AP 2-D
Grecia Solorio
Grecia
Solorio
Nogales High School｜Nogales, Arizona
Dimensions: 8” x 10” ｜Materials: Colored Pencil｜Processes: I made parts of the subject out of focus to bring attention to the glass wounds.｜Curatorial Note: Delicate emotional drawings that pull on your heartstrings. Drawings with soul …
Student statement
Student statement
“Al Caer el Cristal” is one of the 13 pieces in my AP 2-D Art and Design Portfolio, whose sustained investigation was the beauties and tragedies of life as a woman. I settled on this theme to explore the duality of the female experience. I meticulously created pieces throughout the school year that represented said theme to the best of my abilities. In this case, “Al Caer el Cristal” represented one of the seven tragedies I included in the portfolio. It represents the struggle of breaking the glass ceiling and the mental deterioration of constantly fighting against misogyny. I imagined a scene in which the glass ceiling was broken, and pieces of glass made their way down onto our subject. With glass on her face and hands, she tries wiping away the blood of her injuries. As women, we are constantly finding ourselves face to face with obstacles whose origin is rooted in the patriarchy, and while we overcome them, we are left with battle scars. Sometimes, our soul can sustain damage, and our view of the world is one of disappointment because misogyny still lingers within society.
Created with colored pencil on tan paper, “Al Caer el Cristal” is intentionally created with warmer tones to complement the background. I wanted the piece to feel “warm,” but not positively. Instead, it represents a sensation of increasing heat due to the presence of blood and internalized rage. The background being left blank was a decision I took to make the subject look more dazed and increase the feeling of desertedness.
At Nogales High School, I was given a lot of support in creating my artwork, especially from my art teacher, Mrs. Carolina Lopez. She was an enormous help to my classmates and me, with clear and concise critique, as well as a kind smile and consistent support throughout the creation of our projects. She was with us every step of the way, and my class performed the way it did because of her presence. She is truly a jewel at Nogales High School.
My advice to other AP Art and Design students is: Do not be afraid to fail. Sometimes, our artworks do not reach our expectations, but they open the path to better and more improved work. A single bad artwork doesn’t make you less of an artist; it makes you a stronger one.
This work was inspired by the unspoken consequences of breaking "the glass ceiling."
Sustained lnvestigation, Materials: Colored pencil, graphite｜Process(es): In progress. I applied the colored pencil in layers while leaving grain to give the skin texture.
Grecia Solorio
