Isabella Caldwell

Visual Arts Department

Knitted Scarves

Hand knitted scarves

2020

Yarn

10" x 42"

For my senior project, I made two knitted scarves. Over the summer of 2019, I had a blast learning how to knit for the first time. Unfortunately due to the demand from both my art and academic classes, I wasn’t able to find time throughout the school year to practice the craft more, so I thought the senior project gave me a great opportunity to do so. I decided that I wanted to explore making scarves because they are relatively easy to knit for beginners like me and are practical clothing items since I would be able to wear them in the winter time. The only materials I used were knitting needles and yarn, and I practiced with the garter stitch for both scarves. I plan to create more scarves soon and learn new knitting patterns as I continue to advance my skills. I really enjoy the process of knitting because it’s relaxing and I’m able to do other activities simultaneously, such as watching TV, and I’ve had the pleasure of watching Love Island (UK) while knitting these scarves! The whole reason I chose knitting for my senior piece was because I wanted the time to learn and practice more and wanted to just have fun with the project. I definitely think I achieved both of these things, and I’m excited to continue on my knitting journey!

Dear Class of 2020 ...

Wow, we did it! I never imagined how it would feel when this day would come. It’s definitely bittersweet. These past four years as a Visual major at Dreyfoos have been a whirlwind of wonderful memories, happiness, laughter, friendship, contemplation, growth, maturity, hard work, and more. I couldn’t have asked for a better class or better people to spend these years at Dreyfoos with.

Thank you Dreyfoos for cultivating my creativity and providing a safe environment for me to take risks and be myself. Thank you to all of my teachers who have challenged me and pushed for my success. And special thanks to all of my friends who have continued to love and support me through the thick and thin of high school. I will always love you guys. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the pleasure of creating such special bonds with all of you.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at Dreyfoos and am glad to have had this unique experience. I will remember it for the rest of my life. Thanks again, I’ll miss everyone dearly.

DEAR CLASS OF 2021

You’re in for a wild ride, that’s for sure.

Senior year can be chaotic with all that you’ll have going on, but it might just be the best year of your high school experience. You will have so many incredible opportunities and privileges as a senior that you definitely need to take advantage of!

Regarding my experience as a Visual major, it’s gone well. Something really exciting about your art classes senior year is that you will have almost complete freedom to create whatever you want since the classes don’t have to adhere to strict AP guidelines. You won’t have to make any portfolios (except YoungArts in the beginning of the year) and you won’t have to submit your art to the College Board. And Senior Portfolio is a really fun and cool class. Make sure you think hard about choosing which teacher you want because they’re all different and they all go about their assignments in various ways. Also think about which room you’d like to be in whether it be printmaking, sculpture, drawing, or photo. Another thing I have to say is that I have been a consistent procrastinator for all four years in the visual department who waited until the night before to do my art assignments, so I would advise you to not be like me. But hey, I always pulled through in the end so maybe my methods weren’t the worst. It just led to a lot of stress on my end when I had to rush to complete an assignment.

I’m happy with all I’ve accomplished in senior year. It’s been stressful but worth the effort. I would say my biggest accomplishment is that I got into college! Which is always an exciting thing to remember. Some tips I have about applying to colleges are definitely to visit the campus if you have the opportunity to do so. Getting a sense of the atmosphere and students at a school is extremely important because it could be completely different from how you imagined it through images of the campus or through virtual tours. You really just have to check out the vibe in person. Another important thing I’d like to note is that interviews do have an impact on your application and I would urge you to do as many as you can. It is scary, but you’ll eventually get more comfortable about answering the questions asked of you as you continue to do more. The last thing that I think is important is to do research on a school to determine if it matches the qualities you’re looking for. Don’t apply to a certain school just because your friend is and don't apply if you don’t actually have any intention of going there. That’s just wasting time, and I can admit that I did both of those things. Looking back, it was silly and just gave me a whole lot of extra work that I didn’t need in my life.

I can confidently say you’ll have a blast senior year if you just pursue your goals and maintain a positive attitude. Just have fun! And don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone because you will be surprised at all of the new experiences that you’ll be provided with. I wish you the best of luck!

Sincerely,

Isabella

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