I don't know what to write for the title.

Today was interesting.. I worked on the research side of my project for my photography class. I am very excited about it. I also went to the video store, they still sell VHS tapes!!!!! This was a shocking moment for me. Then this evening I spent over an hour putting my computer chair together from IKEA before realizing that there were instructions in the box, not a proud moment. But all is well on this side of the pond. I am hearing great things about what is going on with Senior Orals, so congrats to them! I am also going to try and conference in for another night, although staying up until 4am (my time) and getting up by 630 has made this an interesting week.. I think that I have been lucky not to get hit by one of the trams on my way into the studio... sleep walking and all..

Okay, well more to come later.. Have a pleasant week!

2nd week!

I am now into my second week in Antwerp.. sorry I have not been updating this as much as I should.. there is just so much to see here! Everything is going really great.. I love my studio space, it is amazing not having to clean up and pack up my work every night..just being able to come back the next morning and pick up where I left off..

I am working on several new pieces.. the only thing that I am really missing about the states right now is home depot, finding wood here is not the easiest thing I have ever done..but everything is working out in that area now. I went to the new exhibitions showing in the galleries here, the big opening night was thursday. It was really great to get out to some more galleries.. and they are only about 5 blocks from my apartment! I also made it to the contemporary art museum.. There were a lot of video and photo pieces. Some sculpture, but not any paintings.. The galleries had every kind of work imaginable.. Joris had his opening Thursday as well and I made it to that. You can definitely see the historical background in the work here.. it is very different from what I have been seeing going on in New York and at Art Basel. 

I really like the students that I am in classes with, they are trying their best with english for me, so that is hospitable of them. There is a turkish tea place that I go to by campus pretty much every day... awesome tea.. I am going to go to the french cafe some time this week bradley..so no worries, I will try not to play favorites yet.. I have not been lost in almost a week and I take the tram to campus everyday... I am figuring everything out okay, so don't worry. Humm.. okay, it is really hard to talk about yourself this much, so that is all for now.. I will put some pictures up to help satisfy any lingering wonderings..

  

January 17

<<< Robert Bouwen's painting
I went to the Robert Bouwen opening at the (s)anders gallery today with a couple of girls from my classes... The show was called "bloody ex". I liked some of the aspects of his work, I liked the hard black line that he put outlining some of the figures, it extended from the black borders that come further into the picture plane off of the canvas edge. But overall, it seemed a bit illustrative and just showing off technical skill just because he has it... But the opening was fun. We went to get coffee after and then to dinner. We also saw a man on a uni-cycle juggling flaming torches... that was unexpected.. Other than the fact that I didn't actually want him to get hurt, I thought that he was asking for it a bit by being 10 feet in the air on a uni-cycle and asking this pedestrian to throw flaming torches at him! He was pretty funny though. This thursday is the main opening for the galleries here in Antwerp, so we will all go around to those together. Tomorrow is my first day at the studio. I am looking forward to that.. I rode on a tram today, I think I ended up taking one that took me further away from my apartment, but that is okay, I eventually found my way back... I am looking forward to tomorrow... talk to you soon... 

Rainy Day in Antwerp

I went to the art supply store, De Wieuw, today... it was huge! Probably 5x the size of Art and Frame, which was surprising considering how small most of the shops and things are here. It is very rainy here today, but it is nice. Well, I am off to paint, talk with you all soon.. 

Dannielle

Hello All, 

This is the awesome view from my apartment... :) I went out at like seven this morning to head to the grocery store and planed to make breakfast... Turns out the grocery store did not open until nine, but that is okay because I got lost for two hours.. I did eventually find a shop, so that was nice.. had eggs.. they were great.. I am completely unpacked and settled in now and am heading to the school to meet up with Frank and possibly Joris at noon today.. Still going to try and make it to the Contemporary Art Museum this afternoon... but it depends on how long we are at campus today... I do not want to seem like a tourist and therefore took a picture of my map with my camera and then can just zoom in on the streets from my camera screen. Do camera's look less touristy than maps??... Humm.. Well I am going to go back out and get my tram tickets for class... Talk to you guys later :) 

Just arrived! :)

I just wanted to let you know that I have arrived in Antwerp!!!!!! I am tired but really excited! My apartment is awesome, on the top floor (5th), I can see all kinds of cathedrals and other amazing buildings from my window! Frank picked us up from the airport this morning and helped us get all of our luggage and everything up to our rooms. Met some of the other people who live in the building, they are really nice... :) I have talked with some of the students in my classes at Sint Lucas and we are all going to a gallery together on Sunday  before the semester starts... I am looking forward to that. Also saw where the Contemporary Art Museum is here and it is really close to where I am living, I am going to go check that out tomorrow! Very exciting! I got a sim card for the phone Ann let me borrow, so that is working and I have my internet and everything going here so I can talk with you guys. I am going to get unpacked and then go to the market on the corner to get some food for the kitchen.. The shower is in the kitchen and the toilet is in the closet in the hall... I thought that was funny! My heater is not working, but one of the guys on my floor let me use his space heater until they can fix mine, I will call them tomorrow. I went exploring this afternoon and saw the town square and the big cathedrals.. It is such a beautiful city! The weather is really not bad, a little chilly but the buildings are so tall they block most of the wind. I am going to the school tomorrow and then on to the museum... Definitely still jetlagged... but am going to try and get a couple hours of sleep before heading out for the day.. we are six hours ahead here so it is not quite 430 in the morning... ugh.. But today was great and I am looking forward to tomorrow... 

Lots of Love, 

Dannielle