Journal 8 Stephanie

 Between the two profiles of Storm Reyes and Olga Ayala, they both came to learn their passions through difficulty. Storm grew up not having the ability to have the best education and did not have the ability to read. Until one day he saw the bookmobile where he then began to love books and learned as much as he could from them. Olga grew up in the traditional Puerto Rican family of the husband going to o work while the wife stayed at home and raised the kids. Therefore, Olga’s mother who had a talent in drawing and art couldn’t peruse it. Until one day Olga saw her mothers drawing of Mickey Mouse and therefore it all began where she found her passion.

Between these profiles there was also a major contrast. Storm grew up in a very abusive household. His parents were alcoholics and would beat and neglect him daily. He was a kid who did not have a dream other than filling his hunger everyday. “You don’t dream. You don’t hope” (Isay 40). Olga on the other hand grew up in a loving supportive family. Even when she grew up getting in trouble at school for drawing instead of doing lessons her parents just insisted that they had to buy more paper for her to continue. Even at the end of her profile, she says her mother even paid for her artwork instead of just having it handed to her because she wanted to support her.

Growing up I was like Olga. Instead of doing lessons I would draw 24/7. My parents on the other hand were not very happy about my decisions on that though. Drawing was something that relieved stress and just doodling helped a lot for some reason. You just get trapped in your own mind and drawing for me let me get that image out and let me loose from my own thoughts.

This is one of my drawings I did for one of my friends who wanted a nightmare before Christmas tattoo. I was honored to design it for them and now they have it on their shoulder going to their forearm. It took a lot of hours and time to try and get the sizes correct to be put on the body.