Thursday, April 24, 2008

Dreams


I went to my high school's annual art show this year. Besides seeing an amazing, cool and inspired installation art piece by Garrett (which won BEST OF SHOW! Way to go Garrett! WHOOO!!!), I was able to talk with my high school art teacher.

I love her a lot.

Art was my favorite and most frustrating class in high school. I loved and hated it all at the same time. :) In my junior year, we had to draw a still picture and I chose a variety of random objects from the art room and started to draw in soft pastels. Four weeks later, I was only a 1/3 done. Ugh. I HATED that thing. I actually gave up on the project. However, my teacher informed me that if I didn't finish it, I'd get a less-than-pretty grade. Ever the perfectionist, I decided to finish it. It took 12 weeks, working on it intermittently as I could stomach looking at it. It was beautiful when I was done (even though I rushed through the frame in it...sad.).

I eventually entered it in some local/state competitions and it won a couple of awards. I was happy. When I graduated from high school, my art teacher asked if she could keep it, and I agreed. I hadn't seen it in 5 years. I thought she might have thrown it away by now.

However, tonight she informed me that she still had it. In fact, it was part of the permanent display of artwork in the library. There's only about 20 pieces there, out of the last 20 or so plus years of students coming through the art program. Mine is one of them. It makes my heart really happy. And excited. Especially since I was able to get into the library to see it and take pictures.

It's amazing that she kept it. It amazing that she thought it was good. Even looking at it today, I see things I wish I could change, or fix, or would have done differently. A student teacher even designed and taught an entire lesson around the piece. Students had to make a sculpture of random objects and draw it monochromatically in pastels. I saw some of that artwork tonight. Again, it made my heart so happy.

I inspired that....and that inspires me. :)

P.S. - my artwork is the image in the post. Sorry it's not the best picture, there was a lot of reflection on the glass from the fluorescent lighting. yuck.

4 comments:

InHisSteps13099 said...

How cool is that!
I think it looks great.
~Skyla

sunnyviolas said...

there was a fish in the art room? lol. is the art show still going on? and your art is in the library! no way! where at? i have to go look on monday

Ashley W. said...

Wow! That's really neat, Kristen. Good job :) It's nice to know you're leaving a legacy, huh?

Unknown said...

That's really cool Kristen. ;)

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