1. CONCEPT

My grandmother recently passed away. My favorite memories as a child were spent around my grandmother's dining room table making anything from parade float banners and pop-up cards to paper-mâché piñatas and marionettes. She could make something out of nothing and kept 'box of possibilities' on hand. This box had scraps of fabric, paper, glue, paint and anything that could be used again. To this day I still keep my 'box of possibilities' and always find creative uses for items.

I am going to use the phrase "I Love Your Spirit." Having left my home state of North Dakota after college and being the black sheep of my family I only truly felt understood by my grandmother. Her and me were so much alike. In her twenties she moved to Washington DC and she always chased her dreams. One of the last things she said to me on my last visit a month before she passed was "I Love Your Spirit." This work is going to feature that phrase.

2. MATERIALS

I have a canvas and a 'box of possibilities' that I have done nothing with for a couple of years now. I think now is the time to put these to use.

I Love Your Spirit - image 1 - student project

I Love Your Spirit - image 2 - student project

3. INSPIRATION IMAGERY

I am also going to feature paper flowers and a vintage pin-up style girl to represent my muse. I am also going to try to incorporate poppies in some way since she always had them in her back yard.

I Love Your Spirit - image 3 - student project

I anticipate that this project is going to be a messy mixed media. I am going to plan via sketches but a great deal will be left to the muse.

4. SKETCH LAYOUT

I did a small thumbnail sketch that I really like. I then sketched a larger version. This is going to be the basis of the work.

I Love Your Spirit - image 4 - student project

5. WORK IN PROGRESS

I Love Your Spirit - image 5 - student project

I created poppies on the canvase to soften the background. I then started working on the muse creating a skirt that is on multiple layers. It doesn't photograph well but each layer isabout .125 of an inch higher than the last.

I Love Your Spirit - image 6 - student project

6. TIME TO CREATE THE TEXT FOR THE VISUAL NARRATIVE!

I Love Your Spirit - image 7 - student project

Love is my handwriting. The paper behind it is the same process of scraps used for the skirt. I then painted them. I will use these to create more words, specifically "I" and "Your."

I Love Your Spirit - image 8 - student project

I Love Your Spirit - image 9 - student project

I Love Your Spirit - image 10 - student project

7. FINISHING TOUCHES!

I Love Your Spirit - image 11 - student project

I Love Your Spirit - image 12 - student project

I Love Your Spirit - image 13 - student project

I Love Your Spirit - image 14 - student project

8. FINAL WORK

I Love Your Spirit - image 15 - student project

9. FINAL THOUGHTS

This project took a turn from the intention of the assignment but it tells the story of my grandmother's creativity through how it was made. Out of left-over scraps something beautiful was created. My grandmother could make something out of nothing and I am really happy with the tribute I created for her and I am really happy that I have that part of her resourceful creative spirit in me.

Katherine Young

Designer & Artist

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