Rachel West Professor Hicks Arts and Society: Visual Arts, Section 1105 Due Date: August 28,

2013 Art and Me Part One My first favorite photo is number 36, showing an eight year-old boy accepting the American flag for his deceased father, who had died in Iraq just weeks before his planned return home. This photo is striking because it shows the contrast, and even transition, between innocence and loss of innocence. The boys innocence can be seen through his eyes and his tears. The death of his father is causing him to grow up faster, to encounter death. One of the most important people in his life has been stolen away from him, and all he has left of his father are the memories from eight years of life, as well as his relatives memories. He has lost a part of his innocence in realizing that there is evil in the world. Someone who had lost their innocence by violence shot and killed the boys father in war, and had a causing hand in the boys loss of innocence. The boys world is not as happy and carefree as it was before. His childhood has been affected. There is a hole in his family that will never close. The realization of evil in the world, and the violence of war, takes front stage here as a vulnerable child comes face-to-face with death, injustice, and the overwhelming consequences of war. In my personal opinion, this is an extremely powerful photo because it tugs at your heart. It is hard to imagine the burden of becoming the new man of the house and the emotions of losing ones father falling onto the vulnerable and fragile shoulders of an eight year-old boy. This photo shows the consequences of war. Many Americans only think about war as being overseas. But the war is also in America everyday most poignantly seen in the military families who are without their loved ones for months at a time. Their fear at the unknown future of their loved ones and the hope of their safe return home are only two simple emotions in a complex array of thoughts and feelings. War affects many people in the United States, whether or not the rest of us choose to ignore it and turn the news off. War is still here maybe not physically, but certainly in the homes and hearts of many citizens. My second favorite photo is number 19, the photograph of a Japanese soldier holding a baby girl who had survived for four days after the Japanese tsunami. I love how the picture shows new life amid destruction. The background is pretty bleak soldiers marching along mud, debris and water. But the baby girl seems to glow with new life, comforted by her blanket and the arms of a compassionate soldier. I think the photo shows that even in the midst of death, we must focus on the new or remaining life that is in the world, or else we will drown in a sea of sadness and fear. The soldiers smile and the wonder in his eyes portray his astonishment and his happiness. The baby girl and her miraculous survival make all that the soldiers do, all the death and destruction that they must go through, totally worth it. No matter how bad things may get, we must always look for the miraculous, whether it is in a clear blue sky or in the eyes of a baby girl. Part Two In high school, my favorite art form was music. I was in chorus in my freshman, sophomore and junior years. I also participated in a female a capella singing group, which I was

president of my senior year. I participated in the Mars Hill Honors Chorus festival my junior and senior year. Music has always been very important to me. I still remember my grandfather playing the piano when I was little. His hands would gently glide across the keys, producing beautiful music. I have always been involved in music in one way or another, from music lessons as a young child to being a percussionist in middle school to singing in high school. I have learned a lot about techniques and the art of putting everything you can drive, passion, creativity, and focus - into creating the most beautiful and fullest sound possible. My family and I have visited the Biltmore and saw all the beautiful paintings and works of art displayed there. When we visited Washington, D.C. several years ago, we went to several museums, including the Smithsonian. The paintings were beautiful, and we were even able to see some original works. I remember how surprised my mom was that the original pieces were there - it was an incredible experience. Another form of viewing art actually happened in high school. All along the hallways of the art building, students work was displayed (to me, it seemed like an amateur art gallery I do not go to galleries all that much). I always enjoyed looking at the pieces, focusing on the right side on the way to chorus class, and then focusing on the other side on the way back. One piece in particular that really struck me and that I really connected with was a work by a friend of a friend. It was a powerful piece that focused on poverty and world hunger. It showed two children, naked and hunched over. Their ribs were highlighted in white, indicating that they showed through the skin because of their hunger. The childrens big eyes were the most powerful part of the piece to me. They seemed to look right at you never changing their gaze, but always staring at you. It tore at my heartstrings, and it is almost unbearable to think about all the children who live like that. I love art that brings awareness to issues such as hunger, even though the pieces may be hard to look at. Art is one of the most powerful forms of expression in the world, and when we use it to bring awareness to issues and to bring us out of our comfort zone, then barriers can be torn down and we can truly make our corner of the world a better place. As a student and as a person, I love learning and challenging myself. One of my main strengths is writing I feel more comfortable writing than I do talking. Writing just feels natural to me, and I love using it to communicate my views, just as I love reading to expand my worldviews. I love learning it is not something to do just to get a degree and get a good job. I enjoy opening myself to new possibilities and new information. With each thing that I learn, my world gets bigger and bigger. I have learned that if your world is not growing, then you are not growing. One thing I need to work on is perfectionism. I am borderline-OCD and I have struggled with perfectionism for years. Several teachers have noted or commented on it, and it is definitely something that can hold me back if I dont keep it in check. But this year, I will continue to develop as a student, and part of this process is continuing to fight my perfectionist tendencies when they are not helpful. Another thing I need to work on is juggling due dates. I have a notebook that I write each school day on. Under each day, I will list the assignments that are due that day, so I can prioritize my homework that way. It is not like having the planner that I used during high school, but this semester is a trial period of a new organizational method. I am very excited to start this because I feel that it will help me be more organized and keep track of assignments better. I learn well by lecturing. I am definitely a listener, although I will contribute to class discussions. I also like drawings, although I am not as much of a visual learner. In all honesty, a lot of it has to do with the individual assignment. But I do like listening and taking notes. I am

not sure about my learning style beyond the vague assessment in this paragraph, but I anticipate learning more and more this semester. As for my personal interest and hobbies, I love listening to and making music. I used to play the piano. I have not played in a while, but I can still play elementary pieces and read music fairly well. I love reading for fun; reading takes you places that you may never experience otherwise. I recently found out that I really like suspenseful plots not terrifying material, but enough to keep you guessing what will happen next. Right now I am reading the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay. I cannot wait to see what happens next and, yes, see the movies! I also like writing. In the past, I have written poetry, songs, and short fiction, among other things. I am not athletic, besides dancing and even then, it takes a while for me to find my groove because I get self-conscious. Once I get past that, its a lot of fun! A fun fact about me and my lack of athletic ability is that I was the only girl in my 8th grade P.E. class who could not do a pull-up. I was more of a four-square girl those were the days. I also enjoy theater. I was involved in theater in middle and high school, and I worked backstage for the Davidson Community Players a few years ago. That was a really fun experience, and I would love to get involved backstage again, whether for Imaginon or UNCCs theater department. I appreciate all the opportunities UNCC and Charlotte have to get involved in whatever you would like to do. It makes college more enjoyable and challenging! I am very excited to learn in Arts and Society: Visual Arts. I am sure that it will be a great semester!