Make new friends, but keep the old.
One is silver; the other is gold
As a kid, these were the words I sung with my fellow Girl Scouts. This quote is from a traditional Girl Scout friendship song, but I find it a fitting summary of my attitude as an artist. As I learn more and more about art through my time here at Marywood, I have had so many opportunities to try new media, practices, and techniques. While I will always gravitate towards the methods and media I love, this past year of trying new things and expanding my horizons has been an absolute blast! Today, I wanted to show you a little bit of what has pushed my boundaries this year!
3D Design
Probably one of the most challenging media I explored this year were those of Three-Dimensional Design. I experimented with so much in this class, and tried so many materials I had never touched before. I learned how to make three-dimensional shapes out of bristol paper, tape, and glue. I also learned how to use an utility knife effectively (although I am still struggling to learn how to break off a fresh blade).
I used these skills to try another new skill — origami! Origami is always a craft I struggled with, so having to learn it for several of my projects in the Spring 2025 semester was incredibly challenging and rewarding. In addition to traditional origami creatures, I had to create a 3ft version of an origami creature. I chose to create a sculpture of a fox. The media in itself was a monumental shift in thinking and creativity for me, but the math required to create this 3 foot origami creature was definitely a new concept for me too. It was not difficult math per-say — just proportions — but it was hard to translate into my sculpture. In the end, my sculpture was not even a perfect replication of the math, and this fox sculpture taught me that sometimes it is better to go with the flow and not obsess over every perfect, mathematical detail.
Aside from these sculptures, I learned a lot about plaster and silicone! For one of my projects, I had to create a mold out of silicone and cornstarch in order to create a set of plaster tessellations. This project was a ton of trial and error and required many, many, many hours in the Insalaco Center for Studio Arts Building. I experimented with many different ways to get the plaster to exit the mold without cracking, including greasing the mold, changing the ratio of water to plaster, and more. Before this project, I had never worked with tessellations, nor plaster and silicone. I used a caulk gun for the first time in my life too!
For my last Three-Dimensional escapade, I had to use the wood shop! Power tools have always scared me. There’s something terrifying about the whir of metal blades going at speeds faster than I can imagine. Something can always go wrong, no matter how careful I am. The project I was assigned was to use an old chair to create a patterned sculpture. First, I broke apart a chair with my own two hands. (There was something wildly thrilling about the brute strength required to do such an action). For this project, however, I had to use a jig-saw, miter-saw, and a table saw to cut the chair into smaller blocks. All of these were absolutely terrifying, but I managed to make the cuts safely, guided by my professor, and my dad while I was home.
Drawing and Painting
Also during the Spring Semester, I learned a lot about drawing and painting. For the first time since I was in middle school, I learned how to properly oil paint. Oil painting remains one of my favorite ways to paint, although I truly despise touching the stand oil. I definitely still have a lot to learn about painting, but that excites me for next year’s oil painting classes!
As for drawing, I learned so much under Professor Parker’s instruction. I learned a lot about observation, sighting, and proportions. I learned how to use new media like charcoal and washes. Most difficult, but perhaps most rewarding, was the use of reed pens in substitution of a brush or pencil. I carved my own reed pen with its own well, and then dipped it in watercolor to create strokes and lines for shading. I often found that my watercolor blotted if I rushed, and the process was time-consuming. Yet, I learned so much about pacing, patience, and hatching.
I also learned a lot about figure drawing from this past Fall semester. I was first introduced at the end of my Drawing I class last Spring semester, but I really focused and honed my skills in Figure Drawing I. Anatomy was, and is, a huge challenge for me to face. Understanding muscular and bone structure is definitely a learning-curve. Throughout Figure Drawing I, there was a focus on understanding when a piece is finished, what to emphasize in the drawing, and how to create a strong composition. Learning so many different skills at once could be overwhelming at times, but beneficial to my artist’s eye and skill level. I definitely have a long way to go, but I am proud of the progress I have made and I am super excited for the progress I will make next semester in Figure Drawing II.
Personal Projects
When I am not doing schoolwork, I have attempted to create some art myself. I tried two new projects this past year that have been super engaging and educational.
I wrote about this some time ago, but I tried Digital Painting for the first time this summer. For the full article and process, you can look here! I still want to try this process some more, and honestly, I would not be surprised if I adopt this more in my digital art.
I also tried my hand at logo design for Marywood’s new club, Pacer Pep Band! I worked on several different iterations of each design, and it was incredible to have some hands-on experience with the client-artist experience. This piece on the left is the design that the executive board chose, although I created it for them in green, gold, and white. Trying my hand at a professional project was a good introduction to the commission world I might enter as I grow older and more experienced.
Overall, this year has been filled with new projects, techniques, and media! I have tried so many new things, and even though they have all come with their own challenges and difficulties, they have all been experiences I would not trade for the world. As I continue into the New Year, I hope that I remember to make new friends (in art), to keep the old, and to always keep exploring! I also hope that you too continue to create and try new things, and to share them with the world!
Have a happy holidays, however you celebrate,
-Rebecca Prowse