Declaration

Devotion can be defined as a profound dedication and an earnest attachment to a cause, person, or principle. Morrie Schwartz said that “So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.” Some people truly waste their lives devoting their time and effort to what they think is important, such as their job or a sport they play. On the other hand, many people choose to devote themselves to what they believe is far more meaningful, such as relationships and the community. No matter what they choose, however, people find something to which they devote all of their time and energy.

Therefore, I decided to create my concept folio based on the idea of devotion. It is a topic that can be expressed in a plethora of ways and a person can always find a way to relate to it. A person can be dedicated and devoted to their religion, relationships, work and school, and sports and hobbies. I chose devotion because I am personally devoted to many different things as are most people.

The Biglen Brothers Racing

His muscles flex as he pushes the oar down into the water. The red boat glides across the murky water, the trees but a mere green blur on the shore. Beads of sweat appear on his forehead as the shining sun looms overhead. There’s a slight pause, and with another push, the Biglen brothers are soaring across the water again.

The Biglen brothers had always worked well together. Today was especially a day to prove their teamwork skills. It was the day of the big boating race and the brothers had always been devoted to their sport. John was seated in the back, using his strength to drive the boat forward. Bill was in front, guiding the boat with each swift push of the oar. The silence and tension between the two brothers showed their deep concentration and even though they were not saying anything, it was clear that they were both silently reminding one another to stay focused and move forward. Suddenly, another team sailed by with great ease, as if their boat was an airplane with clouds as competition. At this moment, John, the younger of the two brothers, was reminded of the race the year before. He can still picture the look of disappointment on Bill’s face as they crossed the finish line merely seconds behind the winning team. He can still hear the frustration in Bill’s voice as he muttered under his breath, “We almost had them.” John couldn’t help but blame himself for their loss the year before and was determined to not let it happen again.

John began to dig his oar into the water and after a few more forceful pushes, John looked up and noticed that they were inching closer and closer to the only team ahead of them. Bill soon caught up to John’s pace and they were coasting through the water with the trees whizzing by, the cheers of the crowd distant on the shores. All of a sudden, the cheers grew louder and when Bill and John looked up, they realized why. The Biglen brothers had won the race.

Overloaded

The title of this painting is "Overloaded." It is a photographic print and it was painted by Jay Montgomery.

The painting shows a man sitting at his desk with his brow furrowed and a look of deep concentration and frustration on his face. He is the focal point of the image and is completely engrossed in his work yet still exhausted. He is surrounded by overwhelmingly tall leaning towers of papers, waiting to be addressed by him. The artist uses cool colors throughout the painting.The background is filled with dark shades of blue, gray, and black which sets a gloomy and dreary atmosphere. The proportion of the paper is slightly larger than normal so as to further add to the overwhelming situation. At first, the clock in the background is somewhat subtle, yet it lurks behind the stacks of paper to remind the man that time is still passing by. Overall, the artist easily sets the tone of the man's work environment and makes his point obvious to the viewer.

The man in the painting is a hard working and devoted employee. Despite the enormous amounts of work he has, he stays to complete whatever he can. Unfortunately, the man sacrifices spending time with his family. However, it is clear by the look on his face that the man struggles with whether he should spend more time working or with his family because he is clearly exhausted.

Spring Wedding Bride and Groom

This painting is called "Spring Wedding Bride and Groom." It is an oil painting and was painted by H Malott. He lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

This painting is a very simple portrayal of a wedding. As stated in the painting's title, the wedding takes place in the spring and this coincides with the light earth colors. The focal point is the bride and groom which emphasizes the fact that they were married. The purple hue in the sky and the flowers in the background of this still life also contribute to the spring atmosphere and the overall happy feeling of the painting.

Clearly, the two in this painting were just married. They look young so maybe they were childhood friends who decide to get married earlier in their adulthood. Even though the viewer cannot see any facial expressions, it is apparent that the couple is happy because they are linked arm in arm.

My Concept

Devotion can be defined as a profound dedication or consecration. I have decided to do my concept folio on devotion because a person can be devoted to many different things, whether it be a relationship, a sport, or work.