Everwhere the Sun Shines
Priscilla Byrne
ENG-4U1
8 February 2013
Everywhere the Sun Shines
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
― Lao Tzu The sun stream in through the celling high windows of the art room, the natural light brightens the space and warms our skin. The pre-summer glow fills me with contentment as I listen to the art teacher explain our next project. “ Art history!” she says, enthusiasm filling her voice. “Is a way of expressing events from the past and bringing them to the surface of the present. You must all choose a historical monument or building and redraw it, either enlarging a specific section or reducing it to a smaller scale. Be sure to pay close attention to detail, what you think it would actually look like in real life!” Excitement builds inside of me, I start thinking of all the places I’ve wanted to visit and all the things I’ve wanted to see. The Colosseum comes to my mind right away. I’ve always dreamed of going to Rome and seeing the Colosseum in person! I find it so hard to believe that such horrific events could take place in such a beautiful setting. I begin drawing the circular shape of the outside perimeter, outlining the multiple windows along the exterior wall. My charcoal drawing pencil tilts as I shade in the areas where the sun illuminates the crack and crevasses. As I’m drawing I picture myself standing at the bottom of the entrance, snapping pictures and reaching out to touch the stonewall. I can only imagine the feeling of the jagged rock under my fingertips and the small pebbles crunching under my running shoes. I have just enough time to finish sketching in the steps approaching the opening gates before the final bell rings and interrupts my traveling daydream. As I stand on the approaching steps of the Colosseum, I think back to that day in art class. To that girl that thought her drawing made her feel alive. She had no idea how alive she would feel when she was actually standing in the exact
ENG-4U1
8 February 2013
Everywhere the Sun Shines
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
― Lao Tzu The sun stream in through the celling high windows of the art room, the natural light brightens the space and warms our skin. The pre-summer glow fills me with contentment as I listen to the art teacher explain our next project. “ Art history!” she says, enthusiasm filling her voice. “Is a way of expressing events from the past and bringing them to the surface of the present. You must all choose a historical monument or building and redraw it, either enlarging a specific section or reducing it to a smaller scale. Be sure to pay close attention to detail, what you think it would actually look like in real life!” Excitement builds inside of me, I start thinking of all the places I’ve wanted to visit and all the things I’ve wanted to see. The Colosseum comes to my mind right away. I’ve always dreamed of going to Rome and seeing the Colosseum in person! I find it so hard to believe that such horrific events could take place in such a beautiful setting. I begin drawing the circular shape of the outside perimeter, outlining the multiple windows along the exterior wall. My charcoal drawing pencil tilts as I shade in the areas where the sun illuminates the crack and crevasses. As I’m drawing I picture myself standing at the bottom of the entrance, snapping pictures and reaching out to touch the stonewall. I can only imagine the feeling of the jagged rock under my fingertips and the small pebbles crunching under my running shoes. I have just enough time to finish sketching in the steps approaching the opening gates before the final bell rings and interrupts my traveling daydream. As I stand on the approaching steps of the Colosseum, I think back to that day in art class. To that girl that thought her drawing made her feel alive. She had no idea how alive she would feel when she was actually standing in the exact