Imani and Laura pod cast one 

​A sugar skull is the structured of your face plastered and molded into a hard structure. 

I came up with my design by simplify going with the flow of what my artsy fingers wanted me too. I figured why not use blue for tears and throw an odd future cross on there. Make the lips red for lip stick. 

At first I needed someone to do my mask for me. I have sensitive skin so plastering my face was a no no, and plush I did not want that stuff in my hair.  When my friend Serena said she will do it for me. I  than began to cut up pieces of the clay while Serena Vaseline her face. Once that was done I put a straw in Serena mouth and began to dip pieces of the clay in the water and then on Serena face. I made sure I did Serena nose last so she will not have to go a long time breathing through a straw. Once the clay harden I carefully removed the clay structure off Serena face and place it on the table. I had to wait a few days to design because we had art class Monday and I did my skull on a Wednesday. Once monday came I began to paint the face. It took some time to get the paint because I did not know what color, after that I just told myself not to think so hard and follow the art. The art gave me the colors black,yellow,red,and blue. Next I began to paint. I had my headphones in listing to Biggie smalls. While Jamming to Biggie I just started to paint. While painting Serena said that this reminds her of the joker. I laughed and said it does... then continue to paint off of that idea. At the end I came up with this skull. 

This has been a very interesting year with Mr.Block. I have learned a lot from him. Mr. Block’s class was set up in a different structure then most classes. His ideal of best learning is to watch videos, do paper essays, read, and do hands on activities. Strangely his idea is right and works. Through this year with him being our English and history teacher Mr. Block has taught us some important things. Which makes me grateful to have had him as a teacher.

One thing I learned is “The way to show you have power is to speak.” That is important because most people have the most life changing things to say, but they never be heard because they do not say what they have to say. Our poetry unit was the best one. Mr. Block had us writing something different that I found to be great. The Ode poem was really good because writing about an object is hard. That was one of my challenging poems that I had accomplished. My favorite lines from that poem is “having their necks bob to the ridiculous sound they consider a compliment But Incompetent To realize Originality is Self confidence" Another challenging poem was I was raised by poem. It was hard writing about my mom because she is so great and I wanted to put that all in one poem. Cutting it down was hard but I eventually got it.  One of my best lines I would have to say would be "God do not make life to waste it." When we had to perform our poem a few people told me that this line had them thinking more about themselves and their lives. I was surprised because I never really paid any attention to that line. It was not my favorite until I read it and some bought it to my attention. That is when I realized how powerful that line is. Also in my English Journal entry 31 when we had to write a rant about something we feel strongly about. When I wrote this entry part of my rant came from seeing people blame other people for their mistakes or their miserable lives. A line from my rant was “The black people are so ignorant they keep blaming the system, shut up get educated and be the system.” I understand that is harder on the black race due to the inequality and messed up justice system, but come on you have to take care yourself before you can blame someone else. I feel like if I read this to some of the people in my neighborhood they would get up and do something or at least think about it, sometimes it’s the thought that counts. Poetry is one of the most powerful ways to get a point across. Poetry is like rap and people like listening to cleaver word play. Once you put words together that makes a person always remember is great.

Another thing I have learned from Mr. Block is  “When you convince yourself you’re not creative then you block out all your creativity. Once you try and attempt to be creative you discover something new about yourself.” When we did our playwright unit I did not think I could do it. I never thought of myself being good with stories. Once I tried I must say I did succeed. A line from my play that I really loved was “I've been waltzing with the devil too long.” When we read it as a group people really loved this first line. A classmate of mine came up to me a few times saying this line teasing me. Also when we had to see who would be picked to do perform a scene from their play for the school. I was shocked that my scene seven of my play was picked. I knew I had a chance but I did not have confidence in myself that my play was that great. Once I seen that it was I discovered that writing this play was fun and I would love to write another one. There was so much creativity in getting us up to this. When we did the workshop at the armory was the best one. We were jumping off trucks and steps. Using the environment to create different scenes was so amazing. For this I learned that I like dancing the way Ms. Lea taught us.

Another thing we did was the Art in the Open unit. This is a weird unit that I cannot really say what it is because I do not know what it is. I know it was some sort of interpret dance mixed with feelings and a bunch of other weird things. This is was one of my favorite units. At first I was not thrilled because I cannot dance. Then when I saw what it was we were doing I was excited. My group we did our dance based on hide and seek. I think we had the best performance. Something I learned about myself during our performance is that I am a good stepper. I never knew that I was good at making a musical beat with my body. Once I applied myself this is when I discovered that.

            Overall Mr. Block is a great teacher. He has taught me so much through this year. He was an amazing teacher and I am glad that I had the chance to learn so much through the year.

Here are the links to my poetry and play. Also A picture of me during my performance at the art in open show.

Poetry Portfolio 

 Play

 

 

 

My art really reflect the growth that I have done. Before I was not so artisic and the only thing I would draw is stick figuers. Through this year I really am starting to engjoy art. My first tile I did with a friend. We thought this would be cool since it is a hang out spot. My next I wanted to feel like a kid again and do some hand painting. I even got some friends to come and join in. My last its an expression of my happiness. I was happy and I just colored from the heart. I had two more tiles but my iphoto or phone was working. Sorry you could not see them.

I did not like this project at all. It was extreamly hard for me to get the shapes and try not to draw the basic shapes. Also it was hard focusing on her because the modal was moving a whole lot. I did this project because it was an assignment and because I wanted to try and be like at least I tried and not give up

For this project I did the clear drawing. At first it was a little hard but then when I really started using my eyes and stop thinking about what I see it became easier. I did this because it was a class assignment and also because I really enjoyed this unit in art. I thought it was simple and it made me feel like a real artist

​Setting: Nadie Mahal is a famous motivation speaker who is speaking in front of a big tribe of native people talking about the Keystone Pipeline project. She is trying to motivate them to stop talking about the issues and do something about it.

 

(Martin Luther King type of Voice) Hello my beautiful Native People. Lately I have been hearing people talk about stopping the Keystone pipeline project, but I do not see anyone taking any action. I Nadie (Na-D) Mahal (Ma-Hall) have a vision. That one-day these business men and our Government would stop looking at our land as profit but rather embrace it and love it just as much as we do. Then our native people would join hands with the Americans and be one big happy family, as we love our mother nature. This project reminded me of what back in the day. (switch to more anger tone) When The Europeans came too take over our land and claim it as theirs. They bought their disease, pushed us out the way as if that wasn’t our home, and now in this present day they want to destroy our land. Now I’m mad. (Have A Serious Tone)  In my hand I hold an article on the Keystone XL pipeline project. The pipeline would be transporting pollution from the tar sands of Canada to the United States by carrying 800,000 barrels per day of thick, corrosive, toxic, oil for refining in Texas and the Gulf States. What these money hungry people fail to realize is that if it is approved we will have to then pollute our fresh water.  We need to put a stop to this. I understand that there are jobs for thousands of people to have in regards to this project but what about our earth. We should be protecting it not selling its nature for less expensive energy. We need to rise and fight, if that mean protesting in front of the white house 24/7 that is what we will do. I don’t care if I have to go to prison for this protest, I will do what ever it take to stop this project. So president Obama understand that you have lives in your hand. We will do what ever it takes to stop the Keystone pipeline project. My native people we are the children that will help protect our mother nature.

 

+Setting clear

+Last sentence

+Address Obama

 

? Add more of an object- Blue Print/reserve

? Point on how they took land

 

 

Set the stage

 

Show more passion

 

Mixing emotions

 

Always confident.

So Imani Rothwell what do you think of the rejections towards the keystone project?

 

I think that anyone who have rejection to this project do not understand the business aspect of it. This project will create over 100,000 jobs. That’s more availability our country have seen in a while since the recent recession we have had. Which too many people still feel like a recession? I also think people who reject is a hypocrite. They say the want cheaper oil and when we try to supply it all of a sudden we become the devil. That to me makes me real skeptical since my main aspect is to provide to the common wealth of what they want.  

 

Can you tell us any pros and cons to this major project?

 

The pro is money. This can provide money and lead our country to receive wealth like never before.  The Middle East will be mostly effect by the wealth since that is where the pipeline will be running. The con is that the environment will be effected. Too me that sucks because I was hoping we can try to do this where it will not effect the environment as much, but hey money is money you can’t deny that.

 

Any final opinions?

 

Yes. To those who are watching the talk today understand I am a businesswoman. As a businesswomen money is my focus so I have to make so rash decisions that may cause harm. I just wanted to let you know to do more research and understand that when Obama approves it will not be so bad. The environment will learn to adapt to the changes just as we will learn to adapt to the many job opportunity and money that will be received.

The space around and between an image 
i found negative space in my drawings by seeing how i filled in the spaces between to form an image. 
It helps an artist see an image because it shows the an image from the spaces between and how the image form it's artistic shape.
For me in a way it does because it let me see another side of a drawling, but when it comes to drawling negative space that's when it confuse me.

 

My first picture