Focus

So, I believe I have finally figured out what it is that I want to do with my artistic career. I've always been under the impression that I would find my focus later, once I had learned all the ropes and gotten some 'real life' experience through my first job, which I realize now is just plain stupid. It was pointed out to me that my first job, no matter where I work or who I work for, is going to suck primarily because I will not be doing my own work or anything I even find interesting. Now is the time to do something for me, to make my portfolio interesting and to focus on my art as an expression of my interests and self.

I was always rather concerned that my work was never very coherent and that I never really had anything to put into a portfolio, but I figured it would come to me in time. And now it has and I have never felt so relieved. I've narrowed down my interests and have come to realize that I am very interested in the sexual connotation of people and all the different forms that this can take. I think I will be able to show through various forms of graphic design the raw, basic nature of human sexuality by creating works involving different views of people's sexual nature from the bizarre to the traditionally conservative. It really all comes down to a single idea that everybody, at their core, is a sexual creature, and that we express our sexuality in different forms all depending on personality, sexual orientation, culture, and lifestyle.

What I want to do is use graphic design elements, such as print making, screen printing, typography, photography, literature, sculpture, and even music to showcase some of the different forms of this basic human need. I feel like there are so many forms this can take that I will be able to create many pieces that look and feel different but are all linked together by the same premise to form a coherent whole. I think this is a very important step for me and this idea will showcase the kind of work I can do as well as an interesting, edgy idea which other people will find interesting as well.

Now all I need to is a come up with a few concepts to get me started and get my hands on some equipment. I am going to go ahead and take a photography class at my local community college and I think I am going to continue with my sculpture through the Academy so I can get back into the swing of it and maybe create some beautiful portfolio work through that as well. I really want to get my hands on some basic, even crappy, print making materials too. I found a cool set online that I think might be a Christmas present if I ask now and I will be able to start making my own prints at home, even if they aren't perfect, which I kind of like the idea of anyway. If nothing else, I will take advantage of the school's print making materials and get Misha to help me start assembling.

For once, I am actually glad for my extra semester here at the Academy because I feel like it's an unexpected blessing for me, as it took me a long time to find my focus and now I will have time to work on it before I have to start applying to masters programs. Right now, I am relieved. Yay me!

Leopard Print

Tacky? Yes? No?

I LOVE HALLOWEEN!

I love Halloween and am very excited about it! This is the first year I have been able to go out for it, aside from friend's houses, so we are celebrating by going out to the goth club Neo in uptown Chicago. I am being a pirate this year. I found an old coat of mine in the basement and my mom is helping me embroider it with gold trim and sewing lace into the cuffs She is also making me a ruffly lace blouse, so all I actually had to buy was a pirate hat, a sword, and boots (which I was meaning to buy to wear all season anyway!) so I pretty much as just wearing all my own clothes. I really do like that better then buying a costume mostly for comfort reasons and also because real clothes just look so much nicer and neater. I am going to curl all my hair up and pin it under the hat then do bright red lips, gold and black eye makeup, and paint my nails gold. I think I will also carry chocolate gold coins with me. 


On a more somber note, I lost one of my red eyed tree frogs the other day. Nirro, the male, had always been very thin and fragile and I'm not exactly sure what happened, but I found him dead in the plant when I got home from a weekend away. I think it may have been a freak occurrence or maybe he had stopped eating but I know he lived a good life and he lived for at least 3 years. I miss him but I will take good care of the female, Midori and maybe get another froggie to keep her company. I buried him out in my yard by a lovely tree that reminded me of his bright green and red colors. RIP, little buddy.

So...

This sums up how I pretty much feel today and probably will for the rest of the week.

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Had a better week

So, after salvaging the weekend by going to NIU and hanging out with the best boyfriend ever and then best boys in the world, I had a much more enjoyable weekend. In turn, I had an enjoyable week. I got most of my work done, I got to relax and I got to have a little fun at Anime club making candy sushi. I just need to get my $45 dollars back from Mr. Thomas for the club funds and I will be a happy camper. Good week, so let's hope it continues on to the weekend.