Ariella’s Cumulative Creative Works!
Here’s a look at all of the Creative Works I’ve done so far!
Creative Work 1 (Visual): “We Are Beautiful…In Every Single Way”
Creative Work #2 (Literary): “My One Day Old Hero”
It was a breezy Saturday morning. I woke up to my automatic routine of preparing to go to synagogue. However, something was very different this morning. I heard my brother talking on the phone in his room, which is strange since he does not use electricity on the Sabbath. Thoughts started racing through my mind. I was anxious to know what was going on. Were they okay in there? What was so important that he had to use the phone? It was a couple of weeks before my sister-in-law’s due date so the thought that she could be in labor didn’t even cross my mind. My questions were answered as the door opened and I saw my brother holding his wife as she knelt to the floor in noticeable pain. “She has to go right now,” he said, and we automatically knew what he meant.
Nine hours after they left, at 7:52 in the evening, my niece was born. I was anxious to see her right away. To my dismay, that wasn’t an option. She was rushed to the Newborn Intensive Care unit in Schneider’s Children Hospital straight from birth. Apparently, as she was being born, water started collecting in her lungs making it hard for her to breath. We were all devastated to think that anything can happen to our gift that we have waited so many months for. After hearing the news, I decided to go to the nursery to see the other babies in the hospital since my niece own was out of reach. I gazed at the little bundles of life, squirming around in their little tubs. Each one of them was so unique. I asked myself why my niece couldn’t be lying there next to the rest of them. It felt so unfair, as if I was the one who was being cheated or betrayed. I then realized that I was being selfish and nothing that happened had anything to do with me.
Time passed, and eventually we were permitted to go into the NIC-U, where my niece was being held. We were only allowed in two at a time, so my mom and I decided to go in first. I quietly tiptoed into the room, afraid that any wrong move would directly hurt one of the vulnerable and delicate babies. And then I saw her. She was so tiny and fragile-looking. I was terrified to see all of the wires and tubes connected to her. Her chest was moving up and down vigorously, as if she was gasping for air that just wasn’t there. But underneath all of the frightening apparatus was the most beautiful girl that I’ve ever seen in my entire life. My heart broke for her when I saw the situation that she was in, but when I took a look at her tiny face, I saw an unexplainable resilience and sense of bravery. She was determined to make it through the hardships that she was faced with. In the following few days, she astounded everybody with her strength. She did so amazingly, that her doctors gave permission for her to be released earlier than they had anticipated.
In Hebrew, the name Rachel means “innocent lamb.” And that’s just how our Rachel came into this world. She never did anything to deserve what she had to endure from the moment she was born. However, she found the power in herself to overcome her obstacles. I think that this has been such an amazing lesson for me to learn. There are many times when I feel like life’s not fair, and I don’t deserve to have the problems that I have. But Rachel has taught me not to feel sorry for myself when I’m down, but rather to pick myself up again. So every time I think to myself, “why is this happening to me?” I think about my courageous little niece and the lessons she has taught me. She helps me find the strength in myself that I otherwise would not be brave enough to find. Today, five days before her first birthday, Rachel is thriving in ways that amaze us every single day. It’s difficult to believe that the same weak and vulnerable girl is now smiling, laughing, exploring, and taking her very first steps of her life. However, the same strength and courage that I saw in her eyes in her very first days remains until this day, reminding me of the valuable life lessons that she has taught me.
Creative Work #3 (Time): “World of Wonders”
Creative Work #4 (Cumulative): “Final”
Looking back at all of my Creative Works that I have done this semester, I’m pleasantly surprised with what I have come up with. In my first creative work, I used Christina Aguilera’s hit song “Beautiful” as an inspiration for a collage that I made as my visual art piece. This was one of the first times in my life that I needed to use technology to create art. I was very anxious about how my collage would come out. I basically used pictures of individuals from all races and backgrounds, and tied them together with the chorus line of the song “We are beautiful, in every single way.” After finishing my collage I was satisfied with how it turned out because it was pretty much just as I envisioned it to be. However, to be honest I was pretty intimidated after seeing everybody else’s first Creative Works which seemed so much more professional than mine. Mine was very simple and straightforward, while others were extravagant and magnificent.
I felt better about my second Creative Work which was my literary piece about my niece’s early struggles and bravery. With this piece, I didn’t feel like I needed to impress anybody. I was purely honest and just spoke from my heart and my feelings about my experience. This was comforting to me because I didn’t feel like my piece was inadequate next to anybody else’s.
My third and final Creative Work is by far my favorite and I feel like this is where I was able to shine the most. For this time piece, I was able to use all of my skills and knowledge that I’ve gained and put it together into one strong piece. First, I came up with a poem about the wonders and beauty of nature. Then, I found clips from Youtube to match up with my words. Later, I then figured out how to get those clips into Imovie. Finally, I edited and added music to create a complete and flowing Time piece video. I was very impressed with my results because I felt like it was one of the most professional and well-rounded projects that I’ve ever done in my life.
After analyzing all of my pieces as a whole, I was unexpectedly surprised to notice a common theme that tied all of them together. Each one of my pieces had to do with the various beauties that exist all around us, whether it’s in our appearances, our emotions, our bravery, or the nature that surrounds us. This theme was unplanned so this realization seemed interesting to me. Ultimately, I have learned a lot from my experiences with creative each one of my Creative Work pieces. Not only did I gain a great appreciation for the endless talents of my peers and those around me, but I gained a great deal of confidence in myself and my creative ability.
5 comments
I really liked how you talked about each creative work and the progress you made with each. At first, you said you looked at everyone’s work and was afraid that your own works were not at the same level, but they were! I really liked the piece about your niece because it was personal and I love the video and background music in your third creative work. You truly incorporated your art skills and technological skills in the third piece!
I’m glad you were able to grow and learn from your strengths and weaknesses throughout these past few months while you worked on the previous creative pieces – it really shows. You said that in your first creative work it was simple and straightforward- and maybe it is, but I think it gives out an important message that everyone should be able to understand. I remember you presented yours last, and how appropriate it was- like it just tied all of our presentations together. I think it’s great that, like myself, you were able to gain the confidence you needed to succeed in finding your creative side. Great job, Ariella!
This might sound corny, but finding beauty in the images, people, and emotions that you showed is… beautiful itself. It is rare to find someone who will put a picture of two men kissing in a collage titled “We are beautiful in Every Single Way,” and for that I am proud to have met you. I hope you don’t think I am trying to judge you, but you sound like an open minded person, ready to learn and take in what the world has to offer. Babies have taught me to enjoy the little things in life, and find beauty in the simple things, like old Barney television re runs. It was certainly a pleasure hearing the story of your niece and the courage she has given you. I think you passed on some of that courage to the rest of the class. =]
Overall, great job at putting your creative pieces together, and I am glad to know your confidence has grown.
Thanks for sharing this. Whenever I see the picture of your niece, I think of my brother. My brother is about the same age and it reminds me of hope in life.
Your simple and straightforwardness is professional. You did an awesome job at each of your works, simply because you spoke straight from the heart. That makes everthing extravagant and magnificent. So keep it up, and in IDC shall we re-unite!