Is this for real?

Yesterday was the first day of week two of art school. As I sat in class sketching, I couldn't help but think is this for real?

Yup. Real. And awesome.

Just like I loved my music classes in my first go-around at undergrad (GO HOPE!), I'm loving everything about art school. I love the discussions I'm having in my art history and visual rhetoric classes. I love the assignments in my studio classes even when it is "just" drawing lines and ovals. Freehand drawing parallel straight lines is really hard, by the way.

But I love it. And on top of that, I'm singing a lot. I have a soloist position at Grace Episcopal Church--Gerald Ford's home church--which has been truly enjoyable. It's a great group of people. I'm also doing a lot of singing with the Grand Rapids Symphony beyond the usual chorus duties. Last weekend was a show called "Broadway Rocks!" The music was so fun (who could not love singing songs from Hairspray! and Rent?) and the soloists were amazing. Look up Carpathia Jenkins, Anne Ranoluffson (sp?) and Rob Evan when you get a chance. They treated us like real people and were just all around great. Next week I'll be singing in "Play!" It's a show full of video game music. Check out the program; it'll be another awesome show.

In March, I have two solo gigs. The first is a solo cantata for the Pre-Festival Bach's Birthday Concert. March 15 at Central Reformed Church, 8pm. Just over a week later, I'll be at Fountain Street Church on the 24th singing the alto solo in Beethoven's "Mass in C." The concert is at 4pm in case you are interested.

And for all those that might be interested, here's what I'm taking this semester:

Academic:

KCAH 111 Western Art I: Prehistoric through the Renaissance 3 Credits
An overview of the Western Art tradition from prehistory through the Renaissance using a socio- cultural methodology in a chronological framework.

KCHU 340 Visual Rhetoric 3 Credits
Focuses on the analysis of numerous forms of visual discourse, including their rhetorical effectiveness, impact on audiences, and social/cultural influences.

Studio:

KCDS 142 Design Drawing I 3 Credits Freehand drawing using basic perspective principles and quick sketch techniques. 

KCGD 113 Design and Color 3 Credits

An introduction to the visual and verbal vocabularies of design and color theory as they relate to graphic design.

KCGD 120 Introduction to Graphic Design Communications 3 Credits

Focuses on the principles, elements, and working procedures of the design and visual presentation of communication pieces.

And here's one of my sketches from yesterday (more can be found on my tumblr). The photo isn't so great, but I snapped it with my phone before I had to turn my sketches in for the day.

mmm... donuts....