today was just one of those days.
where you can't help but be thankful that you were here to witness it.
i know i have been kind-of a.w.o.l from this thing. there's reasons for that.
but there's more reason with be being here right now.
i did this enormous presentation which i called "a toast to lemonade". i basically had a seminar congradulating all of those watching of conquering life's many lemons in life and making lemonade. in 3 parts.
the whole thing had to be about a specific art period. i choose naive art. so, for the first piece (inspired by a performance artist) i made a feast to lessons learned. 3 cakes each demonstrating something that i found was a fundamental lesson.
-patience: a pie covered in wax
- generosity: the center cut out and filled with candies for those to share
- awareness: hearts in between both layers to leave a single heart at the top.
the cakes were apparantly delicious (not so much patience, though.)
next were my paintings which each represented a secret that i wanted to share.
this is when i incorporated my love for postsecret. i encouraged everyone there to write down 3 secrets as well (using my 3 secrets as an outline).
secret number 1 - something light hearted: i am a nerdfighter.
(since i have last been on this blog, i have become about 30.4 x more youtube obsessed than before. and i'm embrassing that.)
secret number 2- something painfully serious: i miss the home i never had.
(this is my reality. )
secret number 3 - something that you are proud of: i am no longer afraid.
(i was afraid of judgement, fear, death, my own talent, family members, and the future. i am no longer afraid. though yes, i think about all of those things, i am no longer afraid.)
all of these paintings were done in naive materials.
painting 1 - sewn on.
painting 2 - appearing crocheted, it was actually done in marker and crayon.
painting 3 - fingerpaint.
with the second secret, i presented a poem that i wrote about my father.
i could barely get through it, having started tearing up 3/4 of the way through.
but i did it.
and finally, a toast to our lemonade.
it was one of those unique experiences that i love adding to my vault of memories.
8 people came up to me and gave me their secrets afterwards.
which are now in my journal.
it was incredibly touching that i would be trusted with such things.
the first thing i asked of my audience was participation and honesty.
and, well, they gave it to me.
the majority of the pieces that followed were amazing. such as my new friend ruck's piece.
a pixelated image of kurt cobain painted!
over 400 squares!
PAINTED.
i couldn't stop swearing out of amazement.
other highlights were listening to my neopet-obsessed fresh friend cedric describe how he came up with the title for his pollock-inspired piece "Genesis",
my friend catherine's painting that she did for fun and turned out amazingly,
listening to my teacher's music play,
having my mentor and saviour ashley miller there the whole time,
marilou performing a medley of painfully beautiful and nostalgic classical music on a grand piano,
and listening to the anti-melvins perform a song about punk rock with lyrics such as "hipsters stole punk!" "where is punk hair!" (later sung acappella) and the statement "staplers aren't punk."
the majority of us left that day as though we had the world as ours - ready to conquer. this overwhelming sesnse that we COULD actually be artists outside of the limitations of a course outline. that we, as people, can DO art and LOVE art and TALK about art. not only that, but we all became closer with these people we have called our classmates for so long.
just absolutely amazing.
i had a conversation with two of my classmates about the raw honesty in my piece (thanks, guys!) and how important that is.
which ignited the idea for my photography project.
i will be going up to over 70 people tomorrow, taking pictures of them (either smiling, making a face, as they wish) and on a post it, they will complete the sentence "to be honest..."
and i will put it in a book with the appropriate number. i will not read these statements or secrets. i will look at the photos, pick my favourites, and then find the secret on a marked page that matches.
the person will also decide the layout of the page: if they want their secret above their picture, over their picture, or below their picture.
this can represent what they believe it is to them.
and because i never throw anyone into the fire without throwing myself in first, here's mine.
i really really do.
i realised today when i was chatting my face off about people being awesome.
it's above me because imma get over it.
i will find that outlet.
hopefully it goes over well!
here's to life being awesome, ladies and gentlemen!
