My Interview with Saquaya

Round 1
1. Why are you doing the project? What is important about it? How do you expect it to turn out in the end?
My goal is to show a representation of Brooklyn and its natural beauty. Growing up in Brooklyn, I feel like it has a bad reputation and I would like to open people's eye to the beautiful, less gritty side of my borough.
2. What actions have you taken so far? What do you still need to do? What will be the evidence you produce? How do you plan on collecting data? What obstacles or roadblocks do you expect to encounter?
I have began setting up with my crew and I have taken a few shots of an abandoned building in my neighborhood and also a park. I have also edited a few shots that I have. I still need to complete at least 40 shots and decide exactly which ones I want to use in my gallery. The roadblock I have been facing is working around my own schedule and the schedule of my crew.
3. What are some different ways you have been working?
I have been working with different light settings and trying to figure out how to shoot at night. Not much, but it's something.
4. What evidence have you produced so far? What data have you collected?
I have a small series of shots that can be presented at the present time as evidence of my work, but I would like to work more on them in editing.

Round 2

1. Have you met your goals? What have you learned so far doing the project? Have you learned something about yourself? I have learned that when given an ample amount of time to do something I tend to procrastinate, hence I work better with deadlines. I always thought that I was the kind of person who was better off without restrictions, but I guess I've changed.
2. Have you had to make any changes to your project or plan? Has your thinking about the subject changed? Would you do anything differently now? I initially had a plan to create a film made up of a compilation of short movies addressing the different issues that a teen would face during their high school years. Then I figured that since I love Brooklyn mostly for how it looks, why not show the viewers what I see.
3. Does the project still make sense? Yes, the project is still relevant because it holds true to what I wanted it be in the beginning.

Weekly Goals for April 8th-15th

1. Get pictures of most of the painters.
2. Have notes or some kind of written information on them.
3. Start planning on how I am going to organize and put everything together.
   

My Proposal

My name is Jahleesa Hodge and I am a senior at Brooklyn Preparatory HS. My project piece will be about famous African American painters. It will talk about their lives and how they came to be what they are known for today and the process/struggles/ difficulties it took them to get there. I will also include pieces of their artwork which will show what art is through their eyes.


One question I asked myself was how was I going to go about putting this project in an organized and fashionable manner. I got a pen and paper and decided to write out a plan for myself. I listed all the materials that I would need to help assist me in making thing this project. Some of the materials I will need include a computer which will provide my uses of the Internet, like images, and information I will use for my project, a printer so that if I am not near a computer I will have what I need with me, and lastly a(n) encyclopedia for back up because the Internet doesn't always like to share everything. Also, because some information provided on the Internet may not always be accurate/completely accurate. My project is important because others and myself will learn about some African American painters whose name we've never heard of, but whose work we've might have seen. It connects to the larger community because some people (possibly of all ages) might be able to relate to the painter and the message or emotion that he/she was feeling as they painted.


This project will reflect me as an individual and will add to my portfolio presentation that is not present in my other work. The reason is because in a way I am allowing my mind to explore a different world. I am allowing it to look at the world from a different perspective, which is through the painters eyes. By allowing my mind to do this I am taking risks and showing my creative side. I will probably start to see or notice a part of myself that I never knew was inside me. One habit of mind that will definitely be portrayed in this project and in myself as I am working on it is imagination.


I will definitely show commitment to the project because I plan to put a lot of time and effort into it. One possible challenge I might face is not getting all the information I think might need for my project. Some possible solutions will be to get it from other sources, like people who might know a few facts about the painters if they're into the whole art thing. Another solution would be to look in different books like maybe a book on African American painters, magazines like American Legacy, or the enyclopedia. My strengths are writing, because once I start writing, I can't stop because I get this type of energy or motivation to write more. It brings out another side of me and I began to think outside of the box. I would say that writing is one of my best qualities not just as a student, but a person in general. One of my weaknesses is organizing and planning, a tend to have a difficult time trying to figure out a(n) order of how I want my work to be displayed. I plan to work on that weakness by doing this project so that I can learn from it and it can no longer be of a problem for me.

Materials List

All I really need is:

1)A computer
2)Internet
3)Images of the artists and their work
4)Time for me to complete my project
5)Biograhies on their lives
6)Printer
7)Possibly a(n)encyclopedia just in case b/c the internet doesn't like to share everything.

Project Idea

My project piece will be about famous African American painters and their work also how it has effected the lives of others.