Wachusett and Breadth Part 2

The route

I ran in the Mt. Wachusett race last Saturday on the 28th. Last year I was participating in Art All State and I wasn't able to run it, so it wasn't until just before the race I found out that the course was different now. The old course was entirely on the road, 4.3 miles up to the summit. It was a tough race, all uphill - some especially tough climbs - and on pavement. I've always been a trail runner, and I certainly wouldn't call it a fun race, it was about the challenge. Now, the route covers 4.7 miles and the majority of it is on trails. Some areas were tricky because the trails were narrow, and it was hard to pass/ be passed. The steep uphill section about halfway through was the worst. It's very narrow with a lot of rocks and roots, the type of trail I often run on, but a lot of people decided it wasn't worth putting in the effort. I got stuck behind a large group of walkers, and I barely had the breath or strength to pass them. I managed to pass at least 20 people on that section. Many of them were obviously better runners than me - but they didn't even try to keep running, which confuses me. Sure, it's really tough, but it's a race, and you have to endure it and do your best to keep running!

Portrait of Inspiration
I created this for the assignment "create a self-portrait without your face." I chose to represent myself through challenges, and the "swirl" of inspiration I get from these challenges.

Salmon Boy
I created this illustration originally as part of my concentration when I was considering veering into the negative effects of glaciers' recession. People around the world depend on the melt-water from glaciers. A Chinese boy is watching, saddened by what he sees. The stream he depends on has retreated, leaving dry stream-bed exposed. The salmon that he also relies on are struggling with the lower waters, and some have died where the stream once was. 

Transforming
I created this piece in Studio Art, under the instruction to create a "self-warped-trait." I chose to illustrate my face mid-transformation into a creature. I actually went back to add more tentacles on the right later on, and I definitely like how it looks better than before.

Vases
I created this in Studio Art from observation. I chose a cropped view of a still-life my art teacher, Mrs. Tetler, set up. The floral background is actually a larger Chinese-flower print vase.

Violet Baudelaire
I created this portrait of Violet Baudelaire based off of the third book in A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Wide Window. Growing up, these were some of my absolute favorite books, I read and re-read them!

Portfolio Day in Boston

I have a pretty busy weekend. I'm retaking the SAT's tomorrow in hopes of reaching my goal score, and on Sunday I'm heading out with my sister to the Portfolio review day in Boston! Even though I won't be applying to the many art schools there, it'll still be a great experience, it's always good to hear a critique and the strengths/weaknesses of your work. I'm bringing about 10-15 pieces... still deciding on the final group! I included three here that I might bring: the crampon (in pencil) I did for the black and white requirement for our AP summer assignment. The still-life (if you can tell that's what it is) I did in art class a couple of weeks ago. We had a whole set-up and we could choose our own composition and (dry) medium. I chose pastel, and decided to focus on the blue glass vase because I found it the most interesting. I drew a close-up view of it, with the little (fake) flower-things inside, and made the glass china vase behind it look like a background, rather than an object. Lastly, is my latest homework assignment that I did for Halloween. It was supposed to be "baroque" style (i.e. dramatic lighting, vitality, vivid colors, etc.). I just feel okay about it, I like it but don't love it...

Portfolio