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We are constantly being flooded with ideas from pop culture and social media about how we are supposed to look, dress, and act. These ideas of who we “should be” are also coming from our peers and previous generations. With all of this constantly influencing us, it can be difficult to separate who we really are from who we present ourselves as. My concentration portrays the twelve zodiac signs because we look to astrology for guidance on who we are – even if it is not logical.

My theme is an exploration of the playful nature of cats and kittens via watercolor designs. I wanted to create designs that showed the curious side of cats and their whimsical nature by making their body shapes morph into playful forms. The design possibilities that occurred when placing a loose grid over the background of the animals was also very important. I realized the exploration of movement, rhythm, pattern and emphasis was endless with this subject.

Photos from Mr. Oswald's Photography Class

This semester in the AP Studio I combined the two into a series of works based on the fish I have caught and the act of fishing.  The fish I included are Red Drum, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout and Brook Trout.

I have concentrated on the development of a stoneware dinner and dessert set for personal use. I emphasize functionality and focus on objects I personally value like the coffee carafe and dip-serving dish. This concentration allowed me to explore a diverse body of forms while also honing replication skills though the creation of goblet, mug, and plate sets. I layer glazes and use the same pattern of rutile and red iron oxide stain to link all these pieces together.

My portfolio encompasses a range of simple, intricate, monotone, colorful, and free flowing works of horses. I showcased the ways in which one can explore different mediums and feelings while still using horses as my only subject matter. I chose to use large sizes to represent the real-life largeness of a horse. They also encompass the movement, and stillness, in my life that I am experiencing at this moment.

Growing up, my grandfather was always my hero. He was always traveling and going on mission trips to Africa. Every drawing in my portfolio is based off of photos he took while on his trips and stories he told me. I wanted to express my pride in my grandfather for all he has done to help better other lives by putting the same time and care he puts into helping others into these drawings.

Digital collages by middle schoolers