Photography and Flexible Necklace in black by Lena Wunderlich
I recently met Lena Wunderlich, a German native and current RISD Masters student. Lena is a photographer, and jewelry designer.
When she showed me her portfolio I flipped. It’s so fresh and clean, yet highly ambitious and innovative. When I felt the materials I couldn’t believe how versatile and durable they were. Her work, whether photos, art design or intricate jewelry pieces, is always crisp, clean, and forward thinking.
Lena like many designers I meet, Lena has such an impeccable eye for detail. Her sensibility is functional, often quiet, and highly individualized. Shooting with her reminded me that good work is really all in the details.
Lena is currently fundraising for resources to help her complete her degree at RISD (The Rhode island School of Design). Check out the effort and contribute if you can.
After Chautauqua I took a little (big) road trip from New York to Washington to unpack the last three years. We passed through New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Montana, Wyoming, Wisconsin, Idaho and Washington.
Some things I did:
Caught up with friends and family in Chicago (the most underrated city ever. I really miss living there.)
Had big margaritas at a theme park in Wisconsin while discussing the social and economic pros and cons of strip clubs.
Visited the Northern Cheyenne reservation in Montana.
Saw Mount Rushmore. (It’s a “memorial” but what is it memorializing?)
Visited a traditional wild west town in South Dakota.
Won $175 on a roulette table. (I have a new addiction)
Sang “Creep” by Radiohead for karaoke at a gay bar in downtown Coeur d’Alene (not the best upper song for karaoke night but I CRUSHED IT!!!!)
Ate at one of my dad’s favorite venues he plays on his tour called Moon Time.
Met a really nice black cat named Jasper in Coeur d’Alene.
Ritzville Washington
There is just so much space in this big, old, red an blue country. I wonder how the entertainment industry remains so over saturated in just two cities, NYC and LA, particularly when they are becoming more and more economically unsustainable. Montana was particularly gorgeous, I mean breathtakingly open and clean and picturesque. We drove through some patches of bad smoke from the forest fires there, but I couldn’t think of a more beautiful place to start a little company or take a writing retreat.
The most beautiful landmark I saw by far was the Columbia River in Washington. They way the water funnels in is just gorgeous. It was incredibly quiet and arid. There is a great Woody Guhthrie called Roll on Columbia Roll on that you should listen to. It evokes the tone and feel of the space.
Roll on, Columbia, roll on Your power is turning our darkness to dawn So roll on, Columbia, roll on Green Douglas firs where the waters cut through Down her wild mountains and canyons she flew Canadian Northwest to the oceans so blue Roll on Columbia, roll on
Hope to make another trip soon, maybe in the winter.
Let me start by saying this is the first post I have done for 2013. Well, Happy 2013. It got off to a great start with the First look Festival- a night of theatrical programming completley planned and created by my class. I made my directing debut and also had my first writing piece featured. Shot from rehearsal below…
Rehearsal for “Condition” my first short play part of the First Look Festival
My class, 16 funny-brilliant-unique-spaztastic people from all over the country, created a really unique evening that culminated in dancing (yes!) AND SINGING (double yes!). I also was a part of another festival, Writing is Live, in a new play written by Ugandan playwright Margaret Namulyunga. The piece explored, or rather exploded, traditional Ugandan conceptions of sex and marriage.
Backstage for He is Here He Says I Say, by Margaret Namulyunga. Part of the Writing is Live festival.
The days are always crazy, but I’m learning more about myself and about what collaborative work is. I am thrilled to say that my next project will be In The Blood by Suzan-Lori Parks directed by Flordelino Lagundino, the role of Mother Hester.
Eternal thanks to my mother, without whom none of this would have been possible.
And finally, we present Whitney’s official reel for 2012. It took us long enough but it was well worth the wait! Clips featured include: NBC’s The Playboy Club (Pilot, and Ep 1), and the Documentary on The House Theatre’s Girls vs Boys. All photography by Janna Giacoppo. Check it out!
A large part of being a working performer is staying connected to your sense of self; your life force and true being. It is expected that we will bring that force to the stage, screen, TV or whatever medium it is we are performing in. It is what people expect to see when they go to a show. They want it. They purchase a part of it with each ticket or subscription and wait faithfully night after night to be lifted into a better space by our energy.
Nevertheless there are times when we are disconnected from ourselves. Those bad days, that string of less than phenomenal callbacks, the argument we had with a loved one, or that crazy street encounter, become a chorus of static distorting the streamline of our artistic consciousness that keeps us going.
Walking out onto the beautiful stage at the Broadway Playhouse, in front of a full, listening and eager audience I felt a wave of reassurance. I thought to myself, I am ready for this. I have practiced, I have trained and I am willing to take the risks necessary to tell the stories in this show. My cast is one with a strong foundation and each member has the ability to deliver. Any moment of panic was instantly quelled by the beautiful voice of Barbara Robertson, whose skill and warmth would calm anyone. This was the right place for me. The disconnect may have occurred but I was once again ready to make that leap of faith. As revelations abound from our first performance, one can only wait to see what the rest of the run has in store.
Whitney White 