glass half full

I think my work this year has really changed from my work last year in terms of materials. In my sketchbook and in my work in class I have struggled experimenting with different materials and how stepping out of my comfort zone, by using these tools, can enhance a piece, strengthening its message. I think this is most evident in my hurricane project which is so much about the layering of materials, and the interaction and variation in look between them, that gives this image life. This change in my products comes from my change in process. This term I have definitely struggled with the process more then last year. During the painting project controlling the paint and manipulating the colors was really challenging. During the beginning when my painting looked nothing like the boxes I was completely thrown off and frustrated. It was not until the last day of working on this, did I start to appreciate the process and enjoy it. I also felt this struggle in the 'what if' project where I think I was to tense in focusing on the product that I did not get to experience the process. All throughout the half of the term I think my engagement has been really strong. I genuinely like what we do in this class not only the way it pushes makes me think but that we have visual evidence of our efforts. As I initially said when asked what it looks like when I am engaged, "Specifically for art class the best way to tell when I am invested and engaged in a piece or assignment is when you see me really study it and sometimes become frustrated with it if it is not exactly how I want it to look." You cannot deny that I have had moments of frustration so far this term but working through those moments forces me to grow and shows how much I invest of myself in my work.

Images

What If... things get hard?

During the idea development portion of this project I really struggled to think of an idea that I felt was 'my own' within the parameters of the assignment. This experience was really different for me in this class and although I ultimately did not end up with a solid product, I gained a less palpable lesson. For the first time I really struggled, conceptually, with a project and it drove me to think more about the 'what if' issues and although I was not able to express them on paper, my frustration led me to be more acutely aware of these problems. When reading your feedback, "Remember that creativity shows up when you have to work within parameters. It’s important that you embrace the spirit of the assignment, that you “get on board” even if it feels outside of your comfort zone." This quote really made me go back to first term freshman year and reexamine what it means to be creative.

Text: Breed

My text project was very vague, I chose the word breed to represent a couple different things. I am a vegetarian and I chose this word to make the viewer think about how cows are bred and the cruelty of that process, and also to think about your own "pedigree" and family, because it is mainly through my family that I connect to nature

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