carlos maldonado r.

2nd Quarter – Winter 2012:

Writing is not my forté so here’s a time capsule of my life as a SCAD freshman – so much happened in 10 weeks! – A YEAR AGO!

CMPA 110 : Advanced Computer Arts | software: MAYA

Winter 2012 | Prof.Wissler

Details: In this project we were to create a 3-D rendering of a room. This project consisted of nurbs primitives, polygon primitives, phong and lambert attributes, and camera movements using specific key frames for movement. Rendering took 11 Mac Computers and 14 hours of Rendering. Started from 8pm-10am. In addition the creating of the project its self was a long and tedious process.

To View the finished 3-DRendering click below!

MAYA Composition

Today I leave the culturally alive Spring House dorms, and am headed out to the new apartment style apartments at ACA near the High Museum of Art.

This will be my first room to my self, since I’ve shared bedrooms with my brother up until college, and then had my awesome roommate Derek. Now, I’ll have a room to my own.

I heard my roommate is messy. I hope that everything turns out okay with him.. I don’t know what to expect. I saw it this morning and have an amazing view so I’m excited yet nervous about staring this new “grown up” lifestyle.

We will see.

The production of this series has been an eye opening experience.

Partnered with Paragon Hair Salon, Carime Murillo MUA, and Chris Nguyen Stylist

Artist Statement:

“Moving into the city has given me a new perspective of life. When I moved here the sky scarpers, expensive cars, and quality lifestyle were an obvious statement of wealth within the city, but amongst all the luxury I was exposed to the large numbers of homeless people. As I continue to live in Atlanta, the contrast between these two lifestyles has become more apparent.

I began building my interest in photography once I got frustrated with drawing. Art in general has been an interest since I was young, but I’ve never been a patient person. Therefore, I pursued a new interest in photography. It had seemed like I had stepped away from the time consumption of drawing with just a click of a button, but further on I began to understand that just as a drawing – photography takes patience. My main photography interest is Fashion Photography. I’ve developed an appreciation for the beauty of the human body, rendered in an image. Since I began to have negative personal judgments, fashion photography was a gateway to remind me that beauty exists. Disregarding the ethical problem with Fashion Photography, I believe that it serves as an enhancement of the natural beauty we hold. With this field, I am able to tell a story of beauty through personal manipulation.

In this series, I present a mix of wealth and poverty. Several factors were considered into the piece. The location, the model, wardrobe, jewelry, and makeup were intended to represent the affluence within the city of Atlanta. In this series the background building is home to a family of homeless residents in the city.

The images were originally in color, but the black and white theme in this series attributes to the title Contrasto. The lack of colors enhances the difference of the two lifestyles. In addition, Black and white represents a strict difference between the two colors rather than a gradation. Therefore when I relate it to Atlanta’s poverty and wealth, I state how there’s isn’t a gradual transition from an affluent area to a low-income area. Instead, they are both right next to each other, looking like the apposite colors black and white. Therefore the manipulation of this series is de-saturated.

The process of this series consisted of me communicating with local businesses and students. The post-processing of the images uses slight accentuation of the model’s face and a de-saturation process. The contrast of the images is increased in sections to add focal points, and softening of the image is used in certain areas to create a contrast between the textures in the scene and the model. Over all the images were manipulated minimally and de-saturated appropriately to convey a balanced composition.”

Unfortunately, I realized that I had really captured more than I intended in this series when trying to write my artist statement.

The uncontrolled factors:

As I continue to think about the process of producing this series I further realize that so much is being told through this series. First of all, the wonderful collaboration group I got together gave amazing results. So I’d like to thank them for helping create this series.

Fortunately the group’s background comes from a sustainable financial position. The model and wardrobe artist come from a private and expensive university. They are College students who are working for a higher education, a valuable part of life many are unfortunate to miss out on (I’m not the degrading the valuable education life in general has to offer, but that’s beside the point).

The hair stylist and make up artist, both hold a sustainable job and work for reputable businesses. Businesses that allow them to live in a furnished room. Both artists with qualities that help enhance the beauty of those who have the money to pay such professionals.

January 29th was the date of the photo shoot and everyone arrived with warm air hitting their face in the comfort of a car. On this day the weather was frigid, especially behind the shadow of the building. Although through the session Alina shivered in the cold and posed to portray elegance, she was kept warm in a shiny red Mini-Cooper. In contrast, the building had no windows on the shaded side of the building and on the opposite side – concrete covered openings. As we went through the session, several homeless women and men climbed the tree in the background of the images to get into their version of a “warm room.”  I can’t help but to think of a contrast amongst these two situations and immediately relate it to black and white. I lack the words and descriptions to really explain the feeling I’m having, realizing how fortunate I am to have the luxury of warmth.

The building was also a few blocks away from the Capital building that has a Golden Dome. I find that very b/w as well.

As I continued with the development of this series historical parts came to my mind. I question why I was unaware that I chose a light skinned model, and now that I remember the people that came in and out of the building were of a darker tone. Unconsciously, this also affects the further meaning of my series.

During the session, I remember calling this man over to us to grab a few of our snacks. He accepted and even asked to have the leftovers, I let him have them. At the end of the session in efforts to thank Alina and Chris for their help, I invited them to dinner. We had a very filling meal that could’ve fed 3 people off each of our plates. Now I’m sitting here, thinking that earlier on that day a man asked for the left overs of our snacks.

I’ve never had a series of photographs that capture the story of a day and the brutal reality I was trying to convey. I was trying to make it stand out to people so who may not have noticed their surroundings. So my attempt was to create an incentive in people to appreciate what they may undervalue. When in unintentionally, this series was really intended for someone else.

I just realized this series was not meant for others to see what they were a part of, thinking I was excluded because I lack funds my self. No, I am also part of that black and white contrast – it gives me goosebumps to just have realized.

It was meant  for me.

This morning I was at the student ambassador choice awards.

I nominated Erin McGerald. The speech below is what I presented to the rest of the nominees and Student Ambassadors. Thanks to her I’ve been given a reason to post to this blog…because I am SCAD!

” It all began with a phone Conversation on October 4^th 2010.

 

I was a Senior at the time and had called for information about SCAD. At the time going to college seemed like a mere opportunity due to my lack of funds and educational family background. My admissions counselor, Erin McGerald, had given me the initial steps to applying into SCAD and ever since then my admissions progress began. Within a couple of months I was admitted into the school on November 18^th 2010.

 

Through the excitement and common question of  “where are you going to college? “ in high school, I would answer Possibly SCAD. Because I didnt want to jinx my possibility of attending, but in the back of my head I questioned my financial opportunity.

 

Through the months, I kept contact with Erin applying and processing for scholarships trying to find resources and mediums to get to SCAD. Unfortunately I hadn’t reached enough financial aid to attend the school that I reached a devastating point in my opportunity to attend the university. On May 22 2011 a few days before my graduation I sent Erin an e-mail that to this day gives me Goosebumps.

It said:

 

“Hello Erin! 

Than you so much for your willingness to help me and assisting me in the process of applying to SCAD, I’m not loosing the hope to attend SCAD Atlanta some day, and meanwhile I will continue with my works. … my goal is to attend SCAD Atlanta one day an therefore I will do what I can to save money for this school. I would like to appreciate your time and willingness to help me. Again, I intend on applying again since I wasn’t able to hear back this year, but I do greatly appreciate you and your help as well  as the Scholarship Committee for evaluating my applications. If it’s possible that my application my be deferred or if there is a better chance to receive financial in another way, please let me know, either way your help is greatly appreciated. A final thank you and I WILL graduate from SCAD some day. My best regards-

Sincerely,
– Carlos Maldonado “

 

In the e-mail I had given up the possibility of coming to SCAD since I hadn’t heard back from the scholarship committee, but even then I still stated that my determination and goal was to come to this school.

Very fortunately, I stand today thanking my Admissions Counselor for answering my 14 question e-mail, 30 conversational emails, and more than a years worth of communication that have informed me with all there was needed to know in order to be standing here today in the school of my dreams that is currently my reality! 

 

Thank you Ms. Erin McGerald!

I could not be here with out your assistance!

 

**And thank you to the Scholarship committee who took the time to read over my submissions and has provided me with this financial opportunity.”

 

This morning was a great moment to really show my appreciation.

During my initial Fall quarter at SCAD  I was accepted into the Student Ambassador program.

Training was during that whole Fall quarter. Currently during the winter quarter I became an official ambassador after passing my ambassador exam that consisted of questions about SCAD Atalanta. I got my own badge, t shirt, and student profile on the Student Ambassador Blog page. This was a very exciting accomplishment here at SCAD because I get to represent the school of my Reality (no longer of my dreams).

*Update from April 10th 2013 : This was my first ambassador profile before becoming the Membership Coordinator one year later! (present)

I am currently up at 2:21am,

I just found this new blog site available from SCAD. Adding a blog is what I intended to do since the beginning, although I never did. Therefore, I will trace back all my main moments at SCAD and post about them on here one by one.

This will be my journey through a new experience in my family history and therefore I look forward to posting my upcoming projects, experiences, challenges, and thoughts.

Beginning with the reason that I am here tonight sitting on the computer at 2am due to this new job I got.

I was required to work all day yesterday Sunday.I had a submission to post that was due at 11:59 that I had not begun.

I literally woke up > went to eat breakfast > read for part of my submission information > left for work > got on break > read some more for Art History > Left for work…

Now in the transgression of all this, this week has been a busy and life learning week. First of all projects consumed most of the time available to focus on my Art History Paper. In addition at work my boss kept telling me to stand up for my self in my position as  a Host. I’ve never had to say “let me do my job, you do yours” instead I let my self get trampled on because I would feel bad saying no. So at work, I began to tell people to stay out of my position because the waiters are always around the host stand seating and messing with the seating arrangements that I’m responsible for, but telling them to move isn’t something I would normally do… but even then I went ahead and spoke up, It proved to be successful because now I’m working quicker and more attentively with out someone else stressing and involving themselves around the host stand.

As the week progressed, I faced this mental block that stressed me out to the point of crying. I called my best friend Erin Wilson, whom I explained my situation.

I am a full time student at SCAD taking an Extra class. Student ambassador, SCAD Connector Assistant Photography Editor, Relay for Life ATL Advertising Chair, and now working 25 hours a week. It got to the point where reality had finally set in.

As Erin mentioned, in High School you can miss yearbook deadlines, miss a track practice, or be late to class,  and the worst that would happen would be either to submit the yearbook pages a day late, run more at the next track practice, or get lunch detention.Therefore to some extent your were allowed to “BS” certain things to get them out of your way.

In reality, I cant afford to “BS” any of my school work at SCAD. Thousands of dollars are being paid, scholarships are to be kept, and getting to work late can result in not having a source to pay for what I can already barely afford. Therefore, managing and doing many things at once but also doing them WELL is a new thing to me that has happened and wasn’t able to fix my self.

Erin helped me understand that I don’t need to know what to do, and this is what life teaches us as we go. This lesson is to say NO. To say no to the things that you think you can do. To the things you think you can manage. To the things that you wish you could be a part of and to the things you think you must, but don’t have to do. Saying no is part of standing up for your self. Asserting your priorities and developing a mentality to realize what your priorites are.

Something I don’t comfortably do. Due to fear of getting reprimanded or loosing out on an opportunity.

But my proprieties are excelling as a student at SCAD and working in order to pay for that fulfillment.

Therefore today, I stood up to my Manager ; thanks to my friend Erin Wilson

I said:

“I appreciate the flexibility that you offer me coming to work and I appreciate your decision to have me as an employee, but coming on Sundays has gotten too hectic for me. I can not be going to bed late, waking up early to work on homework, go to work sleep- deprived, attempt to write a submission during break, go back to work, and finish my submission ten minutes before the deadline. I need Sundays off. If that can’t work for you I understand, and I’m sorry for not understanding my limits but this is something new for me. I hope you understand.”

This is a big milestone for me!

I expected a smart remark asking why I took the job in the first place. I’ve never had to stand up for something I needed to back down from. So that I could step up for something I valued more – my education.I was nervous, scared, and could not look at him in the eye.

His response:

“I understand. I appreciate you standing up for your proprieties. I value that your appreciate your education and I’m glad you’re progressing. You can’t get too stressed and lack in your studies.”

….

I don’t work on Sundays anymore.

CMPA 110 : Advanced Computer Arts | software: ILLUSTRATOR

Winter 2012 | Prof.Wissler

Details:Create postage stamps using vectors.I used the paths too to trace some of my photography. I wasn’t content with the result of this project, and is pending a re-do for personal purposes.

CMPA 110 : Advanced Computer Arts | software: PHOTOSHOP

Winter 2012 | Prof.Wissler

Details:Create a self portrait using various digital and non digital images. Each image has says something about me.