End of the Year Reflection

This year in art was most definitely a learning experience for me. Before starting art class I never really tried to bring out my creative side, and I was hesitant to paint or draw or create. In class, I not only learned some skills to help improve my work, but I also learned to be comfortable with expressing myself through art. I am proud of the fact that I really have opened up to art, and that I tried hard with every piece I made. Art class was a great way to wind down from the stress of the day and unwind by just putting the brush to the page. 

Time Capsule

The time capsule was a great project to end the year on. It brought a forth a lot of reflection for me, as I head into my final year of high school. The items I included in my box were mostly school related, because school is such a huge part of my young life. I included old tests, pictures, notes, schedules, pieces of paper that ere dated, and one long winded, cheesy, and (hopefully) funny letter to my future self. I chose all of my items based on a certain criteria. They were mostly bits and pieces of things that probably won't follow me into my future, with a few exceptions. The things I put in my box were all very specific to my junior year and what school was like for me, and they will hopefully spark fond memories in my future self. 

Performing arts

Freshman year, and what am I to do? A new opportunity to find something, do something, that I can enjoy and feel proud of. All I had to do was find it. I had been involved in music for awhile, and planned on continuing to do so, which is why I turned to theatre. I was approached about working on the productions side of things and decided to give it a shot. Little did I know I'd fall in love with what I did. It became an opportunity to apply creativity with building and critical thinking. It was arduous and time consuming, with hours upon hours of work. All for the reveal, the moment the curtain opens and I can see all that I have helped to build put on a show for people to enjoy. A visual splendor to my eyes of functionality and art, a metaphorical knot that ties everything together. Staring from my perch in the audience, I thought about how I've been moved by the experiences I've had while working. The valuable lessons on diligence and perseverance that come from dependents needing a project finished. And the people I met. Business-like partnerships that turned into friendships. Though, the years progress, and the time of my participation is coming to an end. The red curtain is closing, and I am soon to be on my way. Who could forget these times though? What person could leave and say they haven't been moved and changed indefinitely? Not I, certainly not I. A new person, I advance into my future. Never looking back, but always connected to what was.  

Pop Print

The pop print was not one of my favorite art class projects. I found it hard to get inspired about this project and I also had a difficult time trying to carve out the image I wanted into the stamp. The image I chose was one from my favorite video game, which by chance appeared in the blue installation we had in our classroom. Printing in mass quantities was a part of this project I did really enjoy. I thought that the stamping process was interesting and I enjoyed mixing colors to get a unique print. 

Art x3

I enjoyed working on my art times three collage because it was an experience in art I had never had before. I spent a lot of time working on a project that I wasn't going to keep because I wanted the person who got it after me to feel like they could build off of what I had already put down. It also taught me how to be more adaptive, because I didn't know what I was going to get, and sometimes I was able to get inspired by what I was given, and other times I had a hard time continuing the collage. 

Blue Collection

In class, we have recently started a collection of blue objects. For this assignment, I had to choose a section of our collection and write about it. This was the picture I took. 

I chose this section because I thought it said a little about the society we lived in. In this picture, I saw a lot of plastic and paper packaging, stuff that is considered wasteful. I thought it said a lot about the world we all live in today, and how we all waste more than past times. It made me think about my habits as well, because it made me think about how as a person I didn't do as much as I could to not waste things. In a way, this collection does reflect my life, not only because blue is my favorite color, but because like most people today I take part in a generation that is wasting more things than ever before. I thought I saw a lot of waste in the works of Portia Munson, which made me wonder if she was trying to convey a message about the waste in our society. 

Collecting vs. Hoarding

Collectors and Hoarders are very similar in the sense that they both feel an emotional attachment to the items that they obtain. The main difference, as I see it, is that collections usually are based around  a certain object or theme. Hoarders keep anything, there is no theme followed and no specific object that is searched for. Items that are hoarder are usually of little or no value. Obsessive hoarding is often caused by OCD, or obsessive compulsive disorder. 

This is an example of a collection, done by artist Portia Munson. As you can see, this piece follows a certain theme and isn't just a grouping of trash and discarded objects. 

This is an example of the effects of compulsive hoarding. There is no organization or artistic motivation behing this grouping of objects.