Detroit Lives.

Just a couple weeks behind, Palladium Boots finally posted the documentary about Detroit.

Check it out. It explains more about what is happening in Detroit and why people are coming down here to live.

I have been enjoying living in Detroit. Growing up in Royal Oak I never knew my neighbors. Here, I have hung out with them many times in the backyard. It is a totally different community.

Going to the suburbs now is like a chore. The people there are so afraid of Detroit and think they know what it is like down here, but they don't. They have no clue. It saddens me...

Last night I was at a church in Troy. They were talking about sending people to Africa to help the people there. I'm sure that Africa needs help, but so does Detroit. Why not send people here? It is so close and we can help so much, but we are too afraid.

Look around you and help the people in your own community. We CAN make this world a better place.

Caricature

For my Art Education class this semester we have to draw a caricature of ourselves. It will help us to get to know a little more about everyone in the class.

This is my caricature: I am riding a bike, which I've been doing more of lately. The world underneath me shows the continents that I have visited. My goal is to visit each continent before I die. So far I've made it to four of them! I love to travel and see new things. To the left is the skyline of Detroit. I currently live downtown and love it! Also I am a "big city girl," and this represents that. Underneath the world is a swimmer. I was a swimmer from 3rd grade till the end of High School. Received my letter jacket as a Freshman, and was Most Valuable Swimmer my Senior year. And, for the last two years I was the assistant coach of the Girls Royal Oak Ravens Swim Team. They were awesome and won Leagues those two years in a row! To the right is an oil painting brush and palette because I am an artist and my medium of choice is oil painting.

Drawing

Now Im on a roll... two blog entries in one day!

Drawing is not a skill that I usually take part in. For some reason I hate using pencils for anything. Its like the nusence of scratching a chalk board for me.

Last semester I had to take a drawing class. These were the results of that class:

Texture drawing.

Sketch.

My drawing final.

Still life.

Art Studio

Little by little I've been bringing home things from my art studio at my parents house, to our new house in Detroit. It's still missing a few things but it's getting there, and I'm excited to share the new space so... here it is:

A sewing machine will have a home here one day.

Angela's desk. See the awesome fabric Sam and Brittany found to cover the odd wall?

My area.

Oh, and.... I love this poster. So rad.

Johnny Knoxville makes a documentary about the revival of Detroit! Premieres August 30th.

Oil Paint

Oil Paining is my medium of choice.

I learned how to develop the skill at Grace College (2002-2005) through my professor Tim Young. Other than meeting new friends in undergrad, painting was the only other thing that I gained from College... I got a degree in Graphic Design, but have never used it.

It wasn't until a sculpture class in grad school that I realized that I am naturally a Realist. I try to do abstract art sometimes, but it does not come naturally. Here are a few paintings I've done:

My first painting at Grace College.

-currently in parents guest room

The only painting that I have done for myself... then when I was poor, I sold it.

-My college roommate, Bekah owns it. It's in her bedroom in Cincinnati, OH

Bekah also had me do these for her. -Cincinnati, OH

This one is painted only using a knife; no brushes.

This is my personal favorite. It was also done my first year at Grace.

-located in parents living room

After my first Lily painting, I decided to do a bunch of them.

-This one belongs to a different friend named Becca. She lives in Wyoming or something crazy like that

-A longtime friend Ashley has this one in Indianapolis, IN

My cousin, Becky has this one in Louisville, KY. She will be having a baby in November and has already picked out the name of Lily for her!

Below: My painting in Cincinnati. It looks good there!

Assisi, Pompei, Capri, and back to Rome.

The rest of the trip was things that I wanted to see, but wasn't required to by school. It was still educational, but more relaxing at the same time...

This is the city of Pompeii. In 79AD the volcano you see in the background erupted and a poisons gas blown from the wind landed in the city, killing everyone. The city later was covered with 25ft of ash. This is what still remains.
You can see how this guy was trying to protect himself with his hands raised.

On to Capri from there, which is now one of my favorite places on Earth! Bella means beautiful in Italian. I went on a boat tour around the island, seeing many caves, people swimming in the bright blue water, yachts everywhere. Celebrities are often spotted here. My friend on the tour saw Leonardo DiCaprio and Naomi Campbell.

Back to Rome for a couple days. Tried to go to a few more art galleries but they were closed for the holiday. Swimming along the Tiber River today and fly home tomorrow. Gracie (Thank you) to Wayne State University for giving me this amazing opportunity to experience the art and culture of Italy. I plan on returning one day! :)