#go irl

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Self Reflection and Paper Weaving

Abstracting Yourself

Describe a moment when you feel the most whole?

What does that feel like?

What would that feeling look like? Is there a symbol that could represent it?

How would that change over time? Does it grow, does it shrink?

Could you show that change visually?

If I were to think back on a moment in my life when I felt whole, it would be when I got my first kiss from my then boyfriend, now husband. It felt like butterflies, like a high I never wanted to come down from. I knew I found my penguin. Over time, our love grew through hardships and made us value each other even more. It’s been 15 years and there’s not a moment that I wouldn’t want to share with him. He truly makes me feel whole. 

Interlacing the Self within the Framework

What is weighing heavy on your mind right now?

What have you felt today but haven’t gotten the chance to do so today?

Are there any parts of your identity or feelings that you have been told to reject?

What do those parts look like? Are there any images, poetry or textiles that come to mind?

What’s been weighing heavy on my mind lately is that I started my career at a later time in my life and holding off on starting a family to finish school. I feel overwhelmed and tired because of the workload and stresses of life, wanting to start my career, buy/build a home, and start a family. Sometimes, I feel like I can’t express my feelings around my siblings either. I find my feelings/emotions get suppressed and funneled down to me being too sensitive or prudish or an overthinker. When I was making this paper weave, I wanted to express my happy thoughts and what I personally enjoy. I know I love interior design, working with unique textures, hues, lights and fabrics. I cut up some strips from my pile of interior design magazines along with some old toy strings that my cat used to play with. All good things and memories woven and interlaced into one. 

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The creative touchstone of the places I have lived is street art. The bottom picture is a commission mural by Kiptoe done in 2021 in the Fulton Market area of Chicago. The mural has importance to me as I watch the artist on YouTube and his style of art has a distinct color palette and the meaning of his artwork is usually based on what the viewer interprets, however it sometimes has elements tied to the building it is on (advertisement). The top two pieces are from the Alston area near where I live right now in Boston. Street art can have negative implications tied to is as vandalism or abandoned buildings and crime. In my opinion street art is a way for the artist to express their style and feelings (or to advertise) and for the viewer to interpret that artwork in different ways.

What I have learned about myself is that whether I’m walking to class, shopping, or exploring a new neighborhood street art gives a moment of pause and admiration in an area. It adds color and interest in cities and towns that may have all the buildings built using the same materials or similar dull materials. As future architects we sometimes see street art as a problem but it can be as a way to add color, interest, creativity, and community involvement in parallel with our creative design.

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This is the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex (ISEC) Northeast University. As we can see in the sketch it is the Reflected ceiling plan of the building which has a skylight in the center of the structure. I like this because it is in a way connected to the nature. The skylight in a building can symbolize the relationship between the structure and nature in architecture by serving as a connection between the built environment and the natural world. This element allows natural light to penetrate the interior, blurring the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces. It can represent the harmony and integration of the building with its surroundings, emphasizing the importance of nature in architectural design. Also the skylights are aesthetically pleasing, contributing to the overall design and character of the building.

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Creative Artful Space

This image of Antelope Canyon in Arizona evokes inspiration, tranquility, contemplation, and appreciation for the wonders of Mother Earth. The glowing ambience from the sunlight shining through creates a sense of hopefulness and peace of mind. Antelope Canyon is on my bucket list of places to travel and witness in person.

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At this moment of my life, I’m trying to find parts of myself within all the noise in the world. I want to be confident in the person I choose to be. It has been surprisingly hard to discern between the person I am/want to be and the person I think other people want me to be or think I am. 

Through this self-reflection, I had a chance to think about this in regards to creativity. I’ve always had such a hard time just sitting down and creating. It takes me so much energy and perhaps even courage to just start making. I think part of this has come from an impression that I am not artistic and that if you do something mediocre it’s better to not do it at all. The idea that we are all creators because we exist is a dream. Where these thoughts come from, I have some ideas, but this seems like a good place to start unraveling that knot in my weave. I’ve found so much joy in the act of creating and expressing myself however I want regardless of the outcome.

Collage:

I’ve chosen a six pointed star as a symbol of the moment of awe and connection I feel standing at the edge of nature - on the beach in front of the ocean, a step away from a forest, in the middle of a meadow, under a star-studded sky, etc. It’s here I feel like I can find perspective and ground myself as just one piece of the much, much larger network of nature. Into my weave, I’ve put pieces of my creative journey within a frame of stems. These are the pieces I’ve struggled to claim, but I hope will grow into. I suppose it is a sort of dreamcatcher or a nest for my creativity that I hope will one day grow wings. 

Thanks for reading. Hope you have a great day!

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GO at Higginson-Lewis School in Roxbury, MA

First day of the Higg-Lew renovation! Thanks to some of our BAC student volunteers and Higher Ground youth, we were able to clear both faculty rooms. We unloaded all of our materials/furniture needed to revamp the spaces and now the walls are ready for painting. So excited to see this project come to fruition! Stay tuned for more progress!

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Furniture Design

Inspired to create places for cuddling, lounging and whimsical elements. Create chairs that are functional but also art pieces for a sense of awe and inspiration.

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Furniture Design