How would you rate or describe your own ability to completely focus on a single sustained task for 30 minutes, 1 hour, and 2 hours+? Completely means without any interruption from other people, TV, devices, pets, or any other external stimuli.

I can focus on something that I'm not interested in for about an hour, longer if I really need to. I take breaks for a bit and go back to what i was doing. I can focus on something I like for 4+ hours.

The author quotes social data scientist Sune Lehmann, “If you have to keep up with everything and send emails all the time, there’s no time to reach depth.” (pg33) What type of “depth” is Lehmann talking about? Are there areas in your life that you feel are lacking depth? Why or why not?

They're referring to meaningful moments in life with loved ones or moments by yourself for your mental health. Sometimes I don't have enough time to take care of myself properly between classes and homework.

Describe or summarize the 3 ways that neuroscientist Earl Miller suggests multitasking (also called switching tasks) degrades our ability to focus.

Switch cost effect: When you check your texts often while working, you lose mental energy and will run out faster.

Screw up effect: When you switch often, you make more errors.

Creativity drain: You become less creative the more you lose focus.

Take a moment to think about your most significant daily distractions. What are the things that prevent you from focusing on a single sustained task (from question 1)? Make a list of your top 3 daily distractions. Set a goal or make a plan to limit what you think is your #1 distraction. For some of you, your reality may be that there is nothing you can do to eliminate or limit that distraction. If this is the case, what is one way you could leave room in your schedule for some focused time?

My main source of distraction is my phone, like most people my age. I plan to put it across the room on do not disturb so I can't see it. Out of sight, out of mind.

Brand Identity

1. Visually, how are you representing yourself on social media?

I post outfits, drawings, and clothing I make. My profile pictures typically have an eye-catching makeup look to grab attention.

2. What do your bios say about you personally and professionally?

My bios say my name, age, pronouns, UCA, and sometimes a link to other social media.

addison thomas (they/them)

UCA 2026

tik tok: @ jestermaxxxing

3. What does your choice of friends/followers say about you?

My followers are half goth and punk people who like my designs, and half friends of mine that I've met online and in real life over the years. I typically only follow my friends back.

4. What type of original and curated content do you share? What do others think?

I post digital art, fashion design, clothing, makeup looks, etc.

5. What are my most popular posts on different platforms?

I only use Twitter for personal stuff, I rarely post my art and only follow my friends, so any viral tweets from me on there would be jokes. On tik tok, I pretty much only post my fashion designs, and a few of those have gone viral. My three latest fashion design tik toks have gotten 350k views, 45k views, and 95k views.

Who are you as a person?

Strengths:

Confident

Good style

Weaknesses:

Unorganized

Overwhelmed easily

Interests:

fashion

character design

gory art

dungeons and dragons

Hobbies:

Sewing

Digital art

Gym

Video games

What is your professional passion?

What makes me different from the other students in this class?

I feel like most students in this class are studying are focusing on drawing, painting, photography, ceramics, etc, but I'm more focused on fashion design than anything.

2-3 topics to focus on to establish social media leadership

I will focus on punk culture and goth culture and how the two combine, and their effect on fashion. I’m trying to create more art related to avant-garde punk/goth.

Overarching theme to convey online

Industry/specialization focus

I want to specialize in the fashion industry, specifically heightened punk and goth fashion.

What influencers would I like to connect and engage with online

Avant-garde fashion influencers on tik tok and Instagram like “tinyjewishgirl” aka Clara.

What is my personal brand voice?

The overall tone of my social media will be about self-expression and getting out of your comfort zone for everyday wear.

I will convey this by getting out of my own comfort zone while still being confident and making designs that will help others to do the same.

Action plan: Consider how frequently you post on social media. What is a realistic schedule for making regular posts or likes?

It takes me a while to design and create new clothing, so every two weeks is reasonable for new clothes. I post my own outfits and makeup looks in between.

Cig Harvey Analysis

The name of the artwork I chose to interpret is “Emily and the Falcon” from Cig Harvey’s “From Red to Violet”. The work is currently at the Baum Gallery. The medium is dye sublimation print on aluminum. I was drawn to this piece due to the strong red color and the falcon.

I first noticed that both the girl and the falcon have their faces covered, and the only bright color in the photograph is red. At first, I felt like it was calling, but after a second it felt more somber, despite the red color. It doesn't remind me of anything in my personal life, and I have no experience with it. The subjects are a girl and a falcon; her face is covered by a Japanese maple branch, and the falcon's head is covered by a hood used to blind them. She is holding the falcon on her hand, looking away or closing her eyes, as her face is not seen. The falcon is looking in the opposite direction. There is hardly any color besides the bright red leaves.

A falcon head cover is used for keeping the birds in a calm state during training and acclimating to humans. Red represents power, love, passion, anger, seduction, violence, and danger. The Japanese maple represents peace and serenity, contrasting the colors meaning. The title itself doesn't give me much to go on about the meaning of the work, as it's just staging the subjects, Emily and the Falcon. The use of sharp edges such as pointy leaves paired with the rich red color give off a harsh feeling, possibly anger or resentment. Both subjects in the photograph are turning away from each other, and in addition to that, their eyes are covered, further implying feelings of resentment. It has been printed at 20 x 16 inches and 40 x 30 inches, and in the gallery it hung at about eye level. The background is dark and vague as if it is there to contrast the subjects of the photograph.

I think this work indicates feelings of resentment and anger, due to the strong red color and the contrast to the dark background, the sharp leaves laying harshly against the black behind it. It covers her eyes to match the falcons covered eyes, both looking away from each other in bitterness. I really like this piece, and the use of color is my favorite part. I think making the background dark was the right choice to contrast the lighter subjects and the leaves.

Career Path Research

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dE_iKlYCEctywM0TldgxhJ3JvgMarCefIiaiRtFIX78/edit?usp=sharing

Goals - SMART Strategies

School Year Goals

Goal: I want to improve my realism.

Specific: I want to learn techniques that make my style more realistic.
Measurable: I need to practice techniques and see what works for me.
Attainable: Yes, I have the means to practice and the will to do so.
Realistic:I have to set aside time to practice and not expect change in a day.
Time-Limited: I need to see improvement before the end of the year.

Goal: I want to make more personal art

Specific: I want to set aside time to make art for myself and no one else.
Measurable: I want to make at least two more pieces of art this year for myself.
Attainable: Yes, I have the break to make time to make art that I enjoy.
Realistic: I have to come up with ideas and not put off the art until the break is over and its too late.
Time-Limited: I need to finish both pieces before the break ends.

Graduation Goals

Goal: I want to have a clear view of what I want to do for my career.

Specific: I want to know what my next step is after college for certain.
Measurable: I need to research many careers related to fashion and design.
Attainable: Yes, I will have to look into different career choices and make a list of ones I could go forward with.
Realistic: I have to actually research and see whats done in these careers.
Time-Limited: I need to choose before I graduate.

Advanced Class Shadowing

1. What is the objective or goal of the class for the day?

To draw at a large scale and start to finish the drawing they have been working on.

2. Does the faculty give any instruction at the start of class?

Yes, the professor gives inspiration and instruction.

3. If so, how do they give instructions? PowerPoint/image slides, handouts, blackboard, etc?

The professor is individually helping students verbally.

4. What are the students doing when the faculty is giving instruction? Are they focused, attentive, taking notes, working on other projects, distracted, on their phones, disengaged, other/etc?

The students are working while conversing with the professor.

5. After the faculty gives instruction/demonstration, how is the class time used?

Drawing and talking with the professor.

6. What are students doing if the professor is not lecturing/demonstrating/ or requiring full attention?

Drawing.

7. What seems to be the expectations of the student's behavior and participation?

To be somewhat quiet and focused on their work.

8. Did you observe any one-on-one time between the faculty and each individual student?

Yes, in the beginning and during the class the professor offered criticism and recommendations to students.

9. If there is a critique taking place, describe how it works. Who talks first, faculty or students? How much of the time is spent talking about the visual artwork and how much about the ideas behind the artwork? What percentage of the time is faculty talking vs. the other students? Is anyone taking notes? What is the mood of the group (positive, critical, supportive, demeaning, etc)

There was light critique between students when asked, but mainly between the professor and the student. It was always in a positive and constructive tone.

10. Reflect on your whole visit. Share your thoughts, feelings, questions, and reactions to what you observed. Are you interested in taking this course after your visit? If not, explain why. If so, does the faculty give instruction using a learning method that is best suited for your learning style? If yes, explain. If not, what would you need to do to prepare yourself for being successful in this course? What learning strategies would you need to practice?

I enjoyed watching this class and would like to take it in the future. She explained things well, it would have been more in depth if it was the introduction to the project. I wouldn't have an issue with her instructions and teaching styles.

Formal Description

https://docs.google.com/document/d/17Bh-YsN9e3MrwT5rePnQxakhT2iXkKJ8vC5W2yF53pw/edit?usp=sharing

BFA Senior Exhibition Talks

The only photo I have of the event is this photo I took of Kat because I forgot to take one.

Artist Statement Practice

Draft:

This piece was made with different kinds of charcoal and large paper. The point of the piece was to explore using charcoal for people who had never used charcoal before. I really enjoyed this piece because I hadn't used charcoal before and I discovered I really enjoy it as a medium. I used every different technique and tool to create different shapes and gradients, unifying them by using repeating symbols and themes throughout the piece. I used small strokes and large, full-arm strokes to achieve the look I wanted in it. I practiced a small amount of realism in one corner of the piece, disassembling a leatherman's tool to draw it with all its pieces. Realism with charcoal was a bit of a challenge, but this piece prepared me for the next piece I did with charcoal.

Edited:

This piece was made with different kinds of charcoal and 24x18 inch paper. The point of the piece was to explore using charcoal for anyone who had never made art with charcoal before. I really enjoyed this piece because I discovered I really enjoy charcoal as a medium. This piece was made to invoke feelings of chaos and the overwhelming amount of responsibilities that we have as students. I utilized every different technique and tool to create different shapes and gradients, unifying them by using repeating symbols and themes throughout the piece. I made use of small strokes and large, full-arm strokes to achieve the look I wanted. I practiced a small amount of realism in one corner of the piece, disassembling a leatherman's tool to draw it with all its pieces. Realism with charcoal was a bit of a challenge, but this piece prepared me for the next piece I did with charcoal.

Final Project

https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2022/12/lauren-pruen-textile-flowers/

This piece displays the sanctity and the delicacy of life by depicting flowers and roots behind a glass cloche. Lauren Pruen uses wire and fabrics to create flowers behind glass. She also uses paint to add a layer of texture to the fabric.

The texture on the leaves and petals contrasts with the smooth, clear glass, and adds dimension and a level of realism to the piece that might have looked cheap without the details. The flowers and leaves could have looked like cheap plastic flowers if not for the paint and textures added.

The space between the flowers and the glass magnifies the feeling of delicacy and fragility in the flowers as if it needs space to grow and breathe. Near the bottom, the bulb and the stem float above the floor of the cloche with the help of strong wires. This illusion makes the flower appear to be light and delicate.

The form of the leaves and petals are all unified in the way that they are long and skinny but some are pointing up, down, and out. The stiff, straight stems clash against the leaves and petals

There is balance in the blooms of the flowers, there is variety but the yellow and white flowers alternate at the top of the stem. The alternation of the yellow and white flowers in the middle top of the green leaves creates a very balanced, near-symmetrical display.

This piece is unified by the vertical flow of the roots, stem, leaves, and bloom. The top leads the eye to the bottom to the roots, the viewer's eyes easily floating around the piece. The colors in the flowers are only warm tones, such as greens, yellows, warm white, and browns. While there are contrasting hues between the parts, the colors still flow together well in a natural way.

I really enjoy how simple but effective his piece is, It doesn't stray too far from reality but the composition of the work and placement of the flower in the glass really works. I chose it for this reason but also because her work is just very visibly appealing. I hope for my work to be as appealing as this, while still having a clear meaning.

Final Response

Reflect on your time management over the course of the semester, not only in this class but also in your Studio A and B courses. Did you make it to all of your classes? Did you submit all of your assignments on time? Did you participate in class where appropriate? Are you performing at a level you feel proud of? Discuss a plan to overcome these roadblocks next semester, and be as specific as possible.

I made it to all the classes I could considering my migraines. I submitted all of my assignments by the hard deadline, rarely by the soft deadline. I always tried to participate, especially in studio A. I performed at a level I felt proud of in studio A, but I need a lot of work to excel in classes like studio B. I need to be better in technical skill in time management next semester.

Some of you were very certain at the beginning of the semester why you were at UCA and what your major area and emphasis are. If you still feel the same way, restate your degree track (Ex. I am pursuing a BA degree in Studio Art). If it has changed, discuss what prompted the change. If you were unsure to begin with, are you any closer to declaring your major or degree type?

I am still pursuing a BFA in studio art, but have just now picked up a business minor in innovation and entrepreneurship. i felt like it would be good for the future.

Have you determined if you will be a BA or if you have the desire to apply for the BFA track? Is there any more guidance that you need or questions that you would like to address to help you make a decision?

I am going for the BFA track, no questions or guidance needed, I feel as if this is definitely the right choice.

Review all of your entries on your Seminar 1 page. Which assignment was most valuable to you? Please explain why. Which assignment was least valuable to you? Please explain why.

The Cig Harvey Analysis was very helpful to me and introduced me to actually analyzing someones work using real terms and not just talking about how if it looks good or not. The VARK results were really unhelpful to me, we did a few things like that in high school and it was just never of any use to me.

Review all of your projects completed so far this semester in your Studio A and B courses. What would you consider are your two best projects? Why are those your best? Your best work may not be your favorite work, try to be objective in your selections. These should be works that you would consider sharing in a public exhibition. You can choose two works from A or two from B or one from each.

My Food project and my Juxtaposition projects both came out very well for my inexperience with the materials used. For the juxtaposition project I did a charcoal portrait and I really like how it turned out. I feel as if everything was executed well and he idea behind the project was understandable through it. The food project was kind of funny for me to do because I was making the meal I hadn't eaten for a long time, pretty much every day. The composition and overall aesthetic turned out really well on that one.

Finally, review your entire foundation experience up to this point. Think about each project in Studio A, Studio B, and Seminar and consider how the content of each course relates to each other. What connections do you find, if any, between Seminar to Studio A and Seminar to Studio B? Connections between Studio A and Studio B?

I notice a few connections between the classes such as the need for artist statements in one way or another. I also think that the critiques are done in similar but not the exact same ways. There are more assignments in Seminar than there are in Studio A and B.

Addison Thomas Cohort2

Seminar 1

VARK Results

Stolen Focus