at the half-way point

When this class first started, I was not all that excited to 'destroy things' (images, postcards) and didn't understand the benefit of working so quickly and impulsively...until we went to Santa Maria Novella and were sent on a scavenger hunt to find marks! Really, any kind of mark? Anywhere?! This kind of freedom was so surprising, coming from where my comfort zone had been limited to strict interpretation of whatever was put in front of me. After taking 100 photos from maybe three different streets near the church, I learned how to use my time to follow what I'm interested in. I love that this class has helped me find trends in what I am drawn to, and how I process them. The ink exercises about memory, especially, and actually keeping a sketchbook (!!!) have helped me piece together how I can visually identify myself.

Florence is giving me the chance to interact with a completely new setting, and theme sequence is the outlet to translating my observations and experiences into something tangible, something I can relate to. I'm interested in exploring why I connect to different objects and places here, why certain images resonate with me. It has been so helpful to dissect the artistic process, to step back and observe instead of assuming that (and dismissing material because) I've known and felt it all before. I've never been good with open-ended assignments...to do just exactly whatever I want! But I am not nervous about "finding something new and important to say" here, anymore: these new reference points reveal all sorts of directions to follow, and I have to trust what comes from developing them. These past two weeks, my midterm project became a constant pull between trying to verbally reason my ideas (SO confusing) and actually translating them into a focused image. My goal is to get away from that over-thinking habit, and instead let my hands direct my thoughts.

Here are some pictures from my space after the first few weeks!