Encounters Part One

Encounter One: My first encounter that I will never forget for the rest of my life happened on Friday when I was walking to the bank. Because I’m switching banks and don’t have a debit card, I have to physically go to the bank and withdraw money. The closest bank to the dorms is only two blocks away on West Randolf. Right before I walked into the door, this man comes up to me and says, “I love you. What is your name.” Astonished and confused, I said, “Tessa, and I don’t know you and you don’t know me, so you can’t love me.” I guess this really made him upset, because he  then proceeded to ask me out to coffee so that we can “get to know each other more”. Of course I said no, I would be an idiot if I had said yes. His name is Matt, and I’ve never had a good experience with boys named Matt. Now, this man name Matt thought we had so much in common just because we both go to an art school (he goes to Columbia). So I was annoyed, because I had to get money for the weekend and meet my sister back at my dorm at 4:30 so that we can go home for the night to wish my ma a happy birthday. It was around 4:15, and he is still holding me up. I tell him I have to go and of course he pulls out the usual guy move and asks for my number. That is the point when a girl should walk away from any guy that proclaims his love for her in the first five seconds of seeing each other. SOOO I walk into the bank and have a nice conversation with the bank teller and security guard, and I’m on my way back to the dorms. DUN DUN DUN!!!!!! He’s out there…screaming and proclaiming his dire love for me again.

A Brief Observation: After seeing the indie documentary film, Exit Through the Gift Shop, not only did I find new artists that I’m obsessed with, but now I’m paying more attention to street art in general. I live in Berwyn, Il, which is about 15 minuets from Chicago. Now, we have train tracks that divide the town, so I encounter freight trains time after time again. I’ve always noticed the graffiti art that is all over the train cars, but I never really got into it. Yeah, the designs, fonts, and colors can be pretty wicked, but something was missing. And that something was street artists like Banksy and the Space Invader. Seeing what they do and the process they go through just to get their art out in the world is just flat out amazing to me. I can relate this movie back to Chicago, because on the BNSF Metra going into Union Station, there is the best street art ever! For example, there are all these different kind of owls, both big and small, all over the cement walls. These owls are painting in white with black accents, and you can really tell the work that was put into making them. But it’s not only pictures, it’s also inspiring words and messages. Small things like “Forgive” and “Love” really make you feel like making a change in yourself and the people and world around you. And that’s the thing I love about street art, the impact it leaves on you. When I was driving past Harpo Studios on West Randolf yesterday, I saw these sick pieces of art on the side of a building. One that really stuck out to me looked like a weird version of Humpty Dumpy. It was just too cool!! There were several other ones on the same wall, but that was the one that specifically stood out to me. I also went on the Banksy website, and found out there is one in Chicago!!!! It’s by the Sears Tower, so wish me luck in my search for it!

My Last Observation: So I go to an art school. I highly expected mass amounts of smokers. But they piss me off way more than I thought they would. Wednesday I have my favorite class, my nine to four painting class taught by Roxie, the coolest painting teacher ever. Anyways, I love this class so much because it is so relaxing! I turn my iPod on and just paint; it is very freeing. So because this class is at the Columbus Building and we only have an hour for lunch, I pack my lunch in my nifty Harry Potter lunchbox. Since I’m from Chicago, I know all about the limited days of nice weather, so I eat my lunch outside as much as possible to soak it all in. I go out side to eat on a bench in the pit, and OH MY GOSH. I hate the smell of cigarette smoke so much, but I have no where else to eat. So as I’m eating my peanut butter sandwich, I decide to people watch. This is how a typical stupid artist smokes to look cool: Step One: Light an American Spirit cigarette because it’s “organic and less harmful.” NEWSFLASH PEOPLE: A cigarette is a cigarette, you’re going to die of lung cancer no matter if it’s made with or without “organic” products. Step Two: Take one drag, and then just hold the cigarette at your side and look out into the distance so that you look like you’re thinking about something so amazing. Step Three: Because the artist was sitting there and thinking about life, his/her cigarette ran out, so they put it out. HAHAHAHAH. I don’t get why they spend $10 a pack just to look like a typical artists. Ah well, this was a funny observation and really made me laugh. But then again, how stupid did I look to them as I ate my lunch from a Harry Potter lunchbox?