Our Baby Boy

On Wednesday, November 5th, as the country celebrated our new president, my husband and I celebrated the arrival of our son, John Abraham Schrenk. He came after a long struggle, and has brought us immense joy these past few days. With my husband's help, I have made a number of photographs at the hospital, and hope to post that work soon. Though for now, it's hard to think of anything besides John.

Just before leaving for the hospital, I finished my research writings for the semester, and posted my new paper. With that done, I now need to focus on developing an outline for my thesis, and reworking my artist statement to better describe my new body of work.

News and New Work

It's been a while since I've tended to this blog, it was time to tweak the design and upload some newer work. I have been developing a series based on my experiences throughout pregnancy, and will likely continue this body of work through childbirth to document my post-partum process. After visiting my doctor again last night, I learned that they will induce labor on November 4th, if the baby does not naturally come by that date. This leaves me with two weeks to prepare, to ready things at work, home, and with my graduate work. Within a week, I should finish my last research paper, and begin both my thesis outline and artist's statement.

The Pregnancy Project will likely take the form of a book once I've finished shooting and gathering documents. I posted several diptychs that would function as page spreads, and will soon post additional images that will fill out the format of the book. I've been considering the commercial pressures placed on expectant parents, a booming industry that extends beyond the marketplace to infiltrate the medical community and domestic spaces.

Meeting Mary and Other Updates

I've been busy the past few weeks, shooting new work and trying to get ahead on my research before starting back at school. This weekend, I met with my new Mentor, Mary Farmilant, and had a great discussion about my work and goals for the coming months. She suggested a number of artists to consider, including Brian Ulrich and Elinor Carucci, as I hope to include people occupying space in my new photographs. Mary also encouraged me to be in conversation with my doctors and nurses leading up to my due date, and to possibly photograph friends who are either pregnant or have small children. I would like to continue shooting both in commercial spaces and at clinics, maternity wards, and prenatal classes. Technically, I've been dissatisfied with the images that I've shot thus far, and may try working with film again. I found a Minolta Hi-Matic 7S at work that I would like to use, thinking that I may get better clarity and color with film, and could benefit from a more discreet rangefinder camera when shooting in situations that require a little more secrecy.

I finished my first research paper for the semester, a synopsis of the third Critical Theory seminar. In my research, I became very interested in learning more about the development of entertainment and consumer culture during the 19th century, specifically the world's expositions and their influence on society.

Boston Young Contemporaries

This spring, two of my pieces were juried into the third annual Boston Young Contemporaries exhibition. Held at Boston University's 808 Gallery, the show features work of MFA candidates from area schools. The opening was this past Friday, July 18, and the show runs through August 22. There was a review printed yesterday in the Boston Globe, and my work was mentioned amongst critique of other young artists in the show, specifically painters. I ordered a few copies of the Globe to keep, and posted "McHenry Outdoor Theater" with this entry.

Costco and WalMart

When I first told friends and family that I was pregnant, I heard a lot of advice. Amidst unsolicited horror stories of the actual process of giving birth, I was told repeatedly that I should buy diapers from Costco. This practical suggestion raised my interest in the connection between parenting and consumer culture. I went to Costco, my camera tucked into my purse, and explored the vast space. The diapers are near the front of the store, conveniently located beside the check-out lines. I shot a series of this endless wall of color and plastic, and assembled the images into a Ruscha-style photo book titled "Buy Diapers at Costco."

The experience at Costco made me curious to shoot at other commercial spaces, and I went next to WalMart, where the infant and toddler section occupies the back corner of the store. This space was organized into distinct categories, objects grouped according to cultural logic. I photographed each section and plan to present these images in a book format. The commercial spaces provide unifying signifiers at the level of details such as reduced prices, promises of safety, and seductive color. In WalMart, the products are simultaneously alluring and repellent, cluttered and systematically organized, sterile and beautiful.

My Third Residency at AIB

I just returned from my third residency at the Art Institute of Boston. As before, the immersive experience pushed me to consider my work in the context of contemporary art theory and practice. I enjoyed conversing with faculty and fellow students, and had the pleasure of meeting for a critique with Dawoud Bey. To read more about my latest residency, link to this summary.

Now that I'm back home, I plan to shoot more frequently, to prepare as much work as possible before my baby arrives. I took some photographs yesterday at my doctor's office - the first place that I'll document in the coming months. I'm curious to explore a litany of locations related to pregnancy, childbirth, and parenthood. In doing so, I plan to chronicle my personal experience and investigate the spaces that define these milestones in suburban America.

And so, as any proud (future) mother would do, I've included the most recent image of my little one.

Two More Weeks

I've been busy working to prepare for the next residency, I leave for Boston two weeks from today! I still need to finish my artist's statement and semester summary, but hope to be done by the weekend. In the meantime, I've assembled two books through blurb.com, one is a collection of my panoramic images called "Curiosities Within" and the other is a photographic investigation of day care centers in my area, called "An Insider's Guide to Quality Health Care."

I had my final meeting with Nate last week, an informal critique with him and three independent study students from Elgin Community College. It was my first opportunity to share my new work with a small group, and I was encouraged by the conversation that resulted. I can't wait to be back with my peers at AIB and participate in more in-depth conversations about my work and the work of others.