Papers

Artist Lecture: Monica Maccaux
            On September 11, I had the chance to attend Monica’s lecture at the Black Rock Press and there we learned quite a bit about her and her work. Personally, I was rather interested in what she had to say as a graphic designer and working on the graphic design program here at UNR. The reason for this is a simple one. Back in high school, I was part of a graphic design program at my school and took classes on it for all four years I was there with a fantastic teacher who really showed me what was possible. I enjoyed much of the digital arts aspect but eventually realized it was not quite the direction I wanted to, thus my current major focus on digital media as opposed to graphic design. But Monica’s work was a chance to see what real graphic design professionals do and have been doing. One of the biggest things that sort of held me back, so to speak, as far as not specifically pursuing a graphic design career (though I would not necessarily be all that opposed) is having to deal with clients that can be a nightmare. It was definitely a topic touched on a bit but Monica seems to have been able to still put a lot of what she wanted into her work and be able to make sure things went as they should. Obviously this cannot always be the case but from what we saw of her work, Monica seems to have a fairly diverse range of skills. From her typography to biking jersey designs to branding and even invitations for fancy Las Vegas hotel grand openings, I was impressed by the talents and even specific issues related to dealing with each piece of work on its own. Overall, I think Monica’s work definitely represented a capable designer and someone who should be a welcome addition to the school’s teaching staff.
Questions:
-What is the biggest challenge you face as a designer?

-What would you change about your job?

Gallery Visit: Imperceivable Permanence
            On November 20, I had the chance to see Mark Combs’ MFA candidacy gallery exhibit titled ‘Imperceiveable Impermanence’. Admittedly, when standing at the entrance to the gallery and looking in, seeing a number of car parts that have been modified is a bit confusing, in a way. Part of the exhibit’s success, in my opinion, was the use of an artist’s statement that made the meanings to these pieces quite clear, far more so than if one had simply taken a glance at them, and even the titles were less helpful on their own. Understanding where these pieces came from, in an artistic and inspirational sense, definitely changes that. Combs focuses on the fact that even when people might look like they have been ‘healed’ on the outside, there can be far more lying beneath the surfaces that remains injured. With Combs’ experience as a veteran and the high rates of mental illness among service members in the United States, his work shows what many people do not often think about. This country asks people to risk their lives in far off places but even upon returning home, does not often care for them properly. And even when they have been physically healed, or repaired, as the use of car parts seems to suggest, it does not necessarily solve all of their problems. My favorite piece in the one that was in the middle of the room, titled In the Line of Duty, that showed a car hood that had been beat up and torn apart but had also been put back together and showed wires holding it that way. Peace with one’s body is a fragile thing, and something too many veterans, and other people with invisible illnesses, are not allowed the luxury of having.
Questions:
-How has art affected your personal life after your service?
-What should we do to help veterans in their day to day lives?

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