Jocelyn’s self portrait proved that emotions can define a person. Her use of poignant events from her life made me connect on a personal level. In recognizing these emotional connections, I could better understand who she was based on this vicarious experience. Our experiences in our lives define who we are- not in the events themselves but rather in the way we react to such events. Thus, the use of grief and sorrow and the strength that developed gave me a strong sense of who she is. Jocelyn expressed much of her pain through the loss of others. This, along with the heart that eventually ripped told me that she is very attached to others in her life. By mentioning other people in her self-portrait, she is possibly suggesting that others make her whole and fulfill her to some degree. Seeing Jocelyn’s progression from refusing to talk to opening up significantly showed her personal growth. The stages of her self-portrait was something I found to be similar to my own self-portrait. I started my self-portrait by cutting a figure out from a drawn image, then cut out the pieces of the puzzle that made up the face, then arranged the pieces back together to reconstruct the face. In doing so, I also strived to show progression.
The dismantlement of the face was my way of illustrating my introspection in knowing who I myself am. When I was contemplating how I should convey myself through a portrait, I could not help but acknowledge that in our modern day society, one cannot help but be influenced by mainstream ideas. Often, unconsciously, we see ourselves through lens constructed by mainstream media. Labels come up that may be irrelevant to identity, yet society may deem it to be so. Thus, my rearrangement of the puzzle pieces was my way of reflecting that my own sense of who I really am has been developing as I look past these external influences. My portrait differed from Jocelyn’s in that hers focused on life experience and the way it has shaped her, while mine focused on my current state of mind and how it reflects my inner psyche. Both, however, displayed a development that had a hopeful and positive ending.
~Prima (Blog B)
