INTRODUCTION

 

• Who are you academically?  (List 3 facts)
• I am a secondary art education major who loves to create art in many mediums (mixed media, ceramics, wood working, metalsmithing, painting, drawing... I do it all!), and I also love to share my love for art with those around me. My studies have always been important to me and I strive to do my absolute best in every course that I take. Lastly, I am a perfectionist, so I can be very hard on myself when it comes to my academics. 
• What is your major? Why? 
• My major is secondary art education, and I chose this major because I realized after a few years of being an interior design major at Iowa State University that teaching was my passion. I have always loved working with kids, which I have had the pleasure of doing as a swim instructor since 2016, so I can only imagine how much I will love teaching art because it fuses my two favorite things together!
• Why did you sign up for this course?  
• I signed up for this course mainly because I needed to fulfill a requirement for my degree, however, this course and its description stood out to me. I was intrigued because I am a film lover and I also love to paint, so I figured I would find this course the most interesting when it came to my options. 
• What is your experience with art? 
• I have been making art since I can remember. I have always loved to work with my hands, so when I enrolled in ceramics my freshman year of high school, I really fell in love with art and all it has to offer. Since then, I have explored many different mediums including, but not limited to, mixed media collage, wood working, metalsmithing, drawing (graphite, charcoal, colored pencil, oil pastel), and painting. Lately I have been really drawn to mixed media collage, and have been creating mixed media collages in my senior seminar course. My thesis for senior seminar explores my desire/need for reconnection with my younger self, the me that came before my rebellious years of turning to nicotine, drugs and alcohol for happiness. Overall, art has really changed my life and has given me purpose, and I can't wait for a lifetime of showing my students what art can do for them. 
• What is your experience with paintings? What is your favorite painting/artwork and why? 
• Although I have been painting for a long time, last year I took my first painting course at SXU. I love to paint with acrylics, and have experience with oils, but they are not my favorite medium to paint with. I also love to look at paintings in any museum/exhibition that I go to. I have always been intrigued by the way that paint can create such beautiful images, and I could spend the whole day at a museum just staring at paintings. My favorite painting (at this moment) has to be Irises (1889) by Vincent van Gogh. Irises are one of my favorite flowers, and I have always admired van Gogh's work. I love his impressionistic style because it brings the subjects in his paintings to life. 
• What is your experience with documentary films? 
• The only experience I have with documentary films is the enjoyment that I have while watching them. I am always excited to watch a new documentary, especially if it is on a topic that I am fond of. Since I can remember, I have been in awe with war documentaries. Although they can be depressing and unsettling at times, war is something that has always been in our world, and I am always curious about why there have been wars and why we as human beings feel the need to turn to war. I also really enjoy documentaries about musicians. One of my favorite musicians is Amy Winehouse, and again, although it was a sad film, I feel like the documentary Amy really sheds light on the meaning behind her music. Overall, I really enjoy documentaries and look forward to watching some in this class!