𝙴𝚡𝚙𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜

𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗

This project required us to find something that we wanted to do and create. For my exploration project, I wanted to do something that related to sewing. I wanted to learn how to use the sewing machine from my grandmother since she taught me how to hand-sew when I was a little kid. For this project, I am inspired by this lego shirt with a silly face that I found at a thrifting place.

𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚜𝚜

For my process for my exploration project, I first decided what faces everyone should be, then I went to Michael’s to buy fabric. Then I realized that they didn’t have the right fabric, so I decided to buy an XXL T-shirt and cut it to use as my fabric. Then I went to my grandparent’s house to ask my grandmother to teach me how to use the sewing machine. I learned how to use the serger and also the normal sewing machines. After that, I went on Illustrator and created the faces using the pen tool, shape tool, and also the shape builder. Then I asked Mr. Flo to help with the printing on the T-shirt and how you have to wait till its 339 degrees until you can press.

𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗

𝚁𝚎𝚏𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗

After doing this project, I realized I need to find better fabric because the fabric that I used was a giant T-shirt that was cut out. Another thing is actually going to a fabric store to get nice fabric and not just go to Michaels. While using the sewing machine, I should have slowed down because I was going too fast that I keep messing up. I would also like to create more faces with Illustrator since I only made 8, and I want to create more in the future.

𝙿𝚘𝚎𝚝𝚛𝚢 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗

Poetry challenged me to think in a new way by expressing emotion through limited word options. At first, I knew I wanted to recreate a poem that I had before. It was about my Hawaiian dance, and during that time I hadn’t quit it and wanted to put all my emotion and how I felt about it. But after I quit this year, I wanted to write something dedicated to it. So I changed the old one and added more stuff into it. I kept most of the part where I suffered the most and added parts like “I continue to dance” to show my dedication and how I value being with my group and the amazing friends that I made along the way.

Again, again,

Sweat runs down my face

And into my eyes.

Again, again,

Rehearsals run long,

Thirty minutes over,

Sometimes even an hour,

Making me miss

The activities waiting after.

Again, again,

The night before competitions,

Staying up past midnight,

Sewing

Hundreds of real green leaves

And purple flowers

Into a beautiful costume.

Again, again,

Bruises bloom 

Cover my feet

Mark my knees

After every class.

Again, again,

The pain returns,

But so does my determination.

Again, again,

I choose to dance.

𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗

The production conveys the meaning and spirit of my poem because it allowed me to add photos of the different memories that I had during dance, and to show the costume that was mentioned in the poem. This also allows the audience to know what this poem is about and not just think it is about some kind of dance.  It also allowed me to be able to add music that was able to add a little joy into the video since it was a sad poem. 

The creative freedom that I value while making my poem production was being able to add any transitions to the photos that I added, and also music that I wanted to add in the background. I chose to make those artistic choices because it allowed it to give more feeling towards the story and also better transition from the many photos that were included in the production.