Ashley's Art: AP Art Portfolio Reflection

Originally the idea of an AP art class seems very intimidating for someone like me who always procrastinates and struggles to find inspiration for projects. After being in a very relaxed art class, transitioning back to working hard to meet deadlines was kind of overwhelming at first. We started making pieces for our breadth the semester before the class and there were multiple instances when I was ready to throw in the towel because I found myself stuck in a rut when it came to coming up with ideas. However, my teacher Mrs. Rossi kept encouraging me and helped me come up with a concentration that I was excited to work on: doors.

I'm about to graduate and start college in a few months where new opportunities always pop up behind closed doors, so my concentration seemed relevant to what I've been and will be experiencing. I got to explore new places in my hometown and show my appreciation for them through my work, as well as show appreciation for new places I got to see while traveling. I've gained a lot of experience in new mediums such as oil paint and colored pencils, and have grown to love mixed media and charcoal, which you can see plenty of in my portfolio.

Mrs. Rossi pushed me to do my best on my projects, and even though the idea of completing 24 pieces in a matter of weeks then sending some off to strangers to be judged sounds daunting, the process has been a learning experience and I'm proud of myself for sticking with the class. She always told us we might have to pull pieces from past classes, and I'm glad I had her as a teacher most of the time because I had to use quite a few old projects. I've always known I liked art but I never had much experience aside from stuff we did in elementary school and random gifts I've made for my family over the years. I still have a lot to learn, and I'm my own worst critic when it comes to my work, but even I can tell I've improved a lot since my first art class 3 years ago.

I hope I can continue to do art in the future and possibly pursue a career in that field. I'll always look back at my portfolio as a reminder that I can do a lot if I set my mind to it. I am more than grateful for your guidance Mrs. Rossi, especially when class got stressful, and I can never thank you enough for helping my love for art grow.

Breadth