Guest artist Natalie Tranelli woos my YMF students . . .

On Wednesday night, I welcomed a guest artist and photographer to facilitate our Youth Media Festival class . . .

Natalie Tranelli is one of my MICA MACA classmates. She is from Pittsburgh (like Andy Warhol). She taught the students how to use a Gigapan camera to shoot large-scale panoramic self-portraits.

They also wrote a poem about where they are from to accompany the photo, using a Where I'm From poetry prompt.

The students had a great time! We will hang the images and poems as banners for the Who Are you? Youth Media Festival.

Look for my student's self-portraits here soon!

Below is my version of the Where I'm From poem.




Where I'm From by Lindsey Bailey

I am from taco stands, Whole Foods, and pot-smoking hippies. From liberal people, record stores, color-filled excitement.

I am from the big sky country, beautiful sunrises: pink and orange. From quiet, coyote-filled pastures. Horses and cows, alpaca and ostrich.

I am from goats and chickens as pets and barking pit bulls. I am from Day of The Dead and tailgate parties, from Ricki Annette and Thomas Charles, Irish-Sicilian roots.

I am from loud voices and opinionated demeanor, sense of humor and want to dance. From “the early bird gets the worm” and Santa Claus is coming . . . From cowboy boots and trailer parks. Put on a nice dress for mass.

I am from first communion and daisies in a bucket. From what in the hell are you talking about? Just be good, give back.

I'm from Austin, Texas and sunflowers as high as church steeples. From Barbeque and hamburgers that still moo. From recycling, Smart cars, Frisbee golf, and Segways.

From the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Longhorns, and who else matters? I am from playing with Barbies, Smurfs, and My Little Pony with my sister, Kerry while escaping my parents’ divorce.

I am from never having to wish for something I needed and being thankful for every minute of it.