Semester 2

Arts TRYathlon #1: Keychain Making

Keychain Making (02/16/25, Home)

#art, #keys, #beads, #trinkets

This weekend, I was inspired by my Arts Scholars workshop, “Recycle Restyle Rewear,” where I learned to use unused materials to create functional art pieces. Although I couldn’t attend any recent Craft and Chat events, I applied the techniques from the workshop at home, crafting a colorful keychain from safety pins, trinkets, and beads. The process of reusing old items not only inspired creativity but also helped me understand the concept of sustainability in art, which is connected to the Arts Scholars program. I took unused items like safety pins and trinkets, which I had lying around the house, and transformed them into something both useful and personal. Adding a pink and white bow to tie it all together and gluing a small panda onto the keychain's bracelet attachment added a cute touch. This experience made me realize how the collaboration process, even outside the workshop, can create new ideas. Working alongside my team in the workshop taught me to think outside the box, and I was able to apply that to my own keychain-making. Creating this keychain was about connecting my artistic skills with a sustainable mindset to create something into an everyday accessory. I connected the themes of creativity, collaboration, and sustainability that I am learning in the Arts Scholars program. This experience deepened my understanding of how far art can go.

Arts TRYathlon #2: Craft and Chat

Furin Crafts - TA Jessica (02/18/25, Bel Air Lounge)

#art, #japanese, #winds, #culture

On Tuesday, February 18, 2025, I attended the Furin Craft event, where we made Japanese wind chimes with TA Jessica as part of Craft and Chat. Even though it was a bit late for me, I still wanted to go with my friend Daisy. I hadn’t seen her since last semester, so this event gave us a chance to catch up. It was also a great way to relax after working hard lately. The Japanese wind chimes were beautiful, and learning about their cultural meaning afterward made the experience even more special. I was given plastic balls and different colored yarn to tie them together. For my design, I colored my paper blue and white and used matching blue and white charms inside the ball. Instead of painting the inside, I used colored chalk pens to draw flowers on the outside. My theme was a floral blue and white pattern, and it turned out amazing. It was inspiring to see how everyone’s wind chimes reflected their own unique styles and creativity. The event was fun and allowed us to express ourselves in a way that connected with the Arts Scholars program by exploring different cultural art forms. This experience made me appreciate how even small moments like this, spending time crafting with friends, can be both relaxing and creative.

Arts TRYathlon #3: Craft and Chat

Soda Tab Friends - TA Elena (02/26/25, Bel Air Lounge)

#sodatabs, #junk, #reuse, #creative

On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, I attended the Craft and Chat event about Soda Tab Friends with TA Elena. Since it was later in the afternoon, not many people showed up because it was a busy time for classes. But this ended up being one of my favorite Craft and Chat events because the project was so fun and creative. For the craft, we took soda tabs and wrapped wires and beads around them to create little figures, then added a larger charm for the head. My soda tab “friends” were pink and purple, and I used a bigger bead to connect the legs so they looked like shoes. My theme was inspired by Hello Kitty and Sanrio characters because they turned out so cute. Even though there were only three of us, we had a great time bonding, sharing ideas, and making conversation. I made two soda tab friends and used one as a bag charm. I even brought them to my Recycle, Restyle, Rewear workshop to show another way to repurpose junk jewelry. This craft is connected to the Arts Scholars program because it showed how something as simple as soda tabs, normally seen as trash, could be turned into something creative and stylish. It also tied into my workshop, which really inspired me. The experience was needed on a day with fewer classes, and it was fun to see how everyone’s figures turned out unique with different beads and wires.

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