Rachael Carter A Lasting Memory September 2013 Wood, Wax, Acrylic aint, Memorabilia!

Mixed Media "n order to express mysel# as an indi$id%al, " combined the idea o# a painting and series o# entries& " too' a %ni(%e approach by creating an enca%stic, )hich is a mixed media pro*ect co$ered in )ax layers and bac'ed %p by a dependable )ooden board& +he main reason " chose this genre is beca%se " #elt it )as a %ni(%e and creati$e )ay to demonstrate my losses and narrati$es in a more positi$e )ay& " )anted to ma'e light o# the horri#ic incidences and sho) that )ith the loss, " became )ho " am today& Within the genre " chose, my ability to demonstrate my literacy memoire )as broader& "n stating this, " mean " had more $ariety and #e)er constraints& " placed poems, stories, pict%res, 3,dimensional ob*ects, paint and n%mero%s other mixed media pieces& With the %se o# the )ax, " )as able to place memorabilia that s%rpassed an a$erage pict%re& What )as placed on the board has special meaning to my past, and )ill al)ays remain close to my heart- ho)e$er there )as not m%ch that " co%ldn.t %se in my o$erall piece& My literacy is the s'ill o# t%gging on a reader.s heart )ith my )riting& /e#ore 2000 " ne$er got into )riting, b%t a#ter May 11, 2000 that all changed& " lost my brother that day, my best #riend& " )ent thro%gh an emotional brea'do)n, and became $ery independent and (%iet& 2ot e$en a )ee' a#ter my brother passed, " )as sitting in my room and decided to )rite ho) " #elt& +his )as a #irst& " )rote a poem and it ended %p being better than " expected& My teacher read it and p%shed me to enter o%r schools poetry slam, ama3ingly " )on e$ery ro%nd& My poem )as s%bmitted into a national boo' o# poems #or 2orth Carolina& 4$er since these e$ents, " reali3ed )riting )as my passion and " )anted to express my #eelings in a positi$e )ay to capt%re my readers& As stated be#ore, " )anted to ma'e light o# my literacy history instead o# holding on to the loss and pain& +he ob*ects and images are in a tint o# bl%e )ith a bac'gro%nd o# red& " chose these colors not only to s%pport the patriotic d%ty my brother ser$ed being in the army, b%t also to sho) the serio%sness o# my loss& Losing my brother )as clearly a di##ic%lt and tra%mati3ing set bac' in my li#e- b%t 'no)ing ho) his attit%de )as and ho) " became expressi$e in all " do, " chose to sho) the good in the loss& 2ot the bad& Altho%gh the topic is (%ite to%chy not only did " aim to sho) deep emotion, b%t also sho) ho) it positi$ely a##ected me and p%shed me to become the )riter and

person " am right at this moment& "n my literacy memoir " explained ho) the loss o# my brother ca%sed my expressi$e and creati$e side to spar'& " too' a t%rn #or the better )hen it came to )riting& " became a more serio%s and connecti$e )riter )ho )anted to gi$e o## emotion and ama3ement& " became more in$ol$ed in all that " do& " stepped o%t o# my shell and %sed the death o# my brother in a more constr%cti$e and progressi$e )ay& " competed in poetry slams, )rote essays, and competed in )riting competitions& " al)ays %sed my brother.s death to inspire, brea'do)n, tear at the heart, pers%ade, and e$en sho) my o)n gro)th& +o be able to do this in almost anything " )rite sho)s *%st ho) m%ch it has positi$ely a##ected my )riting career and li#e&