Eli Palandri
Bridge 5: Final Reflection, Seminar
One Semester Down, Nine to Go
Reflect on the hopes and fears/worries you expressed during the first class session. Which hopes have been fulfilled this semester? Unfulfilled? Which fears or worries did you overcome, and which still remain?
In the first class session, I brought up an old demon of mine: my less-than-stellar motivation to complete work; I feared it would hinder my success as it did so often in the past. Although it did affect me, if there’s one thing I came out of this semester with, it’s a resolute determination to ensure I never let it become a problem again, which was a hard but necessary lesson to learn and one that was past overdue. I also feared being in the presence of so many uniquely talented and intelligent people, but this fear was resolved the moment we began to collaborate with one another– these unique strengths were an aid and a teacher, not a threat to my own. My hopes for the first semester were humble, mostly just to make it through, and through toil and trouble I sure did.
How has your relationship to writing, reading, art, design, and making changed over the course of the semester?
Over the course of the semester, I was exposed to so many new art forms and styles of writing, and I made things I didn’t even know existed before. Although I didn’t know it when I began the semester, the art background I came from was both extremely limited and only a facet of an entire world I had yet to discover. Similarly, with reading and writing writing, I was encouraged to branch out and attempt styles of writing I had been too afraid and too busy to try my hand at before, and I ended up liking it a lot. The new reading I was doing refreshed my mental toolbox and provided much-needed inspiration that was auxiliary for all of this discovery.
What have you discovered about the relationship between making, thinking, and writing?
The three facets of art mesh together in ways I did not ever think to be so cohesive. As someone who aspires to be a filmmaker, a medium which combines all of these aspects and more, I will definitely apply this idea of things not being nearly as separate as one may think to my practice.
How did mistakes or failed attempts at making and developing your Studio and Seminar projects lead you into new directions and open up new possibilities?
The biggest mistake I made this semester was definitely managing my time poorly and allowing myself to be bogged down by frivolous and extraneous things, and as a result not being able to apply the full force of my potential to my work at all times. My old mentor has told me, “The real artists are not out partying, but are in the Studio,” and I have taken that to heart, the quote has guided me alongside my own reflection on my work ethic and such. I have lofty ambitions, and I know that in order to achieve them, I need to improve my working habits. This semester gave me the wake-up call I needed in order to do that, starting with my grand recovery at the end.
What risks did you take this semester? Why? Which risks did you decide against taking? Why?
In this semester, I’d say there weren’t many risks that I decided against both in and out of the classroom. Coming from an artistic background where I drew one thing in one medium and wrote about one thing in one style, every new project and medium was a risk for me as it was a venture into uncharted territory. I welcome change and new things at every opportunity and this broadening of my horizons was no different. I am a perfectionist and often hate doing things if I’m not stellar at them on my first attempt, and rarely if not ever am, but experimenting in a safe and encouraging environment helped me to conquer this fear and expand.
What pursuits, interests, and goals have you discovered this semester, and how did your course work lead you to these discoveries? What do you hope to pursue further in the future?
While I am still resolute about being a filmmaker, due to my exposure to different mediums and concepts through my coursework, I have both an abundance of new skills to bring to my filmmaking practice, and some new and renewed passions for other things. Since beginning this semester, I have taken a keen interest in book, text, zine, and fine art, things I didn’t even really know existed before. My passion for writing was also renewed and rediscovered, something I thought to set on the backburner to focus on my studies. Clearly, I was wrong to do so, and will be renewing my writing practice in the future, and beginning to read a lot more as well.
How, specifically, do you feel you can continue to grow as a maker and writer? What would be helpful for your continued growth?
I want to experience everything I can; what I drew from the most for inspiration in my own work were things I had seen, heard, witnessed, and been exposed to.
