Tag: kester-aprildawn

April Dawn Kester

Fierce and Dynamic:
Fire
Angry
Change
Evolving
Fluid
Love
Merger
Passionate
Art
Variable

My Pandora Playlist:
Ani Difranco: Marrow, Promiscuity
Fiona Apple: Criminal, Paper Bag
Tracy Chapman: Crossroads
Tori Amos: Caught a Lite Sneeze
Katie Terro: Bird
Elsie Lieberth: Saddle Up

Whimsical and Delicate:
Happiness
Joy
Lust
Waltz
Origami
Tea Party
Calligraphy
Fairy Tale
Dreams
Blush

My Pandora Playlist:
Laura Karst: There’s No You
Deanna Kirk: I Wanna Be Loved
Ella Fitzgerald: You’ll Have to Swing
Nnenna Freelon: The Very Thought of You
Felicia Carter: My Shining Hour

Safe and Efficient:
Home
Ideal
Happy
Peace
Calm
Relaxed
Nature
Schedule
Illusion
Understanding

My Pandora Playlist:
Bryan Adams: Summer of 69
Lynyrd Skynyrd: Sweet Home Alabama
Eagles: Take It Easy
Journey: Don’t Stop Believin
John Mellencamp: Jack and Dianne
Billy Cassidy: Bye Bye Miss American Pie

April Dawn Kester

To summarize my presentation: I was lamenting to my husband that I did not know what I should do for this project. Ellen had given me a few examples, however, I was lacking in all imagination. My seven year old son came to the rescue, he said, “isn’t this just a practical joke?”
So, this unexpected object was inspired by my son, a Valentine’s Day chocolate box full of bugs. Lisa said that I should have used real bugs, but I thinks she’s secretly glad that I did not. Enjoy!

April Dawn Kester

I decided to run with the object that came to my mind first, which is my coffee cup. It goes everywhere with me. It is usually filled with a caffeinated beverage, sometimes tea, usually coffee – which brings me great joy. This object has a very clear functional purpose, yet represents so much more than just its form.

I have dissected this cup by its formal measurement and chemical composition. I have also examined this cup as a representation of an abstract type, which is all cups, or containers. A coffee cup encapsulates both its state and behavior. My cup may be full, and hot, an appropriate behavior in this state is to be drank… by me.

I believe our subconscious mind does view all the attributes of an object when we look at it. This is how we understand if something is odd or different from our previous experiences. The level of abstraction may change depending on our history with that object. To one person a car may be composed of interior and exterior attributes, to another it may be composed of mechanical attributes. Very rarely do we analyze what we are seeing when we look at an object, I believe this is the distinction.

We have a relationship with every object in our perception, sometimes it is important to analyze those relationships on a deeper level. I have this coffee cup because it is reusable, because I don’t want to pollute the earth with disposable cups and straws. I think if everyone stopped to evaluate everyday objects this way, it would be a very good thing. We take much for granted and waste a great deal.

April Dawn Kester

After reading, The Miracle Fruit, a Tease for the Taste Buds – The New York Times, I thought this exercise was going to be some life changing experience. Foods just tasted a bit different, I was very underwhelmed.

Vinegar tasted a bit like citrus juice, but nothing I would chug down – it is still vinegar after all. The jalapeño was the most interesting because although the flavor was altered, I could still ‘feel’ the heat. The lemon reminded me of when I was a child and we would eat lemons from the tree with sugar sprinkled on them. The radish was the only item on the table that I did not like prior to the experiment. I was pleased to find the obnoxious, pungent ‘radish’ flavor was gone. What I did notice was that the radish had the same texture as a carrot. This makes sense they are both root vegetables after all, I’m surprised I never noticed.

I’d be really mad if all my food tasted this way for an extended time period. I know what foods I like and those I do not. I wouldn’t want to learn that all over again. I would also miss sour and bitter flavors.