Weekly Progress Update
During Week 1 of Winter Quarter 2026, my class and I gradually settled into our Capstone course for seniors in the Emergent Digital Practice (EDPX) program. Capstone is designed for EDP seniors to individually create a project over 10 weeks that draws on the skills and tools they’ve learned throughout the program, demonstrating their understanding of emergence, engagement, and experience. Later, these projects will be displayed and featured during the BA and BFA shows in Spring Quarter.
Given that this is the first week of the quarter, we focused primarily on establishing professional materials, such as our websites and blogs. I’m of the understanding they’re used for two purposes. 1) Document our progress through written blogs and images of our capstone projects, and 2) It’s good to have a website to share for future projects post-graduation, displaying current and past works. However, it definitely was a learning (and design) curve for me to set this up.
For one, this is my second website space. I originally used WordPress.com and struggled with its free layouts and limited customization. Making my website feel flat and… bland? I moved here and have been having an easier time, certainly. The next challenge is designing my website layout. How can I make it feel like me, so that people understand my aesthetic or personality from my website? 2026 is for fun and whimsy (in a professional manner), not sterile-looking websites! However, these thoughts need to be put on the back burner for now, as I have deadlines, such as this blog, and am developing my capstone project.
Alongside the capstone, I’m also a distinction in my other major, Studio Art, which also means I’m supposed to be pumping out multiple pieces of artwork every other week since the fall of this year until graduation. Which puts me in an awkward place, for me at least. Does my capstone follow my distinction themes? Or do I do something completely different? I do know I want to do something with 3D printing (despite having minimal knowledge of it) and combine it with typography. I’ve had this idea since spring of 2025…it’s not that I’m having second thoughts, but I’m trying to think of logistics. But maybe I should think later and just do, then figure it out as I go.
In addition to the website, we have been working on our CVs and artist statements. Which I also found difficult, as I never know how to explain my art or what motivates me to create it. Especially since I’m currently rethinking my distinction statement/proposal, so I’m awkwardly in between ideas for what my artwork is based on. It’s been a lot of writing and rewriting. Which isn’t a bad thing. I do think my current statement is arguably better than what I originally had, haha. So that’s progress! We take these wins!
I also hope this doesn’t come off as me complaining. I’m treating this blog as if I were talking with my friends or in my head. This means little proofreading and writing my thoughts as they come, haha! Many of my thoughts are just questions, and I'm trying to figure out 1000 solutions before taking a minute to reassess. Over the weekend, I’m going to brainstorm some ideas on what I want to do and maybe align my work/class schedule with my hypothetical timeline for the capstone project. That way, I can hold myself accountable and ensure I’m staying on track.