Welcome Back Meg! Textile Design Student Reflects on time at Massey University in Wellington, New Zealand

- I am in a shipping container swing here. Wellington is so cool, that they have all these shipping containers everywhere around the city! Coffee shops, performances, swings, literally anything could be happening in a shipping container! You just need to find them around the city, and there is always something fun to do with them!

After spending the spring term in "Windy Wellington" at Massey University, Meg Onuskanych spent a few moments reflecting about her experience.

The first picture is of me ay Massey University. This is at the back of the building where the textile department is located. (in an old museum!)

1. What courses did you take?

I took, a Wallcoverings/Wallpaper course, Textile Materials, Embroidery, and then a           Communications class to fill a general credit.

This is one of the wallpapers that I did while at Massey. It had to be textured, so I used the embroidery skills I had learned to make one of my wallpapers textured. 

2. What was the workload like for those courses?

The intensity of work at Massey was much different from past classes I've experienced at PhilaU. It was definitely more concept based. Starting with one idea at the beginning of the semester, and just developing upon that the whole time. Basically, there wasn't really a time that I ever felt overwhelmed.

This is one of the projects that I did for embroidery. The embroidery was influenced from 1900 embroidery of Lady Cory. We got to look at her work first hand, on reserve at New Zealand national museum, Te Papa. It was a very cool project, and we got to learn a lot about the history of Lady Cory, who I otherwise would have never known about!

3. How were the classes structured similarly/differently compared to classes at PhilaU?

I would say the way in which they developed the single project that was assigned for the whole semester. For each of my design classes, they wanted to see where the idea developed from, how you planned to execute it, actually execute it, change it, develop it, and then finish with something that became more specific and intriguing than your original idea.

4. How has this experience changed your perspective as a designer?

I definitely think that it is cool to see how people are doing design work other places, and being there first hand. A lot of the textile girls were influenced by faces, and you could see how their own color choices and handwork made it their own, even though they all had similarities.  

5. What surprised you about your learning experience in New Zealand?

A lot of times I would be in studio and be thinking, "Wait, what am I supposed to be doing right now?" That was because I was used to working at a fast pace at PhilaU, but there would be multiple classes spent on just one small aspect of a project.

6. How do you expect your experience in New Zealand will impact your work?

Well, since I think I am now destined to live in Wellington, I think all the culturally rich parts of the city will influence me in my work, but also just how I go about everyday life now too. 

Here is a selfie that I took when swimming with wild dolphins!! So cool! and the coolest part is that PhilaU uses the most amazing company, IFSAButler to help you acquaint yourself with New Zealand. The best part is you get to hang with their amazing advisors and go on free trips and dinner. Seriously the best company ever!

The next image is when I went to Homegrown, one of the largest music festivals in NZ. It was right in Wellington, and it was awesome to see some bands that were from NZ. I actually saw many of the artists around Welly after seeing them play there!

I was visiting Fran Josef Glacier here. Really cool, and also just a fun little hike on the way up to check it out. High-fiving the cardboard cutout of a Park Ranger. 

Here is a picture, of what I loved to do for fun in NZ! Hiking!! I am a very outdoorsy person, so being in NZ gave me opportunity to hike as much as possible. Even if it was a causal outing, the hiking and and any outdoor activity was amazing there! I am on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing here with come friends.