I AM

I Am

I am authentic and ambitious
I wonder what the future will bring
I hear the waves crashing on the beach
I see the sun setting over the sea line
I want to be successful
I am authentic and ambitious

I pretend to fly
I feel the wind in my hair as a soar
I touch the fluffy clouds
I worry that the summer will pass by too fast
I cry about everything
I am authentic and ambitious

I understand that I am weird
I say who isn't?
I dream about interesting things
I try to make people happy
I hope that I will make a difference
I am authentic and ambitious

Narrative# 1 - John La Farge's Portrait of the Painter

The sweet smell of spring tulips filled my nose instantly. Unconsciously, it brings me back to the fearsome day of my childhood that will haunt my dreams forever. Walking on this trail, in this familiar place, I can remember the day perfectly. I can see the bright sun and the clear, blue sky of the morning. I can smell every smell and hear every sound. I can even taste the crisp air that surrounded me before it happened. I can see Russell and Michael running through the woods as I chased them. The memory is so vivid in my mind that it seems like it was only yesterday. I tagged Michael first, so he was it.

“One…two… three… four… five… ready or not, here I come!” He shouted.I had the best hiding place. I hid in the tree closest to the trail because Michael never expected me to be so close to where he always counted, by the rock. I could see Russell hiding right behind the tiny bush and I could tell that his foot was visible from Michael’s view. He started running, full speed towards Russell when it happened. It all happened so fast that it was hard to believe it was real. Seeing poor Michael lying there, helpless. He did not even see it coming; no one did.

Back in May of 1940, I was a ten-year-old French boy who did not know much about war. I knew countries went to war but I never thought it would affect me directly. I think most people hear about tragic events happening, like what happened to France on May 10, 1940, without ever thinking that it would happen to them.

My lungs filled with hot, thick smoke. The burning sensation pierced through my chest, giving me the feeling of instant suffocation. I did not understand why it was happening or where it was coming from. All I knew was that I needed to run. I still remember my heart racing in my chest, as fast as the wings of a hummingbird. I can still sense the ringing in my ears from the loud, deafening explosion. I jumped from the tree and ran as fast as my legs would let me. My lungs were ripping through my chest trying to obtain any bit of oxygen that was possible. I could hear them coming, yelling in a language I could not comprehend. Suddenly, there was a whole group of them in the field past the trees where we had been playing. I did not know where Russell was. When I jumped down, he was not behind the bush anymore; I thought that maybe he ran too.

“Alexandre!” I could hear my mother screaming my name. There were aircrafts shooting through the sky like comets; I kept running. Finally, I could see my house through the last few trees. Mother was outside, looking everywhere, hoping that her only son was not at the root of the horrifying booming coming from the woods. There was still no sign of Russell. When I reached my mother, she was frantic. Father was gathering things into a small case. Where was Russell? Would anyone ever find Michael? Those questions still loiter in my mind. We left without ever looking back.

Now, I have returned for the first time since then. I can smell every smell, and hear every sound. Even the taste of the fresh air lingers on my tongue. I can still see Michael and Russell running as I chased them. However, I see something now that is new to me. A large stone carved and placed in his spot, by the rock.

Declaration

I declare my concept to be Self-Perception, or the way people view themselves. I will mainly be focusing on self portraits, however that does not necessarily mean that every piece will have the artist themself in the composition. If the composition is depicting the artist, or telling more about them and their personality then it is a piece that i can use in my concept. I chose Self-Perception because I find it interesting how people view themselves. Some people may view themselves exactly how others view them, however most people see themselves completely different. I will be looking further into the minds of others to determine who the person really is.

Mind's Eye Critique

Looking into the depths of Todd Kefor’s Still Life painting, the viewer’s eyes instantly take in the complex, contrasting composition. Consisting of a variety of different subject matter, Still Life is done in acrylic paint creating a smooth texture that creates a sense of unity throughout the entire composition. With the content of a composition consisting of skulls, one would think the viewer would feel the piece to be dark and ominous. On the contrary, the chiaroscuro is extravagant, using hues of green with accents of red creating a warm composition. Seeing this painting, the viewer feels a sense curiosity and understanding, and is automatically drawn in, wondering what is in the hope chest, or what is lurking behind each cinder block.
At first, the viewer sees the composition as a whole, and does not place their eyes on an exact focal point. However, when considering the entire piece, one might find their eyes lingering on the monkey, whose bold, red background creates a lot of contrast sending the viewer’s eyes immediately in that direction. Otherwise, the viewer could set their eyes on the human skull, whose highlights are done in a brilliant hue of red creating a strong emphasis. Another object in Still Life which the viewer could be drawn to is the hope chest; curious to what the contents might be and wondering what the deeper meaning is.
Perhaps the importance of this composition is hope. Along with the flowers in the background, the chest may signify hope or happiness. The ominous, dark cinderblocks are set in stone in this piece. They are the building blocks of this composition. On the other hand, perhaps the entire meaning of this composition is life itself. The cinder blocks possibly illustrating the stepping stones of life; solid, stationary. The monkey could be the soul, revealing their inner world to the viewer. The hope chest and flowers possibly representing joys and hopes in life, where as the skulls depict death. As a whole, Kefor’s Still Life captures the viewer, leaving them wanting a more in depth explanation.

Paul Gauguin, Self-Portrait with Yellow Christ, Post-Impressionism

Looking at the venire of Paul Gauguin’s Self Portrait with Yellow Christ, the viewer immediately notices Gauguin with two strange objects behind him. When looking deeper, the viewer then notices Gauguin’s painting Yellow Christ behind his right shoulder, and a deformed gargoyle behind the left. The interesting use of color creates an immense amount of contrast but at the same time the intermingling of the similar hues cause the subject matter to flow. The intensity of his eyes draw the viewer in, noticing first the interesting texture the brush strokes give this entire painting. At that moment, looking deeper into the separation of Yellow Christ and the strange gargoyle, the viewer begins wondering what Gauguin is trying to portray. It is an interesting composition, unconsciously leaving the viewer inquisitive to who Gauguin was as a person and what this painting could be showing.
A focal point is always different to every viewer. Some may say that part of the background of this piece draws their attention first. Maybe Christ and the bold, intense colors he is created with, or the viewer possibly will see Gauguin’s face first. The different values of this composition create a lot of contrast bringing the viewer to set their eyes on specific aspects of this painting. For instance, the purple tones used in Gauguin’s clothing are also placed in the background of Yellow Christ and in the nooks and crannies of the gargoyle’s shape. This, subtly creating a sense of unity, also renders contrast with the hues of orange and yellow strategically placed behind Gauguin’s face. The viewer begins to notice the expression on his face shows no emotion. The emotion and personality of this piece is shown in the objects that surround him. He tells a story in this painting, depicting his personality for all to see.
One might say this composition is Gauguin’s perception of himself. The gargoyle is most likely portraying the evil, ‘Hyde’ side of him, shown every time he lost his temper, and Christ portraying the good, ‘Jekyll’ aspects of him. The self-portrait uses hints to what Gauguin is genuinely saying about himself. The viewers can only speculation to the real meaning of this painting. Only Gauguin himself knows if this presumption is true.