Stephanie


 * Breadth Pieces**


 * Main Concentration: Restrictions and Break Outs**

[March 28, 2008] // What is the central idea of your concentration? // The central idea of my concentration was to explore different ways we are trapped, locked, and conformed in our daily lives. Whether we like it or not, life is full of restrictions. Society benefits and works in the favor of certain cultures and norms, forcing others to either integrate themselves into the system, or simply are left out. I used this AP Art Concentration part of my portfolio to express the various boundaries we are restrained to, and our attempts to break out, some of which are successful. I concentrated on form and different types of art material for each artwork, helping to show that art is also not a restricted and should not be limited to using just one medium. I was also concerned on how these conformities obliged people to think inside the box and not express their creative and original ideas, articulating their uniqueness. // How does the work in your concentration demonstrate the exploration of your idea? You may refer to specific slides as examples. // At first, my concentration was to use common objects and develop their form, drastically increasing the sizes, like the big black pair of glasses. I then realized that common objects were so often were for those who were part of society’s majority. I then decided to develop and experiment with different types of medium ways that helped show that people were trapped inside certain mindsets, like the plaster skull-like form that limited the brain from exploring outside of it. Combination locks that don’t lock showed how they do not properly serve its purpose. I thus conveyed the idea that without uniqueness, integration simply forces everyone to be the same, restricting them from portraying their own distinct and not fulfilling their purpose. Like paper cranes flying out of its bottle, my concentration suggests and encourages individuals to fly out of their restricted boundaries and find ways to express their unconditional freedom.


 * Main Concentration: Oversized Objects**

Instead of using the same common art and design principles and elements such as line, light, and repetition, I decided to take a new direction and concentrate on ones that were most often taken for granted and as a given. Focusing more on form, shape, proportion, and size, I decided to enlarge objects in our daily life. In enlarging them, I designated each item with a out-of-ordinary purpose and event or a scenario. Perhaps certain parts of objects would be overexaggerated or emphasized through other design elements, such as lighting. Glasses, instead of being used for reading books, would be used to read the lines between an overweight and anorexic person. A giant telephone may be used to communicate to a 911 line instead of to the typical boy or girlfriend many imagine.

This concentration would also help emphasize these everyday objects to help others see that they can be used beyond their typical purpose. Many people find that art concentrations must be deeply inspiring, when in fact, these common objects we use everyday acutally hold a deeper meaning than what many people take them for.

Media used will range from wire to paper mache. However, due to the size enlargement many of these pieces will face, it will be difficult to work with clay for a large piece over a long time.


 * Practice Concentration: Issues of an Average High School Student**

With ongoing pressure from parents, teachers, and peers, an average high school student is under more stress than ever before. It is no longer a piece of cake to get into college, keep a reputation, or stay clear of drugs and alcohol. As the world continues to change, teenagers face more and more problems and issues that stumps many continously.

I wanted my concentration to relate not only to myself, but to audiences worldwide, who would be able to connect and agree with my pieces. Worldwide, the average teenager goes through many things, whether it be in Asia, America, or Africa, and have different problems for each country. I want to utilize these different crisises that teenagers may have to fight against. Everyone has had a teenager stage in their life, and many of them have the privilege to attend high school. I plan on portraying various pressures students are under, ranging from drugs and sex to academic and social issues. Using various types of material and medium, I wish to address the vast amount of issues students must face on a daily basis.

The four years of high school are what many people often describe as a life-changing experience. I believe that depicting these four years through issues students endure will not only be controversial, but will be open to a wide scale of audiences. Many of these issues are simply being ignored by society and are swallowed by high school students -- i feel this must be addressed, and thus, was the inspiration of my concentration.