Directionally Challenged

Now that art history was finished, we switched our full attention to our three drawing assignments: creating a personal mythology, a landscape, and a free piece. I began drawing a piece that I had originally gained inspiration for when I went to New York City two years ago. Walking anywhere in that city was a challenge. I remember it being similar to playing a game of “chicken.” You see a person standing directly in front of you and you have a few short seconds to determine who is going to divert around the other. Upon the first few days I did not stand a chance and was darting and dodging people left and right. By the end however, I had a bit of a new confidence and more of an understanding for how the traffic works. It’s honestly quite fascinating how so many hurried people can maneuver an extremely crammed area and still end up getting where they need to go in a somewhat timely manner. You quickly get over the idea of having your own personal space and instead learn to cooperate with those around you. If this task isn’t difficult enough as it is, try it on a rainy day when all five thousand people on the same street as you have an umbrella the size of a restaurant awning. Now people are not only concerned about bumping into one another, but now they have to avoid getting it caught on scaffolding, traffic signs, other peoples hair, head, eyes or any other body parts for that matter, and getting stuck half in and half out on the subway. This process seemed all too symbolic of the point I was at in my life. Not quite sure of myself, trying to steer clear of danger and set backs, and just hoping to reach the other side of the street safely not knowing what to expect once I got there. But even so, I didn’t feel alone, because I had my best friend standing right next to me the whole time, feeling exactly the same feelings, and with the same goal in mind. In Italy, this was again the case. I began drawing two females walking side by side, arms linked, and each with an umbrella in hand. The figures were easy to develop since I know them both so well. Once I finished charcoaling the females, I knew that they could not remain floating in white space; however, I wasn’t very concerned with the imagery in the background and drew in an Italian street setting with poor linear perspective and much lighter details. Looking back, the scenery didn’t matter to me, the location could be interchanged, and new elements could be included. I have realized that what matters most in this piece is that the two females display a bond, a connection, a shared desire and ambition to achieve a common goal, a dependency and at the same time enough independence and confidence not only in each other but in one that develops within themselves when they are together. It wasn’t until we hung our artwork up for the second time that I was able to come up with a fitting title for this particular piece. I usually hate choosing titles for my artwork and end up assigning a random and pointless name to my piece at the last second. But for one of the first times, I find that the title adds another dimension, an element that is missing without that slight bit of information. My title is “Directionally Challenged.” This sums up several aspects of my life especially at this point in time. I often have a difficult time navigating my way through a new city, portraying depth or linear perspective in my art, and choosing a future path. Directionally challenged is an understatement.