Highschool AP Art Portfolio 2018

3D Design

My concentration focuses on the feelings that are often suppressed or hidden from those around us due to fear or shame. “Perhaps the greatest risk any of us will ever take, is to be seen as we truly are” (Cinderella). When one begins to trust someone, he/she finds that people are so much more than their superficial self. My pieces represent feelings that, when suppressed, can consume us on the inside, i.e. the need to please others or life's pressures.

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My pieces show the beauty that arises from the situations life brings, but also show the struggle and exposure that happens in the process. The materials used in my concentration are important in displaying the complexity of each individual circumstance. Using plaster gauze, I show the importance of form while allowing an organic quality with irregular texture. Hands are one of the biggest story tellers, whether strong, hard working, and calloused or nimble, soft, and gentle. By accenting the hands with certain elements such as flower forms I show a blooming relationship built in trust. With a cupped hand holding a delicate sprout I display nurturing care. Roots penetrating the negative space below expressing the depth of the relationship. In the minute details I show pain through use of color and texture. Bruises and scars sewn in bright red make repairs contrast the pure white. A person attempting to conform to society's rules of beauty can experience pain. To show that fragile state this piece balances on an off centered surface. In the chaos of life, the desperation felt in reaching for help can cut deep. Not only are these situations painful in themselves, but the shame of one's true feelings can cause pain in and of itself. And in that fear we contain ourselves to the breaking point.