Art Therapy

An art therapist is a career choice that I have recently discovered and been interested in. To be considered an art therapist, you must have a undergraduate degree that has to do with a combination of art and psychology. Then you will go to graduate school and get a masters degree in art therapy to be able to have your own practice. You also have to get certified by the state to be able to practice. Depending on how many years you have been an art therapist, the average income for this career is $30,000 to $70,000 per year. An art therapist can work in many different settings like hospitals, clinics, schools, nursing homes, shelters and a lot of other environments. To be an art therapist one should have empathy, patience, the ability to interpret emotional and human behavior, and a background dealing with visual art. 

I think art therapy is a good career choice for me because I love art. I would like to be able to help people throughout my life. I like helping others work through any issues in their life, and I have had a lot of personal experiences that help me relate to what others may be going through. I would enjoy being able to do what I love while helping others. I believe that if you can use art to help people express themselves in a different way, then that is a rewarding job.

M.C. Escher Analysis

Being a graphic artist, M.C. Escher was famous for his lithographs, woodcuts, and wood engravings. His style is reflected by his line quality that makes his work almost realistic and his unique tessellation pieces. Escher's sharp detail makes his work stand out.


I hope, especially to my fellow classmates, by looking at Escher's work you can be inspired by the line quality in his prints. Please check out the Photo Gallery at www.mcescher.com  to view some of M.C. block prints!

Wonders of the Weeping Willow

The weeping willow is such an odd looking tree which makes it very easy to identify. A weeping willow brings about a feeling of enchantment or serenity to some with its whimsical branches swaying as the breeze blows, but the name of the tree itself suggests a whole other meaning. This tree not only brings a lot of significance in its meaning, it is useful in numerous ways too.

Native to China, weeping willows grow rapidly but only have a life expectancy of about 30 years. They range from being 30 to 75 feet in height by around 35 feet in width. As they mature, weeping willows are distinguished by their branches that droop with thin, narrow leafs (shown left) to make a canopy of shade and during fall the leaves' color change into a golden yellow.

The weeping willow's name comes from exactly how the tree looks. The drooping branches look like the tree is "weeping"and gives off a sad feeling especially when it is winter and the tree is bare. A weeping willow can be both a symbol of death and a symbol of life. It has dark mystical stories behind it like how the twigs of the tree were used to make a witches broom or how the bark is used to make wands and other talismans. There are different ancient stories and myths that describe the weeping willow to have fertility powers to also being the product of two lovers who died and now grieve through the bent shape of the tree.I think of the tree as being more of a symbol of life than death but both aspects are equally important.

Weeping willow trees are used to make things that I never would have thought of. The most stunning product the tree is used to make is charcoal which is a medium used religiously in a drawing and painting class. Plus the willow can be used for medical remedies to treat for headaches by chewing on bark and twigs. In willow's bark there is salicylic acid that is extracted and was used as the underlying foundation in producing aspirin, that is used today as a painkiller. 

Sources:

http://www.gardenguides.com/97007-weeping-willow.html

http://www.oplin.org/tree/fact%20pages/willow_weeping/willow_weeping.html

http://voices.yahoo.com/exploring-mythology-surrounding-willow-tree-711967.html?cat=37

http://www.homeandgardenideas.com/gardening/trees/care/5-cool-facts-about-weeping-willow-trees

Concentrating on my Concentration

Hello again, my fellow bloggers and viewers! It is a new school year and this year I am in AP Art    (3-D Design)! THE PRESSURE IS ON! :S I have been struggling sweating, searching, and pondering over what my concentration would be for my artwork for this year. Last year I did "nature" but it specifically meant trees and plant-like things in a more general sense. Well it looks like I am on the same path.

I have finally come down to a decision to produce artwork that relates to the physcial features of the tree itself during its life cycle: the texture (bark), the colors, the shape, the seedlings, the leaves,etc.
I am still pin-pointing more specific aspects of each of these topics and hopefully I will find informative and inspiring results to base my artwork on.

This weekend, it is my Goal to research (almost) constantly during my spare time to find appealing and interesting information/ pictures to me about my "tree" concentration and perhaps form projects around them. Then on Tuesday present my ideas to my Art teacher to get constructive feedback and FINALLY start Arting. This goal is perhaps a stretch but I do know I need to get my act together and push myself to be able to do what I love which is produce art.

Here are only a few of many of my Inspirational Photos:

I thought this was interesting that roots don't grow sporadically.

 I hope to be able to incorporate this one project idea that was inspired by this picture above. 

This is cool out of the box inspirational picture that made me think about how I may be able to do a felting project.

I've been thinking of a way to replicate different tree seeds but made them way bigger!

Busy Little Worker

I was able to spend a little over 2hrs working on my metal flower. I didn't completely make my goal that I originally set but I was able to saw out my big flower piece (below). I think if I work hard enough this upcoming week, I can reach my goal!

Getting Started

Hola! This weeks blog is kinda brief due to the lack of "arting" time this week during school.

Well I have my master plan worked out, excluding some minor details, for my final metal art project. I was able to purchase my metal (copper) this week one is a 20 gauge (I think, I will have to double check) and the other is a 22 gauge. I have below a lay out of my original flower design along with a smaller version on the 20 gauge sheet of copper. On the 2x6" 22 gauge I will saw out my designs and then enamel them on this thinner sheet of copper so the metal isn't too heavy to wear.

My Goal for this upcoming week is to have most if not all my metal pieces cut out so I can start enameling and shaping my metal pieces to form a beautiful flower!

What's been going on!? . . . ART.

Hi people of the blogging world!

It is my goal to blog each week of my Art I have been doing. I hope to have *pictures* of my own art (of course) and inspirational photos I find too!

This is the clay mug I was working on and finished last week. I got the idea from the picture below but put my own touch to it. It is currently drying and being fired so maybe I can glaze it soonish!

I really like how the mug below was glazed, and I want to try to try to capture the highs and lows of my own mug to make the texture stand out.

 I made the clay bowl and mugs about two weeks ago. The clay bowl was the first little project to help get back into working with clay for this school year. And the two mugs (plus more) were made for my school's 2nd Annual Evening of the Arts!

The two pictures above were from the Evening of the Arts. There was music, snacks, and the mugs were sold with drinks provided! I think it was wonderful to see the progress of students in the other art classes!

My next project is to make a series of my metal flower I made out of copper. I don't have an up close photo yet. But on the picture above, if you look at the middle manikin, my flower is red with a blue center. I'm wanting to play with the size, color, and maybe shape. 

My goal is to make art that I can sell!

RANDOMZZZ

Here is my friend, Clayton! He is wearing his monkey (clay) necklace he finished.