I wood rather take a break from grad school life. After a busy, non-stop work week, I took some time on Friday night to work on a project for my Amanda Joy in North Carolina. Another Maui native far from home, this is getting to her via snail-mail. Once she see’s the final thing, so will you.

This is “Spice Field”, an interactive project by fellow MFA D+T candidate Amira Anne Pettus. If you think this looks beautiful, you are missing out on the smell of it. I can definitely not do this justice, but watch how some people interacted with this by watching her video.  Hopefully we can all see this again, bigger and better.

Art friends, Allie, Amy & I have had our little “Coast to Coast”  blog project going for just about two weeks and I have to admit–I love it! We do a pretty good job keeping in touch, but now we can see what we are all looking at while being miles and miles away.  A great little side thing just for us and anyone else interested in our journeys.

I love seeing California, even when I am not there. Pasadena, CA | April 11, 2012 | 9:30AM & 3:00PM photo by Alexandra Noel

The MetLife Tower, was the tallest building in the world for three years until 1913. Amazing that almost 100 years…

Image from my most recent post on Power Strip design. [Sources: Top Left to right: Quirky, MetaEfficient, New Idea, The Daily Green,Quirky]

Currently at Parsons, I am branching out of my MFA Design + Technology bubble and taking a class called “Design & Blogs.” One of the main purposes of the course is to have students create and sustain a blog over the course of the semester.  Our class, composed of 10 talented women and headed by our professor Jonathan Y. Bean, started the class blog called “Overlooked, Undesigned” where we critique and/or commend the design of everyday objects that might be under the radar . There are posts about stickers, headphones, hangers, sticky notes, bathroom items–basic goods from the everyday experience.

I have written four posts.  The latest went up this morning titled, “I need the power! (and so do you, and you, and you…).” Sparked by the daily frustration the D+T’ers go through in our 12th Floor space as we fight for power outlets and power strips to charge our constantly working laptops.  This experience, having to formulate ideas and writing has been extremely valuable for me.  Meeting deadlines make me think quick and opens my eyes to the overlooked and possibly undesigned objects out there.  Maybe after you read a few (or all) of the posts you will also reconsider some of your “Overlooked, Undesigned” objects. Enjoy!

When the breakfast cart outside your window consistently open for business before you head to bed, that may indicate a…

The view from Queens to Manhattan. Notice the Empire State Building on the far right–3 pastel-ish Easter hues?

This picture has found its home today on my Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, AND tumblr. So, what better way to complete…

Multi-tasking while listening to a lecture on Japanese influenced American Pottery at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s American Wing balcony. This week has been rough so I am happy to have warm weather and sun on my side today.

March has flown by, and its finally APRIL. Where is time going? Aside from sleepless nights, busy days, and challenging my brain, I have had the pleasure to get together with good friends, Allie Noel and Amy Abito  to compose our very own tumblr–Coast to Coast, a combination of photography and text taking you through our individual journey’s as artists and students.

Although separated by great distances, the three of us want to remain connected through the one thing that brought us together–art. Whether it is photography, design, or the art of writing, we not only want to make an effort to stay in touch with each other’s creative journey’s but share our experiences with family and friends.

Amy is the working girl, while Allie and I are “starving artists,” further defined by Allie as:

Pre-grad school: artist (n.) a person who practices any of the various creative arts, such as a sculptor, novelist, poet, or filmmaker…

Grad school: artist (n.) … +art critic, historian, writer, philosopher, psychologist, gas guzzler, gallery hopper, studio dweller, sandwich maker, and loan lover.

Expect to see some beautiful photos as these are two inspiring and creative ladies who got me through and encouraged me in San Diego.  We are all equally excited to stay in touch and share what we see with all of you!

First day of March, already? I’m surprised too.This was a good time to stop and take a look at what I’ve done so far. From Maui to the mainland,  2012 has delivered a good number of highlights. March on.

(From left to right: Madison Square Park, NYC; Tiffany & Co., Wall Street; Broadway & Fulton St; Flying over Lana’i; Central Park; Kahului; On the 405, LA; UCLA; Walking through Westwood, CA)