The article I chose is called “Why Arts Degrees and Other Generalist Programs are the Future of Australian higher education”. The article challenges the notion that generalist degrees, like a Bachelor of Arts, are inferior to specific qualifications, and the assumption that said degrees lead to joblessness. It highlights how arts degrees lead to jobs, citing research showing an increase in employment among humanities and social science graduates. The traditional idea of “vocations” is deemed outdated, with modern employers valuing problem-solving, digital skills, and adaptability over specific training for one career. In light of global uncertainties like the pandemic, climate change, and technological advancements, there’s a call to redefine “employability” and prepare graduates with adaptable mindsets and transferable skills. The article proposes a shift towards valuing generalist degrees, suggesting they equip students with critical skills like argumentation, emotional intelligence, and teamwork. The power of this article comes in the way of its forward-thinking and reasoning. I completely agree that the humanities are often undervalued and that we need to redefine outdated terms such as “employability” because due to advances in technology and the internet, there are thousands of jobs that exist now that didn’t 20 years ago. Back then and somewhat still today the market and “key to success” demands to become a lawyer, doctor, executive, or some other drone position at a giant conglomerate, with the unorthodox jobs being pushed aside.
Journal # 5
A huge strength of this proposal is the author’s ability to discuss their personal growth and challenges, as well as their integration of said growth into the proposal. The thesis project is framed as a culmination of the author’s learning journey in liberal studies as a discipline, providing an opportunity to apply acquired knowledge and skills to a challenging endeavor. It serves as a test of the author’s ability to engage with complex philosophical concepts independently. I like how the author formats the general layout of the proposal as well, keeping it organized thematically but also including a lot of different points. From a personal standpoint, I hope to show my growth as a designer with my capstone presentation and think that a variety of tools from this proposal could be utilized for inspiration in my project.
Journal #4
QCQ 1 on: Moramraco Speculations
” The idea that poetry and painting exist in separate domains with clearly delineated
boundaries has been under attack throughout the century by both poets and painters
seeking to extend the limits of both arts. “
I think that this quote is extremely relevant in history and today, showing the interplay between two prevalent creative mediums. This idea that each art form is separated by boundaries is in my opinion outdated and inaccurate — as many forms of art have included others for generations (plays including painting, music including poetry, etc. In some cases, I believe that most mediums work better when paired up with a complementary medium to further a message or theme. This is especially efficient when it comes to the painting “Mourning Picture” and the poem of the same name that accompanies it by Adrienne Rich.
QCQ 2 on: Mourning Picture by Adrienne Rich
” Out of my head, half-bursting, still filling, the dream condenses – shadows, crystals, ceilings, meadows, globes of dew. “
This quote in my opinion is an example of why and how combining different media can be efficient and in some cases improve the original work. For example, on its own, “Mourning Picture” as a painting is mysterious, but not riveting – lacking story – and riddled with technical errors having to do with shadow, medium, and composition. The truth is some of it just doesn’t make sense. I didn’t enjoy this painting very much until the poem by Adrienne Rich was introduced. The poem adds a rich story to answer the viewers questions about the painting, and creates a tragic undertone to the melodramatic piece. This example challenges the tradition view mentioned above, exhibiting the allure and purpose of combining these mediums to improve art, poetry, and writing.
Journal #3
One of the most memorable works I’ve done in the past few years at UNE is a blog assignment I did for CMM 240, a social media class. The blog helped me hone my digital media skills and was a semester-long project, which is probably why it’s so meaningful for me.
A work I’m most proud of is an essay I wrote while studying abroad in Morocco. I worked on this piece of writing for a super long time because it delved deeply into my as a person and ended up being a very intimate and emotional story, which explains why I’m so attached to it.
Graphic Design Projects are some of the ones I wish I could re-do the most, because since I’ve taken the class my skills have increased drastically as I’ve found passion in the field and done work in the industry with actual clients. When I did the assignments in the past I lacked technical skills and the time necessary to think in advance about the projects, because I viewed them as school work and not portfolio building opportunities. If I could, I would re-do some of my design work from that class with the skills and knowledge I have today.
I think that looking back upon some of my past work listed above shows clearly how much I cared about each assignment/ topic at the time. For example, I wasn’t interested in graphic design when I started the class, I simply needed the credit as an art major. Therefore, when completing some of the assignments I didn’t care as much as I should have, and looking back on those assignments I’m disappointed because that class ended up inspiring my love for the field and helped me navigate what I wanted to do after graduating. So one thing I notice now about my past work is that it’s obvious how I view/ cared about the assignment at the time that I completed it.
One thing I noticed about my blog project that I’m proud of is how my passion and also skills increased throughout the course of the assignment. Visually, each post looks more polished as I continued throughout the semester, which I’m proud of because it shows that I actually enjoyed creating posts and the process.
UNFINISHED *
Journal #2
For me, the question of “what do you want to do” has always been posed to me as someone working and learning in the humanities. However, I believe that this question subtly has 2 parts that the person asking wants answered; one being what skills do have, and the other being how can I apply those skills in the real world to make money.
This question has taken a lot of exploration for me to understand, but finally as a senior I do have an answer after refining it over the years based on my interests. I knew I was always interested in art, so technically I have a lot of “hard” skills when it comes to creating. There was always a disconnect for me however that stemmed from the fact that I didn’t want to sell my work and be creating traditional art all the time. As I embraced and realized my love for travel, different cultures, food, and linguistics, I have learned to value what makes us human and how we connect, as well. I knew that I wanted to work with people, and did not want to be bound to a desk my whole career.
What I want to do after school combines two subjects I’m studying; anthropology, and art & design. User Experience Design (UX) is what I’m going for, and notice how it’s not traditional by any means. It’s a position that I stumbled across when I was lost, not knowing exactly what I wanted to do. This job works specifically to combine humanistic work such as interviewing and understanding a clients needs/ wants with design and prototyping of a product — something I have been doing since a very young age as an artist.
UX Designers are hired by various companies to optimize products and in turn increase sales and better user experience amongst customers. The job excites me because it includes a lot of desk time and technical skill, but also field work, market research, and interviews to understand clients. I would say that some of the skills I’ve learned regarding design throughout my student career will help with this position, but not all.
Unfortunately, because the Art Department at UNE is so small, courses are limited, and therefore most of the art classes aren’t on design, technology, or UX, they’re on painting, drawing, and traditional art. What I think I will take most out of my time at UNE is my studies in anthropology and the connections I’ve made when it comes to finding a job in UX. While this is a tough reality to face, there is always further education I can complete to essentially tailor my skills learned at UNE into industry standard tools for my future job, which is what I’m excited about. Some but not all of my art classes have prepared me for the field I want to enter, and the humanities have in a way helped me understand how I will be working with people outside of school and into my professional career.
This being said, I’m not at all tied down to becoming a UX Designer. My current plan is to follow what I want to do, and if there’s a different demand for a design-based job, I’ll take it.
Blog Post 4/20/2022 – Recap & Directory
Hi!
Today marks our last blog post relating to food for CMM 240. It’s been a fun journey to explore my hobby of cooking for credit, however, all good things must come to an end. In this shorter post, I will recap what we have gone over during the past 10 or so weeks and create a directory to organize and link posts so you don’t have to scroll back in time! I’ve loved this journey and am happy to have had the experience of blogging about something I care so much about. Thanks so much to those of you who have stuck around!
Unit 1 – Pasta
Unit 1 covered posts specifically focusing on Italian pastas, and how to make different varieties from scratch. The first post is mainly explaining some history of pasta and how to make a basic dough.. Second shows some noodle types and how to cook them, while the final post goes over adding variety and flavor to your pasta with different techniques/ recipes. Below I will hyperlink all specific posts from our first unit!
Unit 2 – Sushi
Unit 2 was on our second favorite savory global food, sushi! We focus on mainly maki rolling, but also some sashimi and sushi variations. The first post is on sushi information, and contains a recipe on a simple staple sushi rice. Second is a more in depth dive into ingredients and fish types used for sushi commonly. Lastly, our final post wraps up the unit (literally) by going over combining all of our discussed ingredients to create an actual maki roll, highlighting technique and process. Below I will hyperlink all specific posts from our second unit!
Unit 3 – Desserts
Unit 3 was interesting and different because instead of focusing on one food for 3 posts it focuses on 1 food genre and 3 different food types. I thought it would be fitting to end the blog with a dessert unit, so posts 2, 3, and 4 are on cheesecake, macarons, and mochi (post 1 being purely informational. Each post contains a recipe from a food magazine that I thoroughly enjoy with slightly tweaked ingredients to make them more attainable. I always include the article linked at the bottom incase folks want to follow the recipe(s) exactly. Below I will hyperlink all specific posts from our third and final unit!
Blog Post 4/13/2022 – Mochi Time!
Heyo!
Today we will be starting and finishing a recipe for yet another one of my favorite desserts of all time. Mochi (もち) is traditionally a Japanese dessert and snack that was introduced to the U.S. and became somewhat Americanized, often being paired with ice cream in the states. Today we will be making another BA-inspired recipe for a coconut flavored mochi that you can fill or pair with whatever you desire! Traditional ice cream or mochi flavors used include but are not limited to; red bean, chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, and green tea/ matcha. This recipe is extremely simple, as mochi only contains a few ingredients and is fairly easy to make. The real fun comes when wrapping ice cream in your mochi, or pairing it with different flavors. BA’s recipe I’m referencing today uses a peanut butter mixture to fill the mochi at the end, so if that sounds tasty to you give the link at the end of this post a click!
Notes: The only real special equipment you will need is a silicone baking mat to work the mochi on and ensure it doesn’t stick!
Ingredients
Mochi
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk ( 13.5 oz )
- 1 1/2 cup glutinous rice flour
- 1 cup sugar
- Cornstarch for dusting
Mochi
- Whisk to combine coconut milk, flour, and sugar in a medium nonstick saucepan.
- Cook on medium heat stirring often with a nonstick spatula until a smooth and sticky dough forms, about 5-7 minutes (You’ll know it’s ready when the dough will pull away from the sides of the pan).
- Dust silicone baking mat with cornstarch, then pour hot mochi onto the mat. Dust the top of the mochi with more cornstarch, then roll it out into a rectangle.
- Let cool, then mold into any shapes you want! Top with coconut flakes, mold around ice cream balls, etc.
This recipe is a great starter if you haven’t made mochi ever before and want to start, as there are few steps and only a small selection of ingredients. I hope you liked my rendition of Bon Appetit’s Coconut Mochi. Be sure to click the link below for flavoring ideas, as the mochi we made above serves as an easy-to-make base! As always keep cooking, and I’ll see you next week!
Blog Post 4/6/2022 – Macarons!
Hello!
Today we’re working on a chocolate macaron recipe that’s sure to knock your socks off. I love macarons but have never actually made them, so today I’m posting yet another recipe by Bon Appetit, and changing some ingredients to make the recipe more casual and attainable. Stay tuned for the preparation of these amazing chocolate macarons with orange ganache filling!
Notes: For this recipe, you will need a piping bag with any broad circular attachment to pipe out the cookies.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 cups powdered sugar, divided
- 1 1/4 cups almonds, slivered
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup egg whites, whisked to loosen
- 1/4 cups sugar
Ganache
- 3 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, chopped into cubes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 325˚ and line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Pulse in a food processor or crush powdered sugar and almonds until fine dust is achieved. Add cocoa powder and the rest of the powdered sugar and blend well.
- Sift the mixture through a strainer, remove large almond pieces, then blend and sift again until fine.
- Using an electric mixer or whisk, beat egg whites in a medium bowl until white and frothy, around 1 minute. Increasing from low to medium-high mixing speed, gradually add sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.
- Combine the meringue with the dry powder and fold to mix, then add to a piping bag.
- Spacing the cookies 1″ apart, pipe quarter-sized medallions of the meringue onto 2 of the 3 baking sheets.
- Let stand for ten minutes.
- Bake cookies for around 16 minutes, rotating each baking sheet halfway through. Remove after the cookies look puffed and dry, letting them cook completely.
- Use the remainder of the batter on the final baking sheet to finish the last batch.
Ganache
- Place chocolate and butter into a medium bowl.
- Bring cream to a boil in a small pan over medium-high heat, then remove from heat and stir in orange zest, allspice, cloves, and salt.
- Pour the hot cream mixture into the bowl with the butter and chocolate and whisk to combine.
- Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until firm.
- Fill a small tip piping bag with the ganache, and add a layer of the icing onto the flat side of each cookie. Top each cookie with another (flat side down), to create a sort of sandwich.
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.
- Enjoy!
I truly hope you enjoyed this somewhat complex recipe for chocolate macarons with a citrus-based filling! I for one am super excited to try this recipe out and enjoyed writing about it with inspiration from one of my favorite food blogs. As always, check the hyperlink below for the original recipe with exact ingredients, as well as the author and food photographer if you’re interested in more of their work. Take care and get reach for next week’s mochi!
Blog Post 3/30/2022 – Cheesecake!
Hey, yall!
Today we will be starting and finishing a recipe that I hold dear to my heart, as cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts of all time! I can’t wait to share this amazing recipe published by Bon Appetit, a food news and journalism company that I follow for their amazing and easy-to-follow desserts, entrees, and appetizers.
Notes: Before we begin this recipe, know you will need a springform pan for this recipe – so grab one if you dont have one! These pans yield a adjustable exterior of a pan, so that when you finish the cheesecake the exterior pan is removable and the cake is easier to cut and store. Another note, the following ingredients are best utilized if room temperature, as this ensures a smoother and cremier consistency to the final cake. This being said, take your ingredients out of the fridge around 2 hours before using them.
Ingredients
Crust
- 9 ounces graham crackers
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup ( 1 stick ) unsalted butter
Cheesecake / Assembly
- 20 ounces cream cheese
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cups sour cream
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 large eggs
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 325˚
- Pulse or smash graham crackers into a fine crumb.
- Add sugar, salt, and butter and stir until the crumb reaches the consistency of wet sand.
- Transfer crumb to springform pan and use the bottom of a glass to pack it down and spread it evenly around the surface and 2″ up the sides of the pan’s interior.
Cheesecake / Assembly
- Mix cream cheese, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer, food processor, or by hand until smooth.
- Add vanilla, sour cream, and lemon zest, then mix until smooth.
- Add eggs and quicky mix to combine, then scrape mix into the crust shell.
- Bake cheesecake for 35-40 minutes until the edges are set but the center is wobbly.
- Chill until firm, about 2 hours.
- Enjoy!
I hope you all enjoyed this weeks’ quick and simple cheesecake recipe inspired by one of my favorite food journals! Check out the original recipe below for exact ingredients – as I changed a few to make it more attainable. Stay posted for next weeks’ recipe on macarons!
Blog Post 3/23/2022 – A Sweet Time!
Hey!
Today’s post marks the start of our baking and dessert unit! We’re going to start with some ingredients, types of desserts, and materials you may need to get started! So this first post will be mostly informational, with actual recipes starting next week. We’re starting with cheesecake, then moving to macarons, then finishing with mochi (a popular Japanese dessert).
Note: The tools mentioned in the following text are ignoring many common kitchen tools such as large spoons, mixing bowls, and some mixing spatulas. Make sure you have the basics to continue!
Cheesecake
Cheesecake is an American favorite dessert and one of mine personally as well. While it’s rich and not efficient calorically, the flavor definitely compensates – as with most comfort foods! It’s a little different than most cakes, with cream-cheese-based batter filling up a usual graham cracker or cookie-based crust. Cheesecake is fairly simple to make but can be endlessly customized, with many fruit variations also popular. Tools you will need to make the cake include an oven, springform pan, and spatula to serve. Ingredients will be addressed in the recipe post for this food.
Macarons
Macarons are an Italian and French cookie variation that has become another American favorite over the years. The outside shells of the cookie are made out of meringue (whipped egg whites with sugar), and they are often filled with buttercream frosting or ganache. The perfect consistency is difficult to nail, but with practice, it’s fairly easy to get the hang of making macarons – and the pay-off is worth it. Tools you’ll need to make these delicious and delicate cookies include an oven, baking pan/ cookie sheet, parchment paper, a stand mixer/ whisk, and a piping bag. Ingredients will be addressed in the recipe post for this food.
Mochi
Mochi is yet another Japanese dessert that has taken the United States by storm in recent years, often appearing at Japanese Restaurants and Sushi Bars. mochi is a gelatinous rice cake created with short-grain glutinous rice flour, being soft, bouncy, and neutral in nature. The snack is often flavored with ice cream and other natural flavorings to make it more interesting! Mochi is a somewhat easy dessert to make as it requires somewhat simple ingredients, with the process being a majority of the work. Tools you will need only include a silicone baking mat, as the mochi can get pretty sticky. Ingredients will be addressed in the recipe post for this food.
I hope you enjoyed this information dump on the desserts we will be covering in the next few weeks, and I hope you stay tuned for the next post when we start making cheesecake!
