Summer Project self portraits. "Still Me"
"Fire to 451" Mix media. Oil pastel, acrylic paint, found object
person that was not born into it but grew into it. People think we have so much money and that my family is perfect. My parents have decided to make people believe the idiotic image they have of us. Now I must behave in public, never speak out of turn. Always smile and if asked say everything is fine. Its always the same, and because I believe I should just be how I am. I am judged by my own parents. They are afraid of disapproval of our so called friends and family. I am supposed to keep a perfect image even to my cousins, and that competition between our families came out; to the point we are unable to speak to each other. When I read the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, I remembered that false image, and how fire was the demonstrating proof of that image being destroyed. Fire was an inspiration, an opportunity to start from the ashes and stop hiding who I am truly. The novel demonstrated how the main character Montag sees how that lie of not wanting to gain knowledge is destroyed when they send him to burn his own house. I feel I want this fire to start in me so I may be myself and happy.
"Fahrenheit 451"
By Bradbury
Published novel in 1953
By Bradbury
Published novel in 1953
"Saying "I do" to death" 1 by 2 ft. canvas on acrylic paint
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My inspiration comes firstly by the 18th century culture focus on marriages. For many years, women in particular, have been forced or had arranged marriages assign to them. Before the 18th century many arrangements were done inside the family to make sure the properties, money and social status keep increasing and in the family. In a arranged marriages the spouse has to accept the married but with the family and social pressure many accepted them. As for these were kids born in a high class family were there marriages would depend of the weal being of themself and there parents. In Cambodia the Khmer Rouge forced from 3-160 couples to be married at the same time , were the leader did not allow family members in the choosing process or be present in the marriage ceremony. Many of the couples meet that same day. For these people marriage was the end of there happiness. This is why I choose to make this art piece, to show how many people ruin there life's happiness because of there importance of social status. Even to this day we see couples marry for convenience out of there own will now. Some for legalization in a country, others for the money, or the looks. Many sacrifice there happiness for looks and material happiness. This makes me sad because now people are not forced to marry to gain something, people actually want to do this and makes me sick. This is what I try to show in my art piece, those women who were forced to marry, but also the modern times were women throw away there happiness.
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"Beautiful End" 1 by 4 Ft canvas on acrylic paint
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Would it be correct to say we are all scared of death? I know I am, and after the first time I lost a love one just some days ago I realized I'm not only afraid of dying but of seeing my loved once die. I understand it is something natural but I'm fearful. Death makes us have a dress code, black is the color. My mind felt empty, blank, no joy of hope. I felt sad, but after the first church service for her honor the priest said we should not be sad as she is in a better place. While I was in denial my mother drove, as she died in a car accident I did not want to drive, I saw this. It was a beautiful sunrise on top of the cemetery, that is when tears started to come up and somehow acceptance too. Death is a sad thing, an unbearable pain that comes in, but in our religion it doesn't mean death is the end, but the beginning of another life for us. Ferry Van Tongeren inspired my art piece Beautiful End. He explains how death is about the beauty in the shapes and colors. For me it became the chance of a new life in a different world.
Title: unknown
Artistl: Ferry Van Tongeren |
"Protection of Addiction" Mixed media
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I'm really attached to family. It is really hard for me not to care. As I was growing up my father traveled a lot for his job, so I saw my uncle a lot helping around. He also doesn't have kids, he's a great guy with a terrible addiction. My uncle decided to fill his loneliness with alcohol. He would drink 3-4 days non stop. He had problems with the law as they were tired of picking him up from bars or the streets. When I was 7 years old we got a call he was lost, so me and my mother decided to go and look for him. We found him in a hospital with reports of him being robbed and high intoxication levels. He went to rehab were he recovered and stopped drinking for 8 years. But he took a new addiction, gambling. He would spend days in the casino now. He became a member of the casino, highest level color is black and he had it. Everyone started to judge him, call him mean nicknames. One greedy aunt (sister of his ) said it would be better for him to give her his money so she can go shopping. I got into some debates even with my father, stating that he changed his habit to a less health damaging one. I understand gabling is psychologically wrong, but if they wanted to help then they should get more involved in his life. When he started to
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drink again I was 15, it devastated my inspiration to be someone strong. He fell his promise, everyone criticized him more and it got me so mad. I began to get even more involved in his life. I would text him everyday and remind him I love him, to me he is like my second father. He once again stopped drinking and he is back in the casino, but I will always defend him. The ace of spades represents his passion for gambling, I chose the ace of spaces as the spade resembles a shield and a shield represents human wishing protection. The girl represents me, someone helped me choose the clothing and weapon I appear to be using. I agreed with there subjection as the original girl know to use these, is a girl that will die defending her loved ones, and that is what I try to do. I am fighting all the people who just criticize him than help him. The vines on the top left corner represents my uncles connection with me. A strong bond between us, as a father and daughter would have. I wish to give him this art piece to remind him he is not alone, that I am here to fill that loneliness he feels and that I will always defend him.
"Loves Creation" Mixed media
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Lately all my art pieces have been in a way negative, and as December kicked the door down I realized I was young adult who just turned 18 and her parents turning 19 years in marriage. Its a beautiful thing to see my parents who got married so young, at 19 years my mother and my father 20, they are still together and with 3 kids. These people in this picture frame are what keep me going, funny thing my father said "you, you're mother and sisters are everything to me" and my mother said "I keep fighting for you and you sisters and your father". Even my 9 year old sister said "I want to work hard as mommy and daddy and buy myself things to be able to help people, but I also want to be like you Yesenia, I want to get good grades in school and get accepted to college." Even though were in the Christmas season I feel myself still in the Thanksgiving time, as I appreciate god for giving me such a crazy and fun family.
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