Narrative #5

My 30th birthday was a blast! My husband got our families and friends together to throw me a surprise party. As I walked into the darnk livingroom of my house, everyone jumped out of hiding asd yelled "surprise!" That night looking at my birthday cards I had recieved, I noticed one thing that was similiar to all: they all had the same message that I was old "old" and getting older.

Up until that point, I had no children but had been talking about it for awhile. After my birthday, I knew I had to get started on my dream or it would soon be too late.

"The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand,nor the kindly smile nor the joy of companionship;it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one whenhe discovers that someone else believes in him and iswilling to trust him. "
a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson called 'Glory of Friendship'

Critique #3

The Card Player
By: Paul Cézanne

The famous painting “The Card Player” by Paul Cézanne has many versions of the picture; one of them contains four figures rather than the two. The one with two player’s best reflects Cézanne’s conception and his aspiration to seriousness. The narrative of the painting is very clear. It is obvious that the men are engaged in a card game. The painting was done with oil on canvas.

The foreground of the painting is the table that the men are playing cards on. The shade of brown in the background of the painting is very rich in color. There is a spot in the back where it looks like Cézanne may have rubbed the brown paint. The bottle in between the men shows realism to the scene as well does the clothing on the men.

“The Card Player” implicates the act of gambling. It shows two men enjoying each others company while playing a game of cards.

Narrative #4

It was late June and school had already ended. I would be a junior the upcoming school year. I walked outside to start my daily routine. The sun immediately hit my face and warmed my whole body. I descended down the front steps and onto the side way, my flip flops squeaking with each step.
I walked to the end of my street and turned left onto the main road. Ever since I entered high school I spent my summer days volunteering at the local animal shelter and then visiting my friends.
You could say that my friends were different than most. Not because they liked different things or were involved in different things, but because they were older than me…much older. They were also residences of the nursing home in town.
I stopped walking and entered the little brown building for my first event of the day. My job is to help out at the shelter with the animals that are seeking owners. I opened the door and was immediately greeted by a yellow lab that smelled of shampoo. It must have been washing time. I took the dogs into the backyard of the shelter and played with them in the freshly cut green grass. They loved it when they could be wild and free.
Some hours later, I left the shelter in time to meet my friends. I knew exactly where to find them since they had been going there every summer for 10 years. They meet underneath the giant brown oak tree in front of their apartments. They sit there everyday and reminisce on their childhood. They may have not known each other when they were younger, but they sure do have a lot in common.
I walked down the street approaching the usual spot. I could see Olga and Gladius sitting around Phil and then Martha sitting off to the side. She loves to bring her own comfortable chair to sit on instead of the wooden bench built into the tree already.
Phil was not the only male amongst the group. There was Walter, the retired Vietnam veteran. He has since passed but will never be forgotten among the group. The group even dedicated the bench in his name.

As I sit and listen to the stoires of my friends, I take one thing away each time: to never take friendship for granted. I see the group and what they have become. Olga and Gladius have become more dependent on each other. In a way, this is good.

They know that with out each other their lives would be boring. They would probraly end up sitting at home watching television. This gathering everyday allows them to enjoy the fresh summer air and spend time with each other. Friendship is crucial in the last years of their lives. They don't want to leave this life knowing no one cared for them.

Narrative #3

No one expected Jamie to be the first one. In high school, we joked about who it would be, and it certainly was not her. I can remember the day I got the call like yesterday. My jaw dropped open, frozen in its form as I held the receiver to my ear. As I processed what she said to me, I felt a surge of mixed emotions. I wanted to be happy for her but also sad at what her future would become.
Jamie and I met in kindergarten when she accidentally took my plastic blue chair and put it at her table. We ended up getting into an argument but came out as friends. All through high school and then on to college, we still remained friends. That’s when I knew our friendship would last forever. High school will either make or break a friendship with all the drama, and ours survived it.
College was the best time for our friendship and of our lives. Jamie and I constantly double dated, enjoying the life of not having to worry about parents or when you had to go to bed.
My junior year was when I got involved in a serious relationship. His name was Taylor and I was head over heels for him. I loved his laugh and his bright blue eyes. When we weren’t hanging out and seeing each other every moment, we also enjoyed studying together.
Jamie would go out and part with her other friends. I wanted to join her but Taylor wasn’t really the party type. He thought he should focus more on his studies and I respected that and joined him.
The night before I had a final exam, Taylor really wanted to spend time with me. I would have loved to but I really needed to study and pass the test. He reluctantly left my room, saying he would find something to do.
Two days later, I got a call from Taylor. He said we needed to talk. Right then, I knew it was bad. Little did I know, this call would change my future forever.
He started off saying how much he loved me and how he would never do anything to hurt me. He then said he had made a mistake…a very big one. He explained how a few nights ago when he left my room, he decided to go to a party. Jamie happened to be there, he said.
“Yeah, so what?” I said. “She always goes to parties.”
“I know but something happened between us.” He went on to explain how they had been hanging out and had too much too drink. That’s when things happened and they ended up hooking up.
I could feel my face turn red hot and my head was spinning. How could he do this to me? We were planning on spending the rest of our lives together. I had to leave. I could not see his face anymore.
‘I have to go,” I stammered. “I’ll talk to you later.” I quietly got up.
“Wait, are you okay? Please don’t be mad,” he pleaded touching my arm.
I looked him straight in the eyes. “I have to go.” And with that I left, shutting the door behind me.
I contemplated my options on how to handle the situation. I finally decided I had to leave the college. Not drop out, but transfer. How could I finish my schooling having to see my deceiving friend and cheating boyfriend everyday?
Jamie and I never fully discussed what happened. I told her I was transferring to a different college in the fall; she told me that she and Taylor were dating now.
Years passed and I am now 25 and have a steady job. I have not spoken to Jamie since that year. The last I heard, she and Taylor were living together. That was, until I got the call.
At first, I had no idea who it was. The woman on the phone just started crying. Once she calmed down, I heard Jamie’s voice. I was taken back, hoping that after all these years she didn’t choose today to apologize.
“Melissa,” Jamie said. “I know what happened when we were younger was bad. I still have not gotten over what I did to you.”
Silence on my end.
She continued. “I’m calling today because I need your help. I’m six months pregnant and Taylor has left me.” This caught my attention. I immediately straightened up, ears wide open. Her story sounded like Taylor, hurting people and their lives.
We talked for hours into the night. We talked about where we went after college and how everything was doing now. She said she never expected Taylor to leave. They had been fighting lately but not to that point.
Speaking to her, I remembered the friendship we shared together; how she was always there when I needed her and how she never judged or laughed at me.
“Okay,” I said. “I’m coming out to stay with you.”

Community Project

Maybe something with having everyone write their name on a piece of paper and linking them together around the school to represent school wide friendship.

Paradox Poem

I love all foods but dislike spicy
I love music but I hate country
I love to watch sports but hockey bores me
I love to go for bike rides but I don't own a bike
I watch too much TV but I never have the time
I can't resist anything except temptation
I'm cold all the time but I feel warm
Everyone listens to me but no one listens
I'm always busy but I have free time
I like to run but I am lazy

Narrative #2

“Please sit us over there," I said to the young nurse wheeling Ruth and I to our usual table in the nursing home.
"We like to sit by the window and look at the cute older men walking by," said Ruth matter-a-factly.
"Alright you two," said the nurse parking us behind the table, locking our brakes in case we decided to roll away.
" Joan, look at this one being wheeled up," I said pointing a shaky pale finger at the window. I was showing my age these days moving slower than usual, but I managed to catch a glimpse of the man before he entered the building.
" Oh yeah, definitely a cutie," Joan replied." You two are just so cute together," said the nurse, setting down the usual
Friday night dinner of frozen green beans, packaged chicken and potatoes.
“How long have you two been friends?” said the nurse looking at Ruth and me.
“Almost 74 years,” I said.
“And still going strong,” Ruth added.
“Wow! What a great friendship,” the nurse said walking out of the room.
“Do you still remember the first time we met?” I said. “It was so long a go.”
“Joan, of course I do,” said Ruth.
**
I looked out the window that fall day in September, wishing I could go out and play in the crisp brown leaves that were newly fallen off the trees. And then I remembered my mom was taking me to this place she kept calling “kindergarten”. Supposedly, it was a fun place where I would make lots of new friends. But I wasn’t counting on it.
We entered the classroom to a multicolored sea of children, some crying for their moms not to leave and others who couldn’t wait to get away. I was having mixed emotions of how I wanted my first day to go, so I hugged my mom good-bye and walked over to a girl with cute short braids in her hair.
“Hi! My name is Ruth,” I said taking a seat in the green plastic chair next to the girl. “What’s your name?”
“My name’s Joan,” said the girl.
“Oh cool. Want to be friends? My mommy said I could make lots of new friends here,” I told her.
“Sure,” said Joan. “My mommy said the same thing too.”
Now, I wouldn’t exactly call it “friendship at first sight”. It took Joan and I a whole two play dates to decide we were best friends. From then on, we did everything together.
“Mom, I want my hair the way I want it!” I said to my mom, early the morning of my first day of second grade. She was pulling my brown hair tight into a ponytail. I didn’t want it that way and it was making me mad. “I want my hair to be in two braids like Joan’s was on the first day of kindergarten,” I whined to my mom.
“Oh fine. I’ll do I,” my mom said giving up on trying to fight my wants.
Walking into school that morning I noticed a brown haired girl with the same hairstyle as me, standing at the normal place I usually met Joan at. As I got closer, I noticed it was Joan.
“I like your hair today,” I said to her.
She glanced up at my hair and smiled. “I like yours too,” she replied.
**
“All right everyone, clear your tables its BINGO time!” said a nurse from across the room. Ruth and I leaned back in our wheelchairs and smiled, coming out from the memories of our childhood.
“It sure has been a great time,” said Ruth still smiling.
“Yes it has,” I replied. “I’m glad it’s you I get to spend the last years of my life with and not some boring husband,” I added with a laugh.
“Oh yes,” Ruth replied. “Yes indeed.”

Declaration

Without friends, who would be there to dry your tears after a bad breakup or eat all your ice cream in the fridge on the weekends? Certainly, not your parents. But that’s what friends are for. They are there to listen to you when no one else will and they will always be there to just hang out. Everyone should have friends in life; they keep us all sane.

I chose to do the concept of friendship because of a very special friend in my life. We may be more than half the world away, but the friendship is still there. When we first met, she was an exchange student from South Korea living in my house. I thought it would be awkward at first having some stranger living with me, but it wasn’t and that’s when I knew something was there. I never felt uncomfortable or awkward and I could just be myself.

The day she had to go back home, was the saddest day of my life. I’ve learned not to take friendship for granted because looking back, I see how much she really ment to me. We would spend everyday together and I always had a friend by my side. Anais Nin once said, “Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new is born.” Our worlds had not changed until we met. Now, we are living in a new one with eyes of different perspectives. Without her friendship, I don’t know where I would be today.

Narrative #1

Annunciation

By Raphael Soyer

That day, my sister learned the true meaning of friendship. It’s not that she didn’t before, but now she saw it differently. We were always close, only one year a part. Some never believed we were sisters. Lily had crisp auburn hair while mine was as black as the nighttime sky. We were similar in size but different in taste. Rarely did we share clothes.
Being the oldest, I always felt Lily got more than I did. She had the nicer clothes and way more freedom. In a way, I was jealous. That’s when I found the perfect gift for myself that would even impress Lily.
It was late afternoon one warm summer day, a week before my birthday, and my mother and I were shopping in town. The sun was just setting in the west, hitting our faces at the right angle, when I saw it hanging in the window of old Mrs. McNeil’s shop. It was absolutely adorable and I had to have it.
“See that powder blue dress in the window over there?” I said, pointing out exactly what I wanted.
“Yes I do,” my mother replied.
In the sweetest voice I could conjure, I asked, “Could I go try that on, mother? It would be the perfect gift for my birthday coming up.”
“I suppose. Let’s go see,” my mother said, giving in to my charm.
We crossed the narrow two-way street and entered the shop. After speaking with Mrs. McNeil, she gently took the dress off the rack and placed it in my hands. It could have been like handing me a million dollars, I was that thrilled.
The moment I slipped the dress on, I knew that was it. The way the dress fit felt like Cinderella’s shoe. We were buying it, no questions asked. My mother agreed I could have it for my birthday. She also agreed that it looked quite fit on me.
I returned home in pure excitement to show my sister my new dress. We may not have the same style but I knew she too would not be able to resist this one. I found her lying on her lavender bed spread reading Pride and Prejudice.
“You’ll never believe what I got Lily!” I said. Without waiting for a reply, I quickly whipped out the dress from the bag, waving it in her face rapidly.
“Wow let me see,” Lily said, getting up to take a better look. The way her brown eyes were starting to widen told me she liked what she saw.
“This is really something,” she said. “It’s very nice.” And with that, she laid back down and continued to read. Normally, I would have stayed to continue to nag her, but it was evident she didn’t want to talk any more. Besides, I had a new dress to gloat about to my friends.
A few days passed where I tried to wear the dress everyday. Finally, on the third day, my mother begged me not to. Reluctantly, I agreed to hang it up in my closet. That night, Lily went out with some friends while I had the joy of staying home and playing Scrabble with my parents. The next morning when I opened my closet to get dressed for the day, I noticed the most horrific sight ever! My dress that had the color of the ocean was now stained with the color of tomatoes. How could this of happened? I hadn’t worn it at all the day before. I didn’t want to jump to conclusions, so I didn’t immediatly blame Lily. After all, she saw how much I loved the dress. Our friendship was too good to ruin over something like this.
Furious with the state of my dress, I confronted my mother. She didn’t want to point fingers either, but she decided it would be best to see if my sister knew what had happened.
It didn’t take long for Lily to confess. She broke down showering tears everywhere. She kept repeating how sorry she was and that it was an accident. I forgave her, but a question that bothered me was, why? Why did she do it knowing I admired that dress?
The incident really tampered our relationship for a few days. We eventually talked it over and I learned the true meaning behind her actions. Lily said she had liked the dress a lot but didn’t know if I would let her borrow it. She saw how much I loved it. That was when she decided to steal it. She didn’t intend to ruin the dress, only wear it that night and return it in the morning.

But things ended differently.
Lily and I may be sisters but we are also friends. The biggest importance I have with friendship is honesty and that is the biggest lesson we both learned. We now know that we can be honest with each other about no mater what. Even silly things like staining each others clothes or asking to borrow them. The funny thing is, if Lily had asked to borrow the dress, I would have said yes.

Critique #2

“Pals”

By: Sue McDonagh

The painting “Pals” by Sue McDonagh depicts two young children playing on a beach. This is one of the many paintings that Sue McDonagh has painted of children enjoying themselves at a beach.

The emphasis of “Pals” is the two children playing on the beach. The way that the children are positioned gives the viewer a sense of wonder. The viewer may think, what are the children doing that is not shown in the painting? The highlight of the painting is the two children, but the pastel colors of the water attract the viewer’s eye also. The colors create a calming sense to the painting when looking at it. Other colors that do this are the bright pigments of the children’s clothing. The form of the rocks are an odd shape almost questioning the viewer whether they are waves. The realism of the children playing on a beach may remind the viewer of a time in their own life when they may have spent time on a beach.

A mother takes her child and their friend to the beach one day. The mother lets the children wander along the seashore. “What adventure will the children find themselves today?” the mother questions. The children run off gallantly ready for anything they find. They stop along the water where they find themselves a nice area to play. The children play, enjoying the freedom of their friendship.

Critique #1

"Friends"
By: Mary Crittenden

The painting “Friends” by Mary Crittenden depicts three young boys sitting on a hillside talking. Mary had a hard time painting from the photo she was portraying so she used boys to model for her. Mary decided to paint this picture because she saw a story within the boys. She saw the true meaning of friendship. Mary was drawn to the painting because she feels today people are too busy to spend time with friends they love. This painting showed the boys in a time where television and name brand clothing didn’t exist and that they still could be with each other.

The emphasis of “Friends” is the three boys and their friendship. You can tell that they are talking to each other. The foreground of the painting is the boys sitting on the grass. There is a plein air perspective to the painting. The contrast of light and dark is shown through the grass the boys are sitting on and the hill in front of them. The warm colors of the hill, trees, and houses give the painting a nice feeling.

The three boys got home one afternoon from a day at school. They boys retreat to their favorite spot to hang out over looking their houses. They love to spend time with each other especially in an environment as pretty as the hill. The leaves on that fall afternoon makes them relaxed. What better way to spend time with ones you take pleasure in then in the beautiful outdoors.

My concept

For my concept, I think I want to do the concept of friendship. I could do friendship between a friend, mother, children, etc.