Art projects
Self Portraits
For this little project, we chose a picture of ourself and traced over it in pencil and pen. The first piece I did was the pencil one. After I did in pen, the one on the left, I used cross hatching as the shading technique. For the next pen piece I did, I used a more relaxed technique, less shading and less precise strokes.
#Shelfie
For this project, we designed and constructed a shelf on which we would display our Art and English class projects. Everyone had the freedom to design their own shelf. So a friend and I looked up different styles online for inspiration. We rally like the idea of using branches from trees to add a different aspect to the shelf, and then left the wood its natural color.
SURREALISM
We all chose two quotes from surrealist artists which we felt spoke to us the most. For me, Salvador Dali was the mastermind of all surrealist artists. These two quotes have had the most impact on my life becuase I am able to relate. "Do not be afraid of perfection. You cannot achieve it anyway," for me this means that people who are too centered around stuff being perfect are wasting time. Perfection is an illusion to blind the distracted. "Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings," this to me means to never give up. Everyone has what their given, and if they do not use their strengths, they are wasting oppurtinities to strive forward.
"ODE To" Item
As a project to put on our shelves, everyone chose an item from their life that has a significant meaning to them. I chose my Nalgene water bottle because I carry this with me every single day every where I go. After choosing an item, we had to recreate it using cardboard and paper mache.
Election Project
Ballot Language:
"Shall Charter section 55.2 be amended to: increase, from 25% to 35%, the allocation of annual Mission Bay Park lease revenues exceeding $20 million, for capital improvements in San Diego Regional Parks; allow Council to add City-owned parkland to Mission Bay Park’s boundaries; combine and coordinate construction of Mission Bay Park improvements identified in this section; and extend operation of this section until 2069?"d
Unknown Language:
capital improvements: change or the restoration of some aspect of a property that will either enhance the property's overall value, increases its useful life or adapts it to a new use.
increase, from 25% to 35%, the allocation: take revenue from mission bay park and pay into other regional parks.
"Shall Charter section 55.2 be amended to: increase, from 25% to 35%, the allocation of annual Mission Bay Park lease revenues exceeding $20 million, for capital improvements in San Diego Regional Parks; allow Council to add City-owned parkland to Mission Bay Park’s boundaries; combine and coordinate construction of Mission Bay Park improvements identified in this section; and extend operation of this section until 2069?"d
Unknown Language:
capital improvements: change or the restoration of some aspect of a property that will either enhance the property's overall value, increases its useful life or adapts it to a new use.
increase, from 25% to 35%, the allocation: take revenue from mission bay park and pay into other regional parks.
One Pager
For this project, we chose a local measure to study and become experts in. The goal is to be able to educate visitors to our Voter Information Night, about all of the local measures. After researching my measure, I wrote an informational piece to give the facts about it. You can click below to view the One Pager.
Poetry Analysis
Through class we would read and analyze a political poem. I chose to further analyze Martin Espadas, "Imagine the Angels of Bread." He structures the poem in three sections that demonstrate not only what he’d like to see change, but how it could happen. In the first lines he says, “This is the year that police revolvers, stove-hot, blister the fingers of ragin cops, and nightsticks splinter their palms” in order to demonstrate how he would like to see cops, who used to hurt other people, are now “switching sides.” The next three stanzas a list of what he would like to see change. The second part is when he changes his tone and shows what has been changed in the past. He shows this because it’s the evidence to his case that change can happen. Especially with that the examples he gives were some of the world's worst times. He ends with, “So may every humiliated mouth, teeth like desecrated headstones, fill with angels of bread,” to show that those who will make a difference are those who have been pushed down by those of power.
Ballot Box
Once we have researched the measure, we created Ballot Boxes in our art class. These are then going to be the method of displaying the local measures at our Voter Information Night.
Ideal bookshelf
Renaissance Book
Renaissance MAsh up art
Poem Analysis:
In the poem Strong Men by Sterling Brown, he talks about how African American people rise from the oppressive situations put against them and how they collectively become stronger as a whole when they do so. Right from the start of the poem sterling brown show how they became oppressed and what the white people did to them “They dragged you from homeland, they chained you in coffles, they sold you to give a few gentlemen ease. They broke you like oxen, they branded you and made your women breeders”. But with the start of the oppression they already created songs, “Keep a inchin’ along lak a po’ inch worm… you sang: bye and bye I’m gonna lay down this heaby load… you sang: walk togedder chillen, Dontch git weary… the strong men keep a-comin on the strong men git stronger.” these brought them together and symbolized hope to keep getting stronger and to keep moving forward. Then again they try to oppress them by simply making their lives more difficult so that the white men can live nicer “They cooped you in their kitchens, they penned you in their factories, they gave you the jobs that they were too good for, they tried to guarantee happiness to themselves by shunting dirt and misery to you.” But once again there is this song of resilience that brings them together and keeps them concentrated on the future. ”Me an’ muh baby gonna shine, shine me an’ muh baby gonna shine. The strong men keep a-comin’ on the strong men git stronger…” In this song he conveys the message of looking to the future because that’ll be there moment of growth where they’ll shine and become stronger united. As the African American people keep overcoming barriers and progressing in history, the white people try once more to oppress them through segregation “Today they shout prohibition at you “Thou shalt not this” “Thou shalt not that” “Reserved for whites only” ”Yet the same thing happens. They simply just cannot break the strong and stubborn spirit of the African American people because the one thing they cannot take away from them is there will to move forward and progress as a community, “You laugh, One thing they cannot prohibit the strong men… coming on the strong men gittin’ stronger. Strong men … Stronger…”.
In the poem Strong Men by Sterling Brown, he talks about how African American people rise from the oppressive situations put against them and how they collectively become stronger as a whole when they do so. Right from the start of the poem sterling brown show how they became oppressed and what the white people did to them “They dragged you from homeland, they chained you in coffles, they sold you to give a few gentlemen ease. They broke you like oxen, they branded you and made your women breeders”. But with the start of the oppression they already created songs, “Keep a inchin’ along lak a po’ inch worm… you sang: bye and bye I’m gonna lay down this heaby load… you sang: walk togedder chillen, Dontch git weary… the strong men keep a-comin on the strong men git stronger.” these brought them together and symbolized hope to keep getting stronger and to keep moving forward. Then again they try to oppress them by simply making their lives more difficult so that the white men can live nicer “They cooped you in their kitchens, they penned you in their factories, they gave you the jobs that they were too good for, they tried to guarantee happiness to themselves by shunting dirt and misery to you.” But once again there is this song of resilience that brings them together and keeps them concentrated on the future. ”Me an’ muh baby gonna shine, shine me an’ muh baby gonna shine. The strong men keep a-comin’ on the strong men git stronger…” In this song he conveys the message of looking to the future because that’ll be there moment of growth where they’ll shine and become stronger united. As the African American people keep overcoming barriers and progressing in history, the white people try once more to oppress them through segregation “Today they shout prohibition at you “Thou shalt not this” “Thou shalt not that” “Reserved for whites only” ”Yet the same thing happens. They simply just cannot break the strong and stubborn spirit of the African American people because the one thing they cannot take away from them is there will to move forward and progress as a community, “You laugh, One thing they cannot prohibit the strong men… coming on the strong men gittin’ stronger. Strong men … Stronger…”.
Artist Statement:
For our mash up art piece, we chose to make a typography art piece using Adobe Photoshop. For the art piece we chose; Aspects of the Negro Life: An Idyll of the Deep South by Aaron Douglas. We then chose a poem to match that went along with the theme of the painting; Strong Men by Sterling Brown. We read through many poems to find the one which fit the best with the art piece, we chose Strong Men because it discussed the hardships or obstacles that occurred for the African American people and the ways they used to overcome, which was music. Music was the symbol of hope for the southerners.
For our mash up art piece, we chose to make a typography art piece using Adobe Photoshop. For the art piece we chose; Aspects of the Negro Life: An Idyll of the Deep South by Aaron Douglas. We then chose a poem to match that went along with the theme of the painting; Strong Men by Sterling Brown. We read through many poems to find the one which fit the best with the art piece, we chose Strong Men because it discussed the hardships or obstacles that occurred for the African American people and the ways they used to overcome, which was music. Music was the symbol of hope for the southerners.
Poem:
They dragged you from homeland, They chained you in coffles, They huddled you spoon-fashion in filthy hatches, They sold you to give a few gentlemen ease. They broke you in like oxen, They scourged you, They branded you, They made your women breeders, They swelled your numbers with bastards. . .They taught you the religion they disgraced. You sang: Keep a-inchin’ along Lak a po’ inch worm. . .You sang: Bye and bye I’m gonna lay down dis heaby load. . .You sang: Walk togedder, chillen, Dontcha git weary. . .The strong men keep a-comin’ on The strong men git stronger. They point with pride to the roads you built for them, They ride in comfort over the rails you laid for them. They put hammers in your hand And said Drive so much before sundown. You sang: Ain’t no hammah In dis lan’, Strikes lak mine, bebby, Strikes lak mine. They cooped you in their kitchens, They penned you in their factories, They gave you the jobs that they were too good for, They tried to guarantee happiness to themselves By shunting dirt and misery to you. You sang: Me an’ muh baby gonna shine, shine Me an’ muh baby gonna shine. The strong men keep a-comin’ on The strong men git stronger. . . . They bought off some of your leaders You stumbled, as blind men will . . . They coaxed you, unwontedly soft-voiced. . . . You followed a way. Then laughed as usual. They heard the laugh and wondered; Uncomfortable, Unadmitting a deeper terror. . .The strong men keep a-comin’ on Gittin’ stronger. . .What, from the slums Where they have hemmed you, What, from the tiny huts They could not keep from you What reaches them Making them ill at ease, fearful? Today they shout prohibition at you “Thou shalt not this” “Thou shalt not that” “Reserved for whites only” You laugh. One thing they cannot prohibit The strong men. . .coming on The strong men gittin’ stronger. Strong men. . .Stronger. . .
They dragged you from homeland, They chained you in coffles, They huddled you spoon-fashion in filthy hatches, They sold you to give a few gentlemen ease. They broke you in like oxen, They scourged you, They branded you, They made your women breeders, They swelled your numbers with bastards. . .They taught you the religion they disgraced. You sang: Keep a-inchin’ along Lak a po’ inch worm. . .You sang: Bye and bye I’m gonna lay down dis heaby load. . .You sang: Walk togedder, chillen, Dontcha git weary. . .The strong men keep a-comin’ on The strong men git stronger. They point with pride to the roads you built for them, They ride in comfort over the rails you laid for them. They put hammers in your hand And said Drive so much before sundown. You sang: Ain’t no hammah In dis lan’, Strikes lak mine, bebby, Strikes lak mine. They cooped you in their kitchens, They penned you in their factories, They gave you the jobs that they were too good for, They tried to guarantee happiness to themselves By shunting dirt and misery to you. You sang: Me an’ muh baby gonna shine, shine Me an’ muh baby gonna shine. The strong men keep a-comin’ on The strong men git stronger. . . . They bought off some of your leaders You stumbled, as blind men will . . . They coaxed you, unwontedly soft-voiced. . . . You followed a way. Then laughed as usual. They heard the laugh and wondered; Uncomfortable, Unadmitting a deeper terror. . .The strong men keep a-comin’ on Gittin’ stronger. . .What, from the slums Where they have hemmed you, What, from the tiny huts They could not keep from you What reaches them Making them ill at ease, fearful? Today they shout prohibition at you “Thou shalt not this” “Thou shalt not that” “Reserved for whites only” You laugh. One thing they cannot prohibit The strong men. . .coming on The strong men gittin’ stronger. Strong men. . .Stronger. . .
Chicano PArk
"Hasta La Bahia" translates into "To The Bay". When the bay was overtaken by the factories and the commercial port it cut off access for the residents of Chicano Park. The residents were obviously upset by this action. When the painting of the murals began they painted this mural as a start of the "next revolution" in hope of soon gaining access of the bay once again.
Reading
For Stephanie's class we read books as just an addition to class. Since I was in the the honors class I had to read two books which we find on a college sylabus. I read Blue Rage, Black Redemption and Johnny Got His Gun, as my honors book.
Reading ladder
ArtLit: Fall 2016
Reading Ladder S1
Total pages read during S1: 1391/14 = 99.35 pages a week.
Why this order?
Bonk was the most difficult book to read because it was about the scientific studies of sex. It was very very dense with information and had very little plot. It jumped from study to study so you have to pay attention to the writing or get lost. Johnny Got His Gun is a dense book with very graphic images and events, it’s also very difficult to follow if you’re not paying attention. It requires full attention. Blue Rage Black Redemption is not the most difficult book to read. It has a very juicy story, being about the Crips in LA it isn’t boring. Although the vocabulary Stanley Tookie Williams chooses is very difficult to understand. Many of the words you’ll have never heard of. Fallen Angels is the easiest book I read, mainly because it kept my attention the best the whole way through. It isn’t very dense, it’s very juicy and the vocabulary is about at a medium difficulty.
I’ve never been much of a reader, so this semester I really pushed my limits in the amount of books I read. I’ve worked a lot on my reading stamina and how to find books that are perfect for me. Finding books that give me the perfect amount of challenge are the ones that keep me most intrigued.
I’ve found that Biographies and historical books are exactly the reading I enjoy. I wish to continue reading books along these lines, and try to challenge myself little by little. I do not know which book I would like to read next semester, although I hope to find a good recommendation.
Reading Ladder S1
- Bonk by Mary Roach, pg. 319
- Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo, pg. 320
- Blue Rage Black Redemption by Stanley Williams, pg. 416
- Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers, pg. 336
Total pages read during S1: 1391/14 = 99.35 pages a week.
Why this order?
Bonk was the most difficult book to read because it was about the scientific studies of sex. It was very very dense with information and had very little plot. It jumped from study to study so you have to pay attention to the writing or get lost. Johnny Got His Gun is a dense book with very graphic images and events, it’s also very difficult to follow if you’re not paying attention. It requires full attention. Blue Rage Black Redemption is not the most difficult book to read. It has a very juicy story, being about the Crips in LA it isn’t boring. Although the vocabulary Stanley Tookie Williams chooses is very difficult to understand. Many of the words you’ll have never heard of. Fallen Angels is the easiest book I read, mainly because it kept my attention the best the whole way through. It isn’t very dense, it’s very juicy and the vocabulary is about at a medium difficulty.
I’ve never been much of a reader, so this semester I really pushed my limits in the amount of books I read. I’ve worked a lot on my reading stamina and how to find books that are perfect for me. Finding books that give me the perfect amount of challenge are the ones that keep me most intrigued.
I’ve found that Biographies and historical books are exactly the reading I enjoy. I wish to continue reading books along these lines, and try to challenge myself little by little. I do not know which book I would like to read next semester, although I hope to find a good recommendation.
Fine ARt
...With a Twist...
Meaning of ARt
Alvaro Gonzalez
English 4/5
Art is not a definable topic. Although you can guess and give your own opinion of what art means to you. I believe art is a way to communicate different messages to different classes of people. In the Renaissance Mash Up project, my partner and I looked at the art series, Aspects of a Negro Life. We chose to analyze specifically, Idyll of the South, because we wanted to look at a piece that describes the effects of the migration from the south. We believe that the artist Aaron Douglas, was portraying in all of his pieces where the african americans were able to find joy in their life of misery. In all the pieces there seems to be a type of brightness or light emerging from some part of the painting.
As well as analyzing the art piece we found a which fit in with the art piece. In the poem Strong Men by Sterling Brown, he talks about how African American people rise from the oppressive situations put against them and how they collectively become stronger as a whole when they do so. Right from the start of the poem Sterling Brown shows how they became oppressed and what the white people did to them.
What art has allowed both of these figures to achieve is a level of communication that doesn’t require an actual conversation, only imagination. In class we discussed the question, what responsibility do artists have of depicting their race/culture. I believe they have a large responsibility because they have the ability to convey messages to the masses without having to give a speech. Artists are able to use their imagination and influence around them to show the oppression, struggle, and light of what their world really is like. Art is able to bring an end to racial stereotypes and shed light on truth.
English 4/5
Art is not a definable topic. Although you can guess and give your own opinion of what art means to you. I believe art is a way to communicate different messages to different classes of people. In the Renaissance Mash Up project, my partner and I looked at the art series, Aspects of a Negro Life. We chose to analyze specifically, Idyll of the South, because we wanted to look at a piece that describes the effects of the migration from the south. We believe that the artist Aaron Douglas, was portraying in all of his pieces where the african americans were able to find joy in their life of misery. In all the pieces there seems to be a type of brightness or light emerging from some part of the painting.
As well as analyzing the art piece we found a which fit in with the art piece. In the poem Strong Men by Sterling Brown, he talks about how African American people rise from the oppressive situations put against them and how they collectively become stronger as a whole when they do so. Right from the start of the poem Sterling Brown shows how they became oppressed and what the white people did to them.
What art has allowed both of these figures to achieve is a level of communication that doesn’t require an actual conversation, only imagination. In class we discussed the question, what responsibility do artists have of depicting their race/culture. I believe they have a large responsibility because they have the ability to convey messages to the masses without having to give a speech. Artists are able to use their imagination and influence around them to show the oppression, struggle, and light of what their world really is like. Art is able to bring an end to racial stereotypes and shed light on truth.