Growth: A Final Project
For this project, I wanted to encompass who I have become over the past year. This idea was sparked when the call for artwork for the foundations juried exhibition. I decided to enter a piece from my foundations drawing class that was a sizable self-portrait. From that, I decided to do another self-portrait to show my personal and artistic growth.
I then decided to do four pieces for each of the four "seasons" that I've been through in the past year, mostly according to the actual seasons, fall/winter, spring, summer, and this fall. Each of the pieces has photos of me as well as other photos I took at that time that have significant meaning to myself. Each piece also has mostly one color from the CMYK file type that is the centralized color theme for each. The final printed piece will be on acetate so the four pieces will be layered to see the chaotic life I get to call my own.
Last Fall...
I was struggling with not putting my needs/wants/mental health in front of my friends and family. In the progression, you will see that I added a white, bold strip of paint over my mouth because, at that time, I honestly felt that I could not always speak my mind and was forced to walk on eggshells around certain people in my life. Fall really was a season of change for me, but not in the best ways. I started my freshman year of college. I was making new "friends." I was struggling with relationships and what I wanted, and in some ways, I lost sight of myself. That is why I decided to include three photos of myself in this season.
This Past Spring...
was kind of a chaotic time for me. My friend group had shrunk and changed drastically since the fall semester. The friends that I had also were the foundation for my social life. To be blunt, we were almost up each other's asses at all times. I experienced my first Boone festival (Boone in Blossom). The streaks and fire in the piece are photos that I took of the dancers there. I also had a shift in mindset this past spring which was spurred by an art project I did for the Climate Stories Initiative. This project brought to my attention the severity of climate change and what we should and should not be doing as humans. This piece was also my first piece to ever be in an exhibition, and I became a published artist at this time as well.
I finally began to get a grasp back on myself and my goals and aspirations in life. I rebranded my photography. I created a website. I came up with a new name. I began to feel like me again. This piece has more wording than the other three because words had become more impactful to me individually, and I felt like it was important to include some of the more impactful words that I saw and captured. Also I just really love hydrangeas and made my roommate take a photo of me in this bush. (Only after I had photographed her first.)
This Fall...
I have begun to embrace me for me. I have learned to stand up for myself in a way where I still care deeply for those around me but still not taking shit. I also chose the magenta color for this one specifically because I have also embraced the more feminine and artsy side of myself. That is why I chose the photo of myself for this one featuring my really hipster hat and bright lipstick. I also got a job. I spray painted in the expression tunnel for the first time. (A very encouraging statement). I joined a club on campus. Many ends to past habits and the beginning of a new chapter.
I chose the Celtic knot to be the continuous theme throughout this piece. In Celtic culture this is a symbol for the holy trinity probably brought by Christian monks to aid in evangelizing the ancient peoples of the time. I thought that it was a perfect symbol to use because of my Celtic heritage and my Christian faith. And I thought it was fitting that a circle is also sometimes included to represent eternal life. For the purpose of my project I am letting it represent how I have come full circle from where I was to where I am now.
Progress Work Two
Final Project
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