So its been a while, i take it, being as my last post was made in december, around xmastime.


Life:
I guess i should start you off with the bad news first:

My mom passed away Marach 18th. January and Febuary were rough months for her, she found out not only had the cancer spread to her brain[ which we had taken care of via cyberknife, but still meant she was in stage 4] but now had spread to her pancreas.

In the midst of everything, I was accepted to Slippery Rock University.

I miss my mom alot, and some days are better than others; the hardest point i think will be moving in to my dorm, and being away from my family and friends. my mom and i talked when she was ill, and i told her even though i was excited, id still call home to talk to her.
I know i can still talk to her, but it dosnt make the transitioon any less frightening or difficult.


School & Art:
The good news is I graduated Community College in December. I now have an Associates Degree in Graphics Communications, and
I got accepted to Slippery Rock University, where I'll be studying for my Bachelors in Fine Arts.
I start in a month. Ive been scouring to get my things together, and that includes buying things i didnt have which i needed, like....
A DIGITAL SLR!
I finally got my Canon Rebel, at the cheap price of $600.00 total, and I fianlly managed to get a version of photoshop, called Photoshop Elements, for the cheap price of $100.00.
I know Photoshop CS3[ which I had regular CS before, then my computer crashed...] would be alot better, but its way more expensive, and since I am not the one paying for it, all I needed was the basic essentials[filters, photo editing tools] and i needed it for cheap pricing. I ended up with PS Elements and I love it all the same.

You will probably be seeing more from me in the future, i always have a tendency to post my things im making in school, and school projects often fuel more ideas, and i soak up my time with extracuricular art.
Now That I am equipped with 4 cameras,[yes 4] 2 digital, 1 professional dslr, and a 35mm film, a working computer and photoshop you can bet, ill be doing alot more photography.


Art Events:
This summer [ July 10th]I attended the Central Pennsylvnia Festival of the Arts at Penn State University with my boyfriend and his friend.
The Festival was huge, and had tons of vendors from all over the country, selling their jewelery, pottery, paintings, glassware and everything in between. I gathered from the prices, that most of the items were geared to a higher audience... like alumni or university professors, but there were some "student priced" things, and it was still cool to talk to established artist who are actually selling their paintings, or photos, and see their views on things.
I talked to a photogrpaher, and asked him his view on what he thought was better, digital or film.
he told me digital, but he still shoots with film sometimes, although he always edits digitally.

I am a notorious business card collector at these kind of events, for networking purposes i suppose. i collected a bunch of business cards, so heres a couple with internet addresses you can check out:

Daniela Ovtcharov
[link]
oil paintings of ladies, in a very beautiful semi classical/renassance style. the pomegrante ladies are the coolest.

Jeanne Norton Hammett
[link]
serigraphs- really cool, very flat and illustrative looking.

Angelo's Glassblowing
[link]
BEAUTIFUL glass perfume bottles and glassware.
Bergamini Beads
[link]
decently priced[ like 10-18 dollers depending on jewelery piece] hand crafted beaded jewelery. makes a great gift idea, and its original. very cool looking.

Raging Squid Art
[link]
metalsmith, and ceramist. his metal pieces are cool, if your into that sort of thing.

Randall Scott-Persing
[link]
Neat Amish photography[would look great in a country themed/styled kitchen!] hes the photographer i talked to about photography.

and my favorite....

Poppis
[link]
another original, handcrafted bead type deal. Poppis are a little more expensive, and a little more broad, sold like you would sell Avon, out of a catalogue, you "pick a poppi" style, and theres MANY different ones to choose from. Most poppis are bracelets, but they do offer necklaces and earings. The colors are phenomonal.
These little ditties however are slightly more expensive than Bergamini Beads, Poppis can run you about $30- $50 depending. If your up for splurging on a gift, or you think their neat, this was my find of the day. I even wooed my Hooters waitress with my Poppi catalogue i managed to snatch.


and thats all she wrote.
see you next update.