Throughout the semester, I found myself using the process of self centering and self awareness to think about strategy and problem solving in the context of both studio and seminar.
I feel that this process translated itself to my other classes as well as in my everyday life. It was very helpful to center myself, and think clearly, especially in a creative process.
In system and strategies I really learned how to correctly question things, people, places, and ideas. I understand how to formulate an idea surrounding something I would like to question, and find a way to solve it. This is a helpful tool to bring into my future semesters.
I had an ah-ha when creating the artist discovery posts because I began to look into album cover artists towards the end and while doing this is discovered that it is something I would be very interested in doing for a career. After being influenced by their works and their process, I feel that I would be an exciting path to further explore.
One highlight from this year as a whole would have to be creating a product makeover in my Product, Packaging, and Promotion class. I set out to take an existing product, and make it more sustainable and better for the earth. I then decided to make the bottle out of glass and use a new material I’d never really worked with called plantable paper. I created a new label and design for Poland Spring water bottles and I printed it onto seeded/ plantable paper. I really enjoyed thinking of ways to make existing products, such as plastic water bottles, way more sustainable. This was an important learning process for me because this class in general also taught me how to design packaging to help create a better earth, which is now something I am interested in doing for my future.
Another highlight from this year would be creating a wooden polyhedron in space/materiality last semester. Although this was my least favorite project to create, I learned so much from it. creating this structure took a lot of time, patience, skill, and good craftsmanship. In addition I was unfamiliar with a lot of the resources at Parsons because it was in the beginning of the year. I had to learn very quickly and utilize the laser lab, making center, and woodshop. I spent many painful hours working on every little detail in this project and in the end I really understood how to work with my hands and improve my craftsmanship.
I think if I were to give first year advice it would be to get really good at time management and organization from the beginning. It it vital to be able to pace yourself while also getting all of your assignments finished on time. That was a real struggle for me in the start, but has now become a strength of mine. In addition I would say to create healthy relationships with your professors because they are only there to help and they always want to answer your questions. Also, it is always ok to have questions. That is what this t=school is all about, questioning things.
I have many questions I want to pursue in the future. I want to explore all of the new mediums I have tried for the first time this year and begin to think about which career they can be applied to. I want to know what I can do with the knowledge I have and will gain throughout my time at this school. When I create a project, the ideas that generate it always stay in my mind when i create something else new. When learning a new technique in a certain class, I always try to keep that and apply it to all future projects and life experiences. I want to learn new skills such as more hands in work, fro example I want to work with making glass, ceramics, woodworking, and more things in the laser lab.I really want to explore all possible mediums while I have these resources here.
