I made a trumpet to represent my two resilint people for our Resilience Cafe project and I will soon get a picture of it, but for now here is the art statement:
Jazz and Determination
My art piece represents the resilience of my mom, Peggy Newhouse, and Dizzy Gillespie, a famous jazz musician. The canvas used is a piece of wood cut out to be Gillespie’s signature trumpet. The reason it is tilted up is that one day, Dizzy left it lying on a chair, someone sat on it, and it bent. He blew in the horn, enjoyed the sound of it, and from then on, he had all of his trumpets custom made to be bent like this. The pictures on the quarter notes are that of my mom and of Dizzy Gillespie himself. Both her and Dizzy used their determination to accomplish their goals and become successful individuals.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Resilience Essay
Resilience Essay
Dizzy Gillespie and Peggy Newhouse
“Persistence pays big rewards.” –Peggy Newhouse. This quote stands true for both my wonderful mom, a hard working individual that I happen to be related to, and Dizzy Gillespie, a famous, innovative, and creative jazz musician. Gillespie’s music and how he came to make the music he did is an inspiration to all, and definitely inspired me. My mom is an inspiration every day, for not only is she a dedicated single mother, she is trying to find a job yet again.
A few years back, my mom was laid-off from a job she had worked at for 24 years with half a days notice. She was devastated and so was I, but she wasn’t down for long. She kept at it and tried to pick up our lives where they had left off by finding a new job. If the job she tried wasn’t right, she would move on to a new one, never giving up (she went through almost six jobs in about a year). While experiencing new work environments, she was mistreated by her opposite gender coworkers. She was paid a reasonable amount less than the men, while doing the same, if not more, amount of work. Still, she came out strong and fought for her rights and eventually was treated and paid the same as the men. Dizzy Gillespie also was discriminated against; being an African-American in the time period he was from.
“Bebop, rebop, bop!” –Dizzy Gillespie. He was a pioneer, an inventor, originator, whatever you call him; he founded one of the most popular types of jazz in his time: bebop. Dizzy Gillespie was an amazing trumpeter that played in various prominent swing artists, including Benny Carter and Charlie Barnet, but he wanted a new style of music. His response to the swing jazz he had been creating was to branch off and make a jazz with more upbeat rhythms and dissonant harmonies. His bandleader wanted him to stick to his roots, but instead, he played fanatical solos and put on a show for the audience. But Dizzy not only had to conquer discouragement, he had to deal with discrimination. He was only allowed to play in African-American only clubs, not allowing his sounds spread to a wider audience. Using his determination and resilience though, bebop became a hit and has lived on to influence a variety of jazz artists and their style. Not only has his life inspired musicians, but everyone else, too.
Both Dizzy and my mom inspire me to be a better person every day by teaching me to be an individual and to never give up. I am a musician myself, and Dizzy’s story helps me think of being myself when playing my instrument, and not to just play what everyone else does. My mom’s story has encouraged me so that whenever I am feeling down, I can think of her and be reminded that the problem will eventually be resolved and I shouldn’t worry. If I become successful, I would owe gratitude to people like my mom and Dizzy, for their legacies may (and probably will) affect mine.
I feel that it is important for me to use these people and people like them as role models. Continuing their legacies with honesty, hard work, persistence, and individuality, is a key to my legacy, for without these virtues, it would not be much of a legacy at all. I learned many life lessons from these two wonderful people, and for that, Peggy and Dizzy: thank you.
Dizzy Gillespie and Peggy Newhouse
“Persistence pays big rewards.” –Peggy Newhouse. This quote stands true for both my wonderful mom, a hard working individual that I happen to be related to, and Dizzy Gillespie, a famous, innovative, and creative jazz musician. Gillespie’s music and how he came to make the music he did is an inspiration to all, and definitely inspired me. My mom is an inspiration every day, for not only is she a dedicated single mother, she is trying to find a job yet again.
A few years back, my mom was laid-off from a job she had worked at for 24 years with half a days notice. She was devastated and so was I, but she wasn’t down for long. She kept at it and tried to pick up our lives where they had left off by finding a new job. If the job she tried wasn’t right, she would move on to a new one, never giving up (she went through almost six jobs in about a year). While experiencing new work environments, she was mistreated by her opposite gender coworkers. She was paid a reasonable amount less than the men, while doing the same, if not more, amount of work. Still, she came out strong and fought for her rights and eventually was treated and paid the same as the men. Dizzy Gillespie also was discriminated against; being an African-American in the time period he was from.
“Bebop, rebop, bop!” –Dizzy Gillespie. He was a pioneer, an inventor, originator, whatever you call him; he founded one of the most popular types of jazz in his time: bebop. Dizzy Gillespie was an amazing trumpeter that played in various prominent swing artists, including Benny Carter and Charlie Barnet, but he wanted a new style of music. His response to the swing jazz he had been creating was to branch off and make a jazz with more upbeat rhythms and dissonant harmonies. His bandleader wanted him to stick to his roots, but instead, he played fanatical solos and put on a show for the audience. But Dizzy not only had to conquer discouragement, he had to deal with discrimination. He was only allowed to play in African-American only clubs, not allowing his sounds spread to a wider audience. Using his determination and resilience though, bebop became a hit and has lived on to influence a variety of jazz artists and their style. Not only has his life inspired musicians, but everyone else, too.
Both Dizzy and my mom inspire me to be a better person every day by teaching me to be an individual and to never give up. I am a musician myself, and Dizzy’s story helps me think of being myself when playing my instrument, and not to just play what everyone else does. My mom’s story has encouraged me so that whenever I am feeling down, I can think of her and be reminded that the problem will eventually be resolved and I shouldn’t worry. If I become successful, I would owe gratitude to people like my mom and Dizzy, for their legacies may (and probably will) affect mine.
I feel that it is important for me to use these people and people like them as role models. Continuing their legacies with honesty, hard work, persistence, and individuality, is a key to my legacy, for without these virtues, it would not be much of a legacy at all. I learned many life lessons from these two wonderful people, and for that, Peggy and Dizzy: thank you.
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