Art with a capital 'A'

Earlier this evening, I attended a visiting artist lecture, the last of a series put on by my school, Humboldt State University. The reason I went was because my photography teacher is the person who picked this artist and told us that it would be great to go see (plus she was offering extra credit, but that was just a happy side effect). This semester has really opened my eyes to Art.

Art.

With a capital 'A'.

Such a simple word with SO many complexities.

Last semester I took a class called Anthropology of Art, which gave me a new understanding and appreciation of Art. On top of that, I've been taking art classes for 2 years now, and the experiences I've had (the ups and the downs) are indescribable. I've had great endeavors and a few "learning experiences" in the three fields I've focused in: sculpture, drawing, and photography. Within these various classes I've done things I never imagined doing! I've welded and poured liquid metal, my hands and arms have seemingly become permanently covered in charcoal, and I've learned how to dodge and burn in a darkroom for hours on end. Art can be frustrating, messy, inspiring, joyous, awkward, disappointing, and fun. What I have come to realize is that art is a part of all of us. Because Art is so ambiguous, anything can be Art! There is no way to nail down a definition for it! Whether your Art is made of bronze, pastel, hair, or food; Art is your way of expressing yourself and discovering who you are as an individual.

Anyway, tonight's visiting artist, Nigel Poor was so inspiring. She went through her work from the last 13 or so years, and each project was better and better! Her idea of repetition is probably what inspired me most. The idea of doing something every day for so many days is aesthetically pleasing in itself. As she told us, even if you don't do anything with whatever it is you're collecting or recording, the fact that you are paying attention to something is what matters. In this idea of daily repetition, you further your journey of self discovery and self satisfaction.

I'm so excited for the summer, so I can implement some of these inspirations and create something that helps me in my personal journey of self discovery of who I am?

Funny, how that last sentence echo's my blog title, which has always been there, but now I finally have the context in which to ask you....

Who do you think you are?

-Holly