Last school year was a turbulent experience for the students on our campus. Westmont was spared from any serious effects from the fire or the resulting mudslides, unlike the community around us. However, with several evacuations, two of which that were mandatory and extensive, we suffered unease, fear, and confusion.With this Sentinel project our class wanted to cheerfully welcome the students returning to campus this fall.
Our group attempted to create a piece that evoked a feeling of whimsy and welcoming. Fish is meant to convey community, upward motion, and hope. I felt that while there were several ways to create a cheerful and playful inflatable, the symbolism of these fish offer meaning that is close to my heart. The school of fish that swims together is meant to remind the student body that beauty and growth comes when we come together and seek that which is above, namely our God.
After some sketching, we started to trace the inflatable’s general shape onto white plastic table clothes. We cut out two identical lines of fish shapes, connected from the fins to the mouth, and melted them together with the iron, using the seam to create fins. If we had made the fish bigger, we may have been able to turn the inflatable inside out, which would help hide the seams, but the seams themselves do have a certain charm to them, especially with the fins we could create with them. After stringing the fish line onto a loosely coiled wire, our group attached the apparatus to the ceiling as well as the fan. We attempted to use clear tape to suspend it, but it would not hold up the weight, so we used black duct tape. There are strips of teal plastic in varying length to allude to ocean water and the light that shines through it. The string of fish and the streamers are suspended from the ceiling in front of the elevator. The instilation partially blocks the elevator buttons, which forces those who use the elevator to interact with the piece. The placement in front of the elevator, paired with the upward spiraling motion of the fish, conjures up images of the fish swimming up to the next level, growth and improvement as a perpetual possibility.
I admit the craftsmanship was not all it could be, and I wish I could go back and make different choices. While the edges of the teal plastic may be jagged, and the black tape may be a stark contrast to the white and teal plastic, I am pleased with the piece that we created. If we had the opportunity to do it again, I am sure there are many ways we could improve it. However, I think that even through its jagged exterior, the message is still conveyed. Though we have, collectively and individually, experienced various trials, swimming upstream is always better with company.
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