Looking Forward
Jacqueline S.
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My advisor, Dr. Infante, was the inspiration for my piece, Looking Forward. As my advisor, she has supported me both academically and emotionally throughout high school. Her classroom is a place of respite for me from the fast-paced, demanding culture at my school. During our time together, she leads my cohort in goal setting, mindful journaling, and grounding breathing exercises, among other activities, spreading both her positive outlook on the future and her intention to create more healthy and sustainable life habits. In this way, my advisor exemplifies the type of person that I want to be: someone who doesn’t strive for perfection, but instead sees life as a constant opportunity for self-improvement. This was the first time I experimented with taking photos on a 4x5 large format camera. In comparison to digital photography, analog photography is a far more involved process. I carefully loaded the film in, adjusted the composition and focus under a hood, and developed the film. I was challenged by the delicate nature of the process, learning through each failed photo I took. The concept of Looking Forward was based on the idea of personal growth and moving past old mistakes–how can we adopt a more positive mindset and reach inner peace? Although mostly engulfed by darkness, light illuminates her face and eyes, illustrating an enduring spirit even in hard times. By capturing the calm, reflective character of Dr. Infante, I hope to encourage the viewer to take a moment of self-reflection.
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Creativity means not being restricted by other's opinions or by what is widely accepted in your area of artistic expression. I want to create something new, something entirely my own work. However, I acknowledge many artists' work and mentor feedback influences what I create.
