Ranel Rodriguez

Visual Arts Department

Branching Out

2020
Branches, Paper, Glue
8.29ft long, 5.42ft tall

When this was assigned, I knew that it would be the last art piece during my last semester at Dreyfoos and that was hard for me to process. It became even harder with the pandemic because I knew that Dreyfoos had been ripped out of my life forever. This next chapter in my life has come sooner than I was mentally prepared for. This piece represents my growth and what’s to come. Although this was not my original idea, I’m happy with the way it turned out. One thing that didn’t change, though, were the materials I used. I still wanted to use cardstock and branches. I used cardstock so that the folded insects would hold their shape.

I wanted to incorporate branches for a couple of reasons. First, branches come from nature and I’m a total nature boy. If you know me, you know this about me. So in a way, the branches represent me. The branches also represent all the different possibilities of how my life will “branch” out in the future. Right now, there are many different paths that I can take and ideas floating around in my head. I don’t have a clear path yet.

The paper butterflies and moths represent all the experiences that I have had. These experiences are what have made me into the person I am today. They are different sizes because some experiences had a greater impact than others. Regardless of the size, they have all added to the beauty of my life.

Finally, the butterflies and moths are all white because, not only do I love the contrast of the clean, crisp white against the rugged, earthy tones, but I also see them as a clean slate. My new experiences will soon determine how colorful my life will be.

Dear Class of 2020 ...

Dreyfoos will always have a very special place in my heart. I feel so blessed and honored to even be called a Dreyfoos student. When I first came here as a Freshman, I immediately fell in love with this wonderful place and didn’t want to leave! I felt like I was in a safe environment where I could just be 100% myself without worrying about other people judging me. Everyday I would be excited to come to school; I made a ton of friends, all the teachers and staff are incredible, and there was always something that made every day special. I had such a lovely time at Dreyfoos. I’m really gonna miss it here a lot!!

I want to first give a HUUUUGE THANK YOU to all of my teachers and all the staff members. Thank you so much for putting up with all me and all my special ways. Thank you for always helping me be a better student and a better artist. Thank you for all your patience and support, especially when I’m being extra slow and unmotivated. And thank you for just simply being wonderful human beings; without you, I wouldn’t have come as far as I have. I want to give a special shout out to some of the people who I feel have gone the extra mile to help me be successful at Dreyfoos. Ms. Friedman, thank you for always sitting down with me whenever I didn’t understand something. You are the best! Ms. Van Reeth or really, MY QUEEN, thank you for always pushing me towards my goals. Mr. Elrich, thank you for helping me better understand English grammar so much more. And, last but not least, Ms. Allione, even though you are not at Dreyfoos anymore, I appreciate you for being so incredibly patient with me and helping me get better and better with my skills.

Like I said before, I have made a ton of friends and I am so super grateful for each and every one of them! They make me feel so happy every single day, always make me laugh and make my days bright. I want to give a special shoutout to Francesca for being such a kind hearted person and for going above and beyond whenever I needed help with something. To my lawfully wedded husband, Chloe, thank you for always being there for me and never being afraid to be completely honest with me. Kat, thank you for being the best Russian bike! Elijah, thank you for inspiring me to do better. Millie, thank you for making me laugh uncontrollably every single day and making my day just a little brighter. Yasmin, you’ll always be my waifu. Gage, thank you for all the interesting conversations. Tessa, thank you for being such a sweetheart and bringing my spirit up. Last, but certainly not least, Gabba, thank you for being such a strange and delicious slice of fabric with a teaspoon of evaporated oxygen. This list could go on and on forever but I just want to thank everyone else that I didn’t mention for simply being my friends and putting up with me lol. I love all of you with all my heart <3

God I'm still cute!!!

DEAR CLASS OF 2021

Future Seniors! You have come to that time in your High School career where you need to start taking it all in because, before you know it, you’ll be graduating!! It’ll go by in flash! I think this is mainly due to being surrounded by happiness, joy and fun every single day. Cause you know, time flies when you’re having fun!! Don’t blink!! Some of the things that I feel will help you grow as an artist are staying after school on Wednesdays to work on your art pieces. That way, not only do you get hours, but you also get one-on-one help from your art teachers. And, you also get to hang out with friends. I also strongly recommend talking to your teachers about EVERYTHING so they can get to really know you and understand how they can best guide you as an artist. Having a good relationship with your teachers is vital! I also think you should have good time management when it comes to your artwork. Most pieces take longer than you would expect, and a lot of time, issues with the piece might arise. You should also have a Plan B, C , D. . . .W, X, Y cause you just never know, things happen!! Trust me, I KNOW!!! One more thing, the counselors are your friends, they can help you with your personal issues, as well as get you out of classes you don’t want to be in, LOL.

Some of the things that I feel will enhance your experience during your senior year are sitting by the tree during lunch, not being afraid to be your authentic self (seriously, no one will judge. It’s kinda weird how overly accepting people are here), go to City Place for lunch (but spend your money wisely), join clubs that interest you, go to the school events, support your friends who are in different majors, celebrate their wins, be there for their falls. . . there will be failures, such is life. But, you dust yourself off and move on.

Oh, and, get to know the nurse, she’s awesome.

With Love, Ranel <3

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