Student 7

Dec 14, 2000

Art as Self-Expression

Throughout this semester in Fine and Applied Arts, I have had the opportunity to learn more about myself through the various art forms and what these forms mean as a whole. A lot of the symbolism conveyed through the art forms can be applied to one’s own life. When one thinks about it, the best way to learn something is to relate it to one’s own self. Throughout the class we have had postings that we have had to use our own imagination to apply the art to ourselves. Now we are actually using art to show our own self through a visual. This hands on project is more then a visual, it is a sole seeker that helps you to connect with your outer and inner soul. In the following paragraphs, you will be able to read my soul and to better understand it from the exterior into the depths on the interior.

First, we will begin with the exterior of my soul. The base of the entire project is a circle. I choose the circle because I am very independent, and I need my space in order to understand who I am as a person. The beads on the exterior of my soul are shades of pink and purple, which represent the girlie-ness that is present in me. The beads are in a shape of a triangle because even my outer soul shows how goal oriented I am. The Greek letters of my sorority represent with their straight lines the dependability that such an organization provides for me. Also, one would know that I was in a sorority because I wear T-shirts with our letters on them on the exterior of myself. When someone first meets me I can be very shy and barley say anything, but then sometimes I am real outgoing and talkative. Representing my outgoing side is the wavy plastic line and representing my shy side is the straight plastic line.

The clothes tag and the credit card represent my exterior appearance, which I take pride in. The credit card shows how I love to go shopping so that I may purchase items in order to enhance my exterior appearance. Tangible items that I always wear are jewelry. One will always find me wearing some kind of jewelry; without jewelry I feel naked and incomplete. The jewelry is all circles, once again representing my wholeness and independence. The make-up is to show how I always wear it, and one will rarely see me without it. The hair clips are symbols for the pride I put into how my hair looks because I always have my hair done and I won’t leave home without fixing my hair no matter what the situation. I have all these items surrounding an image of my exterior soul.

The image is a mask, and I do believe that I wear a mask towards society. The mask is made over with some make-up in order to represent how one looks in society, and that you would see how well my make up is done and not the true beauty of my skin. Once again representing a mask that I wear in order to not let one see the true depths of my soul.

The interior of my soul is represented on the other side of the circle. Again the circle is representing the independence in my interior soul. The background of the interior soul is a yin-yang, and the uniqueness of the yin-yang is that it presents two separate sides with a little of each side dipped in the opposite side. This represents the best of both worlds and that no matter how different two sides are they are similar in some way. The blue side of the yin-yang is lined with beads that fall under the African Yoruba chromatic color of “fun-fun”. Yoruba colors of “fun-fun” are light icy colors like shades of blue. These colors represent the cool, icy, and calm part of my soul. The red side of the yin-yang is lined with beads that are the Yoruba color of “pupa”. “Pupa” colors are warm hot colors like red, orange, or yellow. These colors represent the hot, fiery, and tempered part of my soul. Thus leading to the overall fire and ice effect of my soul, with a little of each dipped into the opposite side. By this you can see how my soul can mesh together and mix to generate the complete composure of which my soul exist. The shapes that are on the yin-yang represent the abstract part of my soul. The spiral stretches across both sides of my soul to show how in each side I am growing and changing. I believe as a college student that I have changed so much and have grown spiritually as well as in my life. I have undergone more changes during my two years of college then I have in my entire life. The experiences have been good and bad with many lessons learned.

There are two crosses on either side of the yin-yang to represent my need for a balanced connection. On the “fun-fun” side, the cross is to represent the connection to myself, for me to find the true source of life. On the “pupa” side, the cross represents the connection to other people and how I can have a constant desire, like a fire’s flame, for a significant other or for true friendships. The square on the “fun-fun” side is to show the stability of my soul. The square shows that I like completion and security. The lines on the square are wavy indicating that I am not as stable as I should be at times, and that sometimes I do not have a strong need for consistency and I am not ready to build or manifest ideas. This relates back to the spiral and how I am in a period of growth and change.

The triangle is the most precious shape with its elegant three pointed sides. The triangle symbolizes my need to dream, and my motivation to reach the goals that I set. The triangle is on the “pupa” side because I am very passionate about my goals and dreams. I live my life in the hopes of reaching my dreams and seeking self-discovery. I am very passionate about getting what I want, and I will strive to achieve the goals that I have set for myself. The one thing I won’t do is forget about the present and realize to live each day as it comes because life is too short to always be worrying about the future.

The last object of my interior soul is the mask. The mask has no make up on and the eyes have been removed. This is for one to be able to experience the true depths of my soul. The mask is hinged on the side so it opens and you are able to actually peer into my soul. Inside there are personal vivid images, along with tangible items that represent my soul. The tangible item is a piece of felt that describes me as being fuzzy and warm in the core of my soul.

Through my self-portrait I hope one can understand my soul and see the true beauty of self-discovery. I feel that this has made me realize qualities about myself that would have never been found else where, and I have found a deeper part of myself that is very unique and different. Through the preferential shapes, Yoruba chromatics, and the theories on colors and lines one can form a window to their soul and leak slowly through till you have found the source of life.

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