MY PROJECT
I chose to do my project on African jewelry and how it affects their culture. I decided to connect the culture with the research I constructed and I made a children's book about a mother and daughter. Since there are also non-profit companies that help women in Africa sell their jewelry across the world, I also made a website replicating one of these online shops. When I started my research I was infatuated with the meanings behind these pieces. From clay lip plates to beaded necklaces, I fell in love with the culture they strive to keep alive in their communities. Since this project had a topic of reasoning, I used the reasoning behind the jewelry to explain the meaning and importance of jewelry in their tribes.
History
For my History project I wanted to show my research in a different way. I received the suggestion of making a website that looks like an online shop for authentic African jewelry. I started making the website after my research was done so that I could create it based on what I learned. The website has pages explaining the History of African jewelry and mission of the companies helping them sell their jewelry. Then I connected each style of jewelry to the meaning behind it. Each style had at least one representation with it and an explanation to why the tribes made them. If you want to help out the amazing non-profit organizations you can click below!
Non-profit websites
Click below to view the website I created!
English
For my English portion I wanted to show my work in a way I've never tried before. When I started researching the jewelry, I discovered that it was more than just for show. Jewelry is passed down through the family and it brings people together. Every piece has a purpose and back round which is why I was so interested in this topic. When I was doing research on the different tribes that use jewelry in their community, I found the Maasai tribe from Kenya. This tribe used jewelry in a way I had never seen it before, so I decided to make a children's book about a mother explaining the history of the jewelry in the tribe to her daughter. Amahle, the main character, is a young African girl born out of the Maasai community. One day she is walking with her mother and started to wonder why she wasn't gifted the jewelry that her mother wore. The story shows the personal meaning behind the jewelry and what I've learned from their culture. The reasoning found in this book comes into play once the mother starts explaining to Amahle why she must wait. The sentimental meaning behind the colors of beads they string brings a perfect opportunity to show a lesson of patience. The book's link is below and its titled, "It Is Beautiful, but Why?".
Art
When I started brainstorming ideas for my art project, I was planning on making a sculpture and writing a page on the art of jewelry. I soon realized I didn't have the resources to successfully complete this idea so I decided to illustrate for my children's book. When I started sketching, I feared I didn't have enough reasoning behind the pieces, but when I started painting the abstract pieces for the end of the book I was so proud of my work. In the end of the book, Amahle's mother explained what every color means to their tribe and how they are interpreted. I decided the explain the reasoning behind the colors in the text and then take my ideas from the meaning and turn it into a piece. With about 16 paintings, all of them are watercolor and a few have pen outlines. I wanted the art to match the setting, culture, and reasoning. Below are just 6 paintings that stood out from the rest.