Kathryn Portwood
Arts Scholar
TRYathlon
Semester 3
As an experiential component of College Park Arts Scholars, I attended a selection of three art events during my third semester. These events ranged in art mediums and each sparked dialogue among my peers.
TRYathlon 1: Movie Night
Event Logistics September 16, 2023, my dorm
Pentathlon category #film
For the first TRYathlon of the semester, I watched Ratatouille with my roommate. With the semester starting out stressful, I decided it would be fun to unwind with one of my comfort movies. I hadn’t watched the movie in quite a while, and was looking forward to watching it from an Art Scholar’s perspective. Although I’m sure most people are familiar with the movie, it follows the story of a rat named Remy. Despite being a rat, he dreams of being a chef, and gets the chance to do so by aiding a beginner chef in the kitchen by controlling him under his chef’s hat. The animated film takes place in Paris, France, and showcases beautiful backgrounds of both the Parisian countryside and the city.
Watching this film from an Art Scholars perspective was interesting because it encouraged me to watch it in the eyes of the maker rather than the audience. When watching films such as these, I don’t usually consider the work it took to animate each frame and put together such an advanced work of art. I’m more likely to just watch the film for what it is or analyze various shots, not think of the work put into it as art. This mindset is one I learned as an Art Scholar. It has encouraged me to consider art in its many different forms, not just what is conventional. In class, we question the meaning of art and challenge our preconceived notions about art. Overall, this has taught me to think more critically and actively about the art that I consume, such as Ratatouille.
TRYathlon 2: Smithsonian American Art Museum
Event Logistics October 6, 2023, Washington, D.C.
Pentathlon category #visualart
My friends and I decided to take a trip to Washington, D.C during a nice fall weekend before the semester became too hectic. As part of this trip, we ventured into Chinatown and the surrounding areas, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum. I love visiting museums, and couldn’t remember the last time I had been to the Smithsonian American Art Museum, so I was super excited to experience it with my friends (some of whom are also Art Scholars). One of the most memorable pieces I saw during my visit was Alma Thomas’, The Eclipse. I had seen this painting on social media, loving it but not having any idea where it was being displayed, and was thrilled when I was able to see it in person.
As both an Art Scholar, and an Art History minor, I have a love for art. Although I definitely have my favorite mediums, artists, and movements, there is little art I don’t have an appriciation for. This trip with my friends however, reminded me how subjective art is. The emotions I felt seeing The Eclipse, were not necessarily the same ones my friends felt, and vice versa for other works. This reminds me of one of the key principles we learned as Art Scholars: art is subjective. Some of our first lessons as first semester students were on the subjectivity of art. Art can be classified and perceived differently by different audiences, and this trip only reinforced that notion. It also reinforced the importance of seeing art in-person, which I’ve realized through multiple Art Scholars field trips. Seeing the texture and sheer size of paintings in the Smithsonian American Art Museum allowed me to feel more connected to the artist and their message.
TRYathlon 3: Craft & Chat
Event Logistics November 16, 2023, Bel Air Lounge, Painting with Lights
Pentathlon category #presentation #ArtsScholars
For the final TRYathlon of the semester, I attended a Craft & Chat hosted by one of the amazing Arts Scholars TAs. One of my Arts Scholars peers and I took a trip back to our old dorm to participate in the Painting with Lights workshop. I was intrigued and excited, as I had never done this before but was super willing to try. Painting with lights entailed using fiber optic light sticks and an app to capture the light with long exposures, as well as any props we wanted to include in the photos. We turned off the lights in the Bel Air lounge, and went outside when it was dark enough, so the lights could show up in the photos. Essentially, the idea was to move the lights in front of the camera using the app, and once the picture was taken with long exposure, cool patterns emerged.
This Craft & Chat related to some of the key concepts I’ve learned as an Art Scholar thus far. I have learned as an Art Scholar to challenge my preconceived notions of art and force myself to step out of my comfort zone regarding art mediums that I am familiar and acquainted with. I find this to be one of the very principles of being an Art Scholar: facing the unfamiliar and uncomfortable when it comes to art. As someone who had no experience with this art medium before the workshop, I was uncertain how successful I would be at creating art using it. Not to mention, I had never seen this medium, and therefore, wouldn’t have necessarily considered it art before experimenting myself. However, it was easy to get into and I found myself having fun along the way. I think this highlights another Art Scholar principle, that art is not just about the final product, but also the creative process along the way.
TRYathlon
Semester 4
As an experiential component of College Park Arts Scholars, I attended a selection of three art events during my fourth semester. These events ranged in art mediums and each sparked dialogue among my peers.
TRYathlon 1: Glenstone Museum
Event Logistics February 10, 2024, Potomac, MD
Pentathlon category #visualart
For the first TRYathlon of the semester, I went to Glenstone Museum in Potomac, MD with my roommate and fellow Art Scholar. I was super excited to take a trip there, as I’ve been multiple times before, both for school and for personal fun. One of my favorite parts of the museum is how the buildings act as art themselves, helping to connect the multitude of outside and inside art. Each part of the museum is so carefully thought out. Since we went during the winter, many of the outside exhibits were not fully functional, so we concentrated our visit on the inside exhibitions. I enjoy how many of the exhibits have been the same for years and I can revisit them each time, yet there are also new ones as well. Not to mention, not being able to take photos allows you to really immerse yourself in the art and the experience as a whole.
The museum visit related to my courses both as an Art Scholar and an Art History minor. Through colloquium discussion as well as the numerous field trips we’ve gone on, art’s subjectivity has been emphasized. We have been encouraged to keep an open mind to different forms of art and the ways that these forms can interact. I saw this at Glenstone through its showcasing of modern art, which is not always conventional or widely accepted within the art community. Not to mention, Glenstone combines architecture and nature with traditional art exhibitions in and outside. This relates further to my Art History courses as we studied the transformation of art with time and place, including how art, architecture, and nature can all interact to create art.
TRYathlon 2:
Dune: Part Two
Event Logistics March 2, 2024, AMC Center Park 8
Pentathlon category #film
Only a day after the premiere of Dune: Part Two, my three friends and I went to the nearby AMC to finally watch it. The release had been delayed due to the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike. One of the friends I went to watch it with is an avid Dune fan, so I was excited to watch it with her since she got me into the movie. The Dune movie is based on the science fiction book series by the same title, and follows Paul Atreides, heir of one of the noble families, as he navigates a galaxy-wide war over their most valuable asset: Spice. The second movie, for the most part, is a continuation of this storyline.
I thoroughly enjoyed the second movie even more than the first, and loved the experience of watching it within the theater right after it had been released. This reminded me of what we’ve learned as Art Scholars, particularly in preparation for our capstone projects about curation and experiencing art. For me personally, there is something so exciting about going to the theater with friends or family and watching a movie right when it comes out. I love being part of the excitement. I feel as though this connects to what we’ve learned in CPSA250 about curating our capstone projects and creating an experience for the viewers. You don’t just want to release a movie, or in this case simply create your capstone. As we discussed, you want to consider things such as color, layout, design, and your audience when presenting your work. And even though we won’t be advertising personally for ArtsFest, much of what goes into movies is advertisement. Getting to experience Dune: Part Two like I did reminded me of how important it is to curate and how much work goes into it, as we’ve learned as Art Scholars.
TRYathlon 3: Trinkets and S'mores
Event Logistics March 28, 2024, picnic tables by Bel Air Hall, Art Advisory Board
Pentathlon category #ArtsScholars
To satisfy the requirement of the last TRYathlon of the semester being an Art Scholars event, my friends and I went to an Art Advisory Board sponsored event that was semi-Easter inspired. The event was outside in the Cambridge Quad near Bel Air, and consisted of pizza, s’mores, and an egg hunt for trinkets. Since this is my last TRYathlon as an Art Scholar, I was excited to go to an Art Scholar event with two of my other Art Scholar peers-turned-friends. Even though that day had been exhausting and it was quite gloomy out, it was nice to unwind with free food and games. Although the materials for s’mores were limited by the time we were able to arrive, we made it work and were still able to enjoy the event.
This event reminded me of what I’ve learned as both an Art Scholar and a dual degree in Criminology & Criminal Justice and Psychology. To begin, I’ve learned the importance of community within both of these disciplines. As an Art Scholar, we have been required to lean on each other multiple times, whether when presenting our capstone project during critique or replying to each other discussion boards. Being an Art Scholar has emphasized the importance of community and connection by encouraging us continuously to utilize our resources in each other. This, combined with my classes as a psychology major have proved to me how important it is to surround yourself with people that can support and correct you. I was reminded of these lessons during the event when I realized that being around my other Art Scholars peers after a long day was refreshing and helped me relax. Not to mention, we all worked together to make the s’mores materials work and to complete the egg hunt.
