Question Assignment

Your second assignment is to go to the FAQ page and post a new question in the comments section of that page.  What do you want to know that we haven't covered?

Materials Wishlist

I have allocated funds in the budget for common materials to be used and shared by the entire class.  What kinds of materials do you think would be useful?  That would you like to experiment with?  Your first assignment is to respond to this post with materials ideas - use the links in the previous post about art materials to research what you can find in New York (you can pretty much find anything, but different places obviously provide different materials.  Feel free to look up other possible sources as well).

Necessities

Questions that only YOU can answer - and which you should answer, sooner rather than later:

- Does my cell phone plan charge roaming fees?  Will I be able to use it in New York without racking up massive fees?

- Do I have a copy of my insurance information, in case of an emergency?

- Do I need to make arrangements for someone to take in my mail, or for my mail to get held at the post office, before we leave?

- Should I get a house-sitter?  Do I need to have someone look in on pets?

- If you have bills that will need to be paid while we're gone, consider switching to online payment so you don't miss any notices.

- Make photocopies of your passport and/or driver's license or some other form of photo ID.  Yes, we'll still be in the country, but it's good to have copies of these documents in your dorm room while we're traveling.

- Will it be possible to refill your medical prescriptions in New York pharmacies, or should you obtain an advance prescription before you leave?

- Do you have a credit card?  If so, make sure to call their customer service number to alert them you'll be out of town for certain dates (fraud protection can automatically kick in and shut down your card if it's used in a drastically different zip code).

The Course - Directed and Individual Projects

A significant portion of this program is studio-based.  Because it is limited to three weeks, the atmosphere will be directed and intense.  The course itself will vary between group studio projects that I will introduce in a drawing context and individually-developed projects that you will pursue.  Like a major studio course, you will be expected to conduct research related to your interests.  Similar to a directed study, you will be encouraged to focus on one or two aspects of this research in order to arrive at a state of completion by the end of the class.  The program will end with a student exhibition at AICAD.

A typical day will include a group exercise followed by individual studio visits.  Each student will have their own studio - they average 10'x18' each, though there are variations to each space.  These studios are your opportunity to bring your primary research from the city into your creative practice.

In order to better prepare for the course itself, I will be posting introductory assignments on this blog, as well as periodically emailing readings and links.

What You Need

So, you're in New York working on an incredible project and you find yourself out of [material here]. What to do? Where to go?  The good news is: you're in New York. You have a LOT of options and here are just a few.

Pearl * here's a map

Dick Blick * here's a map

Utrecht * here's a map

New York Central Art Supply * here's a map

Soho Art Materials * here's a map

Guerra Paint and Pigment * here's a map

AI Friedman * here's a map

Sam Flax * here's a map

Kremer Pigments * here's a map

Art Brown (pens, inks, paper, markers) * here's a map

Toho Shoji (metallico, chains, findings, beads) * here's a map

You have a hunger.

How do you find something good to eat in this strange new city you're in?  You can just wander around and eat at the first diner or cafe you find, or you can use a ratings website like Yelp! to help you sort through the ridiculous number of places to eat to find specific kinds of foods (giant sandwiches, Chinese) your price range, places that deliver or are open late at night.  If you are the proud owner of an "intelligent telephone," you can even download the Yelp! "application" to this device that will use GPS to find where you are and recommend a place to eat near you.  We live in the future!

Basics.

Disclaimer: a lot of this is from Let's Go, NFT and other travel guides.  Those folks have already done a lot of the research for you.  Consider checking a travel guide out from the library, or browsing through a few at a bookstore. No need to buy one unless you really want to.

Documentation: Yes, you're going to be in the US, but if you have a passport, you may want to bring a photocopy of it to leave in your dorm room. A photocopy of any official photo id (driver's license, etc) is a great thing to have in your room when you travel, Just In Case.

Transportation: You'll be given an MTA metro card, which was included in your fee for this course. DO NOT LOSE THE CARD. It will not be replaced, and will be expensive to replace out of your own pocket. At some point, you should pick up an MTA map to get a sense of where you can go with your card. Taxis are available for late nights and emergencies, but keep in mind that a cab in NY can get expensive, fast. Don't EVER get into an unmarked cab - only a yellow, licensed NYC taxi. Most of them accept credit cards now.  Always get a receipt (it'll have the taxi ID on it in case you lose something, for example).

Here are some good things to keep in mind in terms of general travel concerns: including dietary restrictions, tips for women hanging out in NYC alone and GLBT travelers.

"I want to go do something fun, but I'm broke."  Good news.  There are always free things to do in New York.  Note that Time Out updates the list daily, so you will always be able to find something free and fun to do.