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!

AP Art : Breadth Part 1

The following works are all pieces that I created either my junior or senior year in high school and submitted in the Breadth section of the AP Studio Art Exam!

Columbia's Future
After my first visit to the North Cascades, I painted a view of Columbia Glacier from its mouth. This year, after my second visit, I decided it would be an interesting challenge to paint the mountain once the glacier is gone. In the future, two small lakes fill the basins, and the uppermost lake feeds the lower lake. The rocky bed which was previously covered in snow is beginning to host plant life.

Crampon
I drew this observational view of a crampon after my second season in the North Cascades as well. A crampon is an object that people are often either familiar with because they use them, or it is a complete mystery. You basically strap it onto your hiking boot for climbing on ice!

Deception
The calligraphy assignment in Advanced Art my junior year was one I loved. We were able to combine any type of calligraphy with an image. I actually had a song and concept in mind, but ended up changing the song to better fit the image. Both the words and the scene imply that the character is deceptive.

Deserted
This piece was my first experience using oil paints. The only specified instruction was to use indoor lighting, and I decided to try to create a story with my scene. I included different elements, such as the abandoned tabled and fallen chair, as well as the person in the background. I like how the blue in the background gives the impression of sky.

Introducing Marble Boy
I created this for AP Art during the summer. Our assignments were marble-themed, but with one we were allowed to illustrate whatever we chose. I created a superboy, who has the strength to lift this super-marble.

Measuring Marbles
This was the second marble piece, with the instruction of "marbles in a container." I chose to try a more interesting composition by arranging the marbles in measuring spoons.

Mary-Kate
I created this piece after my art class ended junior year. I worked in whatever free time I had for months on her face. I worked directly from a photograph, which I had chosen because I loved the composition and lighting. Because I love to draw faces, I wanted to challenge myself to drawing this face, before continuing to create my own faces, or drawing them from observation.

Welcome to the real world...

My last day of high school is this Friday! I'm done with classes because I don't have to take any finals, so now I just go in for graduation rehearsal. Our class song is John Mayer's "No Such Thing"
"'Welcome to the real world,' she said to me
Condescendingly
Take a seat
Take your life
Plot it out in black and white...."


I also finished my final two track meets this week. I had leagues on Monday, and there were some moments of downpour... thankfully it was just misting during my two hurdle races. Today, we had a meet against the best team in our league, Ayer, so we didn't stand a chance! I'll post some more track pictures soon, as well as my AP Studio Art concentration!

Positive Mass Balance and Pirates of Mars

Field sketch of Michael's Sword on Daniel Mountain
In the North Cascades

I did this field sketch last season with the NCGCP, it is the first piece in my concentration section I submitted for the AP Studio Art Exam. Some exciting news about the video, besides the promo that came out a while back, there is now a 19 minute clip of the film, which you can view here! Don't forget to type in the password "hotdocs" which it does let you know on the page. I can't wait till it's complete!

The above painting is titled, "Positive Mass Balance", and it was the last piece I created in art this year. It was originally going to be the last piece in my concentration, but when I arranged my 12 artworks before the exam, I ended up moving it back a bit. This painting comes after a series in which Mt. Baker's glaciers all gradually melt. I wanted to resolve what had happened to Mt. Baker. A girl is saving the mountain by literally painting the glaciers back on it. This represents my motivation to be involved with the glaciers and to stop their retreat. I'll post my whole concentration and breadth sections soon!

The first volume of Veronica Fish's and JJ Kahrs Pirates of Mars is out! Support Veronica by going to PiratesofMars.com to read the comic, and purchase it on Lulu!

So close...

I'm finally done with the school year (for the most part). I had my AB AP Calculus Exam on the 4th, and I submitted my AP Studio Art Drawing Portfolio on the 6th. These classes have been my life this year, particularly second semester, so it's weird to not have endless work to do anymore! After today, I have 13 days of school left, but many of them I won't actually have classes, they'll be centered around preparing for graduation. The track season has been decent for me. Today I am heading out to Murdock for a meet, and after that I have two more regular meets and Leagues. I'm already starting to think about what art I might want to create over the summer!

Running the 400 lows, this picture was in the local paper