#Sgraffito class

[danceonthetide]

[grimcygnet]

genderqueer thingy for ceramics class

[charlesreeza]

The Cauchie House - Rue des Francs 5, 1040 Brussels

This Art Nouveau house was designed and built by the architect, painter, and designer Paul Cauchie and his wife, Lina, in 1905, the year they were married. It served as their private residence and workshop.

The house is only 6 meters (20 feet) wide. The facade was meant to advertise Cauchie's sgraffito artwork and Lina's art classes. Cauchie created hundreds of sgraffito murals in Belgium.

Photos by Charles Reeza, 2023

[claypigeonpottery]

I've been going through your timelapse tag to prepare for an upcoming pottery class that I want to try doing sgraffito in, so thank you for sharing your process! <3 I wanted to ask if you have any tips specifically for capturing a person's face with the sgraffito technique? I have a photo picked out that I want to loosely copy but I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around which parts I would shade and which parts just outline. Do you have any tips? Thank you!

I do!

I’m glad the timelapses are helpful. that’s part of why I like sharing them tbh, I always appreciate watching other artists work

for something smooth, like skin, you’ll want to outline all of the person unless the area is really dark, in which case, just a few lines where the light might catch it, like in this piece:

the hands are disappearing into the darkness so the outline stops. almost all of the diver is outlined, but where the light would fall, I used hatching lines to give the appearance of light

it’s sort of the opposite of typical shading/hatching. you’re using the lines to indicate light instead of shadow, and letting the underglaze be the dark. you can follow the curve of the object with your hatching to give it a more 3D appearance

if you’ve tried linocut, it’s very similar that way. if you look up linocut portraits, you’ll find some great examples

good luck with your class, I hope it goes great!

[shyartbean]

Hi sooo been awhile (cuz of school and me loosing my digital pen but I'm getting one soon-) but here's a thing I did for my art class. It's just drawing on sgraffito, but I chose to draw a screenshot from the movie because I thought it cool. I do like how it looks tho, wish i new how to do more textures tho

[highladyluck]

I finally made some more Vessels in ceramics class!

(Have I regained some competence or just made sure my clay is actually soft enough/not had hand injuries/gone slower/stopped trying to make the walls thinner when I don’t have the skill to do that yet/lowered my standards? Unsure)

I painted them with colored slip and I am so excited to start trimming them today (and doing handles maybe?) so I can sgraffito tomorrow.

[mybeingthere]

Vicky Lindo and Bill Brookes have taken contemporary ceramic art by storm, winning the grand prize at the British Ceramics Biennial last year. A new look at Staffordshire cats.

Vicky Lindo and her partner, Bill Brookes have been making their ceramics since 2013. They both studied at Herefordshire College of Art and Design and now live and work in Bideford in Devon. They work collaboratively on their designs, and make their own moulds and their work is slipcast in white earthenware clay and then decorated by Vicky using scraffito techniques. They are inspired by traditional English slipware pottery with images that Vicky describes as, 'anything from a funny story heard on the radio, heroic animals, a pattern on an antique rug or a beautiful old tree in the local park.'

Vicky Lindo had joined a pottery class, spending evenings learning sgraffito, a form of decoration made by scratching through contrasting layers of slip or glaze. She suspected she might be on to something when the teacher offered to purchase her first platter, but unfortunately the classes were cut short due to lack of students. Lindo, already hooked, couldn’t stop there. A ‘paint-a-pot’ cafe provided a temporary firing solution and before long the washing machine in the couple’s kitchen was replaced with a kiln….

[chromalotl]

🐾 Oscar 🐾

Painting #3: Open Subject Complimentary Color Texture Painting! I’ll post painting #1 later (next week maybe) and I prolly won’t post painting #2 bc it’s a self portrait lolz

I’m taking an Intro to Oil Painting class this semester! It’s my first time using oil paint and really painting in general (which I’ll talk more about when I post my first painting)!

For this piece we had to choose any subject and paint it by using only a pair of complementary colors to create darks, lights and neutrals. I chose my dog Oscar and yellow and purple for my colors. We had to have at least three different textures in our paintings, so I chose scumbling (background), sgraffito (facial fur and whiskers), impasto (some body fur), and wipe away (eye/ nose highlights).

I LOVE how this turned out!! :D I think it’s a huge improvement from my last painting, especially in terms of blending! I would love to do more paintings of Oscar and animals in general :3 I also want to paint stuff that’s more colorful too if I get the chance, I’d love to do a monochromatic blue piece!

N e ways we only have like 3 more paintings to do over the second half of the semester :( but I’m trying to get my parents to let me clear out a space in the garage to set up an easel so I can keep painting!

Reference photo and bonus photos of my beloved creature included!! He’s a jack russell terrier miniature pinscher mix incase n e one wants 2 know :)

- 03/05/24 (Traditional: Oil Paint)

[apoptoses]

It's just occurred to me when re-reading Blood Sanation that Armand notes the other boys did some of the style of artwork he wants to try. I know he feels understandably hesitant at asking Marius but as well as taking classes, maybe he could ask Riccardo too?

(full disclosure- i forget the rules on how ghosts with physical forms work in anne's world and am not fussed enough to open RoA/PL and double check. so just roll with this okay!!)

“This is unbearable,” Armand muttered. He tossed the paintbrush into his bucket of turpentine, hard enough that droplets of the liquid rose into the air and then splashed back down in the bucket.

Across the studio Riccardo sat, curled up on their worn and paint stained sofa. He snapped his book shut. “What’s giving you trouble?”

Armand shook his head. Waved his hand in a vague, dismissive gesture. He would figure out the technique himself. He always did, eventually. There was no need to trouble another with his lack of skills, much less Riccardo, who had tried so kindly to teach him to paint back when he was Amadeo.

As a youth he’d rebuffed all of his attempts. His hands had no longer been the hands of god and so there had been no use, no purpose in being taught. Now- well perhaps he could learn something from Riccardo. Riccardo had always been a patient teacher, rebuffing him would be an awful waste.

It was only that admitting his own failures to him seemed like an exercise in mortification, that was all. No matter how hard he thought on the fact that Daniel would want him to ask for help he couldn’t do it. The words seemed to stick in his throat.

Armand shifted on his stool and looked down at his pale, paint smudged hands. He picked bit of ochre from the base of his nail and ignored Riccardo’s sudden presence behind him.

“It’s unfair of you to do that, you know,” Armand murmured. “Materializing behind me before I can stop you or tell you no.”

“It’s unfair of you not to tell me what’s wrong,” Riccardo said. He rested his chin atop Armand’s auburn head. “It’s a perfectly nice piece. I can’t see what would be making you so upset.”

Strange, having someone material and yet immaterial rest against him. Armand folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against Riccardo’s unnatural corporeal form.

“It’s the highlights in the hair. They look dull. Lifeless. I keep layering paint-“ Armand began.

“And that’s the mistake, adding where you should be taking away. Sgraffito, that’s the technique you should be using. Hand me the palette knife?” Riccardo asked.

Armand grabbed the little metal thing from the table and passed it to Riccardo. He sat back, heavy against Riccardo’s chest and tracked the movement of his hand across the canvas, the way he took the edge of the knife and scratched fine lines into Daniel’s blond hair. Even as a mortal Riccardo’s work had rivaled Marius’s own. What he’d have been able to achieve in life-

Armand couldn’t allow himself to think about it. Better to marvel at the way the spirit remembered such techniques even after the body was gone. It was as if painting was in Riccardo’s soul itself. No muscles for muscle memory were needed at all.

The highlights in Daniel’s hair sprang to life as if by magic, some special skill Armand was unsure he had. The palette knife was so light and precise in Riccardo’s hand, but his own hands-

Such clumsy things, covered in paint. Armand curled his fingers tight into fists.

“See? You try.” Riccardo held the palette knife out. “I believe Rembrandt used the same technique to much success. I remember seeing his work when I followed you and Louis across the globe.”

Armand tilted his chin all the way up so that he could look at Riccardo’s face. Awkward, seeing him from below. His face was distorted by the angle, as bizarre as anything Picasso ever committed to canvas. Riccardo’s grin was wry when he peered down at him in kind.

“So you were following me, even then?” Armand asked.

“Of course. I rarely left your side. It only took some time to become strong enough to materialize,” Riccardo said. He shrugged and wiggled the palette knife in front of Armand’s face, silently demanding he take it. “It’s why I already liked this Daniel you’re so obsessed with before I even properly met him.”

Armand let out a huffy sound. He snatched back the knife and turned his attention back to the painting, pretended to be annoyed even when Riccardo’s hands found their way to massaging at his shoulders.

“I’m not obsessed.”

“Mm, and this isn’t the fifth time I’ve seen you paint him since your lessons began,” Riccardo teased. “Are you going to become like our Master, painting Pandora’s face on every member of a crowd? Will you paint a thousand of Daniel in a stadium one day? Cover your ceilings with putti that all share his face? Imagine, an entire choir of little angels with the face of a grown man staring down at you as you bathe.”

Armand rolled his eyes. “You’re so ridiculous.”

He tilted the knife and copied Riccardo’s movements as best he could, holding his tongue when Riccardo reached out to correct the angle of his wrist.

Scraping away the layers of color he’d already built up- it seemed anathema to him. Like he was committing a crime against his own work. One wrong move and the entire thing would be ruined, for there was no easy way to fill the fine gouges he was making. Even if he painted over them the blemish would show in the wrong light, forever a testament to his lack of skill.

Armand took a deep breath. Briefly, he closed his eyes and focused on his friend’s thumbs working the knots from his shoulders they way they’d always done in Venice. Riccardo had always been too happy to sit him down and absorb the tension that lingered beneath his skin, and Armand hardly minded the distraction.

After all, the longer Riccardo massaged, the longer it was before he had to take the knife to his painting and risk ruining his work. A few more moments, a bit of procrastination- that hardly would hurt anything.

“You know, it’s only natural I use Daniel as my reference. Truly he’s the only one in this entire house that I could convince to sit still long enough to sketch,” Armand said, absently toying with the palette knife as he tipped his head forward and allowed Riccardo to rub at the back of his neck. “The rest of you are all a bunch of miscreants. You would wiggle on purpose just to see me smudge the page.“

“Oh, the great Master, he requires such seriousness in his studio,” Riccardo crowed. “Are you going to finish your painting, Master, or will you hand the knife to me? Marius used to have me complete his works when he tired of them, you know, there’s no shame in keeping a boy to create your art for you-“

Armand thrust a playful elbow back, right into Riccardo’s stomach. Riccardo laughed.

“I would finish it if you would stop distracting me,” Armand said.

Riccardo held up his hands. “Oh, fine. Then I’ll go back to my corner like a scorned child-“

He made as if to walk away but on impulse Armand stuck his hand out, caught his friend by the belt loops.

An image flashed before him- a memory of a sunny morning in Venice, when Amadeo had demanded Riccardo join him in his master’s bed until he was able to fall asleep. Some banter had turned into play fighting, which had turned into Riccardo pretending to leave the bed to return his own room. Amadeo had caught him in just the same way by the hem of his sleep shirt. Please, don’t go. I can’t stand to be left alone here, he’d said; young and unafraid of being so vulnerable.

Armand- he could never say such a thing. He kept his finger hooked in Riccardo’s jeans and looked up at him, as wide eyed and open as he could.

Riccardo’s expression shifted, fell from mirth into something softer, warmer. He sighed, the same playful sound he’d made when Amadeo had begged him back into bed, and turned back. Without missing a beat he took up his position behind Armand again, hands resting dutifully on his shoulders, chin atop his head.

“Why are you so hesitant to try?” Riccardo asked, just as the tension began to creep back into Armand’s posture. “Really you only need to adjust a few more places. Around his face, where the light is strongest- that’s all.”

Armand shrugged. “I just hate the idea of ruining it, I suppose.”

“But you won’t. If you make a mistake you just fill it in. Who cares if it’s still visible when the thing is dried? It’ll just serve as a reminder of the evening you spent learning with me. And that’s worth remembering, isn’t it?” Riccardo asked.

Well. When he put it that way.

Armand nodded. He felt Riccardo’s chin rub against his head with the motion and in spite of himself he smiled. Took up the palette knife again and dragged it over the hair dangling in his painted Daniel’s eyes, forever loose and tousled where Armand had cut it before his death.

Daniel before him, Riccardo behind. What a pair to be caught between. His immortal lover and his eternal best friend. Nowhere else could Armand be so safe.

With a quick, confident stroke he peeled back the paint on Daniel’s forehead, revealing the underpainting in suggestion of a few fly away hairs. Scraped away a few fine lines at the crown of his head as well, one by his cheek and then-

“Another great work from my dear Master,” Riccardo said warmly. “Next you’ll have to paint me.”

Armand huffed out a laugh.

“I could never paint you. You’d heckle me the entire time, it would come out a mess. I’d have to do it in a surrealist style just as an excuse for how warped you’d appear,” Armand teased. “And Riccardo? Don’t call me Master. I’m not your master at all.”

Riccardo’s hands drifted up to Armand’s cheeks, cupping his face in them so gently as he guided him to tilt his head back. Armand’s hand fell, wet palette knife dangling at his side.

Riccardo looked so strange from this angle. Still so very handsome. He was, perhaps, the first crush a young Amadeo ever had, even before he’d been introduced to beautiful Bianca. Riccardo knew all of his secrets, had been his first kiss. Had followed him as a spirit until he could be back at his side. He was Armand’s first and most faithful, loving friend.

“No. You’re my Amadeo,” Riccardo said. “Always and forever.”

Strange, being kissed by one who was neither alive nor dead; all spirit or all flesh. It was like kissing a man made from water vapor, like if Armand pressed his mouth up too hard he might pass right through Riccardo’s warm face and come to rest right inside him.

He tilted his head back, turned on his stool to get closer. Armand closed his eyes just as Riccardo’s fingers found their way into his hair and began to rub at his scalp now, that secret weak spot he’d discovered when they were teenagers and Riccardo was desperate to find a way to help him to fall asleep.

Armand let out a quiet sigh. Let himself get lost in memories and then, reached while Riccardo was well and truly distracted and-

“Hey!”

Armand was so quick with the palette knife, there was no chance for Riccardo to react. He had no hope of defending himself against the daub of paint Armand smeared across his cheek; bright yellow on warm brown skin.

“You had me making improvements to my art, so I thought I should make some improvements to you in turn. To say thank you for your instruction,” Armand said, serious as he could. His mouth ached with the desire to laugh at Riccardo’s exasperated pout. “What? Are you going to say you’ll never help me again now?”

Riccardo shook his head. He wiped at his cheek, then wiped his paint covered fingers on the rag Armand kept on his table of supplies.

“No. I’ll always help you,” Riccardo said, so soft Armand’s chest flooded with warmth.

Yes. Riccardo would be here for eternity, just as Louis and Daniel and Lestat and Bianca. Never again would Armand be alone. There would always be one to turn to for help, if only he made sure to bring himself to ask.

Riccardo’s grin turned devious as he picked up a paintbrush. “But when it comes to improvements, well- I can think of several you could use.”

This time when Armand’s knife found its way into the bucket of turpentine it wasn’t with frustration, but with his laughter ringing through the room.

[iantimony]

twoweeker tuesday: redux

im really making a trend of two-weekin these huh. gonna try to Not do that bc it makes me way less likely to actually do it lol. speed-posting this before bed (and before the melatonin kicks my ass, i'm trying to reset my sleep sched a bit)

listening: hozier unreal unearth. sammy rae & the friends. leaving this pretty sparse because i don't want to dig back through my history for the past two weeks and that's definitely the bulk of it. some notes from the Release Radar(tm) that i like: good luck, babe! - chappell roan bell - rob blivion waiting. - pater ...all (feat jake clemons, live) - grouplove i had not my hat - tom rosenthal april 8, 2024: the great north american eclipse - sleeping at last (!!!) too sweet - hozier flea - st vincent lil' freak - bbno$

reading: finished the main bit of scum villain! i'm reading the extras now. officially read all three mxtx books

watching: FINISHED SERIAL EXPERIMENTS LAIN. i have so many thoughts. i was in delta-orionis' dms about it a bit but my ass has so many Notes. many thoughts. gnosticism mostly but also the obvious tech-as-extension-of-self throughline. idk it was a very weird show and i definitely need to re-watch it to let it sink in a little more.

playing: no games but a lot of horn! i have an audition tomorrow for the fall's campus ensembles, i am...not super confident about it tbh, unsurprisingly i am not back to where i was pre-pandemic so my upper range and endurance is still really crunchy.

making: i keep forgetting to charge my phone before pottery so it keeps. dying. so i made quite a few new things the past few weeks but no photos of those - i did Crack the Code a bit, so now i can more reliably get things shaped in a conscious way. basically i was sitting too far forward so when i was pulling the walls up i was actually doing it at an angle, if i sit with my nose over the center of the pot it's all *chef kiss* beautiful. anyways here's a few glaze related pics. a lot of disappointment unfortunately.

1. my fucked up teacups. god im so mad about these. they were supposed to be a cool grey-green with a white flower, and matte. it is None Of These Things. idk will get redone. big mad.

2. bowl and mug that both got bubbles because i misread the glaze labels - they're both mayco glazes that are optimized for cone 05, not cone 5, so the both the color is not as good as i thought and also the surface variation is. not great. the bowl is acceptable, it's mirror blue, it went through the kiln again and the bubbles evened out (pic is from before), and plus it's on the outside - i just put plain white on the inside - so it's fine. the mug is a little more problematic. it was green slip sgraffito with evergreen fir over top, and i really love the color effect, but there's some small bubbles along the rim...this glaze was marked as food safe in a way that the mirror blue is Not so i thought it would be fine but. well. i'm hoping nuking it in the kiln again will smooth those out.

3. One Good Thing: trying a new glaze technique! someone in my studio does this gorgeous thing where she paints on flowers with underglaze, then covers them with liquid latex to paint on the background, and finally peels off the latex. it always comes out sooo nice, so when i ordered some more underglaze i went ahead and added liquid latex to cart too :3 this is just the flowers, i will be adding the background tomorrow!

eating: uhhh good cauliflower vegetarian shawarma thing that i refused to make unless we added a can of chickpeas because where in the fuck is the protein. tonight was a miso-butter chicken with radishes that we added potatoes and onions to. both sheetpan recipes so im def a fan of those now.

misc: ouuuugh. augh. oughghghg. i need to be done with homework forever please god. i have like...7? 8? total hws left between my two classes. and then i am Done With Classes. mentally gearing up to do my preliminaries at the end of the summer. not to doxx myself but ouch. basketball yesterday. Pain. the eclipse yesterday WAS unreal. oh my god. i drove to [redacted] very small town about 40 minutes from me and it was perfect. so glad i avoided the Big City, although that's where my roommate and her mom went and apparently the traffic was fine, but i'm definitely glad to have been in a less crowded zone. i get it now. i want to take that feeling i had watching totality and eat it and keep it with me forever. i was with friends. the weather was perfect. it was beautiful.

[newvegascowboy]

My attempt yesterday at white slip sgraffito went extremely bad and i almost want to go to the studio today to see if i can do it better or if i should iust wait for class tomorrow

[bigboxcar]

Mugshot Monday - "Brown Sgraffito" coffee mug by Gordon C. Krause with Snowshoe Seasonal Blend by Peace Coffee

This coffee mug was made by my mother’s cousin Gordy Krause. He’s an awesome human and an incredible potter.

I believe he has officially "retired" now from his ceramics business in Sheboygan, WI.

This 2008 mug has the same stain as our wedding gift from Gordy and his wife Jean given to use waaaaaay back in 1995.

It's beautiful plate with a cross and rings sgraffito decoration along with our former names and wedding date stamped at the top and bottom. I love it.

It's not a complete match, but close enough considering our wedding plate is 13 years older than this mug.

Growing up surrounded by his mugs, plates, lamps, and mirrors my parents and other relatives have purchased over the years has subconsciously influenced me my entire life.

And now I love that I have my own Gordy Krause collection to admire.

My mom said Gordy did all of this sgraffito freehand and somehow he'd make it all match up when he was finished carving. Amazing.

I find myself seeing his work in a new context now that I'm taking pottery classes and trying to learn how to make my own mugs. I'm even more in awe!

Cheers! ☕️ 🤩

Be sure to see some of my other Gordy C. Krause cups.

See also my 680+ photos from the Mugshot Monday project here: www.MugshotMonday.com – Every Mug Has A Story

[audrey-thecosmonaut]

“you like kissing boys don’t you” sgraffito on illustration board, ink and crayons

made this for my art class

[famousinuniverse]

Eduard Veith

Austrian painter Self-portrait (c.1900)

Eduard Veith was an Austrian portrait painter and stage designer. Many of his works were influenced by Symbolism. 

Born: March 30, 1858, Novy Jicin, Czechia

Died: March 18, 1925, Vienna, Austria

Selected paintings

The Madonna with Jesus, Surrounded by Children

The Fountain of Youth

Madonna and Child surrounded by angels

He was born to the decorative painter, Julius Veith (1820–1887), and his wife Susanna, née Schleif (1827–1883). At first, he received training to follow in his father's profession. Later, he went to Vienna, where he took classes at the Museum of Applied Arts from Professor Ferdinand Laufberger. He capped off his studies by creating sgraffito for exhibition buildings at the Exposition Universelle in Paris.

Eduard Veith - Wikipedia

Nereiden by Eduard Veith (19th Century)

[claypigeonpottery]

I’m gonna be teaching sgraffito again this fall/winter at Saskatoon Clayworks! hopefully it’s a good group. sometimes students will just vibe together and it makes teaching so much more relaxed.

here’s some pictures from my last classes. they were general surface decoration, not just sgraffito

I’m excited. I’ll have to dig out my teaching notes

[umichenginabroad]

Week 10: Revival

Hey everyone, welcome back to the blog! This week was largely academic, in preparation for next semester and the part-time positions I plan to hold alongside my academic responsibilities as a student. I also went to Copenhagen and reunited with my roommates from last semester whom I love to death! As usual, the blog is divided into sections by topic, feel free to skip over ones that don’t interest you. 

Anyways, here’s a fun fact to start off the blog: The Prague metro stations were built in the Cold War period with the potential function as nuclear safe zones; i.e. a space for rebuilding hospitals and other important institutions below ground. Náměstí Míru (Peace Square) is home to the deepest station!

Architecture Tour - Revivalism

This week’s architecture tour was all about the Revivalist movement - using aesthetic styles that reflect a previous architectural era, while also incorporating modern material and technology. We explored the building we take classes in: Villa Gröbovka. The Neo-Renaissance residence took inspiration from Italian architecture, featuring marble, symmetry, Florentian motifs, and detailed ceilings. The original owner, Mr. Gröbe, actually threw in a communist symbol on the second floor ceiling, because why not mix politics and art? My professor said it was because the Renaissance was a humanist period in which everyone was included in reforms, including peasants. The building reflects classic characteristics of a Renaissance palace: a gallery in front of the building, rectangular shape and symmetric layout of windows, and a big balcony. 

The Villa is also surrounded by beautiful gardens, which used to be aristocratic, but now serve as a public park. Gardens in the Renaissance period were often built as part of the residence, and include a mixture of tree types - an attempt at returning to the garden of Eden. Finally, there's a grotto, which resembles a cave with a fantastical twist. It features many secret passageways, a beautiful fountain, and mythical sculptures. Kids love to play here!

School

This week at school we had our challenge project mid-point presentation in front of our client. We presented our analysis of their current SEO strategy based on the data they acquired through Google Analytics, and then recommended some changes to make to improve their site architecture and domain authority. It went well, but we didn’t receive much feedback because the client representative is not a super technical person, so she didn’t understand a lot of the specifics we delved into. That relieved some of the pressure on our team when we were presenting because it didn’t need to be perfect. We also had two database exams, which were long and boring, but at least we got them over with. Our teacher lets us use ChatGPT to help us design our database and even write/debug code, so that makes it much easier.

Mug Painting

This week’s IFSA excursion was hidden in the back of a local souvenir store - a little workshop where we could paint our own mugs! We got a bit of instruction on how to paint using the "enamel" technique, which, when met with heat, dries quickly and can be scratched off to reveal the layer underneath. It’s mistake friendly, because the enamel washes off with water, even when dried, until it’s actually put into the kiln. When fired, the enamel turns into a permanent layer. This artistic technique is called “sgraffito”, a term that comes from the Italian word meaning “scratched.” The idea is that multiple layers of plaster or glaze are applied, and the top layer is methodically scratched through to reveal the contrasting layer beneath. I painted a white and black marble overcoat onto my mug, and then carved intricate flowers into the sides. It actually turned out really nicely!

Prepping for next semester 

It came time to start preparing my roles for next semester at UofM. I need to have at least one job during the semester to be able to afford life, and it is the dreaded time to start applying for roles for next semester. In the Fall, I worked as an IA for EECS 376 and a CSE Peer Advisor, both roles I thoroughly enjoyed and was fulfilled with. Unfortunately, because I went abroad, I couldn't continue either of these roles and have to reapply for both of them for next semester. The IA application process is always super competitive, so I have no idea if I’ll get my same position but I really hope so because I loved teaching 376. My friends can attest to me being really unhappy to have to re-apply, because returning IAs typically just have to fill out a form and are guaranteed their position back. Not in this case, I guess. Anyways, I went ahead and re-recorded my application video, a 5 minute lesson on any course-related content, and am hoping to get an interview or call back over the summer. Fingers crossed! The application for Peer Advising opens this summer, but I stayed in contact with the staff throughout the semester and they promised to keep an eye out for my application. That job was truly a nice break in the day, and the CSE advising staff is absolutely incredible, so I hope to return to that position too.

I am also super involved with the Society of Women Engineers at UofM, particularly in outreach, so I applied for an officer position for next year. I served as the SWIndia Director last year which was probably the most fulfilling experience I’ve ever had. However, I wasn’t able to hold one this year because I was not in AA this semester, so I’m excited to be back in a leadership position. The turnaround for these interviews was quick, and I’m excited to announce that I’ll be serving as the Elementary Outreach Officer for the 24-25 academic year! Super exciting and important stuff :)

Copenhagen

This weekend I went to Copenhagen to visit my roommates from last semester! It was so refreshing to spend time with them and we really enjoyed the weekend. I really got lucky with the friends I’ve made in college and have surrounded myself with good people. They also happen to be fun and silly and passionate and driven and supportive and I truly believe they make me a better person just by hanging out with them. So yeah, refreshing company. That isn’t to say I haven’t made these types of connections with people in Prague, because I have and I love them so much, but our program is a very niche community that we spend most, if not all, of our time with. Our community is made up almost entirely of Michigan CS kids. 

We spent most of the day Saturday at the Tivoli Gardens, one of the oldest operating amusement parks in the world, located in the city center. It was opening weekend, so even Alex and Maya who are studying in Cope haven’t been yet, making it an exciting new experience for all of us! The park isn’t grimy like any of the amusement parks you would think of in the US, but rather a perfectly manicured garden that just happens to host contemporary rides and entertainment. Overall, a great way to spend the day, especially if you like wild rides and fairs! Plus we got blessed with great weather and lots of sunshine, something atypical for Copenhagen they said!

We went out both nights, and the city was surprisingly super lively and very accommodating to students. There’s this one bar that turns into a cafe in the morning (with great prices!) that serves free water and 24/7 bathrooms which is nice, there’s nothing in Prague like it. The only downside is that the whole place smells like beer pretty consistently.  Sunday afternoon we stopped by Reffen, a street food market in an old shipyard which was probably the highlight of the trip. It just opened for the season and had literally every cuisine I could imagine. It was popping with skaters, musicians, and just a ton of young people waiting for the sunset. Great vibes.

Overall I loved Copenhagen, but found it to be chilly, cloudy, and ridiculously expensive (more than London and Paris!) so I probably wouldn’t come back and definitely wouldn’t study here if you’re ballin’ on a budget or struggling with seasonal depression. I am very glad I got to spend time with my friends though, and I even got to try the infamous cardamom bun! Possibly an unpopular opinion, but I still think that cinnamon rolls are much better.

Now for some ins and outs:

Ins:

April weather: This week seems to have brought sunshine and warmth throughout Europe which is exciting!! Yay for Spring!

Brunch plates: Cope is known for yummy brunch plates where you select 5-6 small menu items for your customizable spread. They’re super versatile, very filling, and really tasty. Highly recommend going to one of the many restaurants that offer them

Pico’s Pizza: Another Copenhagen food rec… this pizza place serves tiny personal pizzas. Each order comes with 3 pizzas you choose from a seasonal menu with all the classics and some more creative options. I swear these pizzas are sooo good and so tiny and cute. Plus they’re known for their allergy friendly gluten free/vegan options, they cost the same price and are of amazingly high quality.

Outs:

Copenhagen prices: The same pastry that would’ve cost me $1, maybe $2 at an expensive coffee shop, in Prague, cost me $5 in Cope. We spent our money wisely and didn’t have to pay for a hotel since we slept at Maya’s place, but still racked up a decent amount of spending. 

Re-applying for last semester’s IA positions after going abroad: All of the EECS IAs had this problem, not just me, where our jobs got taken away after taking a semester abroad. Typically returning IAs don’t have to reapply, especially if they were highly regarded on staff, but that wasn’t the case for anyone I talked to here. Our applications aren’t even getting set apart from the other 500+ students that apply, so pray for us…

That’s it for this week’s blog, catch me later! (You know where to find me :) )

Na shle,

Reese Liebman

Computer Science and Engineering

Institute for Study Abroad (IFSA) CS Tech Career Accelerator in Prague, Czechia