Scholastic Art Portfolio 2 - Storytelling

Here is my second Scholastic Art Portfolio. This portfolio focuses on my photography/film making and how I combined my work for storytelling. I will be posting my individual entries that received awards later this week as well.

I have many new garments and photo shoots that I worked on over Christmas break. I'll be posting them once my last college application is finished. This is my last week of deadlines for colleges and then I'll be able to take a break. It feels like I've been working and talking about them non-stop since December, and I definitely can't wait to take a breather!

Art Portfolio 2:

Category 1. Where I don't Feel Alone - film making

Where I don't Feel Alone from Esther Boller on Vimeo.

Category 2. Dreams Are Sails - film making

Dreams Are Sails from Esther Boller on Vimeo.

Category 3. Bedtime in the Forrest - Photography

Category 4. The Life of A Sailor - Photography

Category 5. In Search of Neverland - Photography

Category 6. Freezing Silence - Photography

Category 7. My Own Set Of Wings - Photography

Category 8. Baby You Can Drive My Car - Photography

Artist Statement:

I take the process of using fashion design, photography, and film making to tell narratives that are either imaginary or derive from my own personal experiences and memories. At the heart of each piece is a personal story. I take the grief, hardships, and pain that I have gone through, and I try to turn them into works that people can relate to. It is my desire to address the grief and pain that I’ve experienced, but at the same time I don’t want that to be the focus of my work. I want people to step away and feel a sense of renewed hope, not remembrance of their own suffering.

Almost all of my works are self-portraits, and because of this each image and story is very personal. I use self-portraits much like a visual diary. Diaries capture the written words explaining a memory, but I use photography and film making to capture visual memories and emotions. A lot of my pieces are inspired by childhood imaginations and playing pretend. One of my brothers, before he died, was diagnosed with Schizoaffective Disorder. The mental illness caused psychotic episodes, and during those times I had to grow up faster than I would’ve liked. I don’t regret any of the experiences and hardships that I’ve gone through, because they have helped shape who I am today, but sometimes through my artwork I like to create imaginary adventures of childhood that I feel I have missed.

I also work a lot with fashion design as well. Clothing and costume design is such a big part of both of these areas of my art. Clothing has the ability to completely transform an image or a movie into a different place in time. It helps enhance a certain mood that I try to portray and capture through an image; and I use clothing that I design and make to transform myself into different characters.

One of my sources of inspiration is characters from movies and books. I love to watch movies and think up continuing outfits for a character once the movie is over. I’ll think of a character and what they would wear next if placed in a different era of time or a changed environment. For instance, what would Luna Lovegood (a character from Harry Potter) be wearing if she was living in the West during the 1900s and then went on vacation to the East Coast to visit friends. I think of how her wardrobe would change depending on whom she was with and where she was going. While I’m making clothing for photo shoots, I’m also thinking of my surroundings; how I can use design and colors in my garments to mimic the mood that my environment creates.

My work is so interconnected that I don’t distinguish a line between fashion design and film making. They all work together cohesively to tell an imaginary or personal story. The pieces I chose for this collection best show my work as a whole; how I use fashion design and sewing craftsmanship, photography and film making for storytelling. I hope that people are able to connect with my work and relate it to their own personal situations and give them a sense of renewed hope for life.

Creating stories through fashion design and imagery is my love and passion. When I get an idea it’s something that stays in my head until I get it out by creating it. I love the entire process that goes into creating each story and work of art; and I know that this passion will continue for the rest of my life.