Cap and Chord

Since I graduated earlier this year the actual ceremony of graduation seems less exciting to me than to most. If today's marching practice was a any indication, it certainly won't be the most thrilling experience of my life. However, one aspect I'd been excited for was decorating my cap, which I did today :) I wanted it to be pretty but to also represent me and my future in various ways. I included splatter painting [my fingers needed a fresh coat] and a 3D paintbrush to, of course, represent myself as an artist. I also glued on a pen and painted "notebook paper" on which I wrote a small poem previously written for my formspring bio, they represent me as a writer. Then I painted an ocean wave and a sky full of blackbirds, these are self representational images I often use in my artwork. The ocean because of my love for it, it is the place I feel most at peace, the strongest and the most vulnerable, totally connected. Blackbirds because I relate to them, I see them as so free and beautiful, yet so easily frightened and misunderstood. I think they're really powerful in their own way. Finally I included the earth to represent my desire to travel, my connection to it as home, and finally the ever so lovely cliche "the world is mine" now it's time I make it my own :) I think the cap as a whole looks quite nice [as nice as a graduation cap covered in 4 layers of paint and glued with various items and sparkle can look] :D I truly enjoy that I'll be wearing this mess of materials on top of my head :P

So not only did I paint my cap today but I finished my art kid chord, which will have to include a small back story as well: At our senior assembly, where they gave out all the chords and awards, Kaley and I realized that there was no recognition of the arts. I need not explain why this is unacceptable, I think it's pretty obvious. But instead of just complaining about the lack of recognition we decided we would have to recognize ourselves and our commitment to art with TA DA our very own chords! Although I am only including images of mine since I have yet to see hers, we have each decorated, painted, and created them in our own way. Ironic, yes? Our art awards are an art project of their own.

I also noticed that on our crest that there is a giant tree, a symbol of academics, and a symbol of athletics, but nothing about the arts. I find this very disappointing.

Anyways, I've enjoyed creating both of these pieces. It's sometimes really fun to do small out of the box art projects instead of my standard ink and paper specialty.