Know Thy-Self Sophomore Yr.
Digital Collage: Two Sides of Me
Once upon a time, there was a little Hmong girl born in the U.S. and influenced by the American ways. While she grew up, her parents made sure she also learned and understand the origin of her ancestors and true culture. In short, that little girl is me. As a little girl I was brought up speaking Hmong. However being raised in America and being educated with my English comrades, my Hmong pronunciation began eliding. I had always thought being Hmong was a dull part of me and that being American and speaking English was the right, perfect, ideal way to go. Hmong had been my first language; now I speak as if it’s my second. I’m in my second year of high school and though I’m learning much knowledge, I feel pathetic to see me on the border of losing parts of my Hmong culture.
As said before, I am a sophomore at Ronald W. Reagan and beginning my first year in Art Club. To start off the year, the students of Art Club are required to create their own Digital Collage. Many of my classmates were in Art Club for their freshman year and already experienced the digital part of this assignment so it wasn’t as challenging. As for me and the current freshmen, using the Photoshop program was a difficult start. First of all, I struggle in technology and I was afraid this assignment was on our own. It was, but of course we were guided by our Art Club teacher who made it simpler, but not entirely easy. I first questioned, “How is making a digital collage art?” It appeared more like just editing, but when my Art Club instructor informed that not all art is on paper, I understood that in this generation, everything is art.
We first practice using the Photoshop on sample pictures to familiarize the tools. I knew of nothing to capture for my photo and tell why the picture was created as it was. At that moment, I wanted to give up. It took a few class periods to brainstorm and I finally had an idea of what I would do. I thought of what I miss most about myself, my culture, and language.
It’s frustrating when my family is speaking, and though I understand, I can’t really speak to express my opinion for them to comprehend. My speaking has become rusty. I’ve lost precious words and pronunciations, and for that I am ashamed.
The easy part was the picture selection. The first picture was the close-up of my face to represent how I currently look and the second picture was a younger version of me in my cultural clothes. The two pictures show how much of my culture was with me during my years, which appear more with the younger me. The photo of the tree and its reflection in the pond was taken from the Internet since I couldn’t take a good picture of a blossomed tree and happy surroundings.
The tree symbolizes my growth and the many seasons that went by. With Photoshop, I faded the younger me to emphasis how my culture is a bit faded from me, but not entirely gone. The way I chopped little patterns into my digital collage was to demonstrate how choppy my Hmong dialect is spoken now. As for the photo of me currently, I wanted to show that I’m not that different from when I was young and that with the right amount of dedication I can recollect knowledge of my culture that I’ve lost.
With every piece of art there are difficulties, feelings of being satisfied or giving up, but I’ve learned that if I put in my best efforts I can create art. I’ve created art by putting who I am into a digital collage. I struggled, I wanted to give up, but I kept going and completed a picture I would have never imagine making. This final piece is presented to others as a mini message: Do not be ashamed of who you are.
Once upon a time, there was a little Hmong girl born in the U.S. and influenced by the American ways. While she grew up, her parents made sure she also learned and understand the origin of her ancestors and true culture. In short, that little girl is me. As a little girl I was brought up speaking Hmong. However being raised in America and being educated with my English comrades, my Hmong pronunciation began eliding. I had always thought being Hmong was a dull part of me and that being American and speaking English was the right, perfect, ideal way to go. Hmong had been my first language; now I speak as if it’s my second. I’m in my second year of high school and though I’m learning much knowledge, I feel pathetic to see me on the border of losing parts of my Hmong culture.
As said before, I am a sophomore at Ronald W. Reagan and beginning my first year in Art Club. To start off the year, the students of Art Club are required to create their own Digital Collage. Many of my classmates were in Art Club for their freshman year and already experienced the digital part of this assignment so it wasn’t as challenging. As for me and the current freshmen, using the Photoshop program was a difficult start. First of all, I struggle in technology and I was afraid this assignment was on our own. It was, but of course we were guided by our Art Club teacher who made it simpler, but not entirely easy. I first questioned, “How is making a digital collage art?” It appeared more like just editing, but when my Art Club instructor informed that not all art is on paper, I understood that in this generation, everything is art.
We first practice using the Photoshop on sample pictures to familiarize the tools. I knew of nothing to capture for my photo and tell why the picture was created as it was. At that moment, I wanted to give up. It took a few class periods to brainstorm and I finally had an idea of what I would do. I thought of what I miss most about myself, my culture, and language.
It’s frustrating when my family is speaking, and though I understand, I can’t really speak to express my opinion for them to comprehend. My speaking has become rusty. I’ve lost precious words and pronunciations, and for that I am ashamed.
The easy part was the picture selection. The first picture was the close-up of my face to represent how I currently look and the second picture was a younger version of me in my cultural clothes. The two pictures show how much of my culture was with me during my years, which appear more with the younger me. The photo of the tree and its reflection in the pond was taken from the Internet since I couldn’t take a good picture of a blossomed tree and happy surroundings.
The tree symbolizes my growth and the many seasons that went by. With Photoshop, I faded the younger me to emphasis how my culture is a bit faded from me, but not entirely gone. The way I chopped little patterns into my digital collage was to demonstrate how choppy my Hmong dialect is spoken now. As for the photo of me currently, I wanted to show that I’m not that different from when I was young and that with the right amount of dedication I can recollect knowledge of my culture that I’ve lost.
With every piece of art there are difficulties, feelings of being satisfied or giving up, but I’ve learned that if I put in my best efforts I can create art. I’ve created art by putting who I am into a digital collage. I struggled, I wanted to give up, but I kept going and completed a picture I would have never imagine making. This final piece is presented to others as a mini message: Do not be ashamed of who you are.