Blog Personality: Alex

Oh, hey! I'm Alex and I too will be contributing to this visually-focused blog. I'm a junior at Tufts in Somerville, MA, majoring in Art History with a minor in Studio Art. You can probably expect some commentary on the Experimental Drawing and Portrait Painting classes I'm taking, since we're doing some really interesting stuff! I'm also taking a class on medieval Armenian art, a topic not too many people know about or study, but it's a really cool blend of Classical, Persian, and Christian influences. Plus, being a great admirer of Japanese culture, I'm taking a seminar on Ukiyo ("The Floating World") and we are looking at everything from literature to prints to fashion to erotica. Good times! And Learning!

I am mostly into art from 1800s and on. I love anything that's expressive and textured and encompassing and slightly dark or fantastic. I've been getting more into installation and mixed-media artists recently, with help from the internet and museums like the ICA. Incidentally, visiting museums is one of my favourite activities, and I'm hoping writing about my experiences will encourage me to go as much as I'd like to.

Other stuff I'm into/likely to talk about: German art (I'll be in Germany next semester so you'll hear tons about it then), performance and video, cinematography, Surrealism, Da Da, Dutch art, collage, graphic design, outsider art, light art, and animation.

I'm also really interested in comic book art, from standard Marvel and DC to the experimental and independent. Lately I've been reading Scott Pilgrim, the Flight anthology, and New Exiles, which all have very different styles. Comic art has influenced my own drawing style a lot and I love exploring its connections to and influences drawn from other mediums and genres.

I'm looking forward to exploring the boundaries of "visual culture" (if any) and incorporating all I'm learning and seeing into one ongoing discussion.

Anyway I guess that's me. Sorry to be long-winded but if you wanted to you could have just skipped the text and looked at the pictures.

Blog Personality: Jess

Hey there.

I'm Jess, one of the bloggers for this all-new site run by Tufts students for everything art and design-related. I'll tell you a little about myself, art-wise, so that you'll get an idea of what type of posts you can expect from me. We'll call this my "blog personality."

I'm a junior at Tufts and currently reside in Somerville, MA.


I'm an Art History and English major, so I love combining visual and literature studies. Expect a hearty mix of images and words-I believe the two work wonders together.

A few classes I'm enrolled in might come in handy or inspire some discussion and ideas. They are: Postmodern Art, Arts of Asia, a figure drawing class, and Hitchcock Film.


Right now, I'm interested especially in postmodernism, buddhism, street art, transitory artwork, photography (especially portraits), medieval pilgrimage and spiritual art, visually intriguing films, and the mixture and juxtaposition of ancient and contemporary works.

Some of my favorite artists of all time include:

Kandinsky, because of the meditative nature of his paintings and the fact that they are just so fun.


Andy Goldsworthy, for letting his works fall to pieces, accepting art as a process and not an achievement, and having the most patience I've ever seen. He epitomizes the idea that "nothing is precious." This is also, by the way, a phrase that art teachers love to use before they throw red paint onto an uptight artwork!


I recently traveled to Italy and somehow fit in more cathedrals and art museums than I can count on my hands and toes combined! I'll hopefully return there in the spring to study abroad. Anticipate Italian works later!


Art is a place. Is art Boston? Is it Europe? Your backyard? Something less tangible? Like a game of "Where's Waldo?" you never quite know when and where art will turn up. We'll be looking.