Senior Co-Op week one 

This week for my senior co-op, I completed a large painting that shows a young girl looking into a mirror and seeing an older version of herself. The piece explores themes of growing up and how social media can pressure young people to mature faster than they should. This was my first time working on a painting of this scale, and it was both challenging and exciting. At first, I struggled with proportions and getting the reflection in the mirror to look realistic. I spent a lot of time planning the composition to make sure it told a clear story. As I painted, I started to feel more confident in my skills and pushed myself to add more detail and emotion. It was really rewarding to see my idea come to life. I also experimented with color to create a contrast between youth and maturity. Even though it was tough at times, I’m really proud of how the painting turned out. I also started taking an art class through the public library and I'm exited to see my improvement over the coming weeks. 

Week 2

This week in my senior co-op, I focused on sketching and drawing I learned in my art class. I learned how to better use shading, texture, and perspective to bring more life and depth into my work. I applied these new skills to a painting I completed of a messy closet, which I used to represent chaos and feeling overwhelmed. The inspiration for the piece actually came from a photo I took of my own closet. I thought using something personal would help make the painting feel more honest and expressive. It was challenging to translate the photo into a painting while still adding artistic style and emotion. I paid close attention to the small details, like tangled hangers and piles of clothes, to make the scene feel realistic. Sketching beforehand really helped me plan the composition while still letting the mess feel natural. The process had some frustrating moments because it couldn't really add the level of detail I wanted to but I stuck with it and learned a lot. I'm proud of how the painting turned out and how it reflects both my personal space and my growth as an artist.
Picture
Week 2 update: After the week was over I had an epiphany in the middle of the night to add to the painting, I wanted to represent growing up, so in the closet being hid away I added a teddy bear and outside it I added Sephora shopping bags. To me this represents what it means to grow up in your childhood room.    

Week 3 

This week in my senior co-op, I completed a painting of a preteen girl sitting on her bed, painting her nails and talking on the phone. The scene is meant to capture that middle stage of growing up. Somewhere between childhood and high school, early teenage vibes. Her room is colorful and playful, filled with details that reflect the unique energy of that age. This painting is part of a series I’ve been working on about growing up, and this piece represents the “middle school” phase of that journey. Even though this was an abnormally short week with only three days, I was still able to finish the piece on time. I think I captured the overall feel I was going for, although I’d like to keep working on improving how I paint faces. It was a fun challenge to include small, nostalgic details like posters, and nail polish bottles. I tried to focus on the atmosphere and energy more than perfect realism. Despite the time crunch, I’m proud of what I was able to create. This painting helped me keep building on my theme while exploring a different part of growing up.

Week 4 

This week in my senior co-op, I painted a girl standing in her childhood bedroom, which is now packed up in boxes. She’s wearing her graduation cap and gown, symbolizing the final stage of growing up and leaving behind the space she grew up in. This piece is the final painting in my “growing up” series, following earlier works that represented childhood, preteen years, and the chaos of growing up. I wanted this painting to feel both nostalgic and bittersweet, capturing the emotions that come with endings and new beginnings. It was important to me to include small details, like the teddy bear sitting on the bed which is the same as the one in the closet from the second painting. I spent extra time on this piece to make sure it felt personal and honest. Painting the boxes and playing with lighting helped emphasize the feeling of change and closure. This was one of the more emotional pieces for me to work on. I’m proud of how the series came together as a whole and how this painting wraps it up. It feels like a reflection of where I am in my own life right now.