Posting it now, because I sold this at a festival or outdoor market...forever forgotten about till I saw the picture!

My Flickr

I got my Flickr page set up! Now I just need to plan my next adventure so I can take some awesome photos!



Click Here to check out NorthTrains Flickr Page!!

Winter 2011

This is my most recent work completed over the winter. It is a combination of digital prints, and silk-screened prints, with some added hand painting! Visit my shop http://www.northtrain.etsy.com or email me if you are interested in purchasing! The prices range from $20-$250 for the larger pieces.

My new t-shirts

Summer time

I've been in Wisconsin for the last month and a half. I happen to be in my hometown. It is a strange visit,very familiar yet very different. I have had a strange twist in life many times, and this may be one of them. The smell of the water and the humid summer nights make me feel kind of safe, like you do when you are a little kid. It is a little wistful though, and I am leaving really soon back to the land of Portland, Oregon. The place I have called home for a long time now. Back to a different life sort of. Wrapping up summer school, and that will be the end of college for a while. I am super happy about it, I need a long vacation. I have been going for six years in a row full time, and have no idea how the heck I pulled that one off, considering all the traveling I did the whole time. All I have to say is, I did piss off a lot of teachers, and I always apologized! I'm not sure that I owe school for being smarter, although it did introduce me to some things. I think ultimatly life picks up where school leaves off.

Well enough of my school ramble.

I recently did a hand-drawn logo for this awesome wedding photographer in Portland. Check out his web-site: http://www.thephotographers.us/

I also have some prints for sale in this local shop that features some other really great Portland artists: http://tolivarportland.com

Whole Earth Festival 2010

On my way to the Whole Earth Festival, got some new prints all made up... and hopefully I sell some! That would be awesome because I haven't been making very much money since October!! The WEF is in Davis, California at the University, and is a sustainable hand crafters fair! It is really cool, and the weather is usually beautiful!

My new Print !!!!!!!

This is a silk-screen with some hand painting. It is apart of a series I am working on and plan to finish this summer, in order to line up a show... oh and apply to grad school!

Beltaine Birthday

So here it is the first day of being 31! It is cloudy, with little birsts of sun. I jumped the hurdles and crossed bridges that needed to be crossed this year. More so than any other year of my life. I have almost accomplished everything on my list of stuff to do in my twenties. I am getting my BA this summer finally, and then getting my MFA will finally be the end of my educational goals. I have seen this country all over, and am content with the amount of traveling I have done. I just need to see Europe. I am slowly building up my small business, and will have a clothing line together in a few weeks. I also have my artwork together for prints, and have been silk-screening some new designs on paper. What can I say? I am happy with the direction my life has taken, the darkest days of this past year are over. I am looking ahead, never behind.

Matters of the heart take their course, and it takes courage to follow your heart. Sometimes we listen to it, other times we try to quiet it. But no matter the situation of my heart, I always look forward to things working out for the best, and never give up that the future will bring amazing things. Sometimes hardships happen, and what we do in those moments will test our character and happiness. You can choose to let these moments be poetry in your mind and heart, everything is a choice.
I always try to turn sadness into inspiration, and seeds of happiness. I hope you can too.

My new Web Site

Hooray! I finally got my website up and running. I haven't finished my gallery section yet, I will be uploading a lot more to it. But hey, at least it works!!

Art Opening

I'm going to an art opening on Saturday, I'm excited because it is someone I knew from high school back in the Midwest, and he coincidentally lives in Portland now just like me.
Here's the venue: Disjecta
and here's his art: David Stein

Life

Sometimes when life throws you curve balls, rather than thinking life is crumbling, think of it as inspiration. Sometimes having a broken heart just means its time to grow and change... and its not that bad. I'm learning to control my thoughts, take the negative thinking patterns and think instead of the exact moment of NOW!! Hope you can do it too friend!

This is some recent work!