-
Period: to
My Lifetime
-
Coloring Books and Water Color Paintings
My initial exposure to the world of art was by way of coloring books and watercolor paint books. I would sit at the table all day while my sister was at school and just fill page after page with color. Coloring has always been relaxing for me and I always loved the positive reinforcement I received from my pictures. -
"Jackson Pollock Inspired" Painting
In Kindergarten, there were centers we could play in during recess. One center contained easels, flip pads, and tempera paint. After painting a few pictures, I realized that when I flung the brush I could make a cool splatter effect. What I didn't realize was that I was covering the classroom and my classmates with paint splatters. I was sent home. I honestly don't think I revisited the paint center after that incident and my creative impulses were probably stifled for a longwhile after. -
Ms. Stokes Painting Lesson
Ms. Stokes was a painter who visited my 7th grade art class. She brought real canvases for everyone to paint on which was very exciting. Ms. Stokes walked the class through a Bob Ross style painting lesson in which we all produced similar lighthouse paintings. It was a neat experience and a good way to learn a few new painting techniques. -
Georgia O'Keefe Lesson
Mrs. Carnes was my high school art teacher and was very influential to me as an artist. One of my favorite lessons was a Georgia O'Keefe lesson in which we made huge pictures of flowers using oil pastels. -
Art Institute of Atlanta: Summer Interior Design Workshop
My senior year of high school I attended a summer workshop at the Art Institute of Atlanta. I was considering entering the field of interior design. I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop and I learned a lot, but ultimately decided I did not want to be an interior designer. Mainly because of the amount of math involved. -
Georgia National Fair Art Exhibit; 2nd place and Honorable Mention
One of the most influential things Mrs. Carnes did for me as my art teacher was encouraging me to put my work into shows. I have always been a perfectionist, thus I rarely finish work and I am usually never satisfied with my art. Mrs. Carnes pushed me to enter my work into the Georgia National Fair Art exhibit, where I earned 2nd place in 3D sculpture and Honorable Mention in 2D oil pastels. This was a huge confidence-booster for me as an artist. -
Gainesville College and State University: New York City
As a member of the Gainesville State College Art Club I was able to go on a trip to New York City. We visited all the big time art museums as well as numerous small galleries. This was a huge moment in my life as an artist because I was exposed to so many different styles and art works that I had never seen before. Being there in that environment was much more influential than sitting in a art history or art appreciation class. -
Smithsonian Travelling Exhibit: Key Ingredients
This was a service learning project I did for the Smithsonian Travelling Exhibit "Key Ingredients". We implemented an educational learning center for visiting schools that incorporated art with nutrition. We made paper mache food sculptures, felt food 'build your own nutritious meal' center, and a large interactive kitchen center. The entire experience was incredibly time consuming and exhausting, but it was so awesome! -
Boys and Girls Club of Hall County: Face Painting
Coming from a low income family myself, giving back to the community has always been very important to me. Every year the Boys and Girls Club of Hall County hosts a 'Rubber Duck Derby' to raise money for the organization. I am usually in charge of coordinating a face painting table (which is always the table with the longest line). It may not be a huge deal, but the kids are fascinated by the art on thier little faces and I like to think that it may influence them artistically in some way. -
England
Doing a portion of my student teaching observing school systems in the United Kingdom was one of the most influential moments in my life so far as an art educator. THe schools I observed in were very much influenced by the arts and incorporated visual art, music, and/or drama into just about every lesson- whether it be math, science, social studies, literature, or language. It was very inspiring to see the arts integrated in such a way as well as how it made the teaching more effective. -
Venice
Venice was awesome to visit as an artist. I have always been fascinated with art history and I especially love renaissance art history. I think its because my mother is from England and I have always been fascinated with Europe and European history. Just being in the presence of these great architectural structures was overwhelming. -
Florence
Visiting Italy was an absolutely amazing experience to have as an artist. I was able to see up close and first hand the masterpieces that I had spent hours studying in art history classes. I will never forget walking down the street (about a block from our hotel) and recognizing the architecture of the building next to me. I thought, "Large bricks on the bottom, then medium bricks, then small bricks on top.. huh, just like the Medici Palace.. Holy cow!!" It was the Medici Palace! Amazing.
