I'm Just About to Get Skinny

I'm Just a Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:29:00 +0000

I'm Just a Girl

I'm creating a new series of work that deals with body, gender, and identity. So far the focus is on how gender and sexuality determine our rights as human beings. This is one of the still photographs. I'm creating video work as well (for an exhibition in October), and I'll post that after the exhibition is up.

Digital Art LA

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:36:00 +0000

I'm really excited about Digital Art LA next week! This is my first show here in Los Angeles. Here is the info.

Digital Art LA
August 13-15, 2009
Opening Reception: Thursday August 13, 7-9pm, LACDA

Come downtown this August and view new media exhibits by select area galleries, theaters, and venues near L.A. Center for Digital Art in Gallery Row. Many venues will host screenings and exhibits for major out of area institutions including California Museum of Photography, Laznia Centre for Contemporary Art (Danzig, Poland), Grammy Museum, Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Davis Museum (Barcelona) and Downtown Film Festival - Los Angeles. Experience video and interactive installations at the Rowan Gallery, and video projection by Niche.LA Video Art. As well there will be an international new media exhibit of juried submissions hosted by LACDA selected by Rita Gonzalez of the L.A. County Museum of Art (LACMA).

One of my videos was chosen for the juried show, which will be shown at LACDA and also down the street in the Rowan Gallery.

If you're in town, stop by during the 3 day festival. We expect around 4000 people just on Thursday night. It'll be a rockin' night!

And we're off!

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 22:49:00 +0000

SecondHand is officially underway! We've had a good response so far and almost no technical issues. Knock on wood!

More video responses will come in as schedules allow. This functions like a live performance for those who are present in the space.

Follow along on the inter.sect Art Collective site, or search 12seconds.tv for SecondHand, or follow the #secondhand hashtag here.

SecondHand List of Artists/Participants/Performers

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:48:00 +0000

Here is a list of the artists/participants for SecondHand. We might have more signing up, and I'll add them here. LeeAnn Harrington changed her 12sec username, and Cynthia Lewis changed her Facebook name, so double check those.

If anyone wants to join us after we start, that's perfectly fine. This is not a cut-off list. This is just so you can connect with one another, which will make the performance much more successful.

You may check back here for updates, or you can check the inter.sect Art Collective blog at http://intersectartcollective.com/ Please make sure you've read the "more info" post to make sure you're up to speed.

Okay - expect a prompt around 8ish PST tomorrow morning! Here we go! :)

Christi Nielsen - Founder and Director
12sec: christinielsen
twitter: christinielsen
facebook: christinielsen
seesmic: christinielsen
friendfeed: christinielsen
flickr: christinielsen

Peter
12sec: @ciccariello
twitter: @ciccariello
facebook: Peter Ciccariello
location: Providence, RI

Anne
12sec: annabelle
twitter: darkrosaleen
location: Canada

Anthony Fontana
12sec: anthonyfontana
twitter: @anthonyfontana
Facebook, Seesmic, FriendFeed
location: Toledo, Ohio, US
anthonyfontana.com

Manuel Pecina
12sec: decicco
Twitter: DeCicco
Facebook: Manuel Pecina
location: Dallas

Mona
12seconds: Monaism
Twitter: Monaism
location: TX

Shelby Cunningham
12sec: yayasheshe
twitter: yayasheshe
facebook: shelby cunningham
location: Dallas, TX

Jonny Gray (a.k.a. "Bungy" or "Bungy32" or variant)
12sec: Bungy32
Twitter: Bungy32
Facebook: Jonny Gray
Ravelry: Bungy
FriendFeed: Bungy32
Flickr: Bungy032
location: Makanda, IL (USA)
http://bungynotes.blogspot.com/

Cynthia Lewis
12sec: cynthialewis
twitter: arialoracle
facebook: cy.lewis
location: Fort Worth, TX
http://www.cynthialewisstudio.com/

Kyle Kondas
12sec: kyle1point0
twitter: kyle1point0
seesmic: kyle1point0
Facebook: search for Kyle Kondas
friendfeed: kyle1point0
location: Dallas, Tx

Vanessa VanAlstyne
12sec: VanessaVanAlstyne
Twitter: Vanessavan
Facebook: search for Vanessa VanAlstyne
location: Houston, TX

Sheila Cunningham
12sec: SheilaCunningham
Twitter: @SheilaC
Facebook: sheila.cunningham
Seesmic: sheilacunningham
location: Dallas, TX

Betsy Lewis
12sec: blewis
Facebook: Betsy Lewis
location: Dallas, Texas

Dean Terry
12sec: therefore
twitter: therefore
location: Dallas, Los Angeles
deanterry.com

Michele Atwater
12sec: matwater213
twitter: matwater213
facebook: michele213
flickr: matwater213
blip.fm: matwater213
skype: Michele Atwater
location: Pasadena, MD

Elizabeth Alavi
12sec: ElizabethAlavi
facebook: Elizabeth Alavi
Blogger: Elizabeth Alavi
seesmic: elizamouse98
flickr: elizamouse
location: Dallas, TX

More SecondHand Info

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:32:00 +0000

For those participating in SecondHand, here is some additional information:

I will post a 12second video with the prompt 3 times a day. That video will automatically be sent to twitter and facebook. I will also send each of you an @msg on twitter to make sure you receive the prompt.

Here is what you do:
1 - Watch the prompt on 12seconds.
2 - Respond by creating a video on your channel. If you make a video reply to my post, then it will show up under my initial video. It's no big deal if that happens. But if you want to make sure all of your video responses show up as posts on your channel, then create one of your own. Let me know if this doesn't make sense. Please remember to copy and paste (or type) my title and tags so all the videos will show up in a search.

Don't get too stressed about this. This is supposed to be fun! Things will go wrong just like any exhibition. No worries.

Remember - it's totally up to you how to interpret/translate. Try not to limit yourself with rules. You might find yourself thinking, "I can't do that in 12 seconds." My response would be.. Who said you could only respond once? ;-) See what I mean?

Is there one central location for all of this? Yes and no.

Please remember that 12seconds is not set up like Seesmic was. This will not be neatly contained in one thread. But that's part of it. It functions much like status updates that can get buried but are searchable through hashtags. To make sure it's searchable, be sure to use my titles and tags.

I will post updates and such about the show on my blog, but I have also created a blog where everyone's channel will be displayed. http://intersectartcollective.com/
Please go to your 12seconds channel. Go to the bottom of the page and click on widgets. Choose the larger version on the left (12seconds FAT). Copy and paste the code below the images and send to me at crnielsen@gmail.com. Please include your name. You do not have to do this if you don't want me to display your channel. I'm only doing this so there is one central location for people to see the videos.

Here is a video on Seesmic about all of this if you want to watch. The first one is long, the second is short. Please watch both.
http://seesmic.com/videos/M6WzxSlRkR
http://seesmic.com/videos/Fnr80kWo5o

Are you excited yet?!? :)

hopes/dreams/fears

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:52:00 +0000

This is another new media project I'm involved with. Inny described it so perfectly, I'm using her blog post....

@Platea are launching Project III: hopes/dreams/fears. This time is it not a performance in the way that Co-Modify was, more of a participatory art project. There isn't the sustained performance aspect this time, cos we know you're busy people! You can take part once, or many times. It's entirely up to you.

An Xiao and the @Platea steering committee will be collecting people's hopes, dreams, and fears in the form of status updates. We'll be doing it in real life at gatherings of people (from festivals to dinner parties) and also online in forum groups. The status updates will appear during July on a special facebook page, so you can see the hopes, dreams, and fears of people all round the world.

If you'd like to take part, all you have to do is:

1. Fill out the form here (you can do this anonymously or using a pseudonym if you would prefer).

2. Join the hopes/dreams/fears Facebook group.

3. Wait to see yours and others' hopes, dreams, and fears broadcast over the next month and a half in your Facebook feed.

"hopes/dreams/fears" begins in New York City on June 12 during the FIGMENT NYC arts festival on Governor's Island and it runs till the end of July with participants across the world. Members of online public art collective @Platea are gathering individuals' hopes, dreams, and fears in the form of status update language (i.e., "Jessica hopes that she graduates with honors next year." "Red fears he might lose his job due to the recession."). These will then be broadcast to a broader audience via a Facebook page, with the goal of uniting diverse groups via social media and offering a collective picture of communities' hopes, dreams and fears during this time of economic crisis and transition.

There's lots more about @Platea if you visit http://plateastweets.blogspot.com

SecondHand Exhibition - Open Call for Participation

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:16:00 +0000

***update***
Some folks are asking for some clarification because this is a lot of info. I made a video on Seesmic that will hopefully help explain. Let me know if you have more questions! http://seesmic.com/videos/ngxbVJcPWi
*****

I created Inter.sect Art Collective, a group of artists using new media platforms to explore digital exhibition spaces outside the traditional gallery model, during a graduate class called MobileLab. We began experimenting with art that resulted from the interruptions and connections via the mobile phone. I sent the group random found text via text messages on the mobile device, something from a billboard, a newspaper, a bumper sticker, a poem. The artists then translated that text into visual imagery, emailed the video to a server where it was projected in real time to a physical gallery space. It was an interruption that resulted in entwined interpretations. Inter.sect participated in Real Time at the Dallas Contemporary, and the exhibition traveled to Pocket Films Festival at the Pompidou Centre in Paris.

The collective’s most recent project was on Seesmic, turning a video chat application into an online international exhibition space. TimeFrame lasted 72 hours, connecting artist and audience in an interactive interpretation of the bizarre element of time found on sites like Seesmic where different moments, hours, or even days happen at the same instant on the individual timeline.

SecondHand
Inter.sect now presents an open invitation for participation in SecondHand. Anyone is welcome to join. This performance will take place on 12seconds.tv during the week of June 19-26. We will revisit the idea of translating a prompt into visual imagery. But this time, the prompt will come from random text found in secondhand conversations via online status updates. I may find these on Twitter, Facebook, or other social networking sites.

We seem to believe that we can still express ourselves with shorter and shorter strings of text. The initial frustration of limited characters eventually evolves into an appreciation of the requirement to be succinct. Can our artistic expression be filtered in the same way? Would we still call it art even though it only took 12 seconds? One of my painting professors always liked to call assignments “problems” in order to make us think of ways to solve them. So let’s have fun solving this one!

How to Participate
Ready for the challenge? Anyone can join.

1. Sign up for a free account on 12seconds.tv.

2. Post the following in the comments section of this post:

Name (first name or pseudonym is fine)
Your 12seconds.tv account username
Your Twitter account username – highly recommended but not required
Other social networking sites you use that you want listed – only so artists may follow each other. Facebook, Seesmic, Tumblr, etc.
Where you are – not required, but would be interesting info. City, State, Country-whatever you feel comfortable with.

If you cannot comment, no worries! You can send your info to me on twitter (@christinielsen) or send an email with SecondHand Exhibition in the subject line to crnielsen(at)gmail(dot)com. I’ll post the info here for you.

3. Follow me on 12seconds.tv (christinielsen) as well as on twitter (@christinielsen) if you have an account.

The exhibition will be much more successful if all performers follow each other on 12seconds.tv. If you have a twitter account or other social networking sites, I highly recommend using the setting that will post your 12seconds video to those accounts. This gives the audience a much better chance of seeing the work and interacting with it. I also recommend following each other on twitter or other sites so that you receive notices and reminders to post.

4. By Wednesday, June 17, I’ll post a list of participants with usernames so you all can follow each other.

5. Beginning June 19, you will receive 3 prompts per day (don’t worry – these are very short responses). I will initially reveal the prompt on 12seconds.tv which will auto-post to Twitter as well as Facebook. I will also send each of you the prompt via an @reply on twitter if you list an account. This way you’ll be notified and won’t miss the prompt if you’re away from the computer for awhile.

You will then translate it visually (on 12seconds) using either a webcam, a mobile device, or even an edited file that may be uploaded. These will be very quick responses that mimic the micro-blog style of communication. You may make as many video responses as you like for each prompt. The interpretation or translation is entirely up to you. Narrative, non-linear, abstraction, video art, performance, music, etc. Many of the original core members of Inter.sect will also be participating, so you’ll have a few examples to start if need be. Do take time to think about your response. You ARE posting a work of art. Or… perhaps the performance as a whole becomes the work of art. You, as the artists, will define this during the week.

I will be posting updates here during the week, and I’ll do my best to see everything. But if I miss something you feel needs to be mentioned, let me know so I can get it on the blog. Also – you can embed your 12seconds videos on your own site if you want to document your performance!

If you want to see an example of how some of the original members responded when we used mobile devices and text messages, you may watch this video. This installation was edited and shown at the Dallas Museum of Art. Performances after this installation have all been done in real time.

If you want to see an example of the TimeFrame exhibition on Seesmic, click here. This exhibition was not based on prompts, but you can get a sense of the online format with audience interaction.

This will be a lot of fun and a great chance for you to experiment with new media. Join us for SecondHand! I’m sure there will be lots of questions. Feel free to ask. Cheers!

***update***
Here is my info for you.
12seconds - christinielsen
Twitter - christinielsen
Seesmic - christinielsen
Facebook - Search for Christi Nielsen
Los Angeles

***update***
Some folks are asking for some clarification because this is a lot of info. I made a video on Seesmic that will hopefully help explain. Let me know if you have more questions! http://seesmic.com/videos/ngxbVJcPWi

Need your input for my next video piece

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Mon, 25 May 2009 19:05:00 +0000

*****Update: Evidently Google Friend Connect polls no workie. So I've removed the poll. Please just comment on this post with the word or words that you associate with femininity/masculinity, ideal female/ideal male. Thanks everyone!******

I'm working on a new video project that deals with text, body, and gender. I would really appreciate it if you would participate in a poll that merely asks for words that you associate with femininity/masculinity, ideal female/ideal male. The poll is right over on my side bar to the right. You'll need to sign in to Google Friend Connect (right above the poll) to vote.

If you don't want to vote through Google Friend Connect, you can just leave a comment on this post.

I will not use anyone's name or identity in the video. I just need words.

Thanks much!

Co-Modify - An Online Happening

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Mon, 04 May 2009 18:45:00 +0000

This week I'm participating in Co-Modify, a free-form public art performance where performers enact a fictional "sponsorship" by a company. This is an online happening that spans across multiple social networking sites. The project is directed by artist An Xiao who directs @Platea.

The performance speaks to the way the context of your social life online is used to send you embedded advertising catered to your lifestyle and interests. It's a "commentary on the commodification of social media and, by extension, the commodification of our social lives in general."

Since the last thing I wanted to do is to provide yet more advertising to a company, I created a fictional business called C-URCHIN. It's a beauty cream that supposedly reduces the appearance of a double chin. Containing high levels of vitamin C and a compound found only in sea urchins, a free one-week trial shows dramatic results!

You'll see me posting on twitter, facebook, 12seconds.tv, seesmic.com, flickr, and here. I'm interested to see what happens. Who knows what crazy ads will be thrown my way or how many people start trying to find C-URCHIN.

Find out more about the project here. http://plateastweets.blogspot.com/

TimeFrame Exhibition on Seesmic

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 08:27:00 +0000

Hey everyone! So I've been gone for a bit while I've become more involved with virtual worlds, curating in the Metaverse, directing inter.sect Art Collective, and experimenting with new media platforms and mobile phone collaborative videos. No wonder I'm tired!

My newest obsession is Seesmic! If you're not familiar with it, think twitter-but video. As usual, I've become quite involved as I explore the possibilities here for artists.

So this weekend I'm curating a video exhibition on Seesmic. 10 artists will interpret the element of time found on Seesmic and social media platforms during a 72 hour period. Surrounding the exhibit will be discussions related to the use of this medium and how it affects your perspective of the art, etc.

And the fun part for you is that you get to participate and add your own artistic impressions and responses to the show. Now that's accessibility!

We will have everything from video painting, narrative works, and performance based works. It should be a lot of fun, so join in! The show starts at midnight Wednesday night and will last Thursday-Saturday, Sept 25-27. Participation requires a free account on Seesmic.

Plug Her Up

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 02:18:00 +0000

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been given a description of the acceptable girl for (now that I think about it) the guys who never have girlfriends. Anyway, it usually goes something like this…

“I don’t like girls who burp, fart, have diarrhea, or other bodily functions. And if you mention monthly menstrual fluids, I will gag and throw up. I will not date any girl who does any of these things. Girls are not supposed to be thought of in this manner, and I don’t want to date any girl who does any of these things.”

I’ve been told as of late that I shouldn’t let things bother me so, that I should get over it and move on. This is of course is from the mouths of babes who think they have life figured out without ever having stepped foot in it. But in the spirit of acceptance, let me try and help the poor darlings. I propose a new product that finds its home nicely within the fetishism of commodity. Corks for your every need… to plug her up.

Just out of curiosity boys, do you look away and plug your ears as the air escapes from your quintessential blow up doll?

I no doubt will receive many spirited responses. I welcome them, and to those who choose the route of defense for this plastic notion of a woman, I will not ridicule you. I merely offer to your overestimated mouth my overabundance of unused corks.

Was This For Real?

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 05:28:00 +0000

This has nothing to do with my blog, but I had to share....

Strange day. It was a nightmare of course... nothing else could have been so perfect as to reaffirm what seems to be the inevitable... nothing goes smoothly for me. Call the wambulance, I know.

Strange day. It was surreal... movie material for Russell, I'm sure. I ended up laughing and actually grateful for the cause of more grief to come in the next few weeks. Because somehow it reaffirmed that I actually can connect with people, and life can actually be taken NOT so seriously. Imagine that. Please slap me if that is anywhere near the realm of Og Mandino reiteration.

Anyway - so here's what will probably be one of my favorite stories for a while... if I can even do it justice. Seriously.

Driving on the Bush, minding my own business. All of a sudden, my car is jolted. I have no idea what it is or where it's coming from, but I've been hit. I fish tail all over the place. Luckily there is nothing in the left lane because whatever hit me knocked my car clear over into the left side of the highway. I'm actually pretty good about gaining control of a car when spinning or fishtailing on a slick surface. But there was a second when I thought I wasn't going to get control of the car and thought I was going to be slammed by oncoming traffic any second, or else roll.

The next thing I know, I'm right again and on the left shoulder of the highway.

Fast forward a bit.

The guy who hits me is the sweetest old guy who is driving a big dump truck full of dirt for a paving company. Yes - a BIG DUMP TRUCK! He immediately admits it's his fault, yada yada.

This is when this all turns funny.

I insist on waiting for the police since my insurance company so politely looked up the number for me and suggested I do so just in case Mr Tonka decides to change his story later.

So these HUGE police officers arrive, and immediately I sense that they are quite the characters. We explain what happened. Voila. Of course, little miss priss, who by the way is dressed in a t-shirt, sweat pants, and swimming pool thongs because she’s on her way to move yet another load of crap that seems to multiply in the closet in her absence, forgets that her inspection sticker is expired. When the nice cop giant points this out, she throws up her hands in exasperation and exclaims, “I know!” in quite the “what else can go wrong?” tone of voice.

“Well, just give me your license and insurance.” Yeah – about that. I can’t seem to find the current insurance ID card. Now, when I say current, we’re talking 2005!!!!!!! The giant breaks into a full laugh at this point. I point out that I can keep digging, to which he remarks, “You might want to do that because otherwise I have to give you a citation for that too.” Have we forgotten that a big tonka truck just side swiped me at 70 mph on the highway?

So the accident report ritual ensues, during which at one point I silently point out to myself what a great tan I must be getting under the beating sun for 2 hours.

The tonka driver’s supervisor is now irritated because the driver will be receiving a ticket. Of course I’m amused that the officer must now explain that he’s getting a ticket because he made a bad lane change and CRUSHED THE SIDE OF MY CAR. But he is quite the sweet little old man and received bad news well. In spite of the fact that company policy requires him to now take a drug test and a driving course, he finds the presence of mind to come over and ask me out to dinner. Yes, that’s what I said.

Finally the pavers are out of the way and I’m relieved to see that I will be receiving my own tickets out of view of the two who didn’t want me to call the police in the first place. Here they come a-walking over with smirks.

“What are we gonna do about this insurance?”
“Want me to call them for you? They can verify it over the phone.”
“Sure! Because what you gave me was totally bogus. 2005?”
“Well – I did just find the 2006 card in the back seat!”
“Well – at least you’re going in the right direction!” They’re both getting a good laugh out of this.
I’m shocked he’s letting me try to call. I’m calling and pressing buttons and pressing buttons and pressing buttons. There is a special place in hell for that little gecko. My late Samantha likes to chew them just to cause internal bleeding in the transparent little suckers.

Meanwhile the giant is writing eternally on that clipboard. I notice a familiar one-eyebrow expression of disapproval. I realize he’s looking at my feet. “Yes – I know I need a pedicure!” I exclaim. Okay – now we’re all doubled over laughing. Are these real cops?

They get tired of waiting and go back to their car while I’m pushing buttons. “Miss Nielsen!” I look up to find the cop giants have pulled up next me in the grass with the window rolled down. “Just fax it to me!” “Seriously?” “Yes!” Okay.

I’m now out of my car and leaning into the passenger window of cop giant #1 while he taunts me about my inspection sticker. I assure him that I’m going to take care of it right that second. He wants to know how he will know. I offer to take a picture of it, scan it, and fax it along with the insurance. He smiles. “We’re going up here to eat at Chick-Fil-A. You exit here and find a place to get an inspection. By the way, have you eaten yet?” Um – yeah, I just said that too. Did they just invite me to eat lunch with them?

Yes, I’ve eaten. Yes, I will follow you and exit and get an inspection.

“Miss Nielsen, you know we shouldn’t be joking around and laughing like this, but I can tell that you’re cool, and I’m cool. So you take care of this, and I’ll pull this ticket.”

Done. Please let him remember to check the fax machine and pull it. The last thing I need is a warrant out for my arrest because I didn’t pay a ticket that I thought was torn up.

So I left out a ton of details. I can’t begin to try to recreate the spontaneous dialogue that got funnier and funnier.

Anyway – to my friend, Russell. I promise never to argue that women don’t get out of tickets.
I got hit by a tonka truck going 70 miles an hour, got asked out by the driver who hit me, had an expired inspection sticker and no proof of insurance, didn’t get a ticket for either, and was asked to lunch by the cops. Pretty good for a day’s work, eh? ;-)

Thanks for letting me drive off with a laugh. I so needed it.

Chatter

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 20:37:00 +0000

Video from my MFA Exhibition. I listened to two hours of television in the background, recording the phrases from commercials and talk shows. It's amazing how we get used to being bombarded with messages to cure our never-ending imperfections.

Spoiled

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 00:00:00 +0000

A milestone birthday is the death of her. She is spoiled.

Random Facts Meme

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 04:47:00 +0000

My friend, Witchy, tagged me with a meme. Here are the rules:

Give eight random facts/habits about yourself then tag eight other bloggers.

So here goes...

1 - I was your friendly flight attendant for four years back in my twenties. I flew for American Airlines who had the mindset not to offend the passengers by pointing out the nearest exit. How progressive of them. I hated it. The job itself wasn't anything that was so difficult, aside from putting passengers with wondering hands in their place. But it was hard to always live out of a suitcase and never be able to plan anything more than one month in advance.

2 - I have a weakness for saving little kitties. I recently took in 3 siblings who were hiding under a neighbor's driveway. They're awful cute, but I fear that I will soon endure the heartache of letting them go. My Jada, after all, is queen of the house.

3 - I have a really bad habit of biting my lips while editing.

4 - I also have a really bad habit of procrastinating. If a major deadline looms over my head, either my house is worthy of an operating room inspection or I'm feeding the entire city.

5 - I have a strange sense of who is about to call. I usually know the phone is about to ring before it does, and I usually know who is calling. It sometimes freaks me out.

6 - I love 80's music. I get a lot of flack for this. But hey - I get a lot of flack for a lot of things.

7 - I value solitude more than I should. I think it started when I had to depend on myself to be whole after the divorce.

8 - Games drives me crazy. Any kind of game. They make me unbelievably nervous. I'm afraid I'm not going to do something right I guess. So if I can go against the grain and try to succeed at doing the opposite of the traditional goal, I'm in. Spades? I'm going nill. ;-)

Oh god - who to tag? Newt, Holly, Lauren, Lindsey/Emily, Heart, Jenn, Kyle, Orawin

USDA Prime

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 22:36:00 +0000

Watching people mull over packages of meat at the grocery store amuses me. I know, I need a life. As one who doesn't eat or cook much meat, I fear not following the recipe precisely and only accept the ideal weight prescribed. It somehow reminds me of the relentless messages thrown at me regarding ideal size and the ways in which to achieve perfection.

Countless products to measure, reduce, expand, calculate. She's packaged, suffocated, presented. For sale. But she's only picked off the shelf if she meets the calculation du jour.

Blue Blanket

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 20:08:00 +0000

Please watch this until the very end.
Andrea Gibson rocks!
Thanks Witchy!

Time Marches On

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 04:56:00 +0000

"Time marches on, and eventually you realize it's marching across your face."

It's a funny saying, especially when delivered by a southern women in a beauty shop. But in reality, it's a message sent to women of all ages that they should do whatever necessary to hide the signs of aging. The beauty industry banks on it. Their pocket books provide a comfortable cushy seat for you to ride as you buy into their schemes. God forbid you actually look like you've experienced life. Even as I try to fight this battle, some mornings I find it hard to look myself in the mirror and love what I see.

Imagining Ourselves

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 20:30:00 +0000

Even if you aren't an artist, I highly recommend that you check out this site. It's a great place to communicate with women from all over the world and share your stories. Yours truly will be submitting soon.

6 CONTINENTS
207 COUNTRIES
MILLIONS OF WOMEN

The International Museum of Women invites you to be a part of Imagining Ourselves, an online global exhibit featuring art, photographs, essays and film by young women in their 20s and 30s answering the question, "What defines your generation?"

If you have a story to tell and a voice that wants to be heard, we welcome your submission. We are now accepting short films in the genre of documentary, animation, music video, experimental and narrative for our Online Film Festival. Get to know our exhibit by going to www.imow.org and clicking on the Imagining Ourselves exhibit.

Read stories, view artwork and film and listen to music and spoken word from the many young women from all around the world.
Be inspired. Get involved. Take action.
Visit www.imow.org

From a Distance

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Wed, 30 May 2007 00:11:00 +0000

I'm working on my final MFA project this summer, and of course I'm exploring the desire of others/ourselves to be something other than we are. So I'll probably post about it here to get your thoughts and feedback.

I'm intrigued by the fact that if we take a close look at something, we tend to think it more beautiful if it's altered. I see this in the art world a lot. The blurred abstract is more beautiful than the realistic close up. There is even an appreciation of presenting something horrific in a beautiful way. It's as if society needs it "prettied up" so they don't really have to consider it. This seems to be a more prevalent response in America than elsewhere, in my experience.

Even made up to the beauty industry's standards, a close look reveals the texture of skin, something the make up fails to cover. But then again, who cares as long as it works from a distance, right?

Body and Image - Woman's Survey

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Thu, 03 May 2007 15:01:00 +0000

Newt In a Tea Cup decided to start a conversation about body issues by asking bloggers to post this survey. We'll all be linked to each other so you can read responses and perhaps find an outlet to talk about these things. Feel free to only answer the questions you're comfortable with.

"One thing I’ve noticed, especially from personal experience, is that it’s very hard to talk to someone else, a friend or family member for instance, who does have really bad body image/ health issues to do with body image. And it’s pretty clear that all of us will most probably meet at least someone with those issues; we can’t avoid it.

So let’s start talking to each other at least."

Name: Christi Nielsen

Age: 38

Height: 5'2"

Weight: 160

Do you consider yourself attractive? sometimes

Do others consider you attractive? yes

What is your biggest insecurity and why? probably my butt. Even when I was a teenager and thin, kids at school told me I had a big butt. So now I don't like to walk in front of people.

Have you/Would you consider using plastic surgery? Why or why not? Ideally? No. I have better things to spend my money on, like camera equipment! ;-)

What is your relationship with make-up? I can live without it and usually do. If I do wear it and receive comments like, "wow - you look good today" or "you must have gotten some sleep", it just makes me wear it less and less. I don't need that kind of compliment.

How much money do you/think is reasonable to spend on your appearance? Well, because I'm a broke art student, not much! I'm lucky to afford a good cleanser and moisturizer. That's about it. I do, however, like a good hair cut and will pay for that every few months.

What is your experience of dieting? I was never overweight until I went through my divorce. Of course I know that now, but before I always thought I was fat. That was 50 pounds ago. Can you imagine? I thought I was fat at 110. Dieting, of course, was and is the devil because I hate being told I can't do something or have something. I can't follow those specific programs because I like to do my own thing. So I guess it was a matter of starving until I dropped 10 pounds or so. Now I'm too busy and stressed with school to focus on exercise or diet.

Have you/ anyone you know tried any specific diet programs i.e. Lighter Life? How did that affect your health? your moods? your relationships? My family and friends have tried specific diet programs. They seemed quite content but as with most diets, meal planning becomes the entire meaning of existence. I've watched all of them lose it, gain it, lose it, gain it. It almost becomes part of life and accepted as something funny. My family focuses much of their humor around weight issues.

Do you have any experiences of eating disorders i.e. either yourself or someone you know? A friend of mine became anorexic in junior high school after a series of stunts of not eating for attention. She had a track record of doing things like that. I didn't take it seriously until I saw her in a tank top one day. I'd never seen ribs like that.

How did other people react to this; what was the fallout? Most people just rolled their eyes at her. Her mother put her in a different school until she got better. Even I thought she just wanted attention, but hindsight shows me that she has had body image issues for years. It also became quite clear that a lot of us are just a step away from that.

Have you had negative experiences relating to your appearance and people’s reactions to it? Mostly it was the big butt thing that I mentioned above. I'm always trying to hide it.

What about positive reactions to your body? It's funny - I actually receive positive comments about my body, AND my butt! ;-) But those comments from junior high just seem to stick.

How has your body image and attitude changed over the years? Oh I'm much more relaxed about it now. Just 2 years ago I was obsessed with my weight and hating myself for it. I felt like a failure because I couldn't get control over myself. Now I get upset like when I get a freakin' passport picture! But I get over it. It pisses me off whenever I feel like that because I know better. I basically woke up and recognized that I was buying into the trap of the ideal.

What do you love about your body? That it's real.

What is your opinion on the media portrayal of women’s bodies? Oh my - that's a post in itself. I would have to sit for days to come up with the words for that. Hideous.

What would you change about the way you/ your friends/ your family/ general people see their bodies? I'd like to see the body become an afterthought. That's not to say I think we should throw our health to the wind. I mentioned earlier that when dieting, meal planning becomes the entire existence. I think with women, the quest for the ideal body can become the entire existence.

What makes you feel beautiful? For some reason, I feel beautiful when standing or sitting in the sunlight. Maybe it's that warmth.

and just for fun… Do you shave legs/pits/upper lip moustache? Not usually, but I will on occasion for an art piece! ;-) We'll see how much I cave in to societal pressure this summer.

Warped

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Wed, 02 May 2007 03:17:00 +0000

Those of you who know me, or who have followed this blog for some time, are aware that I admit to contradictions in thinking. I feel this is more honest than pretending to adhere to ideals that often get a bit tweaked when we're faced with reality. That's not to say that I dismiss those ideals, but I'm realistic enough to acknowledge the fact that a part of me wants to be accepted, even if that means that acceptance is based on societal ideals. I'll probably get some flack for that, but I don't care. Nobody is a robot.

This past week, I've been consumed with the renewal of my passport, in the hopes that miraculously I will find the money to go to France this summer. We all gotta dream, right?

What disturbs me is the fact that I'm trying to find a way to keep the old passport simply because of a stupid picture... a picture that was taken 15 years ago. Is this a pathetic way for me to document that at one time I fulfilled the description of beauty?

So I have my passport photo taken, and that pushes me over the edge. Of course I compare the two and vow a life of starvation for the next few months. I know that this is just a glitch, and that I will come to my senses in a few days, but for now I'm painfully reminded of the unattainable ideals that warp our minds.

Secret

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 16:04:00 +0000

I'm experimenting a bit with alternate ways of presenting my work/ideas that are not so literal and direct. Although I do believe that one of my strong points is putting it all out there in the hopes that it makes you uncomfortable enough to consider something, I also recognize when I become too direct. I end up trying to say everything at once, and often that's no fun for the viewer.

So this is the beginning of a new series (on the side, if you will). We'll see where it goes.

Covering

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 04:44:00 +0000

There are many things going on here, and writing about it seems to diminish them. So I won't.

Fear Itself

noreply@blogger.com (Christi Nielsen) — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 20:43:00 +0000

Please turn up your volume. The sound on this piece is very important. The video starts out black for a few seconds. Just keep watching... and listening.

Press the play button (arrow) on the lower left of the video screen.