Art 1010 Found Art Project

Art 1010 Found Art Project

“Off duty Sherriff Wesley”

Staci Alvey

7\22\2014

 

When I first read the assignment I thought this would be a really fun project and began to brainstorm instantly. In my mind I had envisioned many beautifully crafted animals from turtles to horses. I started to look around for things and as I was looking I soon realized that it wasn’t as easy as I had envisioned.  Several days before the due date, I begin putting random odds and ends together in hopes of creating something amazing, that I would be proud to call my own. Once again I was very disappointed. I searched several websites several books and every time I thought I had the right tools I would end up realizing that I didn’t have all the tools that I had hoped for.

While searching my house I found a vase that I knew I wanted to use due to the shape and size of this particular vase. I had glued and tied several items to this vase and after trial and error multiple times I had realized that it would make a great head for my piece. After finding the head I started looking for all the physical features.  This was a bit easier then I had anticipated and had my entire family looking f or Ideas that I could use.  I first had the idea that I would recreate a character from a famous TV show, but I’m my own way.  I soon realized that I didn’t like the idea of taking what was clearly not my own. So once again I stated over.

After trying several different ideas I decided that I just needed to glue and leave something and then maybe the ideas would flow from there. This in the end is what helped me to complete my project.  As I started gluing the piece on a personality began to take its own and after applying the nail scrub brush the idea of a Sherriff came to mind. This was it; this is finally what I was going to do. I have always loved western movie and have a fascination of cowboy art. I decided was going to create my own cowboy piece.  Before I completed the face I knew I wanted him to have a lasso in on hand and some cards in the other. The idea was a Sherriff off duty.  He would still be prepared to use a lasso if needed but also you get the idea that he is laid back with the few cards in his hands. In many of the westerns I have watched poker always seems to be the game of choice and I too wanted to keep that idea.

When I look at this piece I think wow it may seem kind of weird to some but it is just what I had envisioned after all the trials.  It may also seem plain and simple but that describes my life as well as what I feel a cowboys life would be.  I know that a cowboy is nothing without a pistol but being that is was for school I decided with much deliberation that it would not be appropriate.  I do however understand that art is a story or an emotion of the artist life. I felt that it was not the time or the place for that strong of a message.

Through the entire process I had to other issues besides not knowing exactly what I wanted to do. The belt was a big part of the piece and I wanted it to be just right. I wanted the belt buckle right in the middle and I wanted it to look as if my creation was actually wearing a belt. However it did not want to stay in the original place that I wanted it and I tried several times to make it work. At one point I was so fed up with just the belt not turning out as I wanted, and decided that I needed to take a break and come back a few minutes with a fresh mind. Turns out this are was exactly what I needed. I can’t even imagine how other artist must experience extreme stress in trying to make their piece look just right.  My piece wasn’t very big compared to other pieces of art that I have seen.  I know that I would never attempt that type of piece because the amount of pressure and stress must be ridiculous.

After all is said and done I am glad how it turned out. The days before were hectic in making decisions and finding the right pieces. I actually had the hardest time figuring out what to use for the nose. I had several things that I had tried for the nose and nothing seemed to work. After expressing my thoughts to my husband he began to help me look again, jokingly he pulled a dog tag out of the junk drawer and said to use it. That was what I needed to complete Sherriff Wesley.  Sometimes some of the best things in life were created by accident and this was one of those times.  This was probably one of the hardest assignments I have done. I consider myself to be a pretty creative person but this project left me completely  lost and had no idea what to do originally.

 My advice for other students who are struggling with this assignment is to look absolutely everywhere. Books, magazines, online, art shops, outdoors, everywhere.  There are so many ideas out there and it makes it much easier to have books and pictures online to be inspired and to help threw the process. Also it made it easier to have friends and families thoughts to help spark ideas. I know I had a lot of help from my husband and was able to make something to be proud of. This was a lot more fun after all is said and done. I recommended it as an assignment for other students.

Hummanities Race Journal

Race Journal

This week I learned a lot more about myself and have done a lot more soul searching. I know you probably looking forward to me saying that I liked certain quotes or particular stories, but what I believe I have learned is a bit deeper then just reading material.  Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed the reading but the real learning was done from the quiz.   

                After completing the racial quizzes I have came to realize that I am a bit raciest.  Before this quiz I never would have considered myself to be raciest at all, not even one bit. As a matter of fact, I have always been around people of different races and have never had any negative feeling and or emotions about them. I also have a family member that is from a different country and I love and adore her. Not only do I adore her but I look up to her.   As I stated in a previous assignment I come from a very respectful family that has taught me good morals and has made me the person I am today. However I now realize more that some of the negativity that I had, but didn’t realize I have toward darker skinned people, may have steamed from my step dad. Now I know it’s not completely fair to say that he is to blame for my negative feelings however, I think he may be some of the reason I am who I am, I am today. Growing up I always looked op to him and asked him for advice and his opinion. He would give me his opinion like I asked and then in turn he would ask mine. I don’t remember what I would have said but I always remember my dad saying well I’m glad that I raised you right and you know the difference between right and wrong.   I remember always wanting to say the right thing and wanting to make him proud.  So I basically would re state what he just said just in a different way, a more childlike ways.  This example as well as other I can think about makes me believe that I may have listened to him and his negativity too much

            After reviewing my test conclusion I have come to realize that racism truly is a learned condition. I have been talking to a lot of my family about this specific assignment and have discussed why they think that they might be racist. Many of them like my self have said that they blame it on there family surrounding and up bringing. Then we came to a conclusion that this is a vicious cycle and it will continue to be this way until someone decides other wise. For instance in a family, there may be few who have positive thoughts and the others have nothing negative to say. If certain family members choose to not be negative this may have a trickle effect and may create a positive surrounding for other family members to grow up learning only positive thoughts for people who may “different".

            I think it is important to know about racism because it is still an on going issue in the world. It is important to know if we are raciest so that we can work on fixing ourselves and in turn helping the world to better appreciate each other as a person rather then a certain race or ethnic background.  I know that this will more then likely always be a problem but looking back at our history we have came a long way. I think that no matter who you are and what your beliefs are you will always have a bit of raciest thoughts. I think that it doesn’t always have to be based specifically on race but also could be that you may favor a certain gender, religious group, and political preferences.  I know this isn’t technically racist but I feel when you favor one group or another it could cause problems in the world. I think more people would be surprised to see the results of the test if they took it. I think there would be more people that might be racist and not realize it. A lot of times like for instance my case I didn’t realize I had that opinion because of my surroundings and the people that I choose to surround myself with.

            I have decided to do my E Portfolio paper on the race journal. As an assignment we were asked to take two quizzes. Both quizzes were a series of questions based on skin color and race. Going into the assignment I thought that the quiz would be silly and I would find out that, just as I thought I was not a racist person and liked all races equally.  Little did I know I would soon find out that I was a bit more racist then I thought.  I have always been a person who gets along with many and just enjoy being around others.  I have never been the type to start any type of confrontation and in fact I have always been the exact the opposite. I never want to hurt anyone or many any one feel as they are inferior to anyone else. I always go out of my way to make a person smile when I know they are going threw a hard time. With these results staring me in the face I began to wonder if I am a hurtful person and if I deep down look at a person of different skin color  different then others. In my heart I knew that I wouldn’t ever say nor do anything to intentionally hurt someone. But have I said or acted certain away around a person with a different skin color subconsciously. 

            This assignment has had a major impact on my life and I have now been trying to change my feelings and emotions about others. I have had an eye opening experience that has made me what to change for the better and become a better person. It also made me realize that I am not the only one in the world who has a bit of racism. I think that it is human nature to judge a person who looks different then ourselves. With that being said it doesn’t make it right to have feelings toward someone else. This is one of the reason we have so much hate in the world is because people feel that they are inferior then others. If we could all work on ourselves and try to be a bit more excepting of others the world would be a much happier place.

            Some may wonder why I used such an intense topic to publish on my E portfolio for any one to see. I have decided to use this journal because I have learned a lot about my self as well as others because of this assignment.  I think that others should take the quiz and or take time to think if they treat everyone else with the equal amount of respect. Chances are there may be a certain group of people that you may look down upon and feel inferior in one way or another.  If people realized they had these feelings they may be able to make some changes in their life and in turn make life for others better by being more excepting. Life is about learning and learning more about ourselves. It’s about figuring ways to improve our lives as well as others around us and ultimately making this world a better place to live. I am grateful for this assignment to teach me more about my self making me a better well rounded individual.