Hello fellow students! My name is Erin Lorentzen, Erin is good although some of my friends call me E. I grew up in Mason City, IA and have been in Boulder for just under four years now. I moved here because I had a dream, literally, and just picked up and left. I haven’t regretted a day of the random spontaneity with the wonderful people and beautiful surroundings. When I got here I decided to jump back into school and get on my path with Art. I’m a Studio Art and Art History major, well, simply because I love Art. Everything about it, the part, the future, art in the moment. I love creating Art because it is always something has spoken to me and I feel it is the best way that I can speak to others. I am double majoring in Art History, not just because I love Art, but because I want to learn what’s out there. I want to find not just inspiration but also to have an idea if someone has commented on the same topic I am in a piece I’m making. My career path is unknown for sure, I have a hard time deciding where I want to end up because so much of it interests me. I hope to make Art all my life, first and foremost. And like most Artists I would like that to be my career path, but if I end up like Van Gogh and only sell one painting to my brother until I die I think I need a back up plan. I would love to work at a museum, curation would be an amazingly rewarding job in providing inspiration and a means for other artists.
I am taking this class not just to fill my writing requirement but also to learn more about the association between rhetoric and the visual arts. If I remember correctly, rhetorical writing is informing a reader in an effective, persuasive argument. The visual arts can have a large advantage in making a rhetorical argument. Take War Propaganda, or even Post-War Propaganda for instance. The posters and images of these times can have a lasting impact on the viewers thoughts and actions. Although I think some of my art has made a rhetorical argument, I’m not so sure I’m a great rhetorical writer. I enjoy writing, but mostly in research and creative styles.
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Writing on the Visual Arts, Spring 2012 
Hi Erin! It’s so refreshing to hear someone express so much enthusiasm about art. I’m an English major so for the past four years I’ve dedicated my time and energy into reading and writing. But a great passion of mine is also art. Originally I wanted to double major in English and Art History, but I found myself losing confidence when I took the studio arts class. I really enjoy reading art history books, visiting museums, and being a part of the art community, so I figured taking a studio arts class would enhance my appreciation for the art world. It was very discouraging that I couldn’t draw or paint well, and I really struggled through the class. I wish I could have the appreciation for art as well as the skill to make it!
I think your going to be a great person to have in this class considering art is such a big part of your life!
Yes, Art takes over my life most of the time, but I’m glad to be here with the more I read about all of you in the writing department. I think you’ll have a thing or two to teach me! I’m sorry to hear you struggled through those first studio classes, but don’t be discouraged WRITING CAN BE AN ART TOO! A lot of the writings that go along with Art History are an amazing resource for us to understand the artist and their work. A lot of pieces we now understand would have gone misrepresented if it weren’t for critic reviews, news coverage, even the creative writings of the artists while they were making the pieces. I also encourage you to try out art beyond you’re normal drawing and painting. Look through the lens of a film camera, if you like seeing the world through a view finder that you can share with other try that.Test out many outlets! It is an amazing thing to be able to share your world, your emotions, with friends and family, even strangers.
Hey Erin it is nice to meet you. I think it is really cool you decided to pick up and move. It is not always a simple task, but you did it and that’s amazing. You couldn’t have picked a better place to go then boulder. It is a fun and active community and there is a lot going on. I am also an Art History major and I want to know what your favorite area is to study. I love Greek and Roman art. The feats they accomplished during the Hellenistic and Augustan age were crazy. Since you are a double major in studio art what is your area of emphasis? I personally love photography because I just like to capture moments and I also suck at drawing.
Hello again. It wasn’t a simple task but yes, I did it and it feels like a big accomplishment to have done it well.
Oh the world of art history as my abyss. I truely love art, all art. But what really gets my wheels turning is art of the 19th century. Russian Avant-Garde and the femme-fatale is intriguing, Modernism, well anything in that 19th century really. Most of all Symbolism- the Gauguin, Van Gogh, Knopff, Solovyov, Dostoyevsky, Moreau, etc. that act of creation, the individualism, the transcendence and above all the mystism of their work gets my soul going.
My studio work in college is focused on Sculpture and Photography. When I was in high school I was drawn to the darkroom, could get lost in their for hours. The way I see the world through a lens is definitely an attraction also, and as most photographers, capturing that moment in time and being able to share it with your viewers. I also did a lot of ceramic work that I took to competitions. When I got to college and took your standard “Intro to Studio Art” classes I became intrigued with Sculpture beyond the medium of ceramic. I like using a mixture of objects that all mean something different in the world to create another meaning. I am attracted to work like Robert and Shana ParkHarrison for their combination of sculpture, photography, and darkroom collage. Plus through their unique process they create some real gems of photographs.
Hi Erin. I am a studio art major as well. I like your enthusiasm and that you know what you are passionate about. I think that many people choose to go to school and study something that will eventually make them money, not necessarily something that they enjoy. I applaud you for studying what you love. My Dad has always told me that there are three things that make you happy—where you are, what you do, and whom you’re with. It sounds like you are right on track as you’ve moved to a place where you are happy and are doing what you love. I look forward to reading more of your posts.
Your dad seems like a wise man. I’m not sure if my parents will ever understand me and my love for art, or why I’d choose that over the vast array of degrees and career paths one could take. At least they see me happy now and that’s all they really care about.
What is your major in Studio Arts Andy? What are you passionate about?