Sustained Investigation

This year has been my most challenging year in art yet, but I managed to create pieces that I am proud of. My biggest improvement has been in mixing materials, which has added a whole new dimension to my work. This approach allows me to express myself and my experiences in ways I couldn't before. Mixing materials has helped me capture the intricacies of my investigations while making my pieces more eclectic and colorful. I’ve also begun to pay more attention to backgrounds in my maturation as an artist. This year has provided me the opportunity to treat my backgrounds with the same attentiveness that I give to the subjects of my pieces, making my works feel more complete.

My body of work this year reflects my keen interest and focus. As a curious artist, I love to incorporate my interests into my art. This year, I have explored themes such as biblical symbolism, fiber arts, antiquing, plants, nature, and genealogy. I find the most pride in my work when I follow my curiosity and express my experiences through art. However, my major shortcoming this year was not pushing myself enough during the revision process. Instead of reworking my ideas and creating something new, I tended to stick with the same concepts, attempting to make them work. I have realized that reworking an idea often leads to my best results. Using failure as inspiration can elevate my work, and I could have embraced that more this year.

My most challenging piece was titled "Yellow Home." I struggled to stick to the same idea, tweaking it repeatedly without satisfaction. It wasn't until I completely reworked the concept that things began to improve. The piece became more original and deliberate after I incorporated textile and fiber elements. This process involved four rounds of revisions, and now I hope I won’t have to look at that painting again.

My favorite piece from this year is "Felt Madonna." This work embodies all my core values of art and design. It is intricate yet playful, and it reflects my perspective as a woman. The piece portrays my view of motherhood as something divine, biblical, and very real and sacred. It incorporates various materials, including bits and buttons from my grandmother, felting, embroidery, painting, beading, watercolor, gold leaf, and recycled materials.

My artistic goal for the summer is to play and make my life artful. I have a very busy summer ahead with work and two major trips. I want to find ways to integrate fun, relaxed art that allows for exploration and experimentation based on my interests and experiences. I plan to study art in college, alongside psychology and art therapy. I hope that as I mature, my enjoyment and experience of art will align closely with my life.