Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Camping at McGrath State Beach, Ventura

One can camp on the beach in California. San and I drove up from LAX, where we had deposited her sister so that she could return to Singapore. We stopped at every campground and were turned away until we reached Ventura. It was better that way, everyone else came from Valencie. We ended up being 6, I was the only American. Despite how much we Americans seem to take pleasure in contemplating, envisioning, and media-masturbating over our demise as the dominant culture, the rest of the world is still traveling here to find something they can't get at home. I feel simultaneously proud and concerned about that.

The campers were from Colombia, Mexico, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore — all first year MFA students at CalArts.


new project. © 2012 bridget batch


San. © 2012 bridget batch


© 2012 bridget batch


© 2012 bridget batch


© 2012 bridget batch


© 2012 bridget batch

Instagram

I now have a tumblr with my instagram feed. I guess I had best figure out how to combine. Tumblr is much more attractive.

http://bridgetbatch.tumblr.com/

Monday, September 24, 2012

The Dispatches Commence

Some people move to other cities for graduate school. Some people do not. Some move 4 months ahead of time, most about 3 weeks ahead of time. And others, like myself, are three weeks into the semester and just barely in the first sublet, after staying with friends for three weeks. My husband's in Mongolia, the condo he owns in Brooklyn is ALMOST rented, and despite being in Los Angeles and commuting an hour and a half to school each day, I still don't own a car.

That is the beginning of my sojourn to Cal Arts. It's a little distracting.

I had planned on working on new work as Kevin and I drove across the country but that drive did not come to pass. Kevin had too many opportunities to be able to leave with me. I flew out to Cali at the last minute in order to help rent my apartment. That was unfortunate. I don't know if it made a difference and it meant that i missed being able to make a stopover in Minnesota to see my family.

But I am here and despite those troubles, I am picking through the life hassles one at a time. Maybe I am too patient. I have barely commenced the actual business of really making art, but we just got our studios anyway - two weeks into the semester. Um, what is up with that Cal Arts?

I have heard several complaints about the running of the Institute itself but I don't feel this is the place for that. People complain a lot, all the time, about everything, everywhere you go. Although I've long resented the narrative I grew up with - the constant refrain that life is hard - I am seeing that it has made me more resilient. I think I might need to switch over too "just a spoonful of sugar" though. It's about time to start having some fun.