Author Archives: cp132023

Last week I visited the Sidney Mishkin Gallery on 22^nd Street for my second time so far. I really like visiting the Gallery and getting to see more interesting pictures of famous photographers through history. I really like seeing photographs rather than paintings because I build an image of my own from them. Last time, the Gallery exhibited a series of photos through history that portrayed emotions, it was quite moving. This exhibit was quite enjoyable as well.

In the first exhibit that I went to, the gallery was portraying various types of photographs and paintings through history. One that really got me thinking was a sketch of a vineyard in Italy. Instantly it reminded me of my grandfather’s vineyard in Greece. Although this sketch was a little dark and grey it brought a happy feeling to me. I also noticed on the very bottom of the painting there was Morse code. I asked what it meant and the curator told me that it portrays the saying “I heard it through a grapevine” and how during the war there were communication lines running through the vineyards in Italy and that’s how the expression emerged. I didn’t know that I could learn so much from a simple picture. It goes to show that a picture is truly worth a thousand words.

Going again last week for our class I once again realized my love for music. I used to play the piano for 8 years and so seeing pictures of great musicians is a pleasant sight. I enjoyed seeing pictures of musicians I know this time like Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Barbara Streisand. These are huge names that not only changed the music of their time, but shaped the music that we listen to today. I believe they were caught excellently in these stills and they definitely portray the musicians in their natural environment. I could easily tell Milt Hinton was a very good photographer at seizing the moment. The curator of the gallery said to me that Hinton once said “I’d sneak up to people and shoot them when they were off guard.” This clearly shows that his eye for candid pictures in portraying the subject of the picture naturally was good. I didn’t even know who Milt Hilton was before I visited the Gallery but I am growing to like his work and how he portrays history through his photographs.

I have to say, I really enjoy going to this gallery. It allows you to escape and look at something else in time. It is amazing how in a city like New York, there are still places that can truly escape you. I will definitely be visiting the gallery again through my time at Baruch and even after I hope. Maybe I can donate some art and keep the gallery going in the future.

– Constantine Petropouleas

Constantine Petropouleas   10/17/2011

FRO 1000

Freshmen Seminar

Monologue

At first glance when you see me, what do you think? Tall, good looking, smart, goofy. To be honest, I don’t really care what you think. What matters is what I think of myself. Who am I?

I’m a young man that is just beginning his life. I have dreams higher than the clouds. And using Baruch as my resource, I will achieve them. Many say I’m mature for my age, I don’t agree. I think I’m determined to stand out. But that just scratches the surface of who I really am.

When you really get to know me you’ll realize I love cars. From how they work to how they drive and of course how they look entices me. I grew up working in my cousin’s garage so I know my way around a car. I hope that soon enough I will be able to buy the cars of my dreams. To me cars are like art, and I wish to build a vast collection of them throughout my life.

Obviously, since I like cars so much I love driving. But people don’t understand why. For me driving is almost like flying. I feel free. Being able to drop gears and hear the engine roar as I accelerate through the lane, I feel…euphoric.

Going a little further into my mind, you see that I am not only about cars. My close friends and family are truly the most important thing in my life. I strongly believe in the phrase “It takes a village to raise a child”. And with that in mind I think that we don’t stop growing, and it is the people we allow to be around us that raise us through our life. There is nothing I enjoy more than being with my loved ones and having a good time. I think to myself everything I’ve done with all these people, the good, the bad, whatever it is, and I can’t do anything but smile. I am truly happy with my life.

With all this, I believe this is why I am enjoying my time at Baruch so much. I’ve met so many new people, people like me in many ways and also different at the same time. There is a sense of diversity that just blends everything in so well here that you feel comfortable. I am a business accounting major with hopes of becoming a lawyer. I know that Baruch was the best school for me and I know that it’ll open many, many doors for my life. I just have to make the most of it.

Hi, I am Constantine Petropouleas. As you probably already guessed from my name, I am Greek. I am a typical 18 year old. I like to have fun with my friends and family, and make the most of life. I love playing soccer and driving. To me close friends and family are the most important thing any given person can have. Unlike most 18 year olds however, I am very hard working. I have a lot of experience in various working environments. Ever since I was young I learned that in order to succeed in life you have to learn as much as you can and make the most of it. You would have to walk through life awake, with your eyes open. And realize all that is around, you have to learn and with that ask questions about life to learn more. I’ve always tried my hardest in school in order to succeed. And with that I have began my college career in Baruch as a freshman this August. So far I like it a lot. I’ve met a lot of people and made a lot of friends. What I do like the most about Baruch however, is the system of teaching that it uses towards all its students. It is very oriented in allowing all of us to succeed. With that in mind I aspire to become a corporate business attorney. I plan to do this by getting my CPA certification first and then going to law school. I have set my scopes on my target and I won’t settle for anything less than what I have aimed for. Working hard now while I am young will pay off exponentially for me when I am older. I have a vision that I want to do something that will leave an imprint of me on this world for the rest of time. I hope that with goal I will succeed my dreams. Baruch is definitely the opening gate to the rest of my life and I know that I will make the most of it.