Student 3

(question 5) In your own words, describe your self-portrait and the style of art it represents. Please try to explain your use of line, shape, color and texture and what is conveys to you.

On one side, it has ideas that others feel about me. It has heart made of soft fabric, because the one word that my best friend used to describe me is tenderhearted. Another thing on that side is the use of color. I used manu bright colors because my friends that know me well seem to think that I am outgoing. I enjoy singing and doing other things that require I be in the spotlight. On the other side of the pillow, I used soft colors. I love to write, and so the words that are scattered across my pillow are words that describe the private me. I love to sew, so the whole pillow conveys that sense of me. I am creative and inventive, I enjoy helping others. The softness of the material conveys the idea that I am meek and mild when I am confronted. I love to have fun and to be wild, and one side of the pillow portrays that. The other side of the pillow portrays the personal me, quiet and shy.

(question 6)Please explain how you used ideas from the resources on the self we studied. Did you consciously use ideas from or react to any of the following resources in your self-portrait: the psychological theories of self? The Rilke discussion of "faces," "hands," or "costumes"? The Asian views of the self? The examples from art of non-representational self-portraits? Please clearly explain what ideas from these sources you integrated into your self-portrait and why.

My pillow is in the shape of a square because in the preferential shapes workshop, my most appealing shape was the square.I have an intense need to be stable and make sure I am comfortable in my environment. I chose the triangle also to portray on my soft side because I enjoy helping others and trying to find out if they are okay. In the preferential shapes workshop, It said that the triangle being second meant that you have the gift of vision and I feel as though I can really see into someone when they are upset or sad. I didn't put a face on my paper or anything physical. I think this is because I am not happy with my body or my shape. I am not very pleased with anything that is on my body. That is why I chose not to do anything to portay the outward apperance, but rather what I hope people see when they look at me.

(question 7) In what ways do these different disciplinary resources agree with one another on the question of what is the self?

It is my beleif that the self is who you decide that you are . it is the person that you choose to be. It is also the person that you are without trying. It is as if someone can care so much for other people that often his own needs are neglected. It could also be the case where someone wants so badly to be like some one else that they try so hard, but never acheive it. Self has nothing to do with the body or with the surrondings, but rather the soul and the heart.

(question 9) Does your self-portrait try to reconcile these ideas or did you choose a particular postion to convey? Why?

In my self- portrait, I chose to convey the preferential shape theory the most.In my project, put mostly things that appealed to me. IN choosing fabric, I chose something that I felt portrayed me. I then went back to my papers and found out what it meant.

(question 11) In our unit on the self, is there a right answer to the question of what the self is? If not, what is your reaction to our inability to provide a clear answer one way or the other on this issue?

No. Self is something that is different for everyone. It isn't sopmething that can be defined or taught about. Everyone has to discover for his own self what he really is about and what he really stands for.

Explorations in Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning Home Page