A story is only as good as its characters. At least, that is my belief. The past three weeks here in Dumbo have indeed been a story worthy of sharing. We have seen the products of history and tasted the fruits of traditional cultural cuisines. I could speak endlessly of experiences we have had, but I'm not here to tell you about the story. I am here to tell you about the characters, and believe me when I say we do indeed have some characters.
Our group hails from the far reaches of the purple and gold kingdom known as Elmira College in Elmira, NY. Elmira College is not like many other colleges, specifically in the sense that it is small. Very small. To help you get a sense, the average classroom size is fourteen students. So we are accustomed to small. Our class here in Dumbo Is 9. A remarkable 9 characters all contributing to this highly unique program. We live here together under the bridge in our cozy loft. So by now, you are thinking, "Ok, so from what I gather, you're telling me that this company of nine from a purple and gold kingdom are living under a bridge? This is starting to sound like I'm reading a post by a group of trolls." I promise you, we are nothing of the sort, but I would now like to introduce you to all of us and how I've come to know my fellow classmates over these past weeks.
Starting off with our veterans in order of appearance, two-time Dumbo returning champs Hillary Irvine, Zack Newirth, and Melissa Goodier
Hillary would be a gem of an addition to any group. The Hil is someone we can go to, and
we consistently find that she is more than happy to help us out. It's a admirable quality that I believe everyone in the group recognizes and especially for us greenhorns appreciates. She is always inquisitive, and I enjoy hearing her interpretations on the things we've seen that day. She's always making us laugh along with her. She has a quirkiness that is refreshing and honest, and it makes for this positive energy that radiates from her which, in turn, is brought to our group. On longer days of exploring the streets of NY, this is needed.
Zack has a knack for bringing life to his work. Ironically, you'll find this most evident in his sketches of the undead. Though not the most outspoken character out of the batch, he speaks loud clear through his work. Hosting a copious amount of talents from the way he composes his art to his uncanny ability to guess the cost of the check at the end of group dinners within dollars, he is a key piece of the puzzle that makes this group here in Dumbo.
The Goodier would fill the roll of the scribe in the group. Recording what seems like everything we come across, she is the "go-to" person for information on what we've seen and where we have been. With a laugh that makes you want to laugh along with her, she is a hard worker and is absorbing all the culture that is around us to the fullest. Melissa seems to grow more and more with each passing day, and I look forward to seeing her work in the studio in future terms and the impact this trip has had on it.
Now for the first timers on Dumbo, starting with Sara Holbrook:
Sara is very quiet and contemplative. When I look at her, I feel like she is always interpreting something, always thinking. I feel like she has to have such a great mind. I've always thought of the mind like a river and thoughts like the water. If the thoughts stop flowing, the water in the river becomes stagnant, but a mind filled with fresh thoughts and ideas is like a flowing river fresh and full of life. I feel like, even though she reserved and silent inside, she is radiating with life and energy waiting to come out. I see this trip as a great way for her to open up and let some of those thoughts come through her art.
Ashley Culpepper the strong silent type. She is the only non-art major on the trip, but don't be fooled; her art speaks for her. I was in a painting class with her in the previous term, and her art is full of expression and colors. I always found her style bursting with energy. Being so quiet, you would not expect the kind of art that does come out of her. She has this ability to channel all that intensity that you see in her. You can see that math major part of her come out in the way she approaches many situations that we've experienced here in Dumbo very calculative and precise, making her a very logical choice for our group.
So now that I've covered two of the most quiet people in the group, let's talk about my dear friend Kasey Tapper. She will always let you know what is on her mind. It's one of my favorite traits about Kasey. She speaks her mind, and the heck if you don't want to hear it. She will be honest and upfront, and she makes the group feel more like a family. She brings us together, whether it be through a moment of unanimous awkwardness, or through a shared laugh at her absolutely hilarious comments that seem to come out of nowhere. She is the photographer of the trip and captures our moments together through her lens rather than on paper, even when we don't know she is doing it, keeping the images she catches just as honest as her personality.
Animated is what I think of with Nicole Duperry. Though gifted with artistic abilities and techniques, I've found that her greatest interest for the future lies in Art history. So when I say animated, I mean in the sense of giving life not to a drawing or painting, but giving animation to the past. Taking the moments of the past, and all who lived during those times life again. The passion that all artists find are born from this history. I believe a person who finds that they want to take that direction in their studies has to be equally full of life and passion.
MJ Stone is a new found art major. She is a person with as much excitement and joy for what she does as anyone I know. I don't know of anything that she does that she is unable to extract joy out of it. Though new to the scene, I have seen her work, and she is bursting at the seams with potential. That happiness, she extracts from everything she implements into her art work, and it is beautiful. She is so positive and happy always. She is an absolute delight to be around, and I am happy and proud to call her my friend. I alway learn something new every time we have a conversation. I look forward to the next year and seeing her development into the art scene back in Elmira. I know she will be doing great things.
So we've had our good days...
And we've had our long long days...
But with all our diversity and wackiness, we really have enjoyed our time together here in the city. We are ready to take on one more week. The past three weeks have been an experience like no other, and though the long and busy days have worn us down, we'll return home and build ourselves up stronger and wiser. For some of us, this is the last term as Elmira College students. The end of one great adventure, and the beginning of a whole new one. To the graduating members of our group, I wish you the very very best. For the members of our group who will be back at Elmira next year, I know we'll be seeing each other around in our 14 person classrooms. I hope we all stay in touch, or at least say "Hey, what's up?" now and again. This is like no other trip out there. We are all very lucky to have shared this experience. Thank you to our Professor Marc Dennis, and thank you to our great group of characters. It wouldn't have been the story it's become without you.
- Derek
P.S. MJ here. Derek asked me to proofread this quickly before he posted it. Since this post put me in a warm and fuzzy mood, I'm taking advantage of the moment and telling you a little about him. Derek is interested in sculpture, and he is pretty amazing at it. This trip has proven him to be great at sketching as well, although he would never admit it, because he sets the bar so high and expects so much from himself. He is eager to create and very fascinated by the human form, and his curiosity has already come alive in his artwork. Derek is also an amazing character himself. He is a calming, happy, delightful person who understands how wonderful life is, and he is a true friend. Although, I'm sure you can tell all of this just by reading the thoughtful post he wrote today.
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