Scrapbook Entry#12 Movie Ticket Stubs

I was reaching in my pocket yesterday and found a ticket stub from a movie I had seen this summer. Immediately I began to laugh to myself remembering not only the movie itself, but who I went with, what happened after, and what happened before. I remember I went with two of my best friends, Kristina and Liz, and Kristina's younger brother. We were all living an working at the beach over the summer and we were a little bit late because we had to wait for one us to finish our shift. It was late in the summer so a lot of people had already left to get ready to go back to school, so it was only us and one other group of people in the theater. The movie was a comedy, Pineapple Express to be exact, and I remember laughing a lot at both the movie and various jokes that were made. Afterwards, we decided instead of going home right away to drive down Coastal Highway. Since the summer was quickly coming to an end we would soon have to all go back to our separate schools and most likely not all be together again until Christmas. Since we have all been best friends since we were in Elementary School it is always hard to say goodbye but also easy because we know we will always be friends. This movie ticket stub is not art but for me it holds great meaning and brings back memories not just from that movie but about my friends in general.

Scrapbook Entry#11 Post-Its

My desk is literally littered with Post-Its. Post-Its about what homework I have to do that week, what exams I have to study for, people I have to call, stuff I need to buy, and important dates I have to remember. I do not consider Post-Its to be art (although some of them do come in wacky shapes and colors) but I use them specifically as a device to grab and focus my attention. Post-Its are a memory tool for me. Everyday when I sit down at my desk I look at the Post-It and remember what I need to do that day. Simply the act of writing something down helps me to organize my thoughts. I often will write something on a Post-It note before I go to bed so I remember it in the morning. Then when I have completed a task I check it off and move on down the list. This is a very helpful way to organize my sometimes hectic life and by placing them in somewhere that I know I will see I make sure that the Post-It demands my attention.

Scrapbook Entry#8 Doors, Windows, and Power Lines

I took this picture my first year taking a photography course my sophomore year of high school. I did not consider the door to be art but actually only took the picture for fun because I thought the bumper sticker on the door that says "I Love Asphalt" was funny. Yet, after looking at the composition as a whole and how I framed the space I saw the image more as a photograph than just a snapshot. I was drawn in by the repetition of line and shape carried through the image, such as the repeated rectangles. The power lines also work as a guide drawing your eye throughout the composition. I still do not consider doors, or windows, or power lines to be art, but when composed in such a way they work together to grab your attention. 

Scrapbook Entry#10 Letters From Afar

Each of my close friends from high school went to the a different college. Some went as far south as Tennessee, while others went out west to Colorado. Since we don't get to see each other as often as we used to we like to keep in touch by talking on the phone or on Facebook, but sometimes we also write letters to each other. To me a letter has always had a more personal quality to it than other forms of communication, especially Facebook. You know that that person took the time to sit down and write something specifically for you to read. A letter is also more personal because it is written in the person's handwriting rather than the universal font of something typed on a computer screen. The value of a letter again is more substantial because it takes time to get to its destination. Rather than instantaneously flying through cyber space, a letter travels the distance. It physically touches the hands of the writer, then the hands of the people who sort the mail, then those of the people who deliver the mail, and then finally your own. A letter is not art but every letter has a message that has a shared importance to both the individual receiving it and the person that wrote it.

Scrapbook Entry#9 Notes

When I take notes in class I do not try to make them look pretty but rather I concentrate solely on getting the right information down and making sure it is at least legible to me. Other people may look at my notes and think that they are somewhat of a mess, but I find it easier to comprehend something if it is in my own handwriting. Often teachers may say that you don't have to take notes because the information will be posted on BlackBoard however, I feel that the act of writing something down in my own handwriting helps me to understand the information more clearly. I also sometimes find myself doodling in the margins and these doodles also help me to remember the information better. I do not think that my notes are art but they help me to concentrate my attention to the information that is being discussed and help me better remember that information in the future.

Scrapbook Entry #6 Magazine Ads

When flipping through a magazine I would not consider the advertisements to be art, yet I often find that they do grab and hold my attention. I have recently noticed a trend that magazine ads are no longer about showing off a skinny model or simply showing the product, but actually develop a composition. The vibrant colors of pretty clothes and jewelry or make-up attract the eye of the person reading the magazine at first, but the evidence of careful thought and planning allow the viewer to really appreciate the image for more than just an magazine ad.

Scrapbook Entry#7 Chip Bags and Candy Wrappers

I would not typically call a chip bag art or frame a candy wrapper. Instead I usually just toss the wrapper in the trash after eating whatever was inside. Yet isn't it the job of the wrapper to draw your attention to the product? The brightly repeated primary colors, bold text, and shinny material act together to make you want to by that item. I recently looked at the vending machine and noticed that I was drawn in by certain packaging causing me to want that product even if I was more in the mood for something else. Although I do not believe that chip bags or candy wrappers should be hung up on gallery walls or even considered to be art for that matter I do believe that there is an artistic science evident in them. The producers of these products demand our attention because they understand what makes the consumer want something. For example, I noticed a strong use of the colors red and blue. Many packages also had a large scale image of the food inside with letters boldly outlined so that they pop out from the background. All of these elements work subconsciously on our brains to grab our attention and affect the choice of which junk food we will spend our 50 cents on when standing in front of the vending machine.