WORK #1: Woven Seasons: A Lexington Tapestry
Embedded Files
STATEMENT
STATEMENT
MEDIUM: ACRYLIC
Woven Seasons is the first large-scale mural I've done independently. However, I have had lots of experience painting murals with other people at LHS, being the Co-President of Mural Crew and collaborating with fellow leaders and members.
This mural is located on the bottom floor of the Lexington Community Center. The four panels as a whole represent my first impression of Lexington. Many seniors who attend the Lexington Community Center were not born in America, and even now, the local community might be intimidating. I know that the foreign feeling still hits me sometimes. At the community center, I hope this brings some level of comfort to the audience that walks by.
The day I landed in Boston by plane, I visited Lexington. I visited the library, the town depot, the stores, and other features of the town. The diverse human community, accompanied by calm and united energy, attracted me to living and attending school there.
Through time, Lexington has been woven together. Through each season, new experiences happen.
SPRING
Leaning against a cherry tree, an older lady poses for a picture that her husband takes. Meanwhile, a child runs around to fly her kite. Cherry blossoms float around, connecting one panel to the next.
SUMMER
Three college friends reunite in their hometown for an eventful discussion of what they've been up to. Through the tapestry feeling, the kite that the child from the previous panel flies is present in this panel. A golden retriever runs freely.
FALL
Fall means that the school season has begun. Students are busy studying at the library, attending after-school clubs and meetings, or walking around the center. The cherries have fallen off the tree, a sign of change.
WINTER
A flock of Canadian geese flies by (we often see them land at the town depot field), while younger children play in the snow. Christmas is around the corner, with string lights hanging on the tree.
PROCESS WORK/IMAGES
Process
Process
In the beginning, I had no clue what to do. Yes, I had done murals in the past, but it was never independent. So, I settled on what I knew I could do - textures. You can tell that I procrastinated on painting the people and stuck to what I was good at (at first).
From this project, I can confidently say that I branched out of my artistic comfort zone, practicing my weaknesses through this community mural.
If you zoom in, the cherry blossom tree with the petals has brushstroke textures that I had fun drawing. I used a thick brush with one side coated with red, the other with pink, and then white. It created a natural ombre.
Result
Result
After I finished, I proudly stood next to my mural. The only unfortunate thing I found was that I could not get a full horizontal picture of my complete mural. The hallway was narrow, and the mural was expansive, so I could only zoom out on my phone and take pictures of each panel separately.
When viewers walk from left to right of the mural, time progresses. There is a dance studio at the end of this hallway, so viewers will eventually have to walk back and see the mural again. Instead of the typical Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, time reverses instead. As viewers leave the building by walking back, the mural leaves them with a feeling of interest, as if time froze.
Extra Help!
Extra Help!
My dad has helped me throughout the entire process, from bringing me paints to buying me drinks throughout my painting sessions.
Every week, I came for four hours a week to paint. My dad would help me clean off the eraser shavings (like in the picture) and help erase the pencil marks on the walls.
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