Unconscious Self-Therapy

I haven’t made enough love to my sketchbook lately. On a whim these evening the following 8.5 inch X 11 inch was created:

I am completely out of practice BUT there is hope. It’s still goofy and I still had the motivation to create. “Real Life” hasn’t captured me yet but I dare it to keep trying.

Stay motivated,
Ryan Zlomek

Save PBS!

With budgets they way they are it is understandable that politicians are trying to find ways to cut corners in hopes of “saving our economy.”

One of the proposed budget cuts will eliminate (that means get rid of, evaporate, diffuse, destroy, etc.) the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). This would be the destruction of the only non-commercial news source in America, POV (the premiere documentary resource for aspiring filmmakers), NOVA (an amazing showcase of the world and universe around us), PBS Kids (one of the few educational resources that still creates education oriented visual material for children), National Public Radio, and a slew of other amazing resources that the Public Broadcasting Service has offered to us.

I personally have been hoping to utilize PBS over the summer to showcase my Ithacon documentary. This service is intended for you and me. This is the only major resource that we have any form of control over and the only mass media organization that is involved in our communities by putting together and promoting fantastic events in our community (these include plays, operas, film screening, speaker series, etc.).

If the few of you who read my site could please visit www.170millionamericans.org and send a message to your local congress person it could mean the difference of access to one of the greatest resources we have or the elimination of it.

Don’t let the government take away more of our vocal chords.

Stay Proactive,
Ryan Zlomek

I’m Go 2 Caw-wedge

Since I started graduate school in the fall 2008 semester I have attended three separate colleges for three separate programs. At the current moment I’m attending two separate colleges located on two different campuses in hopes of attaining my MFA in Media Arts Production and my New York State Teaching Certification in Media Communication.

As I’m sure you can guess I spend a lot nights reading theoretical texts and writing papers rather than sleeping. I drive a total of 460 minutes each week just getting to class which has helped me develop a new method of making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches while driving my car using only my knee (ta-da!).

I’m not intending to write this as a complaint. I’m proud to say that after 24 years I’m finally realizing how my brain processes information and I can feel myself growing. I finally learned how to learn and it is because works like this:

This may look like something that a 4 year old made but never fear, this is an original Ryan Zlomek painting (perhaps I’ll post it on ebay someday). I’m taking a curriculum development class in which every student is showcasing an activity that he or she has developed for their classroom. This piece was create while exploring hereditary finger painting.

As much as I may be kicking myself for not choosing to pursue teaching in a classroom this year, I am finding new ways to stay inspired. If you are ever feeling low and unmotivated just find a way to surround yourself with your peers in an environment that allows for open minds and fresh new ideas. I find this to be the perfect recipe for inspiration. It is also a great way to smash your fears of intellectuals and “traditional” education. Every cloud has a silver lining and this “hereditary finger painted masterpiece” was mine.

Now it is time to read and annotate one text book, write two papers, and go to bed when my family is getting ready for work.

Stay inspired,
Ryan Zlomek