SFAI PRECOLLEGE 2017

JUNE 2017 - JULY 2017

I attended San Francisco Art Institute's PreCollege program in the summer of 2017. For four weeks, I took the local CalTrain and biked a total of 15 miles a day in order to go to my daily classes. I was fortunate enough to be able to take two painting college-level courses throughout the month in addition to attending workshops and studio hours to further develop my skills as an artist.

My morning class, "Painting and Permutations", was more experimental than I had expected. In the class, we discussed various contemporary artworks and styles, mainly focusing on abstract and surreal art. Thus, I began to explore different art styles and dabbled in impressionism, moving away from the realistic style I usually paint with.

Below is my final exhibit of my artworks from the class. The two landscapes were made using only a palette knife, adding to a more messy and impressionist feel. On the right, the portrait of my mother was also an attempt at a less realistic painting. I made my brushstrokes more apparent and less hidden, creating a Fauvist style of art that I previously had not used.

In the afternoon, I attended a class called "Narrative and Identity in Painting", taught by Caitlin Mitchell-Dayton. This class focused more on larger pieces and incorporated narratives and self-expression in the painting. Many of my classmates, including myself, opted for self-portraits done on giant canvases. Caitlin was incredibly supportive as I was painting and gave me invaluable input during my process. I am incredibly proud of my final piece and recognize that it was a huge success. My painting was 36" x 48" and took me the entire four weeks to complete. I wanted to express an emotion that many people my age can relate to: the stress and pressure of looming college applications. However, I deviated greatly from my traditional choice in color palette, opting for bright oranges, pinks, and purples instead of the gloomy ultramarine blues I usually use. This definitely made my piece more interesting.