Thursday, May 27, 2010

el F I N.

here are some things i've been working on these past few weeks.

modernity final: visual response to manet's - the ragpicker
screen print and some hand painting on wood

first stages
during
finished piece
detail
_______________________________
printmaking final
linoleum cuts printed on maps affixed to a lamp shade with hand stitching details
a bit of a close up
detail
______________________________
photo II final
______________________________

and after all this i'm... 

done

DONE

D O N E!

i am a senior in college. both freaky & fantastic.

this year was a difficult and almost never ending with challenges, but despite that, it's been one of the best i've had yet. and i can't wait for this next and last year as a college girl. 

thank you summer for f i n a l l y gracing me with your sweet presence. it's go time.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

home stretch

woah. i'm almost done.
with three classes done, two more crits, one more project to start & finish, one more paper and i am a senior in college. 
(nuts, completely nuts)


yet as i have a few free moments to sit still, all i want to do is crochet, watch friends and drink tea... all of which i did today. oops
i'm just so tired, i'm so ready to stop doing my best, i'm so ready to be a summer child that i let it beat me for a few hours...


this song was t h e best motivator today as i was working away on my printmaking final (that i finished, and its due tuesday, mega success)
____________________________


Come For Me - Charlie Hall


Jesus come take me away, I long to see Your face
This world is broken yet beautifully made,
Jesus come take me away
Jesus I’ll patiently wait, till like a vapor I’ll fade
Help me fulfill all your dreams for these days,
Jesus I’ll patiently wait

You’ll come again with a shout,
like a thief in the night you’ll come riding on clouds
Finally the voice I have followed for life
has a glorious face that is lit up with light
And you’ll come for me, no more pain, peace,
No more fear, release
just lost and consumed with my glorious King,

And you’ll come for me

Jesus today I am tired, I need your music to come and inspire
I give myself to be refined in this fire,
but Jesus today I’m so tired

Come for me

_________________________





and now after my few hour hiatus of movie watching with my high school girls, crochet & friends moments and giggle time with angela, nathan and christina... it's time to get it.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

... aaand breath out.

and just like that, weight off my shoulders.

after weeks of worrying, asking friends, asking professors, asking photographers, asking myself, asking anyone and everyone... i am proud finally breath out and say: i have an internship for the fall. [yesssss!]

with a photographer that i have heard nothing but great things about, in addition to his impressive body of work as well as great interactions i've had with him so far.
i can legitimately say that i am so stinkin excited.

in other news:

- it's dead week, and i am actually not dying yet, ha, just on an IV of diet coke and cat naps.

- still crossing my fingers for on campus job for the fall [think happy thoughts for me]

- my studio final projects are creepin up on me but aren't overwhelming which is a new feeling, i actually have a good handle on them and am happy with the way they're turning out so far, which is also a new feeling.

- i will be a senior in college in exactly 9 days. N U T S. who let this happen?

- the national is delicious, see for yourself down below:

Saturday, May 15, 2010

i have no idea.

its so funny how my mind works sometimes.

as i was sitting in the love nook, drinking tea, etching out my linoleum cut and watching gilmore girls i suddenly realized - i have no idea what i'm doing with my life.

it just sprung into my mind as if from no where and proceeded to stress the daylights out of me. within seconds my tea and homework became secondary to frantically googling photographers and their biographies, apartments in various cities, the average debt accrued from undergrad,  "how to be a grown up" (yeah, really - i goog'ed it) and statistics on employment for art students post grad. and let me tell ya, it's not pretty.

i've never been a long term planner, but its something i am getting a lot better at. i'm getting better at choosing an economical option that may be just as good, just not what i had dreamed or envisioned for myself.

the greatest advice my dad ever gave me that i will always remember - is nothing absurdly profound or brilliantly different than what i'm sure your fathers told you, but since my dear old dad, who is the wisest of the wise told me, i'll take it to the bank.

it went something like "don't take a job just because it makes more money. because no matter how much money you have, if you don't do what you love you will never be rich." see? its gold.

and because of that little nugget, i've always been a big dreamer. having no doubt that i will do exactly what it is that i want to be doing with my self. and that i won't settle for things that are not advantageous to that end. and for the most part i have.

i did the sports i wanted, had the friends i wanted, did the things i wanted, dated the guys i  wanted, went to the college i wanted, studied what i wanted, listen to the music i wanted, wore the clothes i wanted, went to the church i wanted, etc.

but i am graduating this time next spring and that f r e a k s me out because what if i won't get to do what it is that i want? i realize this sounds like a 5 yr old little punk that didn't get the barbie she wanted for her birthday. but if you know me, you will know that's not at all what i mean. i'm just terrified that i wont be able to pursue my dreams.

biggest current fear: what if i graduate and don't get to do photography? what if i get stuck in an office job i barely tolerate because its "smart" or "economical" and i never get out? what if i graduate and don't get to flesh out my passions, adventure, or pursue my dreams? what if i get so caught up in what i should do that i lose sight of what i desire to do and what God has created me to do?

after this craze, i sat and again realized - i am okay with having no idea what i'm doing with my life. seriously and truly okay.

because i know that there's a stirring in my soul that can't be quieted.

that there's a cause i must fight for, a passion i must pursue, a drive i can't ignore, and a God i live to serve that won't let my desires get trampled by cubicles, dingy coffee pots and clerical work without providing me a way to fulfill my kingdom potential.

so although i am terrified that i have no idea where i will be this time next year, i am confident that i will be somewhere and i will not be asking how i got there, i will be thankful for where i've been and where i'm going.

woah, all this from watching gilmore girls. nuts.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

i want to

yes, i would like to do that.


i want to play with my nephews.


i want to find good graffiti. 
i want to get a polaroid camera.

i want to listen to some good live music.

i want to make this.


i want these pandas.

i want to figure out how the heck to do this.

i want to live in a land where there are no wants, but only haves.
heaven sounds pretty great right now, more pretty great than usual. 
sweet jesus, bring us through.

Monday, May 10, 2010

bl[AH!] blah blah.

it is literally hard to believe how insane of a drop my motivation just made.
in a matter of three days i have completely lost all will to finish the semester.
in the middle of writing my art therapy paper that is due in an hour and a half,
i seriously considered taking a nap instead of finishing it. i even calculated what grade
i would get if i didn't turn it in. after realizing i would get a C in the class, i decided against
the nap.

clearly i am losing it.

all i can think about is summer, not being in school, working, playing, sleeping, not writing papers or being in class and basking in new opportunities.

but before that can i happen i have about a million hours of studio work to complete my 3 studio final projects, i have to sit through a few crits, write a few more papers, go to a few more chapels, move out, pack up my jeep to the brim, watch my friendies graduate (which will be one of the few pleasantries in this list), say goodbye to my church family and then make the long trek back home.

but hey, i've done it before, i'll do it again.
i just hope my summer fever cools down enough for me to stop and enjoy the grumblings i just droned about.
ok. im done ranting now. its go time.
more diet coke and art therapy treatment modalities on substance abuse preeese.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

mi mama

happy MOTHER's day. to the coolest mom on the block...


it's true. she is the coolest.
don't believe me? i'll prove it.

:: she knows how to party, the woman can dance
:: she's a snappy dresser and her hair always looks fab
:: she is aging super well, i now have grounds for hoping to always look 28
:: she can cook like nobody's business, and even makes stuff up, but never fails
:: she knows like, 5 languages i believe. nuts
:: she is the best grandma to the best nephews
:: she is hilarious and has the most absurd squeal of a laugh, its great
:: she doesn't mind that i am always all over the place, in every way, she encourages it
:: she actually understands me when i start to talk in art-language
:: she is great at life talks & listening
:: she is where i got my creativity
:: she is where i learned how to support & encourage
:: she (almost) always has everything under control, and will admit when she doesn't
:: she has an unnatural obsession with Italian-style house decorations
:: she somehow managed to make my siblings and i turn out right despite our best efforts
:: she is my friend & let's me vent
:: she is my momma and i like it that way

love you, lady!

Saturday, May 8, 2010

funny things {of life lately}


work bonding with kelsey at our last event
{as alex rapid fired away}

DC came to town and Sunny dropped by

and it was a throwback... a supremely golden oldie.

sam francis is the king of everything beautiful.

she is my favorite person to be 12 with.

attempting to make icing... although angela didn't quuuuite
know the recipe as well as she claimed. but its ok because
she makes killer watermelon cookies.

but the cookies came out well {before/after}, haha. ahh, classic.
lingerie love time for dearest shan

got some good loot

with good company
_________________________________

- unfun things:

:: its getting real hot in good old la mirada which means real hot walks to school and real hot nights with lots of fan blowin.

:: lots and lots of things due this week and next which means little sleep and not enough time.

:: i have to leave all my friends and church family soon. uprooting never gets easier.

:: life is stressful, and just full.

:: this summer will be busy, i still don't have an internship and my computer still decides to die 3 times daily.

:: i missed & will be missing my nephew's bday/grandpa's bday/mother's day/sister's birthday/parent's anniversary. being far is no fun.

:: still feeling like i have mono 2 or 3 times a week. lingering.

but in spite of it all, this is glorious:

"let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you i trust. make me know the way i should go for to you i lift up my soul." psalm 143:8

Thursday, May 6, 2010

i will, i will.

"I must create a system or be enslaved by another mans; 
I will not reason and compare: my business is to create. " 
{william blake}


this is wonderful. pleasing. calming. beautiful. peaceful.

...this also further reinforces my desire to learn to play the banjo 
and run around like a bear-footed gypsy child all summer. 
which i will do... in 3ish weeks.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Help a sistah out!

Hello my faithful friends,

As many of you may know, I have a this blog (duh, silly statement) in which I record life, thoughts, happenings and the general overflow that the walls of my mind can't keep in. 

But {here's the part where you get stoked} I've created another blog for a class project. That's right. Two blogs. I may be crazy, but I'm embracing it. This blog is a space for something entirely different, however.

For my Photo II class our final project involves exploring digital media and this new blog will be a reflection of my attempt at understanding digital media in our contemporary context.

I will do so by creating a process of taking 50 photos a day, posting them along with text/literature/music/video/scripture/media/news etc. to create a cohesive stream of thought. 

I can't guarantee it will all be great, but it will at least give me {and you, if you so desire} something to chew on and hopefully some pretty things will emerge along the way.

I hope you'll join me in this new little avenue of thought and art that I'm about to head towards. And please keep your eyes & minds peeled for any thing on here that may intrigue you.

And PLEASE feel free to comment as much as you like, it will be taken as a collaboration with my project that I would love to include.

So check it out >>HERE<< and see what I've got cookin' over there.

Thanks in advance, you guys are great!
See you here, and there...

xo, Rachel

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

either that or


i am currently in the midst of a massive case of writers block. either that or i am yet again a procrastinating fool. either that or i am a tired girl with wide eyes for summer.
at any rate, my eyes and mind needed a swift hiatus for something beautiful.

and when i crave beautiful & lovely things....


... this is where i go > > {photos curtsey of: athingfor}

no longer

no longer cringing
no longer tense
no longer avoiding
no longer spent.

no longer longing
no longer alert
no longer possessing
feelings of hurt.

no longer missing
no longer pained
no longer wishing
for what i once gained.

no longer burdened
by what i had lost
no longer dwelling
on what it cost.

no longer my problem
no longer my part
no longer affected by the cracks of my heart.

no longer am i tethered
no longer am i fearing
no longer am i unsure
that what took place was healing.
__________________________

"chains be broken
lives be healed
eyes be open
Christ is revealed."
{hillsong/hosea 6}

hallelujah.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Lawson Boyce McCord's SECOND glorious year in ze world!


Today my first little nephew is 2 years old!
{what!? nuts}


Let me just tell you about this miniature sized champ...

He is THE coolest kid you will ever meet 
{and his little bro, my other champ of 
a nephew Tanner, is fighting him for the title}

He is a little rugrat that can dance like nobody's business

He loves/has an outrageous obsession with balloons... a forbidden love affair


He can say everyones name, assorted tidbits of vocab and random slews of drunken stammers and emotional expressions that sound like real sentences. He's a chatterbox, regardless.

He is always on the move, gobbling about and knocking everything out of his path. Nuts

He is clearly the life of the party, I mean c'mon he's a McCord, but more like an uberMcCord... he tops us all on the entertainment charts

He's a lover, not a fighter, well sometimes a fighter. But mostly a lover.


He is the cutest child and I am confident he will grow up to be popular, sporty, kind and good at everything, a quality which every current 2 year old female in our zip code will both love & love to hate

He is the biggest giggler and hoots like an owl. No lie, melts me everytime

He calls me Aunt Ray and its probably the greatest nick name I've ever had, just because he's the only one that calls me that


He is a master of mischievousness. Clearly.


If he wasn't 2 years old I'm convinced he would be clinically insane. Haha.

He & Tanner make aunthood a dream. I cannot imagine my life without them in it. It would not be nearly as happy of a place.

Favorite memory: one time I was giving him a bath and he was in the middle of screaming with delight {because he loves baths} and he stopped, looked at me, and gave me the huuugest hug and continued giggling. LOVE.

Lawson, you are supremely rad & I love YOU! Always, always.


{back when he was a wee not even 1 yr old}


{he will be my assistant when I hit it big. Obv}

Saturday, May 1, 2010