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[jackm00-arts]

Two weekends ago I went to DC with some friends and visited the National Gallery and the Natural History Museum. After arriving on the metro and passing my favorite italian restaurant, we made our way to the gallery, where I spent most of my time in the west atrium doing a perspective sketch of the space. I also had a bit of time to check out some of their impressionist collection before we departed and headed across the mall to the Natural History, which surprising has a fair bit of art in it as well, like the Hope Diamond and many carvings and sculpture from early civilizations in the Human Origins section, which I enjoyed a fair bit. In particular, there was a totem pole from an oceanic tribe of people that stood about 10 or 12 feet, that amazed me. The highlight was a visit to the butterfly pavilion, where we could see dozens of butterflies up close, which in a way is nature’s artistry. I enjoyed my trip a lot, and only wish I had taken more pictures!

[jackm00-arts]

this weekend, on a trip back home, I saw fellow baltimore native and umd student jeff draco perform at a small venue in Hampden. It was a fun little set, with a brief technical problem at the beginning that took the mics out and prompted a fun impromtu jam until the set proper began. all in all, it was a worthwhile experience, and i had fun with my friends who went with me, and at the end i got to meet jeff!

[jackm00-arts]

I went to the national gallery to see the exhibition of dutch 17th century seascapes, and it was fantastic. 17th and 18th century seascape is my second favorite genre of art, behind french impressionism, so the exhibition was an absolute treat. To cap it off, I picked up a JMW Turner print for my dorm at the gift shop. A great trip!

[jackm00-arts]

Two Saturdays ago i saw Halloween at the Georgetown AMC, and it was alright! I prefer the original movie series, but it was a good watch, albeit out of season. Also, when we were walking back from the theater, the Kennedy Center was all lit up in rainbow colors, which was pretty cool.

[jackm00-arts]

The Big Band Halloween Scream was great, and featured jazz standards and spooky halloween tunes. The screaming trumpets rocked the house!

[jackm00-arts]

The Scholars Convocation was very well recieved by the community. it was very interesting, and I had a lot of fun. The Faux Pas performance was also super cool!

[jackm00-arts]

1. What did you see/hear/learn that was completely new to you? (2 points)

Seeing the Upright Citizens Brigade Tour Co perform was the first time I had seen that level of improv being done before. As someone who has done some acting and has tried improv on occasion, it was really informative to see an actual performance, and their style was interested as well. the way they set up premises and evolved on them was something i had never seen before.

What was your favorite performance/experience? Why was it your favorite? (3 points)

I really enjoy the improv show, but my favorite performance was the set Early Eyes did. I had never heard of them before, and caught the performance coming out of the For the Students talk, but I was really entranced. They may seem like a standard indie-pop band, but their music is surprisingly complex, and it blends a lot of different really unique sounds. I also really appreciated the energy they had onstage, it was really upbeat and happy, and made me want to sit and watch them as long as possible. Ive seen some bands who really didnt have that energy, and its hard to watch.

How might one or more of the performances/experiences relate to the Arts Scholars theme of Migrations: Populations and Practices on the Move? (2 points)

In the For the Students Tour, Kei Henderson spoke about her journey as someone involved in the music production business. She describe how she has to move around constantly with her clients, namely 21 Savage, and how hard that can be. She also talked about leaving her hometown in Atlanta, coming back, and then moving to LA with her significant other. It really drove in that the work she does, producing and spreading music, really requires a global reach, and it is important to be worldly and able to transition between many cultures and areas and adapt to do these kinds of jobs.