Chrissy: Oh research paper

The shameful things you make me do.

Like purchasing a KING sized KitKat bar.

Oh the disgrace.

Chrissy: Festival of Colors.

Colored Powder+Hindu festival to welcome in Spring=Festival of Colors.

Colors+Cultural Event= I'm there.

Powders of the pink, orange, yellow, purple, blue and green type+a thousand people being crushed together = strange bonding moments between you and strangers when suddenly you're engulfed in a thick cloud of chalky colors.

Random guy who keeps smearing powdered chalk across your forehead while yelling, "Simba!"= only slight awkwardness.

Festival of Colors+ Chrisanne+ Panda Express afterwards= a day of epic proportions

As you can see I got a mouthful of orange powder.

But nary you mind, it's edible.

The only troubling thing was that I got a little artistically OCD.

I wanted to yell at people, "Hey you! With the purple powder! Can you thrown some right here? Yes there, thanks! And you with the pink! I need you to hit me right here. That'll make a lovely composition. And you with the yellow, can you-- No! Wait! I didn't tell you where to put it! Now you've messed up my lovely green!"

However, as you can see, I managed as best I could to keep my colors separate. I did NOT turn a nasty pinkish brown color that most of the other participants sported.

That was a relief.

Chrissy: Cedar Tree Pow Wow

Word cannot express how much I love the Native American culture.

Ever since I was a little girl I've been drawn to it.

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Cedar Tree Pow Wow for the second year in a row.

I've decided to make it a tradition.

Yes?

Sorry, no pictures.

My camera has gone missing...

But here are some sketches!

Chrissy: Hard Times

Wednesday night I had the opportunity to go to the opening of a new show at the Springville Art Museum.

It's called Hard Times: An Artist's View.

It featured several artists' commentary on hard times.

To set the tone there was a man playing his banjo and harmonica for all to hear. In front of him his banjo case lay open waiting for needed tips.

There was also a soup line that put me in mind of something from a homeless shelter (not that it looked or tasted like it) .

Warren Chang's piece of these workers particularly captured my attention.

I love the man on the left and how he gazes out at the viewer.

Justin Taylor's art work was beautiful.

Simply breathtaking.

Overall it was a great show.

It is up to the 25th of April and if you have the opportunity to see it I would definitely recommend that you do so.

Chrissy: I enjoy community politics

With a debate club champion for a mother and a professor of constitutional law as a father how could I not?

Last night I went to my first Caucus.

I couldn't remember if I was a registered Republican or not.

I marked that I was, seeing as I was with the Young Republicans my senior year of high school.

I was the second to youngest one there and was disappointed that more of my neighbors didn't show.

However, we had more people show up to our precinct's caucus than any of the others in the building combined.

I like to vote.

And I like listening to people explain their views and then being able to pick who I want to be represented by.

I'm still a baby in the political world, but I think I've got a great start.

(below: the sticker says "I Voted". It's actually from when I voted for City Council a while back, but we'll pretend it was for this.)

Chrissy: :D

:D

Because lunch with old friends is just SO fun!

And discussing our relief that we were able to get past the Jr. High awkwardness was even better!

(Becca and Me in 8th grade. Not a good look haha!)

Chrissy: 19!

I am officially more legit than an 18 year old!

My birthday was great!

For the first time ever it extended over a period of three days!

Friday consisted of a makeover, complete with new makeup (:D), new clothes, and a new haircut. That's right! I finally cut it short!

It also involved Sushi!

And Soy Sauce paintings!

And then one of my favorite movies!

Saturday was my actual birthday.

That day consisted of presents and an In-N-Out Burger dinner.

Usually we get to pick what we want for our birthday dinners and then my mom makes it.

But everyone was too tired to make anything complex after the BYU game.

So I got fast food instead.

I've been craving a lot of meat lately.

Finally, on Sunday I had my legit birthday dinner.

It was a lovely weekend!

Chrissy: For some reason

For some reason, today is a happy day!

I feel super happy and smiley!

You?

Chrissy: Today was...

Today was and hopefully will continue to be a very productive day!

1. I did ALL of my laundry. $4.00 worth, to be exact. Then I realized that there is not enough room in my dresser for all my clothes to be clean at the same time. Sad day.

2.I finished my graduation plan! Yes, the one that was supposed to be done and signed by the people in the art department and on my multi-cultural counselor's desk last Thursday...

Guess what! I have to take 16 credits of Spanish before it can actually count towards a requirement. I better be amazing at that language after all those classes that are hogging my schedule up! So yes. The rest of my college career is officially mapped out. Heaven forfend it change!

3.I drew 5 hands for my hand project! Which one is your favorite?

4. I studied for a test.

5. I went to the creamery and the register rung up $6.66. Oh no! But then the cashier assured me that because I had a student card I didn't have to pay tax. Thank goodness for student cards.

Crisis averted.

Chrissy: Excited for Summa Summa

Oh Utah.

Can't you make up your mind?

I need it to be summer soon, or I may go insane.

I am excited for Avalanche Slushies

Teaching Art Camps

Swimming

Art circles

And hopefully Sushi Tuesdays will be reinstated!

(I am definitely needing some sushi)

Kind of hope they don't give me the all boy group again, though.

That was a long week.

Chrissy: The Gateway

25+ hours of photoshop and a tablet= this:

The Gateway

(please click on it to see a larger image)

The Gateway

Ah, if only I had some logical reason for creating this piece. It wasn’t an assignment; in fact it took a lot of time away from actual homework. When I began formulating ideas in my head for this piece it was in no way suppose to be this detailed or realistic. I was thinking of a fun little painting that I could make into one of my ridiculous book covers for a facebook profile picture. Then the train-wreck of my charcoal head study happened.

This past semester I’ve been taking figure drawing. It is the hardest class I have ever taken. Three hours of sitting on a bench and drawing a model is very physically exhausting. Three hours of comparing my work to everyone else’s in the class in mentally draining. After three hours I leave the class not only with sore shoulders and hands, but also with my artist’s ego ground to dust. The charcoal head study was the epitome of that class. It was probably better than it would’ve been at the beginning of the semester, but my skills had not progressed as I would’ve liked them to have. I asked myself “why?”. I came up with the following reasons 1. The charcoal head study was a rushed drawing that was meant to prove to myself I could actually do something 2. Neither the head study or my figure drawing class was allowing me to do what I loved to do with art: storytelling. And although they were helping gain the techniques and skills that would aid me in telling my stories better that class in itself left me feeling artistically unsatisfied. It was after these realizations that I set out to create a story, one that didn’t have a deadline. A story that wasn’t a rushed attempt to boost my self-esteem. I wanted to create something that I had thought over, poured my best efforts into, and that would teach me something new. This came by way of “The Gateway”.

Most of you will be thinking, “She’s carried this Narnia thing a little too far.” Let me begin by saying that yes, this began as a piece of me finding Narnia. However, as the hours I spent on this piece wore on I realized it really wasn’t Narnia or Hogwarts or Middle Earth or any of those magical places. It was the dream and hope that all of us secretly (or not so secretly in my case) carry around in our hearts. The dream that there is a place beyond finals or work. The hope that taxes and bills won’t always be a part of our existence. It is the wish to escape reality, just once, and not have to be responsible for the many responsibilities that are placed on our shoulders. It’s what I think about when my parent’s tell me “life only gets harder”.

I don’t think this piece could ever be received with as much enthusiasm as I have put into it. This is a little disappointing; I do love having people appreciate my pieces and telling me so. However, I’ve realized that one of the reasons I truly love to create art is not for the reason that my art may affect someone else but for the reason that it changes me. I benefit so much more from art than the art world does from me. This piece proved that to me. The reason I entitled it “The Gateway” was because it turned into a gateway for me. It became that place of solace that I needed; it had turned into my temporary escape from reality. As I painted I realized that while we can in no way completely break away from the lives we have made and continue to make for ourselves there are still little gateways of escape all around us. I found my gateway, and it helped me keep a slightly more level head when dealing with housing and homework amongst other college woes. I hope you are moved (even if it is just ever so slightly) by my little journey. However, if you were to take away one thing from this piece and my story I would hope that you would be compelled to find your own escape from reality, your own gateway.

Thanks!

Chrissy: ugh.

...

Charcoal head study.

You'll need this for future reference, promise.

*grimace*

Chrissy: Sneak Peek

Crummy picture of the study I did for a painting I've been working on.

The painting is much better.

Should be up later this week!

Chrissy: Not gonna lie...

I am addicted to painting right now.

I need it.

I want it.

I crave it.

(below: me blow drying my hair while using my tablet to paint on the computer.

Ignore my makeup less face)

Chrissy: So many

There are SO many things I want to do art wise.

So many things I want to contribute to.

So many things I want to create.

So many projects.

So many goals.

So little time.

Figure Drawing=the only thing that has made me question my major.

Why am I not improving as I should be?