beautiful you.

There are so many things to write about for a free blog, how am I supposed to choose?! I was going to write about music, which I have written about before, but then I decided to write about something different... Recently I changed my idea for my concentration in AP. I was not getting anything done, and I was not inspired. My inspiration was basically emotions through nature. I love trees and flowers and how nature can be so beautiful at any given time, yet I came to realize this was not what I wanted to put into a portfolio, it was not right for me. I decided to change my concentration topic to focusing more on people - emotions through people. I want to show ways in how people express themselves and really just to show through my artwork how beautiful these emotions and feelings can be. For some reason I am fascinated with people - I don't care for science, not anything like biology or anatomy or anything - I just feel like there is something so beautiful about people. The way we interact, the way we move, even more simply how our hair falls into place, and how our eyes show so much more than we even mean for them to. I like how not only our faces show what we are feeling, but almost any part of our body can carry that feeling through in a photograph. I think that everyone is beautiful in some way, even though today in society being stick thin and looking a certain way is the only beauty. I do not agree with that, I think that sometimes you have to look a little harder for beauty, and we all know beauty is way more than the outer appearance. Everyone needs to know that they are beautiful in some way, and I am so excited to portray people through my artwork. I think a personality that is beautiful takes you so much further than looks.

"All little girls should be told they are pretty, even if they aren't."
— Marilyn Monroe

Who Cares?

Honestly... who cares. I hate when people make such little things a huge deal. These artists created this ark work, now let it be. If you do not like it, then get over it.
That's a little harsh, haha, but I do not know how else to say it. Personally, I like these pieces. To me, these pieces are not "too controversial" whatsoever. I do not really know what else to say.
To respond to Mrs. Martin, I like the piece be Damien Hirst as well. I think that it is so awesome, but I would not use it as an island as my kitchen. That may be a little over the top :)
I just think that these five pieces are simply art. If the artist intentionally makes it controversial, then just let them do so. If you really do not like it so much then ignore it, don't look at it. In my own opinion I don't even see them as very controversial at all... but who knows. Maybe I am wrong!

alright, new semester.

1.) How many breadth pieces and how many concentration pieces do you have?
2.) What is your biggest weakest that needs to be worked on right now?
3.) What is your best memory from 1st semester - story, project, daily event?
4.) What have you learned about yourself and artwork up to this point?
5.) How can I push you to improve? What do you expect from me?


1. Um... am I supposed to know this? Ha. I really do not know. I know that I completed all of the breadth pieces, so however many there were I guess. Like... four or five? Being in a different class was definitely a disadvantage. I did not do any of the sketch book things they did or whatever. In fact, I don't even know what they did! Concentrations - I would probably say I have around ten? This is a terrible answer, I apologize.
2. Completing projects. I always come up with wonderful ideas in my mind that I get so excited about but you're lucky if I even get it down on paper. Sometimes I will get it down on paper, but I cannot seem to finish things :( I think this is mainly because I am for sure my own worst critic and I get very frustrated with my work. I need to learn to finish projects, because a majority of the time when I finish it I end up liking it much more than I do half way through!
3. Hmmm... my best memory... my best memory, oddly enough, is probably my first breadth project. This was the still life we did that seemed to take FOREVER, even though it really was not all that long for a still life. I learned that I actually liked still life's and that I am pretty good at them as well! Plus, it was a project that I completely finished, and like I said - that can be hard for me! I also just like still life's sometimes because I like how you can see the progression always happening before your eyes. There is more-so an end in sight with these kind of projects compared to others because you are drawing what is in front of you. I like the freedom of concentration pieces, but I think that having the endless ideas and thoughts in my head just overwhelms me sometimes! So, I liked this project :)
4. I think that I have learned that I actually am a good artist! I have always known that it is okay to have different styles and be good at different things than others, but I feel like I really realized this from this year. I learned that I cannot finish things easily, but I also learned that I love the feeling of completing a project, but that seems to be uncommon for me. I always feel like I could do something more, but sometimes less is more. I like simplicity, I think the simplest things can be the most beautiful! I also learned that this is something I always want to continue throughout my life in some way, and I am so glad it has shown me that  because college is right around the corner.
5. Honestly I think that the one thing that will encourage me is just a little help here and there. Sometimes I just get writer's block only in art form. I am also very forgetful, so I think helpful reminders will help me remember due dates and whatever else, plus, it will also put in my mind that I need to put aside time for my art.


I am excited for the new semester, I plan on completing more work and just focusing more time on myself and my art work!

along the hall's wall.

I have actually noticed a lot of things this week that inspire me, I'm not quite sure why so many at once! However, I noticed something prett obvious within the school that always inspires me and just makes me happy - this is the art display case. I think this just inspires me so much because I know these people who created this art and with art you get to show a little piece, or a lot, of yourself! I always stop and look in the case, even if the art hasn't changed for weeks. I like to see if I can guess who made what, and I like to see if any are similar to what I would do and if they aren't then they still in some way always make me think up new ideas in my head. As I have said in previous blogs, art is all around us. This time maybe a little more literally because it is actually in the art hallway, but in the end I love it. I love when i catch others looking into the display and when I hear others discussing pieces within it.

I can show you the world.

When I was looking for an artist for this particular blog, I wanted to find a photographer because I think that photography is probably my favorite medium overall. I saw a lot of photographers that I liked but nobody really stood out or spoke to me at the moment. I began just clicking on several links and names and trying to find whatever I could, and I clicked on a random name reading Andrew Moore. Sometimes I feel like artists have crazy or bizarre names (haha), so I wasn't expecting a whole lot out of Andrew Moore... but I soon found out I loved his work. It is awesome-his photos have so much color and every one of them tells a different story. He has been so many places such as Vietnam, Bosnia, Cuba, Russia, New York, Abu Dhabi, and more. I want to travel, I want to see more of the world, and when looking at his photos I felt like I had already seen so much more of it. The thing about Moore's photographs that I really love is that he makes the most run-down places, places that most people would fin dirty, old, and ugly, so beautiful. He makes them look like some of the most beautiful places on earth. Moore is also so great at using lighting to the picture's advantage, I want to learn to do this! I looked through everyone one of his pictures twice, some more than that-and that is a lot. I suggest looking up Andrew Moore, I think he is very inspirational and so talented. I hope he inspires you as much as he does me, with his pictures you get to see a little more of the world and how beautiful it is!

http://www.andrewlmoore.com/

Ready... Set... Design.

When I grow up... well, I guess it all begins next year. Next year i will be attending UIC and majoring in graphic design, possible double majoring in graphic design and industrial design and minoring in business. This will take four years of college and really takes the skills of creativity and what not. The sad thing is, is I am not sure exactly what i want to BE. All i know is i want it to relate to those topics. I really am considering going into advertisement and I think that is where I will end up, and I am very excited about it! However, one day I really want to own my own store, manage my own business.
Now, if we are talking what I want to be aside from what I am going to do, then I REALLY want to be a famous fashion photographer. How awesome would that be? I would definitely go to school for this to learn more than what i know about photography since i know almost nothing. I would love this career, it would be just like the ones featured on America's Next Top Model, ahhh! It would be so perfect. I would travel everywhere, see all of the latest fashions, it would be so inspirational and fun! But... it seems crazy and more of a dream:) But who knows what the future really holds!

Inspired by the Kooks

So many things seem to really inspire me. There's nature, big cities, coffee shops, colors, people, and so much more. In our last blags about what inspired us a read a couple that mentioned music. Music has always been a part of my life and it is something i am really interested and involved in, so in round two of what inspires me I think i would say that music is something so inspirational to me. Personally, i like a lot of kinds of music but my favorite two are indie and jazz. I could write a lot about music as a whole but I decided to write about one specific group I love to listen to and i couldn't even decide! There is Jason Mraz, Maroon 5, Regina Spektor, Dave Matthews Band, Michael Buble, Wolfmother, Ingrid Michaelson, Matt Hires, and the list only goes on and on... so i finally decided upon the Kooks.
If you have never heard the Kooks... LISTEN TO THEM! They are wonderful. A lot of times when i sit down to do art i listen to my iPod and I seem to listen to them a lot. I think there is a lot of reasons why this is so. One is just the feel of the music, it makes me happy. The songs are catchy and very artistic, it's not like the music you always hear on the radio. Another thing is really just their lyrics, they're so creative. I think that is something important and something that really is important in music with vocals! Not only is the wording beautiful, but so are the meanings behind. What girl doesn't like a good song about love or about how beautiful she is?! Plus, the lead singer has a wonderful voice:)
The little things like this seem to really motivate me and inspire me, they make me happy and art as well makes me happy so it only makes sense:)'

"Safety pins holding up the things
That make you mine
About your hair, you needn't care,
You look beautiful all the time."
-The Kooks