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Artech Puts on Reno Art Fest 2018

By ASUNUncategorizedNo Comments

Artech, a local non-profit art organization, is putting on the Reno Art Fest this year. The event will run from Saturday, June 30th through Sunday, July 1st near the Playa Art Park in the heart of downtown, which the organization also created. The event will feature art sales and competitions, entertainment, food, and a parade. Maria Partridge, Executive Director of Artech, said that Art Fest is the overarching event, but there will be other things taking place at the same time such as the Circus Circus Mural Marathon which is a 24-hour competition where seven contestants have to each paint a mural that’s nearly 20 feet wide by 14 feet high to compete for prize money. There will also be Controlled Burn’s Fire Fest in which aerialists, drummers, and other fire performers perform while twirling around flames.

Partridge said the art competitions are a major portion of the event. “There’s around 50 artists that are regional and local who’ll have tents, and they will be selling jewelry, paintings, photographs, whatever they got juried in for,” said Partridge, “There’s cash awards of $4,000, and then Circus Circus Mural Marathon is $6,000 in cash awards.”

Partridge said that Artech has been largely influenced by Burning Man — strengthening their focus on collaborations. “We’re Burning Man inspired: interactivity, collaboration, community, all of that,” she said. Partridge is excited that Reno Art Fest will feature this sort of collaboration. “I’m most excited about the fact that this is a collaborative art event. It makes each one of the elements actually stronger because we all bring a different audience,” said Partridge, “I really believe in collaborations and trying to create a larger event, instead of a bunch of small events because these all kind of speak to each other and complement each other.”

One of the events taking place in Reno Art Fest is the Cre8tiv Zone, which will host smaller events itself. The Cre8tiv Zone will feature printmaking and face painting. “There’s going to be ongoing events in the Cre8tiv Zone, and it’s going to be run by the Boys & Girls Club,” said Partridge, “I love that, too. There’s that collaboration as well.”

Partridge said that Artech wants to focus on art and civic engagement with things like the Playa Art Park which is a community gathering spot in an empty lot downtown that features sculptures from past Burning Man festivals and a giant mural to give visitors a Burning Man taste year-round. Instead of having the event at a space that’s more upscael, Partridge said she wanted it to be in the heart of Reno off of Virginia street to add the urban grittiness to the feel of the event which is why they chose the Playa Art Park as the location.

According to Partridge, Artech is hoping to create another Playa Art Park next year on the organization’s property off of Woodland Avenue. “We store a lot of Burning Man art, and we’re hoping that as of next year we can actually set up a bunch of that artwork on the property and create an Artech Playa Art Park back there,” said Partridge, “We could have tours and things like that — invite the public to come see what we’re doing. Right now we’re kind of a hidden secret.”

Be sure to swing by Art Fest happening this weekend to take in all that the festival has to offer.

June 29, 2018

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The Gap Year

By ASUNUncategorizedNo Comments

As May has quickly come and gone you may be feeling pressure to land your dream job the moment after graduation. But what if you have no clue what, where, or how you’ll be getting any job related to your major? What if you’re not sure about your choice of major at all? You hit the panic button as you reevaluate the ten year plan you’ve laid out for yourself. Don’t be scared because there’s a little something called the gap year that’s here to save you.

What exactly is a gap year, and what does it mean for you?

A gap year is one academic year in which the student, you, steps away from your career to travel the globe, figure out what you want out of life, and what career path you actually want to take, rather than just panicking after college graduation.

No, a gap year after college is not a symptom of being a lazy, unmotivated, or unsuccessful student after graduation. Don’t worry if you haven’t planned your whole life out by the age of twenty-two. The gap year is a time for you to reflect on what you want out of this world while also gaining many personal and career benefits. It’s a time in your life to take a breath and enjoy it before you may become a working slave in the corporate world.

Believe it or not, taking a break from work may actually increase your workplace performance amongst your return. Throughout your gap year, you’ll develop greater career ambitions and goals for yourself.

When you eventually do return, you won’t take your first real job for granted. It won’t be something that’s just landed in your lap, because you’ve already taken the time to explore your options and find what best suits you. You took the time to work for this job and prove your worth. You will have greater work ethic than your coworkers.

Maybe during your time trekking around the world you had to wait tables or wash dishes to make ends meet. Perfect. It’s another life skill you’ve added to your resume. There’s no shame in this. Everyone in their life should experience having at least one or two of these gigs before landing the job of their dreams. It teaches you how to work hard, like work your ass off hard. Yet, you may also find that along the way you gained a sense of appreciation towards people who always have jobs like this. You’ll no longer take the custodian or barista for granted because you’ve learned what it takes to work hard.

Amongst your return, you’ll feel more motivated to jump back into things because you’re not feeling burnt out. It can be rather difficult to pound the pavement right after you’ve spent the last four years studying hard in college. But with a slight mental break, you’ll feel fresh and rested enough to put all of your energy into your new career.

A gap year is also a great resume builder in many ways. During your time off you may learn a new language, a new skill set, or experience a new culture that will change your perspective on the world. You’ll be more adaptable to new situations than someone who hasn’t taken a gap year because you’ve experienced a different culture than that of your own. Living amongst a different society will give you different perspective on things, which will make you a valuable commodity. Your experiences of traveling abroad will give you unique ideas about people and places around the world.

In addition to the numerous perks a gap year will add to your future career, time off will provide you with many personal benefits as well.

If you’re not that college graduate who has your whole future planned out, then that’s ok. This is your time to figure out which path you want to take personally in life and with your career. Or this can be the time for you to reflect on, and confirm your decision of your academic major and future career plans. It’s that extra bit of reassurance that will destroy any doubt in your mind that you had before graduation.

Being young, healthy, and adventurous is also a great time to give back to the world through volunteer work. You’ll be making a huge impact on the local communities you serve by working on many projects that matter to them. Many volunteer programs offer housing to live abroad and volunteer for an extended amount of time. This will be an experience you can always look back and reflect on. Again, it’s something that will give you insight and a greater perspective on the world. Taking time to volunteer abroad will humble you and will make you an all around improved human being. Plus, it’s always better to volunteer now before you’re tied down by a mortgage payment, future children, or your career.

Speaking of kids and careers, this is your time to find out what you want out of life. Time alone by yourself in a different country allows for much self-discovery. Without anyone or anything there to influence you, your mind will have a lot of free time to contemplate what will make you happy in the future. Those who rush into a demanding career right after graduation but are still confused about what they want life often run into problems like an identity crises later in life. You’ll never get this time of reflection in your life back once the ball gets rolling. Take advantage of it while you can.

Sometimes when rushing from one phase of life to the next it can be easy to lose track of what’s truly important. Taking a gap year allows you to learn about what’s really important in the world at a very early age which sets you up for success. Being a twenty-two year old college graduate and knowing about pressing global issues rather than being upset about losing a round of beer pong or having a crappy blind date is colossal. It puts a good perspective on the whole scheme of things.

As we all know, life moves pretty fast. Yesterday it seemed like you were just starting your freshman year, and today you’ve graduated. You need this time to slow the clock down, and soak in the beauty of life. Trust me, you won’t look back at this time in your life when you’re eighty years old, sitting in a nursing home, unable to travel and think, “Man I sure regret exploring the world when I was young.”

As scary and daunting as taking a whole year off may seem, it will teach you so much about yourself and the world. Not having your shit together may be a gift in retrospect because after it’s all said and done, you’ll be confident in who you are as a person and what you want your life to be.

May 23, 2018

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How to Have the Best Semester Ever

By ASUNUncategorizedNo Comments

The start of a new semester is always rough. You have to dive back into the grind of school with new classmates, new professors, and new workloads. It can take a toll on anyone, especially when trying to figure out how you’re going to tackle the semester. Fear not fellow students, here are some tips on how to have the best semester ever and get those good grades.

Divide and Conquer: One of the best ways to stay on top of your coursework is to break it up in bits. Always write down when all of your assignments, tests and projects are due. Having a planner or calendar is great for keeping track of how much time you’ll have. Keeping track is vital for success. After writing it down try diving up your workload into little chunks to do each day and see how it works for you. Many of us are prone to putting things off until last minute to be then left sitting there asking ourselves why we do this to ourselves over and over. Breaking up your work this way can be a nice way to ease some of the stress of big workloads.

Set the Scene: Although getting comfortable in bed is always fantastic, realistically it probably isn’t the best place for you to do your homework. When sitting down to start your work you should do it in an area you know you’ll be able to stay focused and productive in. We’ve all heard it before but it’s probably best you put your phone away for a bit. Got to stay focused my friend! Also, don’t be afraid to try out new areas to work in. Go out, explore. See what works for you! Maybe you’ll find you love getting work done in a coffee shop or sitting out by the quad. Maybe you’ll even find a little love for some soft Beethoven in the background while you’re at it. Always remember to take breaks and allow yourself time to recharge! The more focused you are the more productive you’ll be, and the more productive you are the sooner you’ll be done, just remember that.

Try new techniques: There are lots of different study/homework methods out there, and the internet is a great way to find them. Whether it’s flashcards or notes, they’re all worth a try! One of the best study methods I have discovered is to try and teach someone what you learned. So maybe go over to your roommate, your dog, even your wall, and try to teach them what you’ve been studying. Then while you’re teaching, if you find any holes in your own knowledge you can go back and look over it. Speaking about the subject out loud is a great way to help retain information!

Read the readings: I know, I know. Readings suck. Some teachers just stack pages upon pages for us to read, making us all look down at it like “Yeah… I don’t have time for that.” Well, now’s the time we try and make time. If you have a few moments to spare between classes, break out the readings instead of scrolling on your phone. Just try to squeeze in some reading time whenever you get a chance. Maybe wake up a little earlier or plan a trip to a tea shop to let yourself sip while you read. Just try to get the jist. If you can’t read it all try seeing if there is a summary of it somewhere online or read the beginning and concluding paragraphs to see if you can get the jist of what the author is saying. Just by getting an idea of what the author is saying you’ll be better equipped for class the next day.

Do the Extra Credit: Guys, always do the extra credit if your professor is nice enough to offer it. It can be just what you need to push that grade up a notch or help cushion the blow of a bad grade on an assignment.

February 13, 2018

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Joyzu Uses Live Elements to Bring in the New Year

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The duo, Joyzu, that consists of Quinton Pope and Carson Willms, helped bring in the new year by opening up the main stage on the final day of SnowGlobe Music Festival. The two performers met in high school and started playing just for fun at parties, but soon enough both of them realized that making electronic dance music was their niche. The duo’s performance stood out from their previous shows done because this time they wanted to focus on the live elements and connecting in the moment. “We’ve changed up the vibe of our show,” said Pope. Willms and Pope brought out live performers including Olivia Reid and Lilianna Wilde. Wilde just debuted in their new single “Famous.”

“Someone super close to me got a little famous and let it get the best of them,” said Wilde. When asked if there was any advice that performers can take to avoid letting the fame consume them, Wilde responded with “Just don’t get an ego.” Wilde brought a certain energy on the stage that connected the performers to the fans. Having the new single sung live brought out the originality and passion behind the song.

The performance that went on at SnowGlobe was not planned overnight. “We’ve been working on this show for 3 months” said Willms,“This is the first time we’ve done the whole live element thing.” The duo has been practicing everyday for three months leading up to New Year’s Eve at SnowGlobe. They hope to move away from the stereotype of just regular DJ’s and bring more diverse and alive elements to their music. Their best friends mindset behind their creation of music is to “Just make a good song,” said Pope, “Every song is different, there’s no right way to create a song.”

Willms and Pope have a lot of big plans for the New Year. Willms explained how their goal is to really break into the “roots of edm.” This past year they have stayed more focused on the radio style of electronic music and are hoping to cross over to the more heavier style of what is EDM. The duo recently signed onto Armada Music and with their help they plan on releasing five more songs in 2018. “They’ve given us a lot of opportunities,” said Pope. Three years ago Willms and Pope were in the crowd attending SnowGlobe, and now with the help of their fans and new record label, they are driving in the New Year with their fun and divergent style of music.

January 1, 2018

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The ZOA Brings Magic to SnowGlobe Music Festival

By ASUNburningman, california, culture, dancing, edm, festivals, laketahoe, Millennials, music, musicfestivals, party, rap, renoNo Comments

The annual SnowGlobe Music Festival is a time for trancing music, fun experiences, and exquisite art. This year the festival featured the ZOA sculpture, a playful expression of art made by the Chromaforms Art Collective.

The Chromaforms Art Collective specializes in making playful and interactive art creations with the help of engineers and sculptors. “A lot of our projects are community based, or we try to get a lot of people to help and to make something,” said Martin Taylor, an engineer who helped start Chromaforms. Taylor originally worked as an engineer in a prototype technology lab. After he was done working for the day, he would use the big 3D printers to create little sculptures at night. This is what drove his inspiration to start Chromaforms and to eventually quit his day job and pursue art and creation full time.

Taylor said the goal of the ZOA sculpture is, “To bring out a very playful aspect in people that often gets lost in larger society.” The piece was originally supposed to be a jellyfish that was going to debut at Burning Man. However, Taylor discovered that another artist had that same idea, so he had to change paths. By having the same jellyfish idea in mind, he used rainbow colors and soft and wrinkled materials that can change and be less predictable. There is also a mini faux fur star inside of the creation that adds a hidden magical element to the ZOA.

He wanted the piece to stand out and for participants to “be invited to investigate.” The ZOA piece is one of the first things you see when you walk in and adds an essence to the overall feeling you get from being at the festival. As the night got darker, more people seemed drawn in to the ZOA.

Fans would touch, spin, and often sit under it. “It brings people to a childlike state,” said Taylor, “It’s like a game.” Taylor described the piece as almost like a hologram at night. No matter which stage you are at, the ZOA seems to be the central location of the festival grounds. “There is also the element from seeing it from far away and investigating it.” said Taylor.

The ZOA sculpture made its first major appearance at Burning Man this year and later to EDC Orlando. The Sculpture folds down easily and deflates, so it can depart from one event to the next. “It’s going to be there for a little while, and then it’s going to travel somewhere else.” said Taylor. The overall essence of the ZOA adds a deeper meaning to the culture of what is SnowGlobe Music Festival. The next project Taylor plans to work on will try to star plastic bottles and ideas to bring new energy to things people see as everyday wasteful items. Taylor’s advice to potential artists is to try to have a day job and pursue art at the same time. “Doing art is just equal as much work,” said Taylor.

December 30, 2017

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