Retreat!!

So, this weekend was fun. Not only did I learn lots about art, I also learned a lot about my fellow AP artists. The only part of the trip that was not very fun or I should say was difficult for me was thinking outside the box in more ways than one. It takes me a long time to make friends who I know will always be there for me. I guess it was hard for me to expand my brain past the restrictions of my social box. However, at the retreat this weekend i feel that i gave people a glimpse into my life, and everybody was really nice and accepting of me and who I am. Everybody was really nice to everybody on this trip, and i honestly had a much better time than I had expected to have.
Another way I felt that I couldn't think outside the box, or should I say outside the tube, was when we had to make something out of those stupid tubes. I would get an awesome idea in my head that was totally INDIVIDUAL, but then when I tried to execute it, it just failed quite miserably. I finally made the decision, kind of like Sarah, to stop trying so hard to be somewhat original, and I basically copied her little feet thing, but I tried to let my style naturally show through in the piece. I feel like when it's done it'll look somewhat like something I would make. Although, I most likely will stick to my coils as much as I can, and I'll probably try to avoid tubes.
It was also difficult for me to accept the fact that I was going to have to make something completely nonfunctional and nonrepresentational. After showing Amy my photo of my original nature sculpture thing, I basically just let go of the idea of making something so it could be something, and i accepted the concept of making something to just let it BE... let it speak for itself even if it's not really anything. I eneded up really liking my final product, and it looked like something my brain would think up. Overall, I learned a lot on the retreat, and I had a great time.