2020 What the Heck?! Art is a way to express our current experiences and share our individual perspectives. It can be a way to process, cope with, and work through all that is going on in our lives. For this project, we reflected on the challenges we faced during 2020. We chose a topic that had the biggest impact on us and created a mixed media artwork that expressed our experiences and reaction to that topic. We explored issues of race, remote learning, the Coronavirus, police brutality, social isolation, and what it means to be a teen in today’s America. Students created work remotely, some intimately stitched on top of photo transfers, while others created drawings and paintings.
Jazzaria R. Life on a Computer Cloth, photo transfer, thread 2020
The acts of frustration are easy to see, but when you feel frustrated nobody can see through you. The Pandemic made me feel like I was trapped in one little square maze without a way out. Remote learning has made my mind feel like I haven’t slept in days. Remote learning is hard to work with when you aren't a visual learner. In my black and white picture, I added a square with lines everywhere over my face, showing how my mind is trapped and it is difficult to think. Another thing I have is the uprising zigzag line coming out of the computer. I added that to signal that remote learning can be so aggravating. Everything you do is on a computer and when you have no space to think, you feel like you want to throw the computer. The last thing I have on my computer is wording that states, “No Sleep.” I put that on top of the computer because I feel as if all the work given to us is never going to end. Overall, I didn’t make this so that there can be more hate on remote learning, I made this so that parents and teachers can understand how other students and I feel towards remote learning. It does get better as the days pass though.
Lonzil K. Expression Cloth, photo transfer, thread 2020
In Expression, I created a mixed media artwork expressing what it’s like being a black youth in our modern world. In the current world we live in, this is a major topic in the spotlight. In reality, being a black man or woman is hard but at the same time, we try to make the most out of our situations.The black and white picture is surrounded by original designs. These designs each represent a unique thing. The golden yellow lines that surround my body in the photo is meant to represent a kind of personal shield or barrier. Having a thick skin is just something that I’ve built from my different experiences. The box that I’m standing on is representative of me standing solid on the things that I say or do. It also means that I’m a reliable person that you can count on. The blue zig-zag line is a reference to an ECG. I’m using it to show that life has its ups and downs, but it’s about how we address these swings. The golden yellow half circles are meant to represent suns. It shows the pride I carry with me. The arrows at the top represent people looking down on me, and how I still rise above it. This project was a way to express myself in a different type of way.
X.F. let’s sleep until the world is normal Colored pens, pencil 2020
let’s sleep until the world is normalis a pen and pencil sketch of the reason why I lost all my motivation. Being trapped in my room is an everyday struggle. I’ve been enclosed in this space for at least half of my day for the past 9 months. It’s empty. The little activity I had has been diminished and I struggle to do the most basic things. It makes me worry for my future. This artwork is a way for me to vent in a way, I haven’t had any other way to express these emotions of feeling lost and lingering and unneeded. I’m learning to be more content with these emotions, but every day is different. I colored everything in with pens, and left a lot of blank space in the coloring, to show how I see my room. I’m stuck with these colors every day, and it’s all fading together. The sheets are fully shaded in to show comfort. There’s no rough lines, it’s smoother. It’s also why the pillows are untouched. It’s a place I feel cozy, the only place I feel cozy, for better or for worse. I made sure to colors in the art on my wall too, as it’s the only real vibrant thing in my room. I feel like it deserves a little spotlight. We’re all struggling right now, solitary confinement isn’t something we should get used to. I can only wish that you can find motivation in these hard times, it takes something special to hold onto that hope.
Damaria G. A Black Girl's Mind Paint, sharpie marker, wooden board In A Black Girls Mind, I created an artwork from my perspective of what it looks like in the mind of a young lady. While it is a generalized piece, I believe any girl can relate to this. I often say this piece can be left for interpretation because we all have different experiences with the same background. I want girls to look at this and take away whatever makes them feel a deep connection to this piece. I wanted to create an artwork that captures the minds and emotions of black girls through the interpretation of a few. I did this by collecting information from friends and cousins. I added their everyday thoughts, feelings, and concerns. I used sharpie and paint to add images inside the girl's "mind." I want the viewers to understand that it is okay to be you. It is okay to have differentthoughts, to have your own ideas, and your opinions. Being a girl, and one of color, can be especially difficult. We often have to deal with many social pressures, stereotypes, and avenues of success. There are many ways to overcome it. We just need the mindset and the artistic vision to accomplish it!