Pics With Tivs

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For my PhotoStory, I decided to capture the process of creating a painting. I painted this colorful piece on the 29th in the afternoon, when the lighting is best in my room.

I have always had the mindset that art should be made to bring joy, whether to the one creating it or to the ones observing. This is actually the 4th large canvas that I have painted, and each time I use one I allow myself to think freely and focus on colors over subject. I used bright colors to add happiness to the dark times we find ourselves in. I often start with a paintbrush, but eventually switch to using my hands (as demonstrated by my very blue hand). Using my hands directly in the paint allows me to connect more with the piece and really release my emotions into what I am creating. So often we have to be proper and not get dirty; to combat that, my goal every time I paint is to get the colors all over myself and the canvas. It makes it so much more fun and allows me to create whatever I want without fear of judgment or perfection. Art helps me feel more relaxed and more confident in myself, and I encourage everyone to try it for themselves! Paintings don’t have to be thought out or meticulous – just get your hands dirty and start creating!

To demonstrate what’s been going on, I decided to take pictures at my Starbucks location on March 18th because many places to volunteer/help out have been shut down temporarily. I also wanted to give credit to my amazing coworkers and those still doing their jobs during this trying time. I have 7 photos posted because they captured more of the story I wanted to tell.

Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, many businesses have been facing temporary closure and massive changes to the way they run their stores. Starbucks has experienced these setbacks and has done its best to improve the situation, such as removing seating from inside the store and pushing for drive-thru orders (and as of Friday, patrons are no longer allowed within the store at all). The empty store was a strange sight to see indeed, and one that I wanted to capture to show how quickly things are changing. There weren’t many customers to be seen ordering, so I made sure to show off my amazing coworkers doing their jobs with passion. I wanted to show that happiness can still be found within these difficult times. My amazing shift-lead Lulu smiles proudly while sporting Starbucks gear in our empty lobby. And my friend Diana poses for me at the drive-thru in a goofy fashion to show how much fun we’re still able to have. I hope to print some of these pictures and display them in the back for all my coworkers to see so they can remember to stay happy during this time. 🙂 (This isn’t for credit, just some photos I took)

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On March 16th, I met up with Jacob Beardsley (a third year AMD major at CSUSM) at the Ronald Regan Sports Park in Temecula. We met up around 2:30 pm, but the cloudy skies helped keep away the harsh sunlight. He brought along his awesome dog Stogie, who became a featured model in these pictures. We walked around the somewhat busy park to find nice locations to shoot at. I really wanted to capture the friendship that Jacob has with his four-legged buddy, so I took some candid shots of them (where Stogie decided to roll on the grass) and some posed. My favorite has to be Jacob and Stogie looking in the same direction because that was not planned, just a perfect coincidental moment. They were a fun duo to work with, and taking these pictures definitely brightened my day!

When we discussed our favorite stories in the book on Monday, I chose the letter written by Elizabeth Murray that encourages the reader to stay grounded in their artwork, have a life beyond the creation of art, and to sell their artwork. This story really resonated with me because so many people say that a “true artist” doesn’t sell out or focus on much else than their art. Murray says that isn’t true at all; anyone can be an artist and a parent, teacher, or whatever else they choose to be. The weird gate keeping that surrounds the art world needs to be dismantled and the freedom of art should be acknowledged. I hope to be able to sell my work one day (whether it be through performance or 2D art) AND be satisfied with my social life.

We also watched a Ted Talk from an artist/teacher Young-ha Kim that encourages everyone to reach into their childlike wonder and begin to “lie,” because that is when new stories are created. He talked about the creativity that flows out of children and the freedom they possess within that, and that everyone has the ability to create. He mentioned that people have different skill sets, but we all have creativity within us that blossomed as children. Now we need to actively seek it out. And another artist, through a documentary-like interview, showed how he found a new way to change photography. He has his images printed right onto sheets with chemicals and lots of trial and error, creating a piece of work that cannot be replicated. His story was inspirational and made me wonder how I can approach art differently and what sort of creative changes I can make with my skill set. Each artist encourages those trying to succeed in the art world to try new things, to not be afraid of failure. And with this great encouragement I hope to be more bold in my art.

I went to Walnut Grove Park on March 2 to take some composition photos for our field trip. I went at 2:30 pm, so I had to battle the sun for some good shots. I tried finding subjects in all locations: in the grass, reaching towards the sky, and under the bridge. So I have photographs of a leaf, bamboo stalks, the underside of a bridge, and a plant against the blue sky. The portrait is of Kathleen Quintero, a friend who has helped me a lot in this class. We used a light diffuser to get rid of the harsh sunlight. I took these photographs for the field trip and because I’m still working out the basics of my camera. I pushed myself to take photos that were different, that only I would take. These may not be super unique, but I am proud! I am making progress. 🙂

Everybody Street was quite an interesting watch. I don’t think I’ve seen a movie so focused on photographers that displayed their pictures for the majority of the movie. I’ve never been to New York, but this movie really highlighted why it’s great place for photographers and their craft. Different individuals focused on the dark realities there, like drug addicts and gang members. Others tried to take more uplifting photos of people smiling or various members of the community. One segment that was particularly interesting to watch was the opinions on whether digital photography is valid to be a “real” photographer. Some claimed that it’s too easy and everyone can do it now, so it’s not as special or raw. Others said it doesn’t matter because a picture is a picture, and why not have someone find their love for it through digital means? I understand why some think film is the way to go, but I am personally grateful for digital photography. I don’t have much experience, but I now take better pictures than I ever thought I could.

One quote that stood out to me was from Elliot Erwitt: “I get the feeling that there are too many bad pictures in the world, but there’s always room for good ones” (42:30). I love his outlook because that’s how I feel about art. I believe it should be used to make people happy and bring joy during rough times. There are so many terrible things going on, why not use photographs and paintings to make people smile? I understand the need for realism and the portrayal of tragedies, but my job as an artist is to show the good things like Erwitt does. Others like him focused on the smaller beautiful subjects that people may overlook, like graffitied trains rolling by. This movie has taught me to find the beauty in everything and that photography is important to our lives. Capturing everyday moments or the ones that change history are both so valuable. I hope that one day I can take the photo that changes someone’s life.

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It’s one thing to take lots of unrelated pictures and put them into separate categories; it’s another to take several pictures and combine them into one cohesive photo. This project certainly challenged me to look at the world around me and really think of how opposite things could work together. The pictures in my diptych were taken at different locations at different times: one was on Tuesday night when the car light refracted onto my garage door, and the shoe picture was taken in my car right after work the next afternoon. The triptych tree photos were taken all at one time at Walnut Grove park Thursday afternoon, a location I’m certain I will visit again for inspiration. I like the contrast of my unrelated diptych that focused on colors and single subject triptych (or “dip and trip” as I call them). I was able to complete this project over the last few days because I had my camera with me almost constantly! I plan on bringing it with me to camp this weekend in the mountains-I’m hoping for some good snow shots for future projects (possibly also of my campers since I have yet to future a person in my photos). These photos were taken for this project and have pushed my creative photography side.

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For my first project, I wanted to explore the world close to me. This included the plants and creek near my house, and a few spots on the CSUSM campus. I tried to take these pictures at various times of the day this past weekend, like just after waking up or right before the sun set. And I was able to experience photography during different types of weather -the aesthetic of rain is fun to work with, but a wet camera is not! I tried to get a lot of nature shots of plants and new perspectives no one would think of, like the drainage tunnel by my house. Nature was my main focus, but I tried to take a picture of anything that peaked my interest, such as the bright orange soap sitting in our kitchen. I was not able to get pictures of individuals at this time, so things that did not move were my subjects. These photos were taken not only for this project, but to test my own skills with a camera and capture interesting moments that might be overlooked.

Hello everyone! My name is Alyssa Tivadar and I’m from Escondido. I am a second year student at CSUSM. I am currently majoring in theater and minoring in visual arts, having 2-D art (drawing, painting, etc.) be my main medium for creative expression – besides my body/voice when I am performing. I am hoping to step out of my creative comfort zone and become a much better photographer than I am right now through this class. Having almost no experience with cameras means I truly am a blank slate, and I am excited to be able to capture moments that mean a lot to me. I hope to use these photographs as amazing reference pictures for my future painting projects. Growth in this art form will help me develop a new appreciation for the incredible photographs displayed in everyday life. This class will challenge me, but I am excited to learn.

Hearing the video for the first time made me more aware of the emotions in each individual’s voice, but left me wondering what they looked like or what photographs they may be referring to. I had a hard time really grasping what they were saying, only taking away some main points. But being able to connect the voices to faces really made this video impactful. Displaying heart-wrenching photographs alongside such powerful testaments towards photography made this art form seem more significant. It made me want to journey across the world and find moments to photograph and share the story of. I wonder how long it takes a photographer to find “the right moment,” but clearly there are so many. One man mentioned that you can never really stop taking these pictures, and there must be so much emotion and thrill in discovering new things that deserve to be photographed. And the stories within these still moments are so different and remind me of how big our world really is. To be able to collect such stories explains the importance of a photographic journalist. Art in any form can be used to change lives and the way the world is viewed. Companies like National Geographic place importance on the value of nature and human lives, displaying this with carefully photographed images that can open our eyes. Photography emphasizes our differences and similarities, and encourages us to celebrate both.