Natalia Lanier

Visual Arts Department

Home Away From Home

2020

Screen printing ink, Acrylic Paint, Gouache, Embroidery Floss

14"x16"

My pre collegiate art education has come to a close and I wanted to come up with a way to pay homage to the enriching time I had at the Dreyfoos School of the Arts. Printmaking has been a love of mine since Eighth Grade. I loved every process I learned and wished to continue it throughout high school. I did not get to fully immerse myself in it until senior year to complete the pieces for my Young Arts portfolio in early October. I had two classes in the printmaking room and it truly felt like an escape for me. The imagery in this piece was a moment in the printmaking room where there was a plant hanging with all the tools and materials on the back wall of the room. I loved this imagery because to me it captured the tone of the room and the beautiful chaos that it was everyday. The piece includes the plants that Ms. Jahn kept in the room. These were significant because whenever there was a new one we would name it and it would become part of our print family. The tools and materials depicted throughout are important because they are what I got to use to create some of my favorite works I have ever created. The colors I used were not local at the time, but are significant color schemes in my memory of the room. The piece is a screen print that I then worked into with gouache, acrylic paint, and embroidery floss. Screen printing has always been my favorite method of printmaking so I wanted to make sure it was included in my final piece.

The Print Family

Dear Class of 2020 ...

I can't say thank you enough.

You have been so good to me. Even though our time has come to a close a little bit early, I will forever hold the happy memories we made close to my heart. I had the most amazing 4 years, and it was greatly due to the people that I got to spend my time with. Each and every person I met, whether we would smile at each other in the halls, or you became one of closest relationships, you impacted me in ways you could never realize. I am who I have become thanks to you. I wanted to thank those of you who kept it positive and were shining lights in my life. Whether I became friends with you or just got to interact with you in the classroom, those everyday hellos and smiles and small conversations would make my day. We are one of the most determined and hardworking groups of people I have ever seen. Times like these can be frustrating and confusing. We can be left without feeling closure. However, I know that if any one group of people could make the best out of a discouraging situation, it would be us. So here's to the class of 2020, for being strong, loving, and a force to be reckoned with.

The printmaking room was a place I got to express myself as an artist and a person. I had so many laughs and always felt lots of love from everyone in my class. Here are a few key people in the department I would like to thank...

Julianna, thank you for teaching me strength and resilience. You are always looking out for me.

Linds, thank you for teaching me how to stay true to myself.

Rachel, thank you for teaching me how to stay kind.

Michelle, thank you for teaching me how to focus on the important things in life.

Mia, thank you for always being someone I could look up to.

Ava, thank you for teaching me how to let go and take care of myself.

Amanda, thank you for teaching me how to love the small things in life.

Emma, thank you for teaching me how to always keep smiling.

Ayana, thank you for teaching me how to enjoy life.

Sebastian and Sergio, thank you for all the laughs and sticking with us through all of our craziness.

And last but most definitely not least,

Thank you Ms. Jahn for changing my perspective on art. You were one of the very few teachers who took the time and cared to learn who I was, not only as your student, but as a person and an artist.

Thank you to those Visual Arts and Digital Media teachers who always believed in their students and stayed dedicated to our dreams.

I am going to stop myself now before I go on forever, but I just hope you all know how much love I have for the people I got to grow up with, and become young adults with.

Thank you all, for everything

Natalia

#seniorcitizens

Capitans 2020

We took soccer practice very seriously...

Junior Year Print

happy times

#Howleys!

laughs on the beach

Me as a Freshie!

DEAR CLASS OF 2021

Senior year was a roller coaster to say the least. If there was one lesson I learned the best, it would be to enjoy the time while you have it. Senior year goes by in the blink of an eye. I'm sure you've heard that a million times, but speaking from experience, it's really true.

Going through my first 3 years of high school, I didn't appreciate the art department for what it was. I didn't like the work i was making and it often felt like a chore. However, senior year I was able to fully immerse myself in printmaking and a subject matter that I truly fell in love with. I found that sometimes its ok not to leave your comfort zone if what you are doing makes you happy. Choose your classes based on where you want to work, not where everyone might want to go. speaking of which, don't forget to get to the line early for choosing your portfolio classroom. Yes it will take you all of lunch, yes it is worth it. Grind it out the first few months for Young Arts, its definitely worth having a strong cohesive portfolio at your disposal for scholarships, applications, etc. Even if you aren't going to art school ( I am not), you'll want to have that portfolio to apply to scholarships that give you free money because hey, thats free money for wherever you want to go. Do portfolio day even if you don't want to go to art school. Being able to set up your work for these reps and classmates to see is a great way to show off what you have been working on and get feedback. Make your senior piece something that represent you well, it's one of your last chances to show the impact Dreyfoos has had on you as an artist.

The moral of the story is do what you love, because this might be your last year in an environment that fosters your creativity and love for art like Dreyfoos does. Make the most of it, make lots of art, laugh with your friends, listen to your teachers (sorry Ms. Jahn), experiment, and have fun. Trust me, even if art has been your worst enemy the last three years, you will come to love it, and you'll most definitely miss it once you leave.

I know you guys are going to do mind blowing things this year. You all are extremely talented and I can't wait to see great things. ENJOY IT AND MAKE MEMORIES. Because before you know it, it'll be gone.

Lots of Love, Natalia Lanier

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