Ashley Gallegos
Gallegos
Oak Lawn Community High School District 229｜Oak Lawn, IL
TEACHER: Jennifer Clark
2-D Art and Design
Untitled｜20 x 30 in.
Idea(s): This photo was taken in a predominantly Latino neighborhood showcasing culture brought to the U.S.
Material(s): I used Lightroom and Photoshop Fix to edit this photograph.
Process(es): Included the mural on the left. Took the picture from the corner of the store
Student statement
Student
statement
Leer en español
Declaración
del estudiante
La pregunta esencial que yo exploré en mi investigación sostenida se basó en representar la vida de un inmigrante en América. Para esta pieza, quería fotografiar una comunidad latina para mostrar cómo los inmigrantes llegan a este país y traen sus tradiciones y culturas para crear comunidades que permitan un espacio seguro. El restaurante local representa una oportunidad y el mural representa estar orgulloso del lugar de donde vienes.
Para lograr esta fotografía, experimente con perspectivas, iluminación y ángulos. Como el restaurante y su mural estaban en una esquina, tomé varias fotos para encontrar el mejor lugar donde se mostrarían el mural artístico al igual que la parte del frente de la tienda.
El primer paso el el proceso para lograr esta pieza final fue decidir que foto de las muchas que tomé se veía la más fuera teniendo en cuenta los principios de diseño. Luego, cargué la foto en Photoshop donde recorté, cambie los colores y manipulé la iluminación.
El proceso artístico para crear mi trabajo implicó pensar en conceptos, escribir mis ideas , y dibujar composiciones. Hacer arte este año me ha enseñado el valor del proceso y la planificación antes de tomar una foto. Creo que fomenta el arte significativo que refleja lo que le importa al artista.
The essential question I explored in my sustained investigation was based on representing the life of an immigrant in America.
For this piece, I wanted to photograph a Latino community to showcase how immigrants come to this country and bring their traditions and culture to create communities that allow for a safe space. The locally-owned restaurant represents opportunity and the mural represents being proud of where you come from.
To achieve this photograph, I experimented with perspectives, lighting, and angles. Since the restaurant and its mural were on a corner, I took multiple photos to find the best spot where both the art mural and the front of the store would be shown.
The first step of the process in achieving this final piece was deciding which photo of the many photos that I took, looked the strongest keeping in mind the principles of design. Then, I uploaded the photo into photoshop where I cropped, changed the colors, and manipulated the lighting.
The art process to create my work involved thinking of concepts, writing out ideas, and sketching compositions. Making art this year has taught me the value of process and planning before a photo. I believe it encourages meaningful art that reflects what the artist cares about.
Teacher
statement
Jennifer Clark
While Ashley’s artwork is primarily photography, keeping a sketchbook of thumbnail drawings, planning sketches, multiple editing experiments, and written notes helped her throughout the year.
Ashley’s journey to AP Art and Design started early in her high school career with our foundational art classes and then advanced photography program. These scaffolded classes allowed her to start the portfolio with a strong knowledge of art-making skills and techniques already established. Ashley’s mastery of digital editing allowed for the diversification of imagery within her essential question which evolved throughout the year to take on more of a documentary style. Her maturity and social awareness are displayed through her thoughtful storytelling and contemporary vision of immigration in America. I encouraged all of my students to choose a direction that allowed them to tell their personal stories through self-awareness brainstorming activities. The strong connection allowed for a natural flow for the work to speak for itself while connecting to its viewers.
While Ashley’s artwork is primarily photography, keeping a sketchbook of thumbnail drawings, planning sketches, multiple editing experiments, and written notes helped her throughout the year. This type of journaling granted her the ability to see various explorations using multiple design principles as well as it allowed her to plan out photos that focused on her artistic vision. While Ashley’s work has a strong personal connection, she was always open to suggestions and experimentation which is so important within the AP Art and Design curriculum. Accepting that an art piece can constantly evolve and grow through dialog and revision was key in producing her high-quality photos. Allowing her pieces to spark different emotions and relevance depending on the viewer’s personal history demonstrates Ashley’s strong and intentional artistic voice.
Ashley Gallegos
NA | NA
Material(s): I used Lightroom and Photoshop Fix to edit this photograph.
Process(es): During the revision process of this photo I revised which photo would include the mural the best.
Ashley Gallegos
