Tina M. Dillman

My bags are all packed and in a matter of hours I will begin my trip eastward bound, to spend the holidays with my parents and I’ll be seeing Miss Jenna North as well, so I’ll be sure to give her your best. This will be the first Christmas that my husband and I will be spending with my family, so I’m sure it will be interesting and great. I’m looking forward to going home and relaxing. The only clothes I’m bringing are ones that will keep me warm, while I lay on the couch and do nothing, like the rest of America, I’m going on break. So, I’ll see ya next year. Take care and happy days.

Hey world, on Wednesday December 7, I will be hosting a pop up art show, Here I am., on the SFAI campus from 4-5pm, in room 104 (near the sculpture area, at the bottom of the ramp). If you’re in the vicinity come on by and say hi and see what I’ve been working on this semester. The exhibit will include work made using photography, text, sound and video. Hope to see you there.

So here I am. In case you were looking for me or was wondering where I was. Time got the best of me. Boy, can it fly by. Well, I hope you’re not mad and that you can understand the constraints of being in school full time. I’m lucky if I get to spend quality time with my husband. But don’t worry, we caught up on that time lost over the last couple of days. We built a fort in the living room and vegged out to the Mad Man Series, through Netflix streaming. That site can be so helpful in aiding you when you want to be lazy. Well, the semester is almost over. Counting down the days till I get to revisit civilization. Two more weeks to go. So till then, I can’t make any promises but only tell you that I will try my best. Hope you’re well and I look forward to next time. Take care.

In an attempt to maintain a consistent outlet with the world through my blog, it is working out that this space is being used to kill two birds with one stone; not only am I trying to stay connected with a weekly exercise, where I write about something that is on my mind or I find appealing, but in addition one of my courses is requiring a blog type response to the weekly lectures that we attend. So sorry if I disappoint you, but sometimes you just have to do, what you have to do. I will do my best to infuse a bit of educational information with humor, to keep your reading light and enjoyable.

Maria Nordman, arrived to the SFAI campus last Monday, either on a broom, in a space ship or out of thin air. I’m going to let you think about this. Inherently, a mysterious woman due to her beliefs that no one should record or document her (work), Nordman stresses the necessity for one to experience her (work) for your self. At the lecture, she was dressed in an all white utilitarian/nun attire that covered most of her skin (neck to toe) and she was also wearing polarized aviator shades through the entire evening, including the grand finale roof top performance that took place underneath the stars, where she read in English and French with the help of a flashlight and a couple of students. I’m not actually sure what I witnessed that evening, or if I learned anything new. I think I might have set my expectations a bit high for the night, because everyone that had seen her speak before or had an interaction with her all used the same language to describe her. Before witnessing her presence for the first time, I was personally intrigued by her conditional yet divine, poetic attitude towards life and art. If she comes around to campus again, I may have to pop in and check it out just out of curiosity and if you’ve never seen her speak I would recommend that you do as well, just so you can say that you have experienced occupying the same space as the infamous, Maria Nordman..

Last week for the Visiting Artist Lecture Series at SFAI, Geoff Manaugh, writer of the BLDGBLOG, spoke about issues such as animal urbanism, sound in the city and urban weather control. Geoff’s perspective on the role of architecture in our daily lives is refreshing in the sense that he is realistic, creative and energetic, about sharing ideas and building a platform through his blog site and Studio X, to initiate dialogue about otherwise overlooked topics that should be discussed in the mainstream. Recently, Geoff taught a class at Columbia University in NYC called, Glacier/Island/Storm, where the class investigated the design element of large-scale natural processes, asking questions such as, where do the structures stem from, what causes them and how do they exist over time. The class reviewed specific case studies of how man is attempting to cultivate these natural phenomena in order to reverse the effects of human civilization on our natural environment. One example that was mentioned in the article that I found interesting was how in the Himalayas they are growing glaciers in order to produce sources of freshwater for the drought seasons. Wow, how fascinating. If people are able to grow actual glaciers and create new rock formations , just imagine what future problems we can overcome. One of Geoff’s passions is fiction writing, especially the work by JD Ballard, who I have to admit, I am curious to look into, especially after another artist last week also mentioned this fictional writers influence on her work. In addition to attending this lecture, I was fortunate to have set up a studio visit with Geoff. From our conversation, I began to further realize how small the world really is in terms of our connectivity as a civilization, with the issue of architecture playing a significant role in shaping our daily lives. Our conversation inspired me to begin a mind map that illustrates the subjects that have influenced my identity as an artist and in more than one instance architecture has influenced my cultural make-up. I think Geoff Manaugh is on to something.

This subject has been on mind for a while. I think I’m going to have to attack it in more than one posting. For today, let’s address the issue of how people use a sidewalk. I understand that the sidewalk is a public space, it’s a social space that is accessible to all, but it’s main function is to operate as a medium for transportation. The sidewalk is a thoroughfare for people commuting by foot. Sorry guys, this does not include bicycles or skateboards but it does include strollers and those traveling in powered wheelchairs. With cities becoming more densely populated, I’m curious to know if the urban planners have thought about how to expand the walkways. Parts of North Beach are a war zone between tourists, locals, restaurants and students. I often find myself having to walk on the street to avoid the congestion, Watch OUT, here comes MUNI. Also, the state of the sidewalk is another factor of this equation. Most of Columbus needs to be replaced and widened, but they probably can’t do it because of all the foot traffic. I mean the restaurants depend on them and where are they going to walk, the streets? They’re too clogged with boats on wheels, double-decker buses, giant tour buses, MUNI buses, cabs of all sizes and (fancy) sport cars. When will all the madness end? Till next time, travel safe.

Upon reaching the moment of utter frustration and being derailed with stress, the clear signal for my body to tell me that I’m doing too much is for it to completely give out on me, almost like it ran out of gas, sputtering out with sneezes, while my legs shake, as I ascend the last hill to the Chestnut campus. A sure sign that you need some rest, is when it hurts to breathe. To think that your lungs can not perform it’s obligatory functions of opening and contracting at it’s usual rate is alarming to say the least. Girlfriend, take a load off. One thing I dislike about feeling sick, is the mood that it puts me in. I tend to easily snap at people. Sorry Short Girl with Glasses, who decided to stop walking right in front me on Montgomery. I’m not always a sourpuss. And as the weekend comes to a close, I wish I could report that I feel totally well rested for another week of school but unfortunately, I can not. Oh man, responsibilities…work, school, bills, friends, family. (Where does self come into this?) How I dream of the days when I was a child, innocent and trivial. Not to mention the loving care of the Mom Nurse, who in the worst of times is waiting on you hand and foot. Thank you Mom Nurse, for your 18 years of dedicated service.

For the graduate lecture series this week, Tony Labat shared his vivid and daring self with us through documentation that consisted of images and video, that began while he was still living in Miami in the 70’s, to his most recent work at PAI, which may be taken down by Monday, so he highly encouraged us to visit. (If you do pass by it, you can’t miss it, it’s largely written across the front glass window panels. Probably best read though from across the street.) In relation to this recent signage work, Tony stressed that he wants his work to reach as many viewers as possible, for free. I thought it ironic that he specifically brought up his work at BAN 6, because it so happens, I’ve been documenting the BAN show and about a month ago when I visited BAN 6 for the third time, I saw an “ideal couple” hanging out front of YBCA, as if they were waiting for me to take their picture, Tina, take my picture. I usually don’t take this sort of action and ask people to pose, let alone assist me in achieving my desired image, but on this fine day, it was necessary.

I think it’s funny that I heard multiple strangers describe this past week as being long. I know I was thinking and feeling the same way, but actually, it was a short work week due to Labor Day falling on Monday, so there were no classes and a lot of people didn’t have to work, but according to the rest of us, it still felt like a whole work week had passed. I feel the beginning warning signs of exhaustion coming on. I think I’m just really out of shape, but you wouldn’t think that by looking at me. I mean, I’m skinny but that’s all just an illusion. Just because one might be thin in body type, that doesn’t mean that they’re in the greatest of shape. So in making an earnest effort to work on myself, I am walking from the Bart station to campus every day I have class, which is about 4 days a week. I don’t know if anyone has ever seen me walk, but I walk like I’m from NYC, very determined and with a stride that is fast and efficient, so I can reach Point B as quickly as possible. This style of walking is then enhanced if I’m running late, which then leads me to move like an urban ninja, around and through all the Asian ladies and tourists. Well, the problem here is that I’m usually running late, when means that I arrive to campus, hot, sticky and usually sweating (gross) and my glasses are all fogged. In any case, I’m actually losing weight, (I think from the sweating) and I don’t feel in any better of shape, especially when my heart is pounding from the outside of my body. Oh, the privileges of getting older.

A little humor and self exploration.