almost like family: an audio portrait

This is the recording I made for the Michigan Theater screening of my IP project.

the third draft

the second draft

My professor Stephanie Rowden, a sound and story extraordinaire, asked me to write out the 5 things a listener should know about this story. She also suggested looking for the 7 best pieces of recordings. What do these recordings show? For example the New Years recording shows Mrs. Johnston's humor, that she's about to turn 100 years old, and that there are two people in this moment.

So I thought about these 5 things.

-There are two people in an intimate relationship, Brenda and Mrs. Johnston. 

-Mrs. Johnston will celebrate her 100 birthday.

-Brenda takes care of Mrs. Johnston in her hometown neighborhood, where her parents still live next door to Mrs. Johnston.

-Mrs. Johnston wants to live at her house. She doesn't always understand why she needs help, although she is grateful for it.  

So after Kyle Norris's visit I went back to writing another draft. I actually didn't change too much, but in the future I'll try to mix up the arrangement and choices of the recordings.  



Melissa Allison, a radio producer and another audio extraordinaire, spoke with me and my professor via the internet on Wednesday. She listened to my second draft for the audio portrait and responded to the work. She was concerned that Mrs. Johnston's voice was lacking in the draft. Some of the details in the recording was not necessary, such as the details of Brenda's injury. She thought I could  switch between the documentary moments and the descriptions of the story.

the first draft

Kyle Norris, a reporter and producer for Michigan Radio, visited the Sound and Story class and she listened to work made by my classmates. She also responded to my first draft for the audio portrait.





This was my first attempt at shaping the final portrait of Brenda and Mrs. Johnston.

I wrote this as a brief description for the Michigan Theater screening. Brenda cares for her 99-year-old friend Mrs. Johnston almost every evening. This nonfictional audio portrait reveals their intimate companionship and the challenge of transitioning from an independent to dependent way of life.

These are the images I want listeners to learn. It can be difficult to become dependent on others and the importance of companionship during these moments. Of course I also want to let everyone know how amazing Brenda and Mrs. Johnston. They allowed me to step into their lives at these intimate moments and grow in a friendship with both of them. Not only is their friendship quite special, but also all their families friendship, the Wiley's and the Johnston's.

Kyle Norris gave great advice on the first draft. There is really no story in this draft, although there are great moments. I believe she described a story as someone doing something for a reason and there was no tape in the draft describing the importance of their companionship. Norris said to think of a focus statement for your work and then try to support it with moments that possibly prove it. She also highly recommended thinking about what you want a listener to learn from the work. 

at last a NEW post

A lot has taken place since the last post on February 19th. Brenda is on bed rest from a foot surgery and so she can't help Mrs. Johnston for a while. I've finished all my recordings and now it's to the writing board. I need to assemble a story from the various recordings. For now here are some photographs for my presentation.

Brenda and Mrs. Johnston, an audio portrait

Brenda introduces herself as Vera's night helper and Doreen's sister; her parents live next door.

Doreen introduces herself as a Wiley and she tells how she keeps Mrs. Johnston company.

Mrs. Johnston says, "Somebody else will have to tell you how old I am because I don't even know."

Vera, Mrs. Johnston, will be turning a century old and the Wileys will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary this July.

Mrs. Johnston talks about her next door neighbors the Wileys.

There is a gate between their two homes. It's almost like their houses are one instead of two.

Sounds of wind chimes and dogs barking.

Mrs. Johnston fell and she went to the hospital. Brenda describes how she began to work and care for Mrs. Johnston.

Mrs. Johnston sings Barnacle Bill the Sailor, a song her two brothers used to play around campfires.

Brenda describes arriving at Mrs. Johnston's house in the evening.

Mrs. Johnston's reads her schedule. She talks about going out to her daughter's house on Sunday.

"My daughter would have a hard time leaving me here by myself if it weren't for the girls", says Mrs. Johnston.

Mrs. Johnston says she doesn't want to live any where else.

self check 2/10/12

What I did:

I've been blessed to be able to spend time with Brenda and Mrs. Johnston. On Monday I realized how much time I'd spent when I revisited a lot of the recordings. Wow..... I didn't say that when I began to sort through them, but I felt a little overwhelmed. I wanted to make a short audio piece, around 3 minutes, for a small class discussion. I tried, but I wasn't happy with how the different parts of the recordings worked together. I decided to play an unedited part of the most recent recording. (2 hours)

Tuesday I went to Groundworks, an electronics media lab, to work on editing key moments from the recordings. (3 hours)

Thursday I began to list a few frames for stories about Mrs. Johnston and Brenda. Then I started making a short piece. (2 hours)

Friday I finished the audio piece. It is in the post titled Mrs. Johnston, Brenda, and Doreen. (2 hours)

What I accomplished/ discovered/ encountered:

This last Wednesday Kate Davidson visited the Sound and Story class. She talked about her work and she played some of her audio work. She gave us a piece of paper titled Sound Bingo and it is organized just like a bingo card. It gives many examples of sounds to gather in a recording: leaving in a pause, stand-up (describe where you are and who you are), vox-pop (a collection of sounds that give a sense of scope), and etc... I am gaining confidence in making audio pieces because of what I've listened to in that class. I think one element to a great recording is variety of sounds.

What I think I should do next:

Make 3 minute short vignettes around different themes.

Mrs. Johnston, Brenda, and Doreen

Last Saturday, I spent part of the evening at Mrs. Johnston's house. Doreen, Brenda's sister, was there and we all talked for awhile. Both Brenda and Doreen help Mrs. Johnston and so it was great to hear both of them talk together.

I tried to frame this short audio story around the Wiley's relationship with Mrs. Johnston, especially Brenda and Doreen.

Mrs. Johnston said this when talking about the Wiley's, "They've been back and forth. They come in and out as if we... had one house instead of two." She is right. Brenda and Doreen often go back and forth between their parents house and Mrs. Johnston's house, almost if it the houses were one house.

to do list for Feb. 3-4

The to do list for February 3-4

Record sounds and take photographs from around the neighborhood.

Visit Brenda and Mrs. Johnston on Friday evening and Saturday.

Possibly take an image of a list or ask to receive one.

questions for Mrs. Johnston and Brenda

Where are you? (Describe the present moment.)

Ask Mrs. Johnston about the evening time with Brenda.

What is something people wouldn’t know about Brenda?

What is something people wouldn’t know about Mrs. Johnston?

Have them read and talk about a list for Mrs. Johnston.

Have you been able to get outside?

What do you think about this mild winter?

Do you still go to church?

May you sing Silent Night in German?

(Maybe my Dad can visit and play the guitar.)

What was your garden like?

What is your favorite flower?

Have you ever seen a bald eagle?

(Mrs. Johnston really likes the outdoors.)

Tell me about past family vacations?

(Mrs. Johnston and her family went on some vacations to the American West.)

If I were a reviewer...

Review of Kyle Kulik’s IP Project

Editors Stephanie Rowden and Hannah Smotrich

“Happy New Yeeeaaarrr”, exclaimed a cheerful woman. I heard another person laughing and it was loud, as if that person was very close to me. My eyes were closed and as I heard these sounds, I imagined overhearing a celebration of a new year. “It’s almost 2012 and what year were you born?” “1912”, one of them responds. “So that’s, your going to be how old this year?” “Aaaaa, 59”, said the person that sounded the closest to me. Both women laughed at the response. “Good answer.” “This is your big year coming up.” “I’m going to ignore it.”

This was a part of a series of audio recordings and I heard it at the University of Michigan 2012 Senior Art & Design Show, which was titled Synthesis. After admiring the work of many of the students, I walked down into the lower floor of Work. I immediately saw a room divided from the entire space that looked very different. It was as if a suburban Victorian house was attached to the gallery and I had just walked into a room of the house.

So, there I was within a quite room in the basement of Work Gallery and I reclined in a floral cushioned chair, a chair my grandmother would have owned. Along with this chair there was an old wooden drawer, a lamp stand with an antique lamp, and various images. Next to the chair on the lamp stand there was headphones, the kind that cover your entire ears. I placed the headphones on my head and listened. I spent 30 minutes in that room listening and reflecting. I overheard the lives of two women and their relationship, Brenda and Mrs. Johnston. I heard them speak together and separately; I heard the sounds of the city around them. I began to realize Brenda’s role as a caregiver and I heard Mrs. Johnston’s assertion of her independence in a time when she depends upon friends and family.

The recordings placed me in the environment of two people I did not know. I listened to the intimate sounds and I heard the perspective of two women. I thought, “what will I do when my parents need care and what is it like to be dependent upon others?”

self check 2/3/12

What I did:

I wrote a review about the project. (2 hours)



I made a to do list for this Friday and Saturday. (1 hour)



I set up this blog and made new posts. (2 hours)

What I accomplished/ discovered/ encountered:

This week I didn't complete the 10 hour work week goal, but I hope to accomplish work over the weekend. A few weeks ago my professors gave us the task to imagine our completed project and then they asked us to write a review on the work. This Tuesday I worked on the review and it was a challenge. I had to think like someone who knew nothing about my project. This exercise helped me develop more ideas for my presentation. I wanted to continue writing, but I knew I had to stop. I am a very slow writer and if I continued I probably would of ignored other work. Thursday I made a list of things to do. If all goes well, I will be in Wyandotte Friday and Saturday to visit Brenda and Mrs. Johnston.

What I think I should do next:

Try to accomplish many of the things on the to do list.

how will I present the sound recordings?

Today my GSI, Graduate Student Instructor, James Rotz visited me. He sparked in my mind many ideas for the presentation of my work. How will I present the sound recordings? Throughout the semester, either my faculty, my classmates, or myself used the word intimate to describe some of the recordings. And some of the recordings are very intimate images of Brenda and Mrs. Johnston. Brenda's care giving is intimate.

So, James suggested maybe finding a corner of a gallery for my project. I could position a comfortable chair facing the corner, so all my fellow classmates work would not be seen, nothing against my classmates. I also want to some how remake aspects of the environment of Mrs. Johnston's house: a comfortable chair, a antique lamp stand, a dresser with clothes, and paintings and drawings hanging on the walls. James showed me the work of Trevor Gerring. He made a piece about Holly Park, a mobile home residence founded by his grandpa Hal Gerring. Here is a link to how he presented his work.

Holly Park

The Studio

An AATA, Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, bus drives along Bonisteel Boulevard. Maybe it is taking someone home after a day of work because it is almost 4 o'clock. The sun shines from the west and its light illuminates Pierpont Commons and the Duderstadt Center. I take a deep breath.
Blessed Be God In All His Designs -Fr. Solanus Casey O.F.M.

stories from Mrs. Johnston

Around Thanksgiving time, I visited Mrs. Johnston and she told me some stories. We sat on her floral couch below the oil painting of a beautiful mountainous landscape.

Christmas caroling



muskrat in a brown paper bag

a NEW blog

Hello world. I decided to make a new blog for my IP project, my senior thesis project. I didn't figure out how to embed audio players on my previous blog. So, here I am. You will be able to listen to recordings on this blog, instead of going to another website. May you keep me in your prayers. God bless.