Exam Question Responses from Art 1

I felt like I lost most of this semester.  I was gone for the first half while on maternity leave.  I found myself stopping by, having a hard time staying away from school during that time.  In doing so I was able to see more of these students and got to know them better than I anticipated.  Each student was required to write a blog post as part of their final exam.  5 questions picked by the students, each one paired with a piece of their own work.  Here are a few examples:

What was the most difficult thing about this class? What could be done to resolve this issue? 

"The most difficult thing about this class was trying to become a better artist. I came into this class barely being able to draw a stickman. I was thinking that this class would just be a like a free class but it actually turned me into a better artist. This class taught me how to use delicate strokes and how to blend things together. Most important is that I came into this class rushing every project but I leave, looking at art as different pieces instead of as a whole and taking my time." - Jacob K. 

Has your definition of art clanged since from the beginning of this class?

"Over the semester I began to realize art isn't just painting and drawing, but its everywhere and shown in many forms. Art and inspiration can be found in everyday life. I also learned that most things are easiest to draw it you pay attention to the little shapes inside the big picture. While I have improved greatly, I know now that my work will always have room for improvement."  - Maddie M.

"My definition of art changed in the first day of class. Going into art I thought it would just be a cruise class and I could just give minimal effort. On the first day of art I sat down and was given a mint and Mr. Creech told me to draw it. The whole time I was drawing it, I hated it and looking at other students candy drawings didn't help me. When everyone finished we compared them and commented on eachothers pieces. Thats was when I realized that art isn't about being better than the next person. Its about expressing who you are on the inside through your work on the outside.  I loved art and plan to do sculpture as well." - Spencer M. 

"My definition of art has changed tremendously. I used to think art was either good or bad, but now I've realized that art is in the eye of the beholder. Art can be anything you want- it could be simple, complex, a common object, or beautifully hand crafted. It all depends on what you believe to be an expression of your creativity." - Lacey P.

Which project was your most successful? Describe the theme and or topic and the process you went through to complete the project. 
"In my opinion my charcoal piece of the hot glue gun was most successful. I had never used charcoal before nor had I ever tired shading with any medium. The topic that I chose for this project was a hot glue gun because I asked Mr. Creech what I should do and he handed me a glue gun. The [process I went through consisted of a rough sketch followed my a faint outline. Then for the next few days I shaded it more and more making the blacks darker and adding more highlights. I thought this  piece was successful because Mrs. Sudkamp entered it into the Hadley Show which boosted my confidence as an artist." - Spencer M.