Archive for 2010
Jewelry by Julie Back on Sale!
In MassArt, Retail on August 5, 2010 at 6:30 pmJust got word today that my jewelry has been approved by the jury to be sold at the new MassArt retail store called “Proof“.
Redline Bead - Buy this at the new MassArt store!
From: Heidi Erickson
Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 2010 1:42 PM
Subject: MassArt Submission ResultsYour submission to Proof, the new MassArt retail store, has been reviewed and the Jury has voted to advance your contact information to the Manager of the store. Once hired, the Store Manager will be coordinating with you directly regarding which items will be included in the inventory. I would expect that you will hear from the Manager early this fall.
Thank you for your partnership with the College!
Heidi Erickson
Executive Assistant for Student Development
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Moving On…
In Architecture, Career, MassArt on July 29, 2010 at 10:47 pmToday, I officially turned in my resignation letter at Payette as Model Services Coordinator and August 20th is tentively my last day. I have worked for the firm for nearly six years, learned much over my time there, and worked on several life-altering projects. Now I break forth, immersing myself into the MassArt community! I will be attending the Studio for Interrelated Media full-time, while working for the department as a consultant and back-up department representative in the Student Government Association. I will also be folded-in with the architecture department in the Solar Decathlon efforts, collaborating with MassArt/MassArt Foundation’s PR and Marketing teams.
Exciting, but still need some freelance jobs to get by. Let me know if someone needs support in some way. I tutor software and web design, also!
Mission Hill Fire Victims
In Events, MassArt, Volunteerism on July 9, 2010 at 5:53 pmTonight at the Godine Gallery at MassArt, there will be a fundraising event for the student victims of the Mission Hill Fire. 7PM to 9PM, MassArt campus, Godine Gallery, accessible off of Tetlow Street/Evans Way (behind the Gardner Museum).
Pecha Kucha Boston No.18 Tonight in Cambridge
In Architecture, Common Boston, Events, Fun, Volunteerism on June 22, 2010 at 5:40 pmPechaKucha Boston 18 includes speakers from Boston Fashion Week, Common Boston, Design Biennial Boston 2010, Design Museum Boston, SHIFTboston Ideas Competition 2009 and more! Plus, SWAN Day MA will present a 20×20 talk with a simultaneous live performance.
- Pecha Kucha Boston 18 poster
I was also invited by a BFIT board member to attend their Public Service Award ceremony beforehand.
Common Boston in full-swing!
In Architecture, Common Boston, Events, Fun, Volunteerism on June 18, 2010 at 5:09 pmThe dParty has partied and the Russia-Wharf Tour has been toured. Common Boston is in full-swing!
Common Boston dParty - RED!
Solar Decathlon 2011
In Architecture, Interactive, MassArt, Volunteerism on June 8, 2010 at 10:37 pmI’ve joined Team Massachusetts (MassArt and UMass Lowell) in the Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon. I will be working on the communications committee, mainly on the team’s website, but also graphics, and branding.
Spencer gives the lo-down on the project at the first summer meeting.
Common Boston Starts Next Week!
In Common Boston, Events, Fun, Interactive, Volunteerism on June 8, 2010 at 10:27 pmAfter several months of preparation, we have released the new website and just posted the newly printed brochures.
Check out the new webpage!
New Website in the Works
In Interactive on May 27, 2010 at 8:30 pmAfter working with WordPress for Common Boston (www.commonboston.org) and for my personal blog (busyjulie.com), I’ve decided to take the leap and use WordPress for my portfolio website, to replace my current hard-coded HTML site (juliechen.net). Coming soon! Here’s a peek:
New WordPress website coming, with homepage slideshow! This slide features my documentation of Cori Spencer's Little Black Topsy and the Magical White Fairy Soap.
SIMsite Makeover
In MassArt, Technology on April 29, 2010 at 11:46 pmWorking in a team of four, we are redesigning my department’s website. Some of the changes have already been released, featuring some of my photography. SIM finally has a face to the public! sim.massart.edu
Facelift? I'm Lovin' It.
SIMsite team:
Matt Moore, SIM Alumn, Site Webmaster
Dana Moser, SIM Professor, Content Contributor
Eric Ente, SIM Student, Widget Programmer
Julie Chen, SIM Student, New Site Graphics
Abhikram Architects
In Architecture, Events on April 27, 2010 at 10:37 pmJust met with architects Parul Zaveri and Nimish Patel of Abhikram, who gave a very rousing presentation to the architects in my office, Payette, about their Indian approach to sustainable design.
Abhikram Architects
This is my first cross-over encounter between my two worlds: work-life and school life. My professor, Michael Sheridan, is friends with the Indian architects and is the one who asked me to find presentation venues for them. Luckily, Abhikram’s design philosophies relate closely to Tom Payette’s.
Accepted Work!
In Family, MassArt, Photography on April 26, 2010 at 10:14 pmMy piece about my grandmother was accepted by the jury for the TJX Asian Pacific Heritage Month Exhibit. It will be on exhibit at the TJX Corporate Headquarters from May 3-31.
Grandma - I Didn't Know Her Name
MassArt All School Show 2010: SIM and Printmaking
In Events, MassArt, Photography on April 11, 2010 at 7:14 pmMassArt All School Show (aka ASS). SIM and Printmaking join forces to present their work together this year.
Godine Gallery Exhibit
Arthur Ganson In Person
In Events, Fun, Photography on April 11, 2010 at 7:06 pmI got the chance to meet famed New England artist Arthur Ganson at his Gestural Engineering exhibit at the MIT musem. In a rare opportunity, I was directly granted permission from the artist himself to video record his work in action (the MIT Museum normally does not allow video).
APMM 2010 is over, but still BUSY.
In APMM, Events on April 8, 2010 at 7:36 amThe Association of Professional Model Makers Conference was great. My presentation at Pecha Kucha got people interested in my various connections, especially Common Boston. Sapir and Andrzej of The TUTS approached me about getting involved with this year’s Common Boston Festival and expressed interest in my studies as a media and performing arts student at MassArt.
The rest of the conference was exciting with a tour of Hasbro and media-filled Cakemix Studios (I might apply someday), and RISD Architecture, I.D., and Furniture Departments. The Keynote Speaker, Neil Gershenfeld blew us away (video footage by Ian Deleon coming soon). Meeting new colleague model makers, while reacquainting with those I hadn’t seen since the last conference in 2008 was great. And the conference ended with a tour of Harvard’s GSD’s shop, the BRA’s City of Boston model at 1:40 scale, and MIT’s Museum, where we met and talked one-on-one with reknowned New England artist Arthur Ganson, and perused the MIT naval archives.
Possibly most exciting, through meeting Neil Gershenfeld, I met his students, Ilan Moyer (MIT Center for Bits and Atoms), and Natan Linder (MIT Media Lab). I’m investigating starting a relationship between MassArt SIM and MIT’s students. Neil is a huge open info sharing advocate, and hopefully with this attitude, that leaves an open field for collaboration.
Since then… Work has been busy and I’ve been working on my final project for my Flash class. Currently, I’m mentally preparing for an improv performance in class tomorrow. Wish me luck!
Presenting at Pecha Kucha Tonight!
In Events on March 25, 2010 at 2:06 pmTonight, in affiliation with APMM, I will be presenting “BUSY” at Pecha Kucha Night in Boston. It will be about all the things that keep me busy: Payette, MassArt SIM, Common Boston, and APMM. Preregistration is required: Word is, the event is already sold out. http://pechakuchaboston17.eventbrite.com/
Pecha Kucha Night is a world-wide phenomena, where artists and designers, get together and see individuals present 20 slides, 20 seconds each slide, on the topic of their choice: http://www.pecha-kucha.org/
New England Sculpture Service Tour
In Photography on March 17, 2010 at 7:01 pmGot a great tour of this foundry in Chelsea:
APMM T-Shirts Printed!
In Events, Volunteerism on March 17, 2010 at 6:23 pmThe T-shirts for the Association of Professional Model Makers 2010 conference (Revolutions in Model Making) are done! I designed the conference logo and Rocket Science Screenprinting of Somerville made the shirts.
First Assignment in Flash Games
In Flash, Fun, Interactive, MassArt on February 27, 2010 at 2:11 pmThis term, I’m taking a Flash Game Design course with instructor and SIM alum, Matt Moore. I just turned in my first design assignment last week:
|
This is the version I designed based on the files given to us. I made all the graphics, and some minor code tweaks. |
This is what we were given. A very basic Brick Breaker game, pre-made by our instructor. Bare bones. |
Click here to play the game: http://juliechen.net/flash/Cloud_Cleaner.html
Websites, Websites!
In Common Boston, MassArt, Volunteerism on February 26, 2010 at 8:14 amJust spent yesterday in meetings over the the new Common Boston website to roll-out in April, and the new MassArt Studio for Interrelated Media website to be in the works over the next year. GUI, CMS, WordPress, Drupal, oh my!
For Common Boston, I’ve been working with Gena Peditto to get the WordPress platform website for Common Boston ready in time for this year’s festival in June by helping with herding content from contributors, wireframing input, and now also developing the branding standards with designer Dana Busch. We’re going to put out a site with a blog to keep people up-to-date on festival developments, and invite some public comments on the events.
For SIM, I have been working as a coordinator with fellow student and programmer, Eric Ente, SIM faculty, Dana Moser, and SIM alum and current SIMsite designer-programmer, Matt Moore. We will be collecting student feedback on the current site, and ideas for the new one and developing an updated GUI and more accessible face on the public side for prospective employers, graduate school committees, residency judges, and prospective students, while showcasing some student work and giving students a more robust online site for collaboration and critique. Unfortunately, I am ineligible for work-study, so this is yet another voluntary position.
Now if only I had time to redo my own artist website…
m, a, n, t, r, a
In Events, MassArt on February 13, 2010 at 11:09 pmA participatory sound performance by Kevin Clancy. Kevin is a classmate, and he asked me to come document.
Selections 10
In Events, MassArt on February 11, 2010 at 11:01 pmArtwork by MassArt faculty current on view.
Solar Flower, Dan Roe
LG, You Lie!
In Gear on January 23, 2010 at 7:59 amI just got a new replacement phone from AT&T. It’s an LG CF360. It’s cute. BUT the LG “datasheet” lied about its accessories and capabilities. They claimed that there are 3.5mm adapters for listening to music. LIE. Once I got the phone, I started searching for the adapter. Non-existent. I talked to LG customer service. They told me to talk to AT&T. ?!?!?! (“YOU made the phone, YOU tell me how to make this work.”) AT&T didn’t know squat, of course. They said, you need to get an adapter (duh). I asked, “Where can I get one.” After going on their system, “They don’t exist” (double duh). I tried online again, and found multiple forum strings about the same issue (here’s one, and another). Other owners of this phone have tried buying various adapters from various sources and they don’t work. I have even just tried various headsets, and they don’t work either. What’s the point in having a music player if you can’t hook up listening devices? They expect us to play music on the dinky phone speaker? I’m never buying LG ever again.
Artists for Haiti Fundraiser Show
In Events, MassArt, Volunteerism on January 21, 2010 at 7:45 amMy department at school is having a fundraiser for Haitian relief next week, January 28th. There will be performances and an art and art services auction. The credo on the Haitian flag is “L’Union Fait La Force”, akin to “Unity Makes Strength. Even if you don’t buy art, please join us to show your support.
I volunteered to design the event graphics.
January 28, 7:30PM – 12:00AM
North Building, Tetlow Street
MassArt, 621 Huntington Ave.
Pork Shumai!
In General on January 17, 2010 at 4:54 pmSeth and I just watched “Simply Ming”, where we learned how to prepare Seth’s favorite Dim Sum dish, pork Shumai dumplings. We’re going to make these for a potluck.
Photo by Emily Sterne
WordPress vs. Blogger
In General on January 13, 2010 at 6:19 pmChristian wanted to know how I felt between WordPress and Blogger, and suggested I put my reply on my blog. Here’s my response: http://busyjulie.com/about/wordpress-versus-blogger/
What a blog post looks like from the inside
Common Boston is Getting a New Website
In Common Boston, Volunteerism on January 13, 2010 at 8:41 amGena Peditto and I are working on a brand-spanking new website for CommonBoston.org, with a new blog and several widgets. Gena has joined Common Boston and is rescuing me from the hand-coded website I’ve been maintaining for three years. We’re going to put it on a WordPress platform, so it’s easy to edit, post, and manage authors!
The final sketch for CommonBoston.org v2.0
Grades are In
In MassArt on January 12, 2010 at 9:19 pmI got my first grade report from MassArt today. I passed studio, obviously (SIM does not give out letter-grades). But I also got an A in “Intro to Western Art”!
Final Project for "Intro to Western Art"
Katie and Kamil: Wedding Highlights
In Events, Family, Photography on January 9, 2010 at 5:01 pmHere are my favorites of the photos I took of their wedding. 205 out of the roughly 1160 I took over those three days.
"We are family"
This was the largest wedding I had been asked to shoot, in terms of preparation. They wanted formal shots so I called their local camera shop and set up a softbox and stand for my flash. I made checklists of all the shots we wanted to get. I prepped my gear with my new camera, before we left Boston. Everything went fairly smoothly, besides not being warned that the ceremony was starting. Luckily Seth was poised and ready. Next wedding, I’ll ask for someone to tell me.
Christmas 2009
In Family, Photography on January 9, 2010 at 4:37 pmFinally got around to posting my photos from Xmas to flickr. These are the first from my new D90 (before Katie and Kamil’s wedding), which was good practice.
Phoebe checks out a gift for her.
Wintery Backyard
In Photography on January 8, 2010 at 10:23 amThe winter birds are back in town, though by the time I got my camera, they were too shy. I caught some other shots, though.
This guy managed to get a seat on the dish.
My Compy Is Dying
In Gear on January 7, 2010 at 11:37 amMy desktop computer handles my 6.1mp Nikon D70 image files, but struggles with D90 12mp files. It’s been dropping my USB connection to my back-up drives, and the sound card is on the fritz. It may be time for a new compy, like a custom Dell Studio 15, with the new Intel i7 quad-core, 6mb cache, and ATI Radeon HD GPU! Tax returns can’t come soon enough.
Katie and Kamil’s Wedding
In Events, Photography on January 7, 2010 at 8:38 amKatie and Kamil’s wedding photos are published on Flickr!
Katie and Kamil's Wedding: Collection on flickr
Katie, Seth’s cousin, asked me to shoot her wedding in Ann Arbor after she saw my recent photos of friends’ and family weddings. Seth was my assistant using my old D70. His photos are in a set in the collection.
Seth's photos of Katie's wedding on my flickr account
My New Toy: Nikon D90
In Gear on January 7, 2010 at 8:22 am
A most bodacious holiday gift to myself. Got this just in time for Katie and Kamil’s wedding. Loaded with 8gig Class-10 SDHC cards, and a new convertible tri/mono-pod. Plus, my new swank Swissgear DSLR purse for special occasions! I hate purses, and a camera-bag-purse is the only one I’ll ever own! I still have my day-backpack for hiking.
Day two of WordPress
In General on January 7, 2010 at 8:13 amI’m just adding posts to see how the blog will fill out in this theme. I looked through the 78 free themes, and debated which ones to use. In the end I decided this was the one for me because of the layout for my info pages, and there is no black frame around my flickr widget.
Old posts
In General on January 5, 2010 at 4:19 amHere are my posts from my previous manually coded blog, before I started using WordPress.
Last Day of Fall 09 SIM Sudio 12.10.2009
Today was the last day of SIM for 2009. It was a spectacular show. At the end, we had to bid farewell to some students, and our teacher, John Holland. I only had one semester with him in studio, but somehow it was enough for me to know I will miss his insight.
MassArt SIM Big Show 12.01.2009
This Thursday, December 3rd at the Godine Gallery and the Pozen Center at MassArt, SIM will have it’s semester Big Show showcasing SIM student work, including a static piece of mine called “Means to an End” which some of my coworkers helped with over Thanksgiving.
Poster by fellow student Kevin Clancy.
Mid-Semester at SIM 11.17.2009
I’ve presented three times so far at SIM. All my projects seemed to be well received, and I got a lot of good feedback. I found a linguist in San Francisco to collaborate with me on my CommonSpeech Project, which is great news. So progress will be made on that front very soon.
First Day at SIM 09.10.2009
I had my first day at SIM at MassArt. It was an inspiring day and has gotten me pumped to start my first project at SIM, CommonSpeech. I have started putting posters up around campus looking for volunteers who know foreign languages. If you speak a foreign language, you can help! Check the project page for updates.
Kennedy in Boston 08.27.2009
Crowds convened along the roads where the senator’s hearse, and the family cars drove from Hyannis Port through Boston, and on to the JFK Library. I managed a few shots in Fort Point Channel. I was so moved I couldn’t really focus on photography. Ted Kennedy Motorcade in Fort Point Channel.
Return from Honduras 07.14.2009
We got back Friday from our whirlwind trip to Honduras. Photos are gradually being loaded to flickr. Our trip was non-stop with Clint’s wedding, the military check-points, the political marches, the fire
across the street from our hotel, the off-roading in the rural countryside and such. But there was plenty of friendly people and interesting sites. I wouldn’t have missed any of it. It was a lesson in faith and humility.
Street Photography promotes community 06.23.2009
I just had my fourth class of Street Photography at MassArt with Amy Thompson. The question “What is Street Photography?” comes up often. Amy lets us answer it for ourselves. In my research I’ve found that there are two schools of thought: the candid approach, or the conversational/repore approach. I’m exploring the latter and finding that I am getting to know more
about Boston and its inhabitants than I would otherwise. This interview with Nils Jorgensen on the topic was interesting.
Common Boston Weekend 09 comes to an end 06.22.2009
Common Boston completes another another successful weekend of neighborhood events. And I can finally relax from maintaining the website (for a while).
But now I have to switch gears onto conference planning and newsletter editingfor the Association of Professional Model Makers…
“Mom’s Livingroom” 06.22.2009
I sent out my submission to the Attleboro Arts Museum show entitiled “HOME: A National Juried Exhibition of Origins, Places and Connections.” This diorama displays my mom in her most natural
state at her home, which was also my home for my late adolescence. Unfortunately, it was not accepted, however, I have an endearing physical memory of my mom in her space and time.
Human-powered Sewing 05.31.2009
My new, old treadle sewing machine! I finally hooked this baby up to the treadle after having it serviced and runs clean now.
Helping the Communities of Boston 05.06.2009
It’s getting close to cb09, and I am helping organizers prepare the festival website. I also met with artist Sarah Hutt to discuss ways she can go about improving her website.
Recognition for Mom 04.30.2009
My mom Peggy Chen, a paraprofessional at I.S. 96 in Brooklyn, NYC, received a recognition award for her 20+ years of service working with immigrants and special needs students.
MassArt Acceptance 04.24.2009
Below is a graphic from the acceptance package coverpage I received.
Rhizome App 04.09.2009
My proposal for the “Consider This: Subway” project has been submitted for Rhizome‘s 2010 commissions run. The concept is an interactive website where the public would vote bi-weekly on their top rated annoyances of riding the subway. Winning annoyances would be interpretted as caricatures in a subway car graphic. The website would also have stats and a blog to share stories.
New Website Posted 02.28.2009
After over two years, I have redesigned my website to be more concise and easier to update for me.
MassArt App 02.25.2009
I turned in my application to the SIM program. Wish me luck!
