Anticipation. Heat. Anxiety. Nervousness. Yes, is it possible to feel the exhaustion of working up until the night of an exhibition – even when students have been working all year on an exhibit? Absolutely yes. Many thoughts such as these and more were running through artists’ heads for the opening of the IB Visual Arts Exhibition Friday, April 01 before the very ribbon cutting ceremony. When the doors opened, a new world that redefined many of the artists was opened as well. If you have not seen this exhibit let me explain in detail, without spoiling the details.
First a small disclaimer – These were of such a personal nature, I found myself turning at every corner, and needing silence to let such personal aspects of the exhibits to soak in, yes – they reach you that deep if you let them. I noticed just after three exhibits I had to step outside and reflect but had such a hard time doing so. I think that is just a major quirk with this exhibit and me – when everyone left I stayed behind to go through again, the whole exhibit to really let it all soak in – by 5:30 I had the following realizations:
Kate – What jumped out at you was the intensity and details of something as simple as facial expressions, hands, fingers, the face, a new way of
defining a floral bouquet, and centered – a frame to view everything differently. The choice of colors to enhance many perspectives was truly uplifting – when you see the arrangement of cubes and how they can become anything, you realize the depth and thought of how much 
intensity, with a different perspective, can make a difference. She is able to do this and more when you find yourself in the center of this exhibit space, and the way she has it spaced? It surrounds you completely – it envelopes you.
Ximena – There is something to be said about Ying and Yang, and yet you see a balance of life, death, nature, the body, the soul. You see bright colors enhanced and bordered by 
colors and images that make you feel warm, yet wondering – what is life, truly? By focusing on so many different colors as well as images that represent those colors, you walk into Ximena’s exhibit and feel as if every image, every portrait, every scene, has a message that will be something that will go a year ahead of you. You find at every turn a refreshing chance to redefine something you think you know, but maybe realize there is something quite more. Allowing the spectator to see that there is always something more – that becomes an art within the art Ximena has created.
Camino – In knowing and examining Alexander Calder, you see some ideas that definitely come from this influence and yet, the rough edges, the sharp sides, the materials used, 
easily portray public pieces that could appear in the center of a town, and represent a life, an event, a time in history, and freeze the meaning of that into the very objects 
Camino has created. This might sound odd, but through various pieces, I received this image – the same type of image when children are measured by their height over the years on the wall as they grow? You go from piece to piece and see something that Camino has latched onto that has added to her growth as an artist, it just feels that was the case as you take in all the contrasting, yet, literal and telling pieces that extend into the world, beyond these exhibit walls.
Nicole – When you have someone not afraid to take risks you usually have a real message that sticks with you well beyond the initial reaction. Welcome to Nicole’s exhibit. Being able to take experiences that at one time challenged her, working through them, and 
funneling them into the exhibit here, I can’t even think of enough words to complement this process. You have to literally go from picture to picture to realize the person Nicole had to confront, herself, and how she translated what she learned into herself being represented in various ways, on all the walls of her exhibit. Harsh, biting, real, controversial, taking taboos and you realize the drug behind the literal definition Nicole refers to, is tied in with the everyday life we struggle with, celebrate, and overcome. Yes life is graphic, yes life is unpleasant at times, and Nicole rushes in with arms wide open, bravely, in light of these realizations. Her art is real, brave, confrontational and will force you to contemplate many issues as well as 
your stance on them. I had never heard of Drypoint Acrylic before, and – you HAVE to see what she does with this technique – the mix of what seems to be an X-ray mixed with what seems to be a window looking in – you just have to see this, a description does it no justice.
Domenica – Several themes pop out at you and yes, Salvador Dali comes to mine. This splashes of color, splashes of meaning, just come at you in all directions. Assortments, entanglements, meanings within meanings are searched at and searched for. Collections, and frames seem to hold ever-increasing meanings, ready to 
burst out. You find yourself not once or twice, but three and four times turning around and re-examining a work. You HAVE – H A V E to take in her sketch book and then you stand back and state – HOW can someone be able to put down such realistic interpretations? What talent to SAY THE LEAST. You are drawn into the pages then have to go back through the exhibit and take in the collections again to see how they have leaped out of the pages and onto the walls.
Patricia – You immediately want to find a couch and recline – taking in all the pieces. The color of the walls drawn you in to the browns, the office-like comfortable feel, the idea 
behind “Once Doesn’t Count” – you take this in as you keep looking from wall to wall to wall, “It Must Be?” – this is a very interesting question as you take all in around you, reflecting on these contemplative questions, to contemplative pieces. The browns seem to be naturally designed to go with the walls, everything invites you into the exhibit as one of the warmest rooms you have encountered, would do the same. The seemingly simple designs become more complex as you take in the arrangement, the crisscrossing patterns that seem simple, yet so complex at the same time. Every piece seems to hold a deeper message beyond the first glance.
Alexa – When you walk into Alexa’s exhibit you see that the only art is not the art that takes your breath away mounted. The art of designing a space to create a feel of the art that is contained between those very walls, that is an art itself. You see this in the real 
fashion not only from the way she is able to represent a dramatic rise of fabric that is expressive in itself, but when you see the largest representation on the facing wall – ou stop and just try to take it all in. 
The patterned strokes of blues, to yellows to green to tinges of red to more, you have to simply, stand there and Suppose. Period. It is amazing. The deep blues as a background to other pieces, the textures of strokes that leap out at you or drawn you into the waves of color, the boldness of the textures that combine with the sheer power of the colors – this is a return visit two or three times. The art of simply arranging the space to get this airy, creative, fresh feel is one that needs no walls, and you feel that talent as you walk in one side of the exhibit and out the other, and back through again to capture that feeling again. Something as personal as the sketches, writings, and lists that are provided in this exhibit let you realize the personal nature of this space. This becomes another layer of meaning for sure. The variety and complexity of so many pieces, so many materials, so many approaches, so many perspectives – it is difficult to not recognize how many different aspects to art are represented – and also to realize how much time it took to explore, as well as create so many. From photography, to fashion, to paint, to just the ability to explore the depths of texture and color, you leave with a rainbow of color in your mind and your soul, wanting more to take in.
Seven. This is only seven of many more to take in on a personal level. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post to see how much more depth the 2016 IB Visual Exhibition has gone into – and in the meantime, make sure you check it out in person as well.
When students at The American School Foundation in Mexico City go through the practice of 
I have always found the most personal gifts were those that seemed personal when given, this was one of the best received for sure. Having written in the book from ach of the staff that was pretty great alone, and seeing how much heart they put into the success of this trip was another conversation altogether. We truly could have received every award possible through CSPA but nothing truly embodies the feeling when we go to New York, as the staff themselves, what they bring to New York and how they define New York every year with their talents and abilities, it seemed their gift was emphasizing this again without them having to say a word and to say I was grateful, a HUGE understatement.
Valeria, Natalia, Alexa were able to shift the presentation from Wednesday to Friday to allow the double broadway show to occur, which alone was a stressful but well welcomed advent, and so all was set. In Hamilton 717 Dreaming Your Publication into Everyone’s Reality, 
took place, as well as in 516 all that is related to PR and Repentino.. 
Usher in the Font session with two very capable staffs and wow, the attendees kept coming in like a flood, and at one point, the red shirt assistants that help with technology had to place a sign saying session closed. Now seriously, on the last day of a conference you expect less that half being there and attending, and yet, the opposite happened with all session on this last day of CSPA. It seemed at moments this was the first day. The unique aspect of this session occurring was the usual impersonal topic of fonts being used and the ability of the staff to make it personal with all involved. Speaking of being involved, the second session actively let all staff be involved with the very concepts being introduced with fonts in the first session – and all were very willing to be involved and participate – another sign of a truly successful presentation.
to the top 
floor of soon to be exhibited Degas and 
well as the corner hotdog stand, 
and admiring New York at night, our last night in NYC.
onion rings, to fries, to sandwiches
to yes, the cheesecake 
that rivals the Empire State Building, we worked through the size as we took in all the autographed photos in the Carnegie Deli – and yes, some did take on the pickles that arrived as well.
at
, the music that resonated through you, hearing those near you aah and ooh at the sadness and beauty, you could have known every little detail of Phantom and still not be disappointed. I forgot alot about the small details, the clapping monkey that seemed to send out the whole theme of the musical, the lulling sound of 
We ended up purchasing a poster signed by the cast to represent the experience we had of getting the Phantom tickets and acheiving this at first seemingly disappointing letdown when we missed the time, and then we prevailed – so much is symbolic of what Repentino. has done in four years as a staff. Funny, the DAY we went, this Thursday, was the 1700th performance of the stage performer,
As hundreds of students streamed in, we went through a new system of registration machines and doing so electronically, I grabbed the necessary workshop booklets, lanyards, badges, the staffers arrived, they headed out to eat breakfast – I headed to Hamilton 717 to check out the equipment to ready for our two morning workshops with Alexandra, and then Alexa’s marathon session of three back to back workshops. All in all, it would be a challenging first day with the early hour, and the length of time we all had to present on the first day.
quarters to ask a myriad of cool questions and catch the night and cruise in a whole different way. From asking questions geared to what type of education was needed, to how someone not a captain obtained this job, (the assistant to the captain was from Dominican Republic area) – to the hardships, the best times of the season and more, the staff learned much from this seafaring staff! We also were able to take in a great mix of music thanks to requests from Alexa and Valeria, also a mix of potatoes, chicken, and many more dishes of very good food, and some desserts brought out. The views were phenomenal, and we just took in the views of Lady Liberty, 
and I thought of how much turmoil our country was in right now and I said a silent prayer to have things right themselves.
we had of New York at night in our minds. That was the last thing I remembered as my head hit the pillow.
grabbed anything we could to crank us into awake mode, and off to…
Trendy, upbeat, polished, professional. We spied Scholastic’s office and I entered there, loving the calendar of ideas left by children, the Harry Potter display, some great things happening. I enjoyed seeing the elements of classic bookstores that take their time to prepare books in their stores, and we came across a cool store one of the staff was shopping in, wooden floors, cool 80’s music, and just a sense of taking our time. This lulled us into a sense of slowing down and off to –
but no being able to wlak through the citie’s buildings and seeing the city from a different perspective, seeing everyon enjoy their meals in random places – this was what the highline was built for.
was unfortunately closed on Tuesdays but we did see how a factory style architecture was influenced by its neighborhood, from just the outside. WOW. When we saw how HUGE it was – hours, – it would have taken DAYS to get inside 😉 Maybe a blessing it was closed. Then we decided, the tree of us (2 staffers and me) to sit – and we headed to 
NPR to visit Mr. Robert Smith, Planet Money announcer. Whoa. Finding the building, across from the New York Public Library – not so easy – yet – there we were after an office request, and calling 
– The
and one amazing set of fries and the ‘Shroom burger, yes, one of the best stops in NYC, thank you Ms. Sordo!
forget. We headed out of the rain again back from the memorial, to the metro, to Grand Central Station. Always amazing and classic. 
some bad Mac & Cheese on the corner of 42nd – and some stumbled back onto the metro back, but we made it. CRASHING knowing, each day was filled to the max- despite a horrible weather day, we made sure NYC was capitalized on, and capitaized on it was. 🙂
The plane, the baggage, the boarding, all without incident. Passports and Korea, as well as making sure situations representing students from outside the U.S. from anywhere always can present a challenge, but yet, despite having to go back through immigration twice to make sure the correct copies of our SAAM form were stamped no biggie – it all worked! Yet, while at the airport in Mexico City, we ran into Dr. Lawrence’s brother, who had been here in Mexico for awhile and motivated us to capitalize on the assets we have inside ourselves – and do something to represent those very talents we are interested in and are good at. His motivation started alot of ideas for projects alone, and seeing him at the airport was fitting, as our Repentino. group believes in that mantra, and there he was – he was inspiring on many and glad we were able to see him off together!
, the Mint Milkshake (preparing for the Shamrock Shake!) provided us amazing fried Twinkies, Oreos and MORE – complimentary and on the house from the manager Jessica Cui. Between the service hospitality, and friendliness of Ms. Cui and Mr. Minaya, amazing. 
always amazing. Tons of shopping and seeing the staff in their element among the bright light and city – totally worth it 100%! We hit Wegman’s/Duane Reade for supplies, that followed an evening of seeing a Times Square full of excitement, and not alot of people. What am I forgetting? I am sure something about our visit, but I will be reminded before we go to Monday. But all of the potential this staff brings to New York, and really, the idea of New York itself I realized, was a great experience due to the staff that accompanied me each year – and not much can be said more about that. Great things are to come.
PAVEing a Blog 