Music Exploration: Electric Guitar

My STEP signature project was a creative endeavor to take electric guitar lessons and develop skills for playing and being able to pick up songs that I want to know how to play. This component of wanting to be able to listen to a song and attempt to play it was very important to me and I made sure to make it a goal in my lessons. I took virtual lessons through Musicologie here in Columbus for about four months (Jan-April) and I had a wonderful experience with my teacher and the music studio as a whole!

Here is me with my guitar the day I got it!

The main transformation that took place for me was an increase in confidence in myself as a musician, as well as an increase in my belief in myself and ability to be successful at new things that are outside of my comfort zone. I now feel that I can try anything and I can do my best and that will be good enough. Especially being in a strictly STEM major, biomedical engineering, it was great for me to see that I can be creative and I can achieve highly in areas outside of my comfort zone.

Through this whole process, I have also gained confidence as a performer and become more comfortable sharing my skills or abilities with others even when I have not perfected something. I have always been somewhat of a perfectionist and through this experience, I felt myself loosening up every week and becoming more relaxed with sharing the songs and scales that I had been working on.

The main interactions that led to me feeling more relaxed in sharing songs, scales, etc. that weren’t quite perfect was the act of playing through things during lessons. Sometimes I would mess up and it would make me want to just stop or it would be hard for me to keep playing. My guitar teacher was always encouraging me to keep playing and keep going and it would go better with more iterations and tries and so I developed a mindset to continuously just play and do my best no matter how anxious I was about how things were sounding.

My relationship with my guitar teacher as a mentor helped me gain confidence in myself as a musician and increased confidence in my abilities to learn new things and achieve things I set my sights on. I am grateful for the constant encouragement that I received throughout my lessons, I was pushed to relax more and trust myself and taught that I didn’t have to be perfect for something to still be wonderful and beneficial for me. At the end of my lessons, my teacher said that I had grown a lot and he was impressed with how I had progressed in both technique and ability to learn and apply music theory. I really appreciated that validation.

The act of playing and practicing the guitar really increased my confidence as well. I was able to persevere when I was unsure about something and always felt comfortable asking for help when I needed it. I also was able to increasingly become better at researching and identifying good places to learn what I needed to know – something that I can apply to learning other new skills.

My newfound relaxation with sharing unfinished works can be applied to any area of life – academics, work, family, etc. I now feel more confident sharing what I have had success with thus far, and not just waiting until I feel that something is complete or perfect. This ability to share more often and get input represents growth for me and will help me in many aspects of my life moving forward.

I am graduating in the fall, and this project has given me an advantage for the next stages of my life. I believe that I can do hard things and that I can constantly be learning and growing throughout graduate school and step out of my comfort zone to become a more well-rounded human being and professional. Additionally, this entire project brought me a lot of joy. I now have this source of happiness and I am motivated to keep playing and take more lessons or try to play music with other people in the future.

Here is a video I made in February of bits of some of the first songs I learned: Zombie by the Cranberries, Dani California by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, American Idiot by Green Day (kind of lol), and Just What I Needed by the Cars. Its not perfect, but I think that shows the amount of growth I made with being able to share unfinished works and demonstrate progress.

Photography Lessons

My STEP Signature Project was centered around taking photography lessons to double as a hobby for my personal health and a new skill to add to my professional resume. I took a series of photography lessons at Shutterbug Training Center under the mentorship of Braddley.

This experience was very transformative in a variety of ways. I discovered the importance of scheduling creative time for my mind in order to care for my mental health. I also learned a tremendous amount about the art of photography, when I had assumed it was just learning how to work the camera – but it is so much more than that. My view of the world and everyday life was arguably the biggest transformative aspect. I have learned to see the world in a different way and appreciate every aspect in the beauty of life. We all get caught up in the routines of daily life and photography has shown me how to slow down and really see the world.

Learning how to schedule creative time each week for myself really transformed my mental health. Before my project, I had faced some critical family changes that led me to having more responsibilities and focusing on the well-being of everyone else. Committing two to three hours each week to practice the skills I was learning in my photography lessons really led to freeing my mind and escaping from the stressors of everyday life.

The photography lessons greatly enhanced my understanding of photography as a form of art. Going into the lessons, I thought I would mainly be learning the mechanical aspects of photography and what all the buttons on my camera did. However, learning how to work the camera is not enough to make photography what it truly is. It is about being struck by how light reflects on everyday objects and capturing the essence of a person to tell a story.

My mentor, Braddley, was a greater influence than I ever could have imagined. He was such an intriguing person full of wisdom and proposed a new perspective on looking at life. Braddley opened my mind up to viewing life in a different way and it renewed my appreciation for the little things that life has to offer. One of the most memorable things he explained was how we do not have to go to the beach or travel across the world to get a great picture, we can photograph things around our house and get an image that will still tell a fascinating story. We go around, too often, looking for the perfect “whatever” but if we slow down – we start seeing the many more beautiful and amazing things in life.

This transformation is valuable to my personal and professional life. As for my personal life, this transformation has allowed me to better prioritize caring for myself and spending my free time in a productive and valuable way. As for my professional life, this transformation has given me another experience and skill to put on my resume. It may even up more job opportunities and help to build more connections! I was truly blessed with the opportunity to have this experience, and it is one that I will continue to use and cherish forever.

Computer Hardware Build – Solving Jigsaws with Critical Thinking

I decided to use the opportunity provided to me by STEP to go back to the roots of what led me to become an engineer and do a computer hardware build. Through the project I went through defining requirements, conducting research, managing finances, and solving problems.

The project came at an important time in my college career as I was losing motivation as an aspiring engineer. Before starting the project I wasn’t enjoying all my classes and needed a push. The computer build threw me into a space where I was excited to learn and to keep doing more. It also allowed me to learn a lot about a potential career path as a product manager in the tech industry and gain some insight into some of the work involved in the career. Additionally, I expected this to be a fairly easy project and didn’t expect to put in the time and hard work that I eventually did. It really was that under estimation of the work which brought a need to do more and the interest I developed in the work that made me realize how much I enjoyed the work I was doing and why product management would be a good career choice for me. I was also fascinated by how so many people may have the same needs and wants but the drive that pushed them toward it and the paths they followed can be so different. It really made me think about my own goals and my journey toward them.

I began by defining my goals for the project and listing my requirements from a computer build. I had subjective goals for my learning and development and objective goals for what I needed the computer to do. I spent a lot of time researching each component that I was going to need for the build. Once I had a good understanding of the components, their specifications, availability, and usage I started converting my objective requirements of tasks I needed to perform with the computer into minimum technical specifications. Here on things got more challenging as I had to then work on bringing it all together and solving the jigsaw puzzle within the constraints of my budget and each components compatibility with each other. Throughout this process I became very interested in learning more about the technologies I was using and came across a lot of resources including YouTube, blogs and websites, and online media outlets that I continue to interact with today to learn more.

An interesting challenge that I didn’t foresee coming up was of graphics cards availability. Due to the pandemic, graphics processing units became difficult to purchase as there was an increased demand in people wanting them for their home computer builds and crypto currency mining rigs and there was also a shortage in supply due to limited access to raw materials due to lockdowns and trade delays. The retail prices of graphics cards had gone up and they became nearly impossible to buy online at retail prices because of short supply and bots. I had to do a lot of research and stay in touch with my local retail store to find out when I could get one in store and even then I had to wait in a queue for nearly 3 hours before I could finally get one. This was an exhilarating experience to say the least and I got to interact with many people there, some of whom had camped out overnight to get a graphics card. It was amazing to learn of the different reasons why we all needed a graphics card and how much commitment different people had put into the process.

Of course the most challenging and rewarding experience was the assembly itself. The assembly needed me to be patient with the process, delicate with the parts, and quick with my problem solving. Getting stuck at different stages and problem solving was annoying in the moment but also very rewarding. This is when I really learnt a lot about the technology as I would try to understand what was causing different issues. I also had to be very patient with the way parts went together and I had to account for minor details and forecast potential problems while doing so.

The learning experiences were truly valuable and I am sure I will be applying these lessons both in my personal and professional lives. I learnt to be patient, gained an appreciation for details, analyzed a real life demand and supply problem, learnt to think a few steps ahead and improved my critical thinking. At the same time I also learnt a lot about myself and the work I’d like to do in the future. I am grateful for this opportunity and would highly recommend it to my peers.

STEP Signature Project – Learning to Play Guitar

My STEP Signature Project was to learn how to play the guitar. I used my fellowship to purchase a guitar and some supplemental materials, as well as to purchase virtual, live lessons with an experienced instructor. I had twelve weekly, one-hour lessons and practiced for several hours each week outside of these lessons.

One way that I was transformed throughout this project was that I realized how much of a positive impact trying something new and being slightly uncomfortable can have in my life. Sometimes, I am afraid to go outside of my comfort zone. This may be due to a fear of change, a fear of not succeeding, or simply because I enjoy the routine I have developed in life. This project definitely pushed me outside of my comfort zone, as I had zero experience with playing guitar and had thought about playing in the past but was unsure where to even start on my own. By the end of the lessons, I was striving to learn challenging songs that required new skills that I would not have thought possible to learn at the beginning, and this showed me how much I had grown in my ability to push myself throughout this project.

Another way that I was transformed throughout the course of this project was that I gained a lot of confidence in myself, both in my ability to pick up new things and in my ability to perform in front of other people. Prior to this project, the only instrument I had played was piano, and I had not taken lessons since middle school. I have always really enjoyed music and singing, but I had always thought I was just a listener and not a performer myself. While it took a little while, after a few lessons I felt I was ready to perform a song for some family members, and while I was nervous, each time I performed for people my confidence in myself grew. By the end of the lessons, I was able to perform close to ten songs for friends and family and feel much more comfortable playing music for people than I ever have before.

Many experiences throughout my STEP project led to these transformations. I believe that one of the main reasons I had such a positive experience with learning guitar was that I had live lessons with an incredible instructor. Though these lessons were virtual, my instructor was experienced at offering virtual lessons and made these lessons as interactive and engaging as possible. If I had learned guitar on my own by looking up videos or watching prerecorded videos, I would not have been able to progress as efficiently as I was able. Having live lessons allowed my instructor to cater the lesson to what I needed, where we could move on from things I had mastered and spend more time on things I was struggling with at any time. If there was a challenging song or skill to learn, he would break it down into smaller pieces in a way that made it more manageable. This strategy had a huge role in transforming the way I looked at challenging songs or skills, where I am now much more comfortable trying to learn new skills that may seem too advanced for me at first look because I know I can break them down into smaller parts.

Practicing on my own each week also played a significant role in my growth and transformation throughout this project. I devoted several hours a week to practicing guitar outside of my lessons. This was both because I wanted to get better and because I really enjoyed playing. While the lessons were vital to learning concepts and technique, understanding what I needed to work on, and getting a plan for what I should practice each week, the practices outside of the lessons were when I improved my skills the most. In these practice sessions, I was able to get better and push myself with no one else around, and watching this improvement and growth happen over time was a cool experience for me. I often recorded myself on video, and I was able to figure out where I needed to focus during my practice sessions. Through practicing consistently on my own each week, I learned that I can get better at anything through hard work and commitment, and that when I find a hobby I am passionate about, practicing will not feel like a chore but rather an amazing way to spend my time.

Another part of this experience that was transformational for me was singing and playing the guitar in front of people. The only times I had ever done any sort of musical performance were my piano recitals in grade school, and these perfo rmances did not involve singing, as they just involved playing one song on piano that I had been practicing exclusively for months beforehand. Therefore, although learning guitar and being able to sing along was my goal in this project, it was still not comfortable for me to do this in front of people at first. When I finally felt like I had learned one song well enough to play it for my family, I was very nervous to do so even around those closest to me. I trusted what I had learned and focused on just playing, and it ended up being a great experience because I got to show my family the progress I was making, and they were impressed. After this first performance, I felt slightly more confident, but it took awhile to feel comfortable playing multiple songs in front of other people. Some factors that helped me realize when a song was ready to be performed were getting feedback from my instructor during the lessons and listening to recordings I took during practice sessions. At one point near the end of my lessons, my instructor told me that I had a talent for performing and that I should keep the practice up and consider performing in front of larger crowds. This did a lot to boost my confidence as well, and although I still get nervous (as I think even most professional musicians probably still do), I feel much more confident and enjoy playing songs for people.

Being more comfortable being uncomfortable and being willing to try new things will apply not only to my future playing guitar, in which I will continue to take on new challenges and try to improve consistently rather than stagnate, but also to my future in general. I will be more willing to take risks and believe that I can overcome challenges in my career, in my relationships, and in all aspects of my life. Playing guitar is a very specific skill, but I can apply what I learned through this experience to anything in life. For example, I will be more likely to volunteer to take on a new challenge requiring a skill I’ve never worked on before at work. I will be more likely to take on a new hobby later in life even if it seems like something that is difficult to learn. I will be more likely to follow my passions and make sure that I am living life to the fullest, even if that requires exiting my comfort zone and routine.

The confidence that I gained in this project will continue to play a role in my guitar playing and in my life. I plan to keep playing guitar and learning new songs, and I hope to continue to improve the point where I am even comfortable playing for strangers. Playing guitar will continue to be one of my favorite things to do in my free time, and it could even get to the point where I write some of my own songs. Playing guitar has already had a profound impact on the way I listen to music, and I will be able to enjoy and appreciate music more throughout the rest of my life because of this experience. The confidence I have gained from performing for people will also help me in other areas of my life. I will feel more comfortable and surer of myself when giving presentations in work or school or doing a job interview, as these things will still be difficult and nerve-wracking but do not require as much vulnerability as performing songs for people. I will be more likely to put myself out there and use my knowledge and skills to contribute rather than being afraid to speak my mind. As a naturally shy person, the confidence that I have gained in this project will be extremely valuable to me throughout the rest of my life.

STEP Post reflection

For my STEP project, I purchased a camera and took photography lessons at Shutterbug Photography. Through these lessons I learned all about how to properly use my camera including features like focusing, exposure, ISO, aperture, shutter speed and so much more. In addition, I did outings where I practiced the skills I learned in class and putting them to the test.

My step project made me understand more about myself and changed the way I view my surroundings. First, this project really transformed the way I look at art, and nature. My life is very fast paced, and I do not often take time to slow down and appreciate the world around me. Through this project I learned that photography is not about the technical aspects of the camera but it’s about what I want the viewers to take away from my photos. Therefore, through this experience I have really gained an appreciation for art. I also, really started to enjoy my surroundings. I have started photographing anything I find interesting. I was able to travel to Colorado twice during my STEP project, and I really found so much joy in photographing the scenery around me. Prior to this project I do not think I would have fully appreciated the beauty around me. This experience really made the way I look at the world change. Instead of finding flaws in my surroundings I now find more beauty in everything around me. I know enjoy trying to capture the little beauties in life instead of focusing on all the negatives.

I also learned a lot about myself through this project. I really grew a lot of patience throughout this project. I am not a patient person by nature and learning a new skill takes a lot of patience. Photography is something that takes practice and not all the pictures I took turned out the way I wanted. Through this project I realized that I need to be patient with myself when learning a new skill, and do not get down on myself because it will take practice. Therefore, this project changed me because I learned it is okay to not be perfect at a new skill, and I just need to keep practicing. Overall, this project changed the way I view art, nature, and myself.

There were many interactions and events that led me to transform as a result of this project. One relationship I gained during this project was with the photography teacher at Shutterbug Photography, Braddley. He taught me all about the technical aspects of my camera while also opening up my eyes to the imperfections of photography. Braddley taught me the basics of manual and priority modes which gained me a basic understanding of how to take photos. However, Braddley also really made sure that his students understood that there is no correct settings for taking pictures. All the choices regarding exposure, focusing, and depth is not a technical decision but an artistic decision. As I continue to take phots, I will develop my own artistic avenue. He really made me realize that art is a personal choice, and as long as I like the photo and am conveying what I want, then it is a good photo. Braddley really taught me not to get caught up in taking the perfect picture and as a result I really learned the value of art. Therefore, through Braddley being an excellent teacher I changed the way I think about art. It is not something that can be perfected and is instead based on a series of personal choices. Art cannot be right or wrong it just has to convey some type of message.

Another activity during my project that changed me was my trips to Colorado. I was fortunate enough to visit Colorado twice during my STEP project. I went to Colorado at the beginning of my project, so I did not have a large understanding of how my camera worked. Therefore, when shooting pictures in Colorado I just used auto mode. I wasn’t thinking about what I wanted the photo to convey. I had never been to Colorado before, so I was truly just blown by the mountains all around me. As a result, I just took as many photos as possible of all the landscapes around me. The camera did an excellent job capturing the mountains and landscapes, but I was not putting my own vision into my photos. However, this first trip to Colorado really sparked my love for nature, and mountains. It made me realize that I feel a lot more grounded and in tune with nature when I am traveling and trying new experiences. This first trip to Colorado changed me because I started to appreciate nature more and want to continue traveling to new places and trying new things. This trip transformed me because I appreciated the mountains, and nature more than I have ever appreciated my surroundings. Often times in Ohio, I complain that it is ugly and boring. However, Colorado taught me that there is beauty in even the most minute things. Beauty can be found anywhere as long as I am willing to look for it.

Then after I took all my photography lessons, I was able to road trip back out to Colorado. I visited all the following states: Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado, and Wyoming. This was a large personal accomplishment of mine because I really want to visit all 50 states. I took nine days and just got to travel and document all my experiences with my new knowledge of my camera. On this trip I used manual and priority modes instead of auto mode. When I took pictures this time, I thought a lot more about what I was trying to capture. Sometimes I wanted to focus on the background while other times I focused on the people in the photos. This trip made me take more time and focus on my pictures, instead of trying to take the greatest number of pictures. I learned it is more important to take my time and make sure I capture the right photo instead of just snapping a bunch of pictures. This activity transformed me because it taught me to slow down appreciate my surroundings instead of trying to cram the most in a small amount of time. This trip also taught me that I am starting to become very artistic and creative. I was taking and trying new things on my camera and didn’t care if it didn’t turn out the way I wanted. I was more willing to try and fail because I know that I just have to practice and overtime I can craft my artistic skills.

This STEP has made me gain an appreciate for art, nature, and taught me more about how to stay patient. All of these transformations will help me in my life, long term. One of my personal goals is to travel as much as possible. I really want to visit all 50 states and go to other countries to experience various cultures. This project helped me achieve this goal because now I have a camera to document all my travels. Now when I travel, I have a super nice camera and I can take photos, and videos from all around the world. During my project I went on a road trip from Columbus Ohio all the way to the Rocky Mountains National Park in Colorado. Through this journey, I was able to document all my travels which relates to my goal of traveling and experiencing other cultures.  A professional goal of mine is to become a certified prosthetists/orthotist. This career will require me to adapt to moving conditions, and I will need to be patient with my clients. This project has really made me grow and taught me how to be more patient. This skill will help me in my career because I now have strategies to keep myself from becoming annoyed with others when it is not moving at the pace I wish. Therefore, from this project I was able to improve a valuable skill that will help me become a better working professional. This project has changed and added value to my life already, and it will continue to help me reach my personal, and professional goals.

 

Below I have attached Photos that I took on my various trips throughout my project. Both of these photos are from Rocky Mountain National Park.

 

 

Lost Wax Casting

For my STEP project, I took two classes on Lost Wax Casting which is a method of jewelry making. The overarching theme was how to create wax models and molds for jewelry casting. A variety of mold making, and casting methods were discussed.

I realized a few things from these classes. The first is that the arts are a difficult career but the internet, social media, and online shops like Etsy have provided artists with more resources to share their art and make enough to support themselves. The arts have been a part of my life from a young age but coming from a rural area that focuses on blue collar work, it has never really seemed like something that could be pursued beyond a hobby. I’m thankful for the opportunity to discover a community of artists thriving and to see and hear about so many new techniques for jewelry making. I don’t think I would want to pursue jewelry making full-time but I definitely rediscovered some of my passion for creating. As an engineer, I need creative outlets in my life and lost wax casting provides a way to bridge materials science and the arts. Beyond that, I gained some self confidence both in my craft and in my ability to pick up new skills that are unfamiliar to me.

During my two classes, I had the opportunity to hear my teacher and other students share their stories. My teacher went to jewelry school, worked as a wax carver and mold maker for jewelry companies, and eventually went on to start his own school with a variety of classes open to the public. Some of my fellow students shared that they have done woodwork, resin pieces, glass work, and other methods of jewelry making. Most of the students were older than I and were interested in learning a new technique that they could apply to their craft. Beyond the lessons, it was a community of artists sharing ideas and getting inspiration from each other. Perhaps not a large transformation, but hearing their stories prompted me to follow artists on twitter so now if I do use social media I can get inspiration, learn from others, and support small artists. If I decide to invest more time into this hobby and start to sell some of my pieces I know that curating a supportive community is going to be an important aspect and I hope that one day I can provide that inspiration to others.

Before college I spent a lot of time focusing on the arts. I started piano lessons when I was in second grade, jewelry making for crafts shows and farmers markets in fourth, and band in fifth grade. In college however, I got caught up in work and school and I haven’t left enough time to explore these passions. In these jewelry classes I had the opportunity to rediscover something that excites me. Engineering classes can be stressful and it has become too easy to get caught up in equations to remember part of the reason I like engineering is creating. In this class, I got to create molds and wax models. While still time intensive, I was able to see my creations come to life and watch as my skills improved. Engineering projects often take a long time to see results which can often be frustrating. These classes helped me realize that I do still have a passion for invention and creation but I need to take time to focus on other creative outlets that remind me of that.

Since the class was taught via Zoom, I didn’t have the opportunity to witness the casting process in person. However, we did talk about it fairly extensively. This is the aspect that interests me the most as a materials science engineer. In the jewelry class we discussed what was necessary to know to make the wax model for the mold such as shrinkage, minimum size for flow, how to minimize pores, etc. But from current (molten metal processing) and previous classes on materials I was able to apply some of the science that I had learned from class into a new application. Instead of thinking about how to cast a car door or select the appropriate alloy for a turbine fan I was able to apply that to jewelry. With the techniques I learned in this class, and the furnace and supplies I bought previously I hope to spend some time casting this summer and making my own alloys. I can use some of my background to consider things like what alloy is lightweight, corrosion resistant, has a good finish, and is castable. It was an invigorating experience to make some of these connections and I think my jewelry making and materials science skills were improved because of it.

Finally, in the last class we discussed how to pick a price for your pieces and one of the key points was to not undersell yourself or undervalue your time. This point particularly impacted me. I know when I was younger and I sold things I had made at craft shows I often priced things lower than I should have. I doubted my skills and experience and as a result undervalued myself and my work. This has been paralleled in my college experience as well. I’m from a rural area that did not focus on the sciences and I’m in a male-dominated field and as a result I sometimes struggle with imposter syndrome. Moving forward, I am determined to acknowledge the skills and experiences I have and to be confident in my ability to learn in the areas where I am lacking.

As a senior who is still figuring out what their plans are after graduation and beyond I learned a few key points. The first is that I cannot allow myself to be so overworked and overstressed that I do not take time to explore my interests. I need outlets to be creative so that I can destress and remember what I’m passionate about. Secondly, I know I am more interested in the research and development side of engineering but I definitely want to work in an environment that supports a community of multi discipline ideas. I don’t want to be ridgely confined to materials science engineering but would like to work and share with scientists and engineers of other disciplines so that we can each draw inspiration from each other and view things from a different perspective. Thirdly, I realized that there are more applications to what I’ve learned in class than large scale commercial applications. There are far more opportunities out there and I don’t need to limit myself to a narrow definition of where an engineer should work. Finally, as I’m applying to jobs and grad schools for next year I need to not sell myself short. As I move forward into the next stage of my life I will continue to recognize that my time and effort is valuable in all areas of my life including personal, professional, and academic. Overall, this was an eye opening experience, a confidence booster, and a wonderful opportunity to expand my jewelry making abilities.

This image shows three of the rings I’ve worked on carving. The far left is a simple band that is ready to be cast, the second is a band with a cutout that needs some final polishing, and the third is still a work in progress. This is some of the work I did in the first class that focused on basics.

It’s a bit difficult to tell but on the left are the molds I made of objects around my apartment and the right is the wax copies that were made from those molds. The top is a bird charm that I thought would be fun to make more of and the bottom is a Block O that I got from a pin my freshman year. These were some of my molds from the second class that focused on making molds from found objects.

STEP Project Reflection

1.) For my STEP Signature Project, I took acting classes through the local Columbus acting studio Broadway2LA. During this 8 week acting course, I learned techniques that helped advance my skills as an actress, practiced scenes from different genres of cinema, attended my first red carpet event, and met incredible people throughout the entire process. At the end of this course, our skills as actors and actresses culminated in our final acting showcase, where our pre-filmed scenes were premiered for family, friends, and talent agents on Saturday, March 13th. 

 

2.) While completing my STEP Project, I feel that my view of myself has completely changed. Growing up, I had always wanted to pursue a career in the acting field. However, I decided to pursue a different career path upon attending college. Since given the opportunity to take these acting classes, I feel that I’ve been able to dig deep and find those passionate qualities within myself again. I didn’t even realize how much I’d missed acting until taking these classes. During these classes, I felt so free to be myself and to express myself more openly than I had been able to in a long time. By trying to solely focus on my academic goals for the past few years, I feel that I lost a bit of that creative aspect that I’ve cherished for so long. I’ve come to realize that my passions don’t have to be separated from my career paths, as I’ve found that the best way to be happy in life is to combine passion with my skill set and always pursue my dreams.

 

3.) Throughout my entire STEP Project, I had so many incredible experiences that helped to shape my personal and professional transformation. One of the largest contributions to this transformation was the fact that each week, we were able to practice and perform scenes together as a group. We were able to work on different scenes with different combinations of actors in order to help advance our skills as individual actors and actresses. I was able to perform scenes of different genres, including romance, crime, drama and non-fiction. Additionally, my acting instructors were able to use their knowledge of the field to teach us different acting techniques and exercises to further improve our acting skills. 

Throughout the 8 week course, I was able to work with different actors to perfect different aspects of my practiced scenes. However, for a few weeks of the course, we were divided into groups of three people to work on one particular scene together to perform for the final showcase. For my scene, I was assigned Taylor and Philomena as my scene partners, and we were basically a combination of the characters in Mean Girls and The Three Stooges. For our scene, the three of us girls played three friends who just committed a murder by pushing an SUV over a cliff. This scene contained a great deal of humorous dialogue mixed with the comedy of the three inexperienced murderers who just happened to find themselves in this situation. After weeks of practicing and preparing this scene, I found myself extremely comfortable when filming for the final showcase. By having the ability to practice in-person with my fellow actors, I was able to advance my own skills by learning to work with other people on the big screen. After this course, the friendships I made have continued to hold strong, and I’m more than excited to see the next projects my classmates will be working on in the future. 

The final showcase for my acting course occurred this past Saturday, March 13th. For this showcase, our final scenes debuted in front of family, friends, and casting directors. Each of our three-person scenes premiered on the big screen, as we all sat in the audience of the Dublin Theatre, watching ourselves on film for the first time. After our scenes premiered, we made our way to the red carpet, where a photographer took amazing photos of those in attendance. Being in the moment and attending this premiere, I took a moment to reflect within myself. I had never thought that I would be attending a red carpet premiere, much less watching myself on the big screen. The moment was absolutely surreal, and I realized that this was something I could see myself doing for the rest of my life. If a movie premiere event in Columbus, Ohio was this thrilling, I couldn’t even imagine what a Hollywood premiere would have in store!

 

4.) Personally, I think that taking this acting class has given me one of the most valuable and incredible transformations of my life. The opportunities this acting class gave me were unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. I feel that my eyes were once again opened to the passion that I had experienced in my life growing up in the theatre world. My mom always used to tell me that I was a natural onstage, therefore I found my home once again by taking this acting class. Moving forward, I know now that I always want acting to be part of my life. I want to explore my options onstage, while pursuing my academic passion of becoming an attorney as well. I haven’t yet learned how I would like to mix these two together, but I’m very excited to figure it out.

Screenprinting and Photography

Over 10 weeks, I took courses and practiced screen printing and photography. I was able to make my own designs, print on t-shirts and other materials, and I’m at the point where I can do this at home. I also made a blog and an Instagram page to share my journey and results. 

This project renewed my belief in my creative abilitiesI was able to learn a new skill after a couple years of not practicing any art. In high school, I took most of the art classes offered and played the saxophone, so I had been missing that. Additionally, the ability to create my own designs and wear that clothing is very liberating– I get to be very imaginative with screen printing and show off my skill and express myself at the same time. It also coincided with my Art Entrepreneurship minor courses and connected the idea of supporting local non-profit organizations (this being the Columbus Printed Arts Center).  

At first it was hard to begin practicing consistently because it both felt intimidating and overwhelming with the start of the spring semester. On top of that, I had to change my STEP project four times before this project was approved, which to say the least, was frustrating. But, in time, I began to practice and attend classes. I started getting excited and generated ideas for prints. And I started building a small following with my Instagram and blog. I spent Friday nights trying out new designs instead of relaxing. 

 I also started taking a couple photography classes, which was something I already had an affinity for and had a little background in. It has put this sort of curiousity in me to photograph my surroundings. Photography is something I could see myself practicing long-term, frankly, because it isn’t as messy as something like painting. My classes will empower me to intentionally take more photos in my own life to document and explore. 

Recently, I started taking a mental health class through OSU (Nursing 5115, MindStrong) which has taught me some strategies for staying positive when things get difficult. This sort of gave me a second wind, and helped me finish strong with screenprinting and staying driven. The act of giving my finished work to people was also very fulfilling, and seeing how excited people get. I plan on giving a shirt to my mom for her birthday, and I’ve given several to friends and family. 

Mainly, this project has reminded me of the joy of making art and that I have the capability to take part in it again. I got so wrapped up in schoolwork that I never made time for art and other hobbies. Fundamentally, I had to realize that though it might not always go as you’d hoped, you could have a lot of fun and gain a lot of fulfillment from learning and making something. Making the time and opening yourself up to the possibilities is just so important in this short and sweet life. I plan on designing, printing, and taking photos for a long time into the future.

My Blog: Your Site ‹ Hannah Creates — WordPress.com

Instagram Page: Hannah Weaver (@hw.prints) • Instagram photos and videos

Mycelium as a Medium for Art and Architecture – STEP Reflection

For my STEPmaker Build project, Mycelium as a Medium for Art and Architecture, I worked with redhouse studio, an architecture firm in Cleveland, Ohio, which produces work and conducts research centered around mycelium, specifically its potential as a building material. The desired outcome during my collaboration with redhouse studio was a structural sculpture produced with the material grown from the combination of grain spawn and construction waste.

As I embarked upon this project, I had only a vague idea of the possibilities mycelium afforded in regards to architectural endeavors. I understood it to be a material with unique properties; rather than existing in standardized units like many wood, steel, and plastic building materials are, mycelium can be grown into any shape you desire, as long as you can provide a mold for it. I had never, in my architectural education, thought of design in terms of something that could be grown, only ever in terms of pieces arranged and fastened together. The idea of mold-making as construction changed my entire outlook on design. The work that redhouse studio does capitalizes on this, working with NASA to propose mycelium structures which could be grown on Mars. The necessary materials and tools would be minimal – simply a compact plastic mold and small amount of spores would be enough to construct units.

Though the work I did had little to do with space, thinking in terms of growth rather than compilation led to interesting outcomes. When I initially reached out to redhouse studio I was eager to learn about the intricacies of their work. Prior to proposing that I use my STEP grant in collaboration with their office I reached out inquiring about internships with redhouse, but quickly found that interns are not typically hired due to the fact that most of their research-based work is funded by grants, which is not always a regular, predictable source. This was an interesting aspect to this type of architectural research that I had not considered, as most corporate architects work on a (hopefully steady) stream of projects for clients.

Once redhouse agreed to take on me and my STEP grant, the first portion of my mycelium education was to learn the process of growing and compacting it into a material that can be used long-term. The outcome was a series of panels which will be hung as pieces of art in the MycoHouse redhouse is constructing for the Ohio City Farm. I first built a set of frames in which to grow the panels, using wood and a plastic covering. Then we processed the grain spawn and substrate. The substrate we used was sawdust, some of which had been used to soak up a small oil spill in the workshop facility, and some of which had been intentionally soaked in water. We spread that sawdust soaked in water on a tarp in the sun and allowed it to dry to about 60-70 % hydration. We then bagged all sawdust into a combination of waterproof plastic bags and porous ones, and then piled those bags in steel drums. The steel drums were filled with a layer of bricks, water 2-3″ below highest brick, and then placed on a fire.  We pasteurized the substrate by heating it to approximately 150⁰ F for 1-3 hours. Once the bags have cooled to 85⁰ F, we emptied them into a bleached bin and mixed in grain spawn. This mixture was packed into the frames and allowed to grow for around two weeks. After the mycelium had filled the panels, we dried and compacted them. After that, they could be decorated with designs and will eventually hang as pieces of art.

After learning this process for panels, I moved on to the next phase of my project, which was to use nylon stockings as the mold and weave these tubes of mycelium into swatches in the pattern of certain fabrics like satin and tweed. I was interested in beginning to explore the possibility of mycelium as a woven building material, as there are limited materials which lend themselves to this type of process, few of which are as strong as mycelium. The swatches filled out and individual strands fused together, creating a new type of panel. Going forward, I would be interested in testing options for tubes made out of something more easily biodegradable than nylons.

Though this project changed quite a bit from what I had planned and expected pre-COVID, I am happy with how it turned out and am even more curious than when I began. I initially had planned to create a sculptural piece of art with mycelium, which would have been displayed in a local gallery, and instead began studying the possibilities of woven mycelium tubes. I think this shift brought me closer to my goal of studying the opportunities afforded by a material which is grown. I would like to continue this research in my career and am grateful to the STEP program for allowing me the opportunity to become acquainted with the process during my undergraduate career.

Photography Project (STEP)

My project for STEP was taking photography lessons during fall semester of 2020. I took two online courses, one for beginners and one to improve existing skills, bought a camera, and got the chance to take pictures of my friends and the places we explored during quarantine (safely, of course). I attended online classes once a week for a total of 10 weeks and learned about the technicalities of photography and how to best take advantage of my camera’s features.

Going into this project, I really had no idea just how many settings I could change on a camera. I had no idea what aperture or ISO were, or how they would affect the final image. These classes were so interesting and taught me more than I imagined I would. I have always been the photographer of my friend group, but other than that I had no experience in photography. Now that I have completed these two courses, I know so much about photography! The classes combined with my practice helped make choosing settings almost instinctual. I have a much deeper appreciation for photographers and the amount of skill and knowledge that goes into their craft.

This project has also helped my creativity flourish. This summer in quarantine was a strange, repetitive time, and the opportunity to take pictures of the hikes I took, the parks I visited, and the few friends I saw helped me see the world around me in a new light. Now when I go on hikes I think about different angles I could use to achieve the perfect shot. When my friends and family come around, I end up thinking about different candid shots I could take of them (and often do). This change in my creativity is so valuable! I am going to be a teacher, so the ability to be creative in my instruction is crucial. Being able to change my approach to students as they need will help me be a more effective educator.

The interaction that affected me the most during this project was the conversations I had with the other students in the second course I took. Every module had a discussion page where we could share our thoughts, questions, and even ask for feedback on pictures we had taken. I got to look through other people’s comments and questions and learn from their experiences as well as mine! It was so interesting hearing from people all over the country who were learning the same information as me, but interpreting it differently.

These specific interactions affected me more than I expected! Having the ability to talk to other people in the same position as me made me much more invested in the courses. I wanted to learn photography before starting the project, but creating those relationships with others made me love the skill. I became so invested and wanting to capture pictures that I was proud to share. Getting to comment on other people’s pictures gave me inspiration as well.

One of the activities that I was asked to do during these courses was to go on a walk somewhere and take pictures of the things that I saw. To make the usual appear beautiful. It was the perfect opportunity to focus on using the skills I had been learning over the weeks without having to worry about capturing a fleeting moment in time or posing a subject. Walking through the woods, having time to set my camera up exactly how I want it, was the best thing for me and my developing skill. Those walks were so peaceful and exciting! They really nourished my growth over the time of this project and helped me develop a true love for photography.

This change, the love and passion for photography, is so valuable to me. As a senior in college, I am desperate to capture every moment. Knowing that I’m able to have these memories to look back on years from now is invaluable to me. I also love being able to take nice pictures of my family and have those keepsakes. My personal goals now revolve around taking more pictures of my everyday life. I know that while things might seem mundane now, looking back on those pictures in years to come will be so meaningful.