Chattanooga Times Free Press: Frank Anthony.

Thursday: January 31, 2008.

My Process and Materials class was lucky enough to tour the Chattanooga Times Free Press with Frank Anthony, Vice President, as our guide. Anthony was very knowledgeable about everything that went on. He had many questions thrown out to him by my class and was able to answer each and every one without hesitation. I’m not sure how many years he’s been with the company, but I know it has been quite some time. It’s so impressive to meet someone who knows his job, as well as other job titles in the workplace, and know every in and out of newspaper process. The trip to Chattanooga Times Free Press was time worth spent.

You can visit Chattanooga Times Free Press at http://www.timesfreepress.com/.

Press Release: Richard Beeland and Janis Hashe.

Thursday: February 7, 2008.

Richard Beeland, the Media Relations Director for the city, and Janis Hashe, writer and editor professional for Chattanooga, came to our Process and Materials class on Thursday and offered many insightful tips for writing a press release.

I never really knew how much trouble it was for an article to be published until now.

Some of the tips offered:
1. Keep the article simple and “dumb” so people can easily understand.
2. Make sure that the reporter completely understands the material that is being written so they can get a suitable quote from whoever you might need a quote from.
3. Stay away from jargon, unless it is being used with people who can relate.
4. When sending the article, make sure it is completely tweaked and then it is sent to the appropriate editor for that particular section, otherwise it will be canned.
5. Send a press packet or electronic packet.
6. Make sure you remind the editors and press release to follow up.
7. Be professional.

Visiting Artists: [dNASAb], Ryan Wolfe, and Mark Andreas.

Thursday: February 7, 2008.

Ruth Grover, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s curator, was able to bring in three very spectacular artists, who are [dNASAb], Ryan Wolfe, and Mark Andreas. From what I understand, it took her two years to bring in these visual artists. She has worked very hard and the students of UTC thank her for it.

This exhibit that is being shown in the Cress Gallery is by far one of my favorite’s that I have seen displayed. It seems as though each artist used some of the same elements or concepts with their designs.

In my Process and Materials class, we were very privileged to have these artists come in and talk to us. Each artist spoke on why they created what they had made and their reasonings behind it. It’s quite funny how much I related to some of their logic behind their creations. One of my classmates had asked “why do you make, what you make?” Mark Andreas, who works with environmental sculptures, had responded with something along the lines of he really didn’t know the logic behind his makings, but he just came up with a visual image in his mind, and just went with it. That’s mostly what happens with me. I’ll design something and then be asked the same question that Mark was asked and respond the same way. I thought it was only me.

Disney Nasa Borg also talked about how he would get stumped on design ideas for his electronic sculptures and he says when he wakes up, he literally sits there in silence for two hours, just daydreaming. Mark Andreas followed up on this comment about trying to find new ideas and said “when it hits, you know it.”

I can honestly say that the visit we had with these artists, truly was a remarkable experience.