Andrea Chacon

Thinking about the process and product of your Capstone, reflect upon what you are most proud of and what you might do differently if you were to complete a similar project in the future.

I am most proud of being able to speak in front of so many people without freezing, and being able to share a part of me through the clothes. If I were to do this again, I would more thoroughly plan the fashion show itself and to have everything finalized a week before the show so that any details that were overlooked could be fixed in that time. I would also use more models so that each one had just one dress rather than each one having two, so that I would be able to check off how each of the dresses look before they appear on the runway.

Explain how your life experiences are reflected through your project.

My life experience is shown in the project through the way that I know how difficult it can be to wear something that makes you feel uncomfortable, and how important what someone wears is. What someone wears can determine the course of one's day and whether or not they have the confidence to do what they want to do. That's why all of the outfits were about making sure that the models feel confident wearing it.

Thinking about the Extra-curricular hours you completed, reflect upon what you learned through the experiences and/or how you have been impacted as an artist?

All the hours that I have completed have taught me how to collaborate with people, how to raise my voice when necessary, how to plan events, and most importantly: how to express myself. Everything that I have done has shown me that it's okay to not do everything on my own because there will always be someone willing to help. Knowing that someone is there to help, should I need it, was the confidence boost that pushed into doing more elaborate projects and being able to push myself out there without being scared of the fall.

How is your life positively impacted by the arts?

They taught me how to be confident in myself and it showed that this was not the end of the line for me. It gave an outlet for everything going on inside of my head. The arts gave me all of the friends I have, all the way back to elementary school when I met my best friend because of a flower she had drawn that I felt was the epitome of all art back then. When I moved, I made a friend by drawing on my eraser, and later we would bring out notebooks with us to recess so that we could write down some thoughts or teach each other how to draw certain things. And when I moved schools once again, I met one of my best friends in art class as I constantly teased her for smudging with her finger instead of using the proper technique to shade. When I finally made it to high school, I was shown what tech theatre was and I fell in love with it to the point that I no longer know where I would be without it in my life.

How do you plan to include artistic experiences in your future after high school?

After high school I plan to continue sewing and designing pieces even though I am majoring in anthropology and possibly international relations. I plan to volunteer at community theatres should my free time allow it, and if it does not then I will continue to share all the joy that comes from it and teach what I know to everyone who asks.

What advice would you give an incoming freshmen about studying the arts to help them make the most of their experiences while in high school?

Don't be afraid to go out there and get what you want, regret is one of the most difficult things to live with because there will always be a what if question surrounding it instead of a what was statement. And, if you are afraid just know that there will always be someone to catch you if you fall and cheer you on as you succeed.