I chose Keith Haring as my artist because of his bold visual language and his ability to communicate powerful social messages through simple, vibrant imagery. My artwork relates to Haring’s style through the use of bright colors, thick black outlines, and repeated human figures that convey movement and emotion. While working on my piece, I made deliberate editing decisions to simplify the forms and emphasize contrast, ensuring the composition remained visually striking and accessible, much like Haring’s public murals. These choices were intended to capture the spirit of his work while also expressing a personal message about unity and activism.

Today, we explored the traditional art of ink-making using natural materials: soot, alcohol, and gum Arabic powder. The process began by generating soot through carefully burning metal utensils over a flame. Once enough soot had accumulated, we gently collected it into a small container using a brush.

Next, we combined the soot with alcohol and gum Arabic powder. The alcohol helped dissolve the ingredients, while the gum Arabic acted as a binder to hold the pigment together. After thoroughly mixing the components, we created a rich, dark ink.

To complete the experience, we used our handmade ink to paint original artworks, experimenting with texture, tone, and flow. It was a creative and insightful way to learn about the science and history behind traditional ink production.

This sculpture resembles a harp, but with a unique twist—its structure is formed by human figures. Crafted from painted plaster, the piece combines both abstract and figurative elements, creating a striking visual representation of harmony and connection through the use of the human form. 

Making paper was a resourceful and satisficing lesson. The assignment we were tasked was to shred up paper and blend it together with water, after that we used a strainer to scoop up the wet shredded paper and lay it face down on a special piece of cloth. After a short period of time and patting it down with a dry rag, you lift up the strainer. Lastly you have to carefully remove the wet paper onto a separate sheet of paper to dry and use it again.

In chemistry, bonds connect two or more elements to form a compound. In this activity, we explored how the dye we created could bond to the paper, allowing us to use it as ink for painting. We were challenged to use our homemade dye to create a landscape painting—an exercise that required both scientific understanding and artistic observation. Rather than just painting any scene, we had to carefully observe and "capture" the essence of the scenery in our artwork, combining chemistry with creativity.

This assignment closely resembled a previous one, but this time we worked with actual thread. A new tool was introduced—the shuttle—which played a key role in the weaving process. The shuttle was used to guide the thread smoothly through a loom-like device, helping us interlace the fibers to create a fabric pattern. This hands-on activity offered a deeper understanding of traditional textile techniques and the tools used in weaving. 

This assignment was an option between making a covalent or ionic bond with a partner. Me and my partner chose to do an ionic bond. An ionic bond is a type of chemical bond that occurs when one atom donates an electron to another atom, resulting in the formation of oppositely charged ions that attract each other.  To do this we needed to make two different woven sheets of paper that coordinate's one color to the other on both woven sheets of paper.

For this project, I was assigned a specific chemical element to illustrate. Using the characteristics and information related to that element, I created an artwork that visually represents it. Alongside the illustration, I included key facts about the element—such as its symbol, atomic number, and common uses—as well as an image that relates to it in a meaningful way. Once completed, my piece will be added to a collaborative display featuring all the elements, forming a creative and educational periodic table on the wall. 

In this assignment, we were tasked with creating various color palettes that represent a specific theme, place, event, or idea. After designing the palettes, we approached a random person and asked them to interpret what they thought the colors were conveying. Their interpretation was compared to our own intentions behind the colors. Did their response align with what we envisioned, or did it offer a completely different perspective? 

In this assignment, we explored how different lines and shapes can be used to create the illusion of movement in artwork. I learned that to effectively convey movement, the angles of the lines and the positioning of the shapes must be carefully considered. By adjusting these elements, we can create a dynamic composition that gives the viewer the sense that something is in motion, even within a still image.

In this assignment, we were given an assortment of colored Skittles and tasked with sorting them by color. Once sorted, we were asked to create prototypes using different combinations of colors and shapes to represent various moods. This exercise allowed us to explore how color and shape can evoke emotional responses, helping us understand the powerful connection between visual elements and the feelings they can convey. 

A mandala is a geometric design or pattern that represents a spiritual or symbolic concept. The word "mandala" comes from the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit, meaning "circle." Mandalas are often circular in form, symbolizing unity, wholeness, and harmony. They are used in various spiritual traditions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, as tools for meditation, healing, and self-reflection. The intricate patterns in mandalas are believed to help focus the mind, promote inner peace, and encourage mindfulness. Mandalas can be created in various art forms, including drawings, paintings, and even architecture. 

Art is a broad and diverse range of human activities that involve the creation of visual, auditory, or performance-based works intended to express imagination, creativity, or technical skill. It can include various forms such as painting, sculpture, music, dance, theater, literature, film, photography, architecture, and more.