Friday, September 5, 2008

My Pursuit of Happiness.

Remember a few weeks ago when I told you I'd be taking two classes about design and layout?

After two Saturdays of classes, I can officially say: I LOVE IT.

I do.

Despite having to be awake early on a Saturday, despite having 4.5 hours of class on a Saturday, despite having homework again - I'm absolutely in love with taking a class about elements of art and design.

I love being back in the classroom.
I love learning again.
I love having ART as homework.
I love meeting people.
I love doing something just for me.

I love my professior - who went to the Cleveland Institute of Art, a wonderful school, and is currently working for a successful advertising firm as a graphic designer. It's so rewarding to have someone who's a successful graphic designer give us his pointers about starting a career in the field. It's so exciting to have someone take me and my lil' unassuming ambitions seriously.

Plus - there's another girl in the class who has had an eerily similar path: we both graduated from Catholic universities in southwest Ohio, thought we'd teach, realized it wasn't for us, started working at a college in northeast Ohio, and then decided to start taking classes in graphic design. So, that's kind of neat. In a class where most people don't have their degrees yet and many are just out of high school - it's kind of reassuring to see somewhere nearly exactly where I am.

The first two weeks of class, we've had to create compositions based on two of the elements of design and two of the principles of design.

I hauled my scrapbooking/art/old tissue paper/etc out of the closet and now the living room's a complete mess, but I'm thrilled, because: I GET TO BE CREATIVE FOR HOMEWORK. Whee!

Listening to Bill, Barack, Sarah, and John from the comfort of my living room floor, as I'm hunched over my watercolors, magazines strewn about me, scraps of construction paper sticking to my knees and elbows, my back aching, yet I'm nothing less than completely happy.

[That is, until I show Mike my masterpiece and he does anything less than jump up and down, lauding me with praise. Then I sulk and insist, "You don't liiiiike it!"]

13 comments:

  1. Still jealous. You'll have to share some of your work!

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  2. Yay! I'm so glad you're loving your class! And that you found a kindred spirit! Sometimes it's hard to make friends in classes so it's always nice to find someone to connect with right away! That class sounds like a blast! Aww... I miss homework too! Maybe I should sign up to take a class next semester? hmmm. Congrats on taking steps to pursue your dreams!

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  3. you sound so happy and so excited... I'm glad you're enjoying it.. It makes me happy ur happy :)

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  4. I agree with Ben- you should show us your masterpieces!!

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  5. Would love to see some of your paintings!

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  6. That is so wonderful to hear! I love watercolors. And collages. :)

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  7. I'm so jealous...I've wanted to take a design class for a while. And you will have to share!

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  8. That is so exciting! I'm glad you are loving it. It's always nice to constantly be learning new things. Now that I'm working full time, I've found that I still crave to have something to learn. hence the photography I think. my subconscious is just craving something new.

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  9. That's great that you are enjoying it so much!

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  10. Aww I can't wait to see some of your work. I'm so glad you're enjoying it.

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  11. That sounds like so much fun! I adored all the graphic design classes I took in school, but it didn't work out for me. This kinda makes me want to try it again.

    I want to see what you're doing!

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  12. That sounds awesome--I'm so glad you're happy!!

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  13. I'm so happy you found something you love! I'm glad the class worked out for you.

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