MK signing Melissa's exit show booklet
Since May began my life has been a whirlwind. I've been to SO many exit shows and graduation celebrations!! I can't believe it. Graduation has arrived, just not for me. It's amazing how long we've all waited and my time will come in December of 2011! I will be patient and enjoy the last few months I have before they set me loose into the world of design.
And here is the star herself! (Melissa Lee on the left - with her sister Michelle on the right)
She just graduated from the graphic design program at the University of Georgia.
Congratulations Melissa! I'm so proud of you!
And this is just too cool not to show.
It's by Chrissie Feteke, a Fabric Design graduate of UGA.
Her sister Charlotte is a food stylist who I interned with about two years ago.
My roommate Cristina is in there somewhere!
She just graduated from the College of Family & Consumer Sciences at UGA.
One of my best friends is going to be a counselor! (she's a good listener)
Me, Cristina, MK
Post graduation!
Then there was my second roommate's graduation.
That's her with the awesome skirt.
By the way, we do things differently in the art school. Apparently it's normal/acceptable to not wear a cap and gown at graduation, but most people did.
Bachelor of Fine Arts degree for printmaking (class of 2011) at the University of Georgia.
Why does that sound So good?
MK, top left girl
I love this print! It's an exit show advertisement for the opening reception for printmakers graduating in the spring of 2011. It reminds me of my favorite Jack Johnson concert poster I've hold onto. I always love the dates printed on them, just cementing a fun time in my life. Also, April 22nd is my birthday so it was even more special!
This is MK's exit show: "Up 'Til Now A Paper Documentation"
She made 60 handmade books which are made up of papers she found, collected, and saved, as well as her own prints.
Books in progress
I had joked around with her during the semester that she should entitle her piece "The 60 Miracles" because it was a miracle she survived and finished that project!
She's going off into the world to be...many things!
Her first stop is seminary in the fall of 2011. Congrats MK!
I love this work by Rebekah. There are three sets of large prints which each contain three layered geometric designs. She covered the sheets with mineral oil to give them a translucent affect.
Rebekah graduated with MK, also getting a BFA in Printmaking.
And another good friend of mine, Kelsey, finally graduated!
She got a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Education! Hooray for Kelsey!
Going on to hopefully teach photography...we had many grueling photo classes together.
Congratulations Kelsey!!
I just love all of our patterns going on this picture.
Such sad times to see my roommates graduate and go on without me.
We've lived together for two years.
That's the lovely Lamar Dodd School of Art in the background.
It's an immense building with lots of great classes and fun exhibits.
Injera
Welcome to our East African adventure!
We had been planning to eat at The Cottage, an Ethiopian restaurant, for a month.
We ate here in Atlanta and then drove a few blocks to Kelsey's rooftop graduation party.
We split and shared four little Sambusas as an appetizer.
This is a fried pocket filled with lentils, green peppers, onions, and herbs.
Doro Aletcha Wot
I got chicken simmered in onion and ginger root sauce. It came with cottage cheese (different than the usual), a boiled egg (which I ate a piece of), and injera
(Ethiopian bread which tastes like strange sourdough bread).
One of my roommates got the Vegetarian Combo which is an assortment of things, names of which I couldn't begin to recall. I do know that there was creamed corn (NOT the Southern kind), couscous, and beets (which tasted like dessert).
When we got our food we were not given forks...
I wasn't prepared to eat with my hands before attending a rooftop party.
Not to mention I am slightly OCD about clean hands.
Cristina was too afraid to ask for a fork, so I braved the accusing stare of our waitress and timidly asked if we come have some utensils (I wasn't even sure they owned forks).
I was nervous that if we didn't go native it would upset the authentic vibe the restaurant. Luckily the young girl, who seemed to be a relative of the owner, only looked down upon me for a moment, but then chuckled at the fact that we're just three sad little white girls who can't quite pick up the knack of being Ethiopian for one night of dinner.
After the forks were placed in front of us my mission was complete. However, the owner decided to come talk to us about eating with forks.
"Do you not use injera? Do not need fork to eat."
Look man, I just want to eat my crazy Ethiopian food WITH a fork. Thank you.
But he did kindly show us how to use the injera to (are you ready for this?) scoop up our food (often liquidy) and then stuff the entire thing in our mouths.
This reminds me of the time when my friend Tien took me to eat sushi and told me it was improper to cut a sushi round in half with a FORK (and the fork issue resurfaces). He told me I had to chopstick the whole thing into my mouth. And I did... a mistake.
Anyhow, I could probably write a book on all the non-American food adventures I've had.
Overall it was a nice experience to eat at The Cottage, but the flavors and textures weren't for me. MK loved it though!
And finally...Kelsey's rooftop graduation party!
This was such a good night.
It is official. If I can get a job in Atlanta and live in Midtown I would be the happiest girl ever.
There is something about being in the city that will never grow old with me.
Goodbye school, happy graduation to all of my friends, and hello my last free summer.
