Art Reflection
By: Ashlyn
My Creations
At the beginning of the semester I decided that I wanted to create things that were going to be more useful or rather things I could hang up. So the first thing that I created was my dream string art. Then after that I turned an old cabinet door into a shelf with coat hangers. Which actually turned out pretty cool because the cabinet door turned out to be hickory and it gave the shelf a unique look. After that project, my dad had an really old window and I decided to turn it into a mirror. So I sanded it down to make it smooth, painted it black and put mirror sections in.
Then one day I found a huge octagon made out of wood in the trash and I instantly knew that it was going to be my next project. So I hammered nails along the edges and strung out string all over. Technically I made another string art, but I added feathers on top to almost give it a dream catcher feel and then added pictures of my family and I all over. My last and final project was my senior block. Which you can see out in the hall.
Then one day I found a huge octagon made out of wood in the trash and I instantly knew that it was going to be my next project. So I hammered nails along the edges and strung out string all over. Technically I made another string art, but I added feathers on top to almost give it a dream catcher feel and then added pictures of my family and I all over. My last and final project was my senior block. Which you can see out in the hall.
Materials
Most of the materials I have used is wood. All of my projects but one which is my senior block involved wood. Other than that there was a lot of string, nails, paint, and feathers used. Which is a little unusual for me because all the years before that I mostly used permanent markers and paper to create zentangle. This year or rather semester I decided to do something a little different.
The materials that I'm most comfortable using is wood because I find it easy to manipulate or create things from it. It's actually quite interesting how wood can be pretty in itself. The materials that I'm not to fond off is nails and string. String is pretty easy to use but when your trying to do string art and it keeps popping off the nails, it's frustrating. Then nails are pretty simple but sometimes if you try to nail them into wood it often can splinter it and it can come off. Which is something you don't want.
The materials that I'm most comfortable using is wood because I find it easy to manipulate or create things from it. It's actually quite interesting how wood can be pretty in itself. The materials that I'm not to fond off is nails and string. String is pretty easy to use but when your trying to do string art and it keeps popping off the nails, it's frustrating. Then nails are pretty simple but sometimes if you try to nail them into wood it often can splinter it and it can come off. Which is something you don't want.
Favorite Project
It's sort of hard to decide what my favorite project was but I would have to say my shelf and my dream string out were my two favorite projects. My dream string art project I actually had a lot of fun creating. At first a little difficult to get in the rhythm of stringing string across the nails and repeating the same pattern over and over again. Other than that it turned out pretty cool.
Then my shelf was my other favorite because again since it was hickory it had this pretty, unique look to it and it's very useful. Now I can put my candles and decorations on top.
Then my shelf was my other favorite because again since it was hickory it had this pretty, unique look to it and it's very useful. Now I can put my candles and decorations on top.
Most Proud Of
I'm proud of every single one of my projects because they turned out really well and they weren't just pictures I created, they were physical objects that I will be able to use. Every single one is going to be used in one way or another. My dream string art is going to be nailed to my wall, my sort of dream catcher is going to be used at my graduation party, my mirror is going to be hanged, and same goes for my shelf.
Ideas
Honestly, a lot of my ideas came from pinterest and sort of my dad. The dream string art and dream catcher came from pinterest. Then the shelf and mirror were more my dad's ideas because we had these objects or materials we weren't using anymore and to get rid of them or rather to give them a purpose he thought it would be cool if I turned them into what they are now.
Wishes
There's not really anything I wished I could've done this semester. Everything I wanted to do, I made into my projects. I mean it would've been cool to do more projects or to create more things but I can always do that on my own time instead of for a project for school. Although I know for certain there are going to be more ideas for projects that I know I'm going to want to create, so it's not as if the things I wished I could've done are just completely out the window.
Future
I'm not going to necessarily take anymore art classes. Once I get into college I'm going to be more focused on working towards my career. Although I do know that everything a person does involve art, so it's not as if I'm going to completely abandon art. Also I never know, maybe sometime in the future I will take an art class. I'm just not sure. Or I might just create art without even taking a class. It just depends on what my future holds for me.
Inspiration
My inspiration didn't really come from a specific artist. Two of my project ideas came from pinterest but the rest is mainly my dad. I think that's why I created a lot of objects out of old materials because I've grown up seeing my dad take something old and not used anymore and turn it into something that's totally cool or something we now use for everyday things. For example, he took this really old cow bell that someone was getting rid off, fixed it up, painted it black and hooked it up to our deck. We now use by ringing it when breakfast, lunch, or dinner is done.