An Artistic Journey

Lovely Locket

This was the first project of first semester of senior year. It was just jump into it point of making work and putting them together. This was born off of an idea I had to make large scale jewelry that represents loved ones as precious treasures. As a start my professor suggested I make one out of a fast material. I chose duct tape and found this lovely paisley pattern at the store. I created the form of the heart out of large sheets of paper and taped into shape and then covered with a layer of silver duct tape, and then on large drawing paper completed a portrait of my daughter from a photograph using crayons. I laid the portrait on the inside of the locket where it would sit and then layered the surface of the locket with the pattern duct tape. I edged the portrait with gold duct table and created a loop of duct tape at the top of the heart as a way to connect it to the chain. For the closure I sewed a pink heart button to the front and created a ribbon out of duct tape that fit around the side and over the front to button it closed. I looped gold and silver duct tape together to create a 10 foot long chain and attached it to the top of the heart. I wrapped a wooden dowel in duct tape with a loop to attach to one end of the chain and wrapped a loop in duct tape for the other end to make the closure for the necklace.

This was how it was first presented for crit and this last picture is my Professor Bonnie Biggs wearing the chain, so awesome!

RELEASE!

Soooooooo my daughter asked for a Card Captor Sakura Birthday party. Its an Japanese anime. In any case as a party favor for her party guests and a card capture game for the party my friends and I put together these small two foot wands that are shaped just like the wand that the main character from the show uses to capture cards. To make it fun we painted them different colors and with different finishes, the heads and embellishments are made of air dry clay, small sparkly beads, and pretty paper cut to shape to be layered to create the wings. When the main character Sakura summons her wand her final magic word is "Release!" and it turns from a small key into the wand. The kids at the party loved them and the game was a huge success. These were also fun to make.

: D

Just Like Home

This painting is called Just Like Home. It was made out of frustration for the obstacles and uncanny circumstances that have been the cause of turmoil. The three hands in the painting represent the grasping, never ending, specters of perversion, hunger, and sickness. Perversion specifically refers to the corruption of programs, institutions, and individuals who could otherwise make a positive difference in the world if they cared for those who struggle. Hunger represents the desire for the events that crop up unexpected that make you wonder if there is enough for food this week and fear if the food to get will be healthy. Sickness is the predictable moment than when time is of the essence and you have to get to work to make money, or you have to get to class for a test or valuable work time, or a meeting that might affect more people than just yourself that an illness befalls you and puts you out of commission so that not only can you not make money but you have no choice but to go to a clinic for medical treatment and acquire further medical debt. I don't list these to complain, they are just simply sets of circumstances that have consistently presented themselves where it involves the completion of work and I always attempted to ignore them. This painting was my attempt to face these obstacles head on, give them an essence, and put them out in the open. I confronted them and embraced them and ever since making this painting my work has reached a finished state. I think this made these things not seem so catastrophic, especially since I know that I have some privileges that others do not and things could be a lot worse. Putting these bastards out there where I can glare at them whenever I want for being annoying feels good and that's all there is to that.

No Glass Stained Glass

This project was an exploration of materials. I welded together this frame and shaped clear plastic to fit in between the pencil rod. On both sides of the plastic I coated it in encaustic wax to resemble a stained glass window. While the finished product of this did not turn out as finished as I would have liked, I learned a great deal about the process and how to perfect it for future projects. I'm very excited about that and so should you!

: P

Goddess of Fun

This image is done in playdough on paper and the design is the same I made as the tattoo on my back. My tattoo has a carved in stone style to it. Its meant to represent my spiritual relationship with my daughter.

Read a Book

Encased

Title: Just A Thought

Written: "There are somethings in life on must look at and decipher meaning from it. Explaining why, when, how, or what makes us think the things we do. Beyond this page I offer advise, insight, and my own personal brand of wisdom. Take it or leave it, but I hope you get something out of it. - Thanks Athena"

Page 1: "DO NOT ANTAGONIZE GORGONS." - Y NOT - Page 2: Written: "OK! but only the cute monsters!" - "BE RESPECTFUL OF MONSTERS."

Page 3: Written: "Fun Pirates are Fun" - "Real pirates need to be stopped and I'm not talking about music/media piracy."

Page 4: Written: "Treasure the little things" - (stone butterfly bead)

Page 5: Written: "Wrap them up and tie it in a ..." - (Bow) - GROW - Page 6: (pressed flowers)

Page 7: KNOW UR HISTORY - (Muramasa: Anachronism card)

Page 8: Written: "OPEN THINGS UP" - (clasp)

Page 9: Written: "LOOK INSIDE" Page 10: (Scissors)

Page 11: (Alien image (not rendered well)) - Written: "Beats Rock" - (stamp) - Written: "Aliens" _____ _____ ______ - Written: "Write Back"

Page 12: (Riot Games (card)) - "DUCK"

Page 13: Written: "WHEN PEOPLE SAY...." - (a duck eraser)

Page 14: Written: "Take time to watch the leaves fall." - (first leaf on film to flip through)

Page 15: (In the middle of the leaves)

Page 16: (end of the leaves) - Written: "Now do it again..."

Page 17: FIGHT - (princess sticker) - (Sanada Nobushige - Anachronism card)

Page 18: (small cog) - LIVE

Page 19: Written: "Henna or temporary a tattoo before getting a real one....They last forever as so many things in our lives don't." - (temp tattoo) - (a picture of a boat)

Page 20: (a picture of a bomb) - (Heavy Body Acrylic lable) - Written: "Know your enemy."

Page 21: Lable: 40 MATCHES PER PACK, CAUTION: KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN, CLOSE BOX OR COVER BEFORE STRIKING, STORE IN COOL PLACE. - (Rokumonsenmon - Anachronism card)

Page 22: Wrigley's BigRed - Written definition: "Hard to find gum.....seriously."

Page 23: POEM: The True Leadership Treasure - READ
I went on search to be a leader,
Searching high and low above the meter,

I spoke with authority that I remember, All
would follow, all but one member,

"Why should I trust you?" the one did ask,
"What have you done to achieve the task?"

I thought long and hard of what I did wrong,
Then I rolled up my sleeves and worked right along,

Shoulder to shoulder we got things done, We
worked side by side, all were one,

A mate of mine stumbled, I stooped to assist,
My hand he did grab, a smile did persist,

Page 24: POEM CONTINUED:
One was lost, didn't know what to do, I
showed him how, the ropes, something new,

I praised them one and all for their work, All
were unique, but I encouraged each quirk,

When the task was done, one did shout
"You're a great leader!" they all turned about,

"Without you there to support our plight,
Lost would we be with no end in sight",

I learned that day that I lead best,
When I get off my butt and help the rest,

To lead by example is the true treasure, The
secret of leadership, in one simple measure.

By: Victor Antonio G. December 2004