U-Nite @ the Crocker Art Museum

              Last night I attended U-Nite for the first time. I guess that's not so bad considering it was only the 3rd annual U-Nite, but it still felt like an accomplishment to me. U-Nite combines two of Sacramento's leading arts and educational institutions, Sacramento State and the Crocker Art museum, in a celebration to showcase Sacramento talent which includes music, theater, dance, art, and more. I would say it was a huge success and I enjoyed myself. I was only planning on staying until 7pm, but I ended up not leaving until after 8pm. The first thing I did when I arrived was find out where Professor Andrew Connelly's performance piece was and I was very confused when I did find it.
               Andrew Connelly and ART ONEEIGHTSEVEN, his students, constructed a large brain out of material somewhat like plastic bags and blew it up with hot air to construct a giant dome-like brain that people were invited to step inside. When I first came outside to the courtyard I was greeted by Andrew, but he was using a different name and thanking me for my illness. I was very confused to say the least. We were then instructed to write whatever medications we had been prescribed, onto a balloon, step inside the brain and release it. I wasn't quite sure what was going on, but it had me intrigued. We'll revisit this later on.

ART ONEEIGHTSEVEN and Andrew Connelly performance art


                After releasing "drugs" into the brain, we went on to view some of the art that was on display by some of Sac State's very own professors. It was kind of nice to see the art of current and past art professors of mine. It gave me a nice glimpse of what they knew and what they could teach us. I photographed a few that really interested me, including Joy Bertinuson's, I Wish I Had A Wiley. I think it mostly caught my attention because it was Disney, but after looking at it for a while and noticing all the small details and pieces that went in to it to construct it, I began to really like this piece. My favorite part was the small sail boat that looked like it was constructed from a walnut, which attached into the piece and led my eyes to what looked like a pencil drawing of a room filled with toys or figurines. I'm not sure what the meaning behind it all was, but it was definitely a piece that sparked my interest.

Joy Bertinuson, I Wish I Had A Wiley, 2014

             The piece right across from it was just as interesting with recycled kitchen utensils that were used to construct this Ticking Kitchen Witch by Sue Foster. I loved all the use of her materials, and I even got to see the artist herself come by to wind it up, so as to hear what I believe was the heart of the witch, ticking. By far one of my favorite pieces.

Sue Foster, Ticking Kitchen Witch, 2012



            I also got to see a professor of mine's work, Brenda Louie, who I've had as a beginning drawing teacher, figure drawing, and currently, life painting. Every now and then she gives us demos in class and we get to see her work, but it was nice to actually see a finished piece of hers and one that has to do with anatomy, at that, a common subject in figure drawing and  life painting.

Brenda Louie, Foot Journey Series #2011-003, 2011


           From here we went and listened to the opening remarks of the founder of U-Nite, Elaine Gale and a few other important figures from the Crocker Art Museum and Sac State who make this all possible. It was nice to get to see the faces of these important people and hear a few of their remarks.

 Elaine Gale, U-Nite founder

 

           Soon after we went and heard a comic book reading from Mario Estioko, a graduate from Sac State who earned both his BA and MA from there and is now teaching graphic design. His comic is called Peck and it's about a deformed man named Dent who is discovered in the dump of Sac Town by a man who lives among the trash, who then nurses him back to life only to discover he has powers that make him a hero. Definitely an odd tale, but an intriguing one at that and told very well, by the artists and creator himself. I wanted to hear more!

Mario Estioko, Peck comic book reading


           After that we met up with a few other art students and began talking and catching up right up until 8 o'clock when "the brain" released all of it's "drugs" or balloons into the sky. It was a great end to my night, as I left shortly after, but what I consider to be one of the highlights of the event. I really enjoyed myself and I look forward to attending next years U-Nite!