Adventures in Ireland

Because of this trip I have learned so much about myself and the world we live in. Diving into the social issues the Ireland is facing allowed me to look at issues within the American context with a different perspective. For example, there is a large population of people have or are currently seeking asylum in Ireland. Learning about the statistics and processes that these individuals and families have to go through made me want to do more research about the policies in America. I also noticed that the people we talked to about immigration issues in particular had a sense of responsibility when it came to acknowledging the faults within their system, this is something that I haven’t really seen in America (in regards to larger society). If my time in Ireland taught me anything, it’s that I am an artist. I grown so much in the past three weeks, I almost don’t recognize myself. Collaborating with the class and our host city community has been one of my greatest privileges. I have learn

Rebel Artists in a Rebel City Showcase flyer Village Hall performers:(back, l-r) Blythe Sinclair, Katie Lawson-Gill, Abby Thompson, Gabi Piombo, Rachel Norling, and Tegan Stuart; (front, l-r) Ericka Lacsamana, Castro, and Franchesca Sablan  The showcase was an interesting experience for me. Having never done one before, I felt both nervous and excited in the days leading up to it. With my project focusing on education, I wanted to use my background and passion for early childhood education (ECE) to address how it affects a community. However, through the process of creating my project I found myself adding in the experience of immigration and how both topics are in relationship with each other. My past four years working in the ECE field (and my classes as a child psychology major) have taught me how important the first five years of a child’s life are. Everything they experience and learn are laying the foundation for their futures. In these four years I have also see

Surrounded by white walls and stillness, I take a deep breath; the smell of leftover donuts and bath gel hanging in the air. It was naive of me to think an ocean could separate me from myself. Breathe in, breathe out. Sitting in the middle of my unmade bed, I reach for my computer. The blank page stares at me, waiting for me to make the first move. Somewhere on this block is a party I wasn’t invited to, but that doesn’t stop my window from vibrating along to the music. I hear passersby on the street below and briefly wonder where they are headed. A pub? The bus station? Home? Home. I think of the people waiting for me back home and my mouth goes dry. The empty page becomes a blur behind the tears that have started to form. Fingers on the keys, I ignore the racing of my heart as I try to type my way through this panic attack, but nothing comes. Breathe in, breathe out. I close my eyes and count to ten. Think of something, anything. “Did you know that Ireland is home to the black headed

For our partnership with O Bheal I was a part of the group that led a poetry workshop with high school students (Group 4). Leading up to the workshop was a lot of collaboration and planning to make sure that we had a schedule that was both exciting and interactive. Collaborating with three of my classmates and Dr. Leon was fun. We each brought a level of excitement and creativity that made me feel comfortable stepping into the classroom. When the day came for the workshop, I felt a little nervous. I work with preschoolers part time back in the states, so the idea of facilitating a workshop with high school students was quite daunting. However, all the nerves went away after introductions. The energy room was great, fueled by the laughter and enthusiasm of the girls, I immediately felt relaxed and ready to engage with them. The activities I was responsible for were Myth Poetry and Spoken Word. The myth poetry was centered around myths and was co-facilitated by Rachel and me. It was

If you had asked me a month ago what arts administration was, I would have shrugged my shoulders and said I didn’t know. However, after spending a month not only practicing various types of arts, but working within the various nooks and crannies of the art world, I not only know what it is but how important it is to artists and non artists alike. (Arts administration is business aspect of an art organization, by the way). Arts administration is just as important to a resistance movement as the product of art itself. Without the administration, access and attention toward art would be harder to get. With art, you are responding directly to a movement, with arts administration, you are facilitating the opportunity for such art to be received. After hearing Paul Casey talk about his work with O Bheal, I am left feeling interested and excited about the possibility of working in arts administration. There is something intriguing about not only being surrounded by art in its various forms, b

Artist: Kathy D'Arcy The very first time I met Kathy D’Arcy was at the Guest House here in Cork. She was walking downstairs to get some hot water and I was walking upstairs to get settled for our workshop. As we passed each other I told her that I like her sweater (it said REPEAL) and she said “Thank you, I do to.” The next time I met Kathy D’Arcy was at a small vegetarian cafe called Quay Co-op. Along with a group of 6 other classmates, I got to sit down with her as she wore her REPEAL sweater (accessorized with a red Repeal necklace) and drank a cup of tea while telling us more about her journey as an artist as well as issues that she is passionate about (spoiler alert: it has to do with REPEAL). D’Arcy has been writing poetry since she was 8 years old. “As soon as I could write, I wrote poetry.” she says with a laugh. Her poems started out as odes to springtime, getting more and more emotional as she transitioned through adolescence. It wasn’t until she was in her 20s and