This Is Where I Am

Many years ago, while I was still in high school, I created a collage as part of my senior portfolio for my AP Art class. It was a massive amount of gesso and song lyrics and film noir oh-hum (this was high school so naturally I thought my favorite bands were the only ones who really understood me). I wrote the words "This Is Where I Am" in black sharpie right across the image. At the time I created it I didn't think much of it. It was just another piece of work to add to the collection:

When I came home from my mission (many years later) I took a darkroom photography class during my first semester back in school. For our final assignment we were supposed to take a self portrait that was not only an image of ourselves but was representational of who we considered ourselves to be. I printed my picture, dyed it in red kool-aid and gesso-transferred it onto a masonite board that I had spray painted gold. When I finished it I wrote "This Is Where I Am" on the back of it:

It was after I turned in this assignment that I considered the significance of that collage I had created during High School. I realized that that piece of work actually captured an incredibly hard transitional period in my life: I was overcoming some intense physical pain in my arm, I was making the great leap from high school to college. I was leaving my home for the unknown. That was where I was. The self portrait I did for my photo class also captures the essence of a hard transition in my life: I was going from a life that was very focused on serving others to one that was focused on myself. I was coming from a place where I felt the influence of the Savior in everything I said and did to a place where I suddenly had to try to find a way to fit Him into my everyday life. It was a time of reflection and (re)self-discovery.
This past week I decided to do another "This Is Where I Am" picture.
I have just completed the most difficult semester of my college career thus far. I got sick as often in the past 4 months as I usually do in the entire year. I have been stressed and upset and I had quite a few near breakdowns along the way. However, I also pushed myself harder this semester than I ever have before and I've improved immensely as an artist. I am deeply proud of the work I've produced. I've learned so much about myself and I've gained so much perspective on eternal principles (most especially on the nature and purpose of trails). Yes, things have been hard but look at all the good I have to show for it.
This is a large part of what's important to me.

This Is Where I Am: