Only 7 more days until my final semester as an undergraduate. I have changed quite a bit since starting college in 2014. I came in not really knowing anyone and have never been in the area before. My family prefers to stay near where they grew up but not me. For as long as I can remember, I've always wanted to be adventurous and travel. I was never given many opportunities, and the times I did travel, I was a small child and have no memory of those places. Moving to Northern Michigan University was the largest step in life that I took. I got away and I haven't looked back since.

Since that move, I went through many battles - not only with myself but with others. College has truly helped me learn how to become an adult and what you should and shouldn't do to get where you need to go. I have gained and lost friendships and relationships, but it has all taught me many lessons. I've grown as a person and don't want to stop. I'm getting to a place where I'm starting to actually enjoy life.

I am going to be taking myself senior exhibit course. That pertains me, along with others in my class, to create a body of work over the course of 4 months and exhibit that work in the DeVos Art Museum on Northern Michigan Universities campus - which is also connected to the art building. With that approaching, I have been ideating and trying to get all of my ideas down and narrow it down to a final piece. I am by no means a good drawer, but I will attach some photos along with the questions that I asked myself, right here. I will add in my answers to those questions and figure out from those answers on how everything fits together. It's a process that I'm experimenting with. The last ideation, I actually tried it out. I think I should do some focus-stacking for this one, don't you think? Maybe less twigs?

The first two ideations have been in my mind since last fall. The photos used would be ones from my father, when my grandmother passed away. I was given photos that I had never seen before of my dad and that side of the family. It was very emotional because I thought I had known him and his family but apparently I did not. My father and mother never married and growing up was difficult because my mom wouldn't let me see my father very much. It's a bit foggy, honestly.

Using those photos and the shutters gave me an idea of looking into a world from the outside and having a hard time observing the photos (or the past). It's definitely still in the works and I don't even know if I will be using that idea. I want to go more the Neo-Dadaist/Assemblage art route. Something about that still really captures my heart and soul and I want to do art like that.

For now, this is all I am going to write. I want to hopefully come back in a few days and do an update post about my ideas. If you have any questions about the ideas and have suggestions/advice, please comment below or contact me through email.

Thank you for taking the time to read this,

- J. L. Wells