About Me | Pictures | Art Corner

16+ years of schooling. It passed in a blink. From Congregational Pre-School to Grazide Elementary to Mesa Robles Jr. High to Wilson High School. What a trip. I would just like to thank all of my teachers that I've had along the way, especially: Mrs. Chapman (1st Grade) - for fueling the fire of my creative impulses, Mrs. Olson (6th Grade) - for accepting nothing less than my best, Mrs. Oonchitti (H.S. English) - for supporting my poetic endeavors...and for just being f_in cool, Mrs. Tebbs (H.S. English) - for making my creative writing and critical thinking skills the finely honed, deadly machines they are today, and finally Mr. Murray (H.S. Art History) - for opening up the world of Art History to me...HEY! Maybe I should be BLAMING you, not THANKING you...

Well, anyways, I ended up at Leland Stanford Junior University, organized 1891, GO CARDINAL!!! Entering as a Biology Major, Marine, that is, and looking to play with fishies, it took me one full academic year, plus about a quarter or so in my second year to accept the fact that I hated Chemistry and Biology (which was mostly Chemistry) with a passion. So after wasting many, many units taking core classes that I couldn't stand, I took a step back and contemplated both my hellish existence, and my goals in life. I realized that the only class that I was actually glad I took was Professor Takeuchi's Art History Colloquium 229: The Warrior Culture of Japan. A bottle of Skyy Vodka later, I took the road less travelled by...withdrew from my Chem and Bio classes (which put me on academic probation), and changed my major to Art History. The rest is history.

With my new major, I found that I actually enjoyed going to class...learning was...dare I say it? FUN. I took course work on everyone from The Berlin Painter to Kano Eitoku to Michelangelo to Jackson Pollock, and loved it all. Many people ask, "why Art History?" If you've never taken an Art History class, I suggest you sign up for one immediately, then you'll know for yourself. Contrary to popular belief, Art History is not the study of historical works of art. It is the study of works of art, viewed within their historical context. Art History teaches you not how to observe, but how to see. Art History forces you to look beyond the brushstrokes and composition of the single work of art, and makes you aware of the many levels on which that work of art exists: as not only a painting or sculpture, but as a work of a specific artist, who in turn is a product of a specific socio-historic context. It then asks you to examine how this work transcends all these levels and relates to the present day. You must question the motivations of the creator, the role of the viewer...the very nature of "art" itself...and the best part about it is that no answer is absolute. Our thoughts on, and reactions to works of art are just as biased by our life experiences as their intent was by the artists that created them. And as we change, our views will undoubtedly change as well. No painting means the same thing to the same person twice. Who could ask for anything more exciting?

Well, I FOUND something even more exciting...not just studying works of art, but CREATING them. For this, I am entirely indebted to one of the most talented artists alive, Darryl Mar. Through him, I was given the opportunity to create. I am speaking of "The Mural." The Mural is what truly gave me a sense of purpose at Stanford, and for a closer look at all aspects of this work, please visit my Art Corner! If you haven't fallen asleep by now, and are curious about life at Stanford, click on the following link to see my take on "The Farm."

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