Friday, April 9, 2010

Practice makes perfect

I say the above in regards to the fact that these videos are of me practicing piano a few hours ago, and both pieces are very much in progress.  But, I've reached points in both pieces where I don't mind sharing because I'm am no longer embarrassed.  My hopes are to be playing the second half of "Misty" soon and to memorize the Bach piece as I speed it up and fine-tune it.  I also hate doing the trills and need to figure out how to play them correctly.  My fingers just don't move that quickly.  

Misty from Monica Huang on Vimeo.


What's funny is that the related videos for this piece are all videos of 8-year old asian kids playing a whole heck of a lot better than me.  Again, practice makes perfect.

Hope you enjoyed listening to these works in progress!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

I'm in su, su, su, su, su, su, su-su-su-su-su-suuu Sugartown

Today is a wonderful day. It just rained and what follows are pictures of post-rainfall pollen art, accompanied by good, random facts about why today is such a good day.

The weekend is almost here.

Today David and I are going out for dinner to celebrate our two years together.

While practicing piano today, I made a breakthrough and the Bach piece sounds beautiful (to me at least). I'll post a video soon so you can decide for yourselves.

Best of all, I got accepted into the Corcoran College of Art and Design's MAT program, was awarded a Dean's Merit Award and have decided to accept and enroll.

This means I'm going to graduate school in Washington D.C., babies!

Love,
Monica

Peacocks and Art History

'go do' from Jónsi on Vimeo.


70 Million by Hold Your Horses ! from L'Ogre on Vimeo.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Hello Dolly

This is strictly for your entertainment or, more likely, amusement. Don't take my low voice and kazoo too seriously, please:

Monday, April 5, 2010

Easter

My cousin, Sarah, came over this weekend to spend some time with me until Easter Sunday. We watched many movies, ate lots of good food and enjoyed the beautiful weather all while getting lots of homework done. I even taught Sarah how to throw a pot on the wheel! Here are some photos from our attempts at making rainbow, hard-boiled eggs for the holiday (without any vinegar):




Sarah, finally sinking her teeth into (and wiping away) the burger she was craving...

Friday, March 26, 2010

Can you spot me?

"That was Yoko Ono's sister."

Lucky tries to figure out how to get a hamster out of its cage...to do what?

I know that my spring break isn't over yet.  It just feels like it is.  I think it is because I am back at school already, working on my thesis and other homework as if my last weekend of spring break didn't mean anything.  

Over the break, I spent a couple of days at Elon to volunteer, teach and work in the ceramics studio before helping my parents pack up the things in my room that I wasn't actively using.  I was kind of bummed that my cool blue Ikea bookshelves would be leaving, along with the books on them because I thought I would miss them in a room left with only the basics.  But, after moving tubs and boxes of books, clothes, shoes, odds and ends, and carrying a heavy chair, a bookshelf, a chest, my electric guitar (I kept my acoustic), my keyboard (don't worry, I kept my accordion), my television and my twelve foot long art easel, getting three hours of packing out of the way then instead of later, seemed like a very good idea.

Now I suspect that I have unpacked, give or take, three-quarters of my room!  All that's left are my spring/summer clothes, a guitar, an accordion, some lights and the artwork on my walls.  And my room still manages to look like a happenin' place to be.  

That night after moving, I went to my parents' hotel near Duke.  My dad had a meeting the next day and my mom, Lucky and I took the free day as an opportunity to walk around Chapel Hill.  I took my mom to the University Mall to show her where I taught Art-to-Art in addition to the gourmet grocery, Southern Season.  I also took her and Lucky on a complete walk of Franklin Street to Carrborro.  I pointed out Cat's Cradle, the hip place where I saw Tegan and Sara two years ago.  Then we walked back to Med Deli and met David for lunch.  We got the lebanese lunches to go so that we could enjoy them with Lucky, sitting in a park.

A sweet view from the school of the monument

The next day, I drove home with my parents for my interview at the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington D.C.  I've applied to the MAT in Art at the school and will hear back from them in one to two weeks.  I think my personal interveiw went pretty well, and I got to sit in on two classes with students from the program.  One was on museum and community arts education and another was some kind of seminar with four students that had prepared practice lesson plans.  I actually got to participate in the latter and got to feel what it would be like to be part of a class!

One side of the Corcoran

Also, you might find it cool to know that while I was being led through the halls of the school by the Director of the program, I held the door for Yoko Ono's sister.  She had her hands full and I didn't think twice, holding the door for someone like that.  When the woman had left, the Director turned and whispered to me, "That was Yoko Ono's sister".  I sillily blurted out, "Oh my gosh!  I HAVE to tell my mom!"

After my long day came to an end, my mom and I took the metro back and drove home.  While my mom and dad had dinner, I drove to College Park to visit Rachael and friends.  It was convenient that my friend, Jeremy, was stopping by for dinner.  I haven't seen him in a few years and was horrified to see that he too, like my brother, was now much taller than me and with a deeper voice than I was used to.  Reunion photo below:

Vote!

Now I'm back at school.  I just met with Mike about five hours ago to start another batch of sculptures.  By Sunday night, I will have fired twelve sculptures leaving one last big one and six or seven mini-sculptures to be fired the remainder of next week.  Speaking of next week, my cousin, Sarah, has decided to spend three days and two nights at my apartment for Easter weekend.  It should be fun, but I hope she realizes that we will be hanging out while completing lots of homework!

Love,
Monica