Digital Design Portfolio

Laura J McNeil

Links

Who am I?

I am a masters student in Art History at George Mason University. My undergraduate studies of the same vocation were completed at Virginia Tech. Between my undergraduate studies and my graduate work I spent six years living and working aboard cruise ships around the world. Sailing the world not only enriched my life but brought me face to face with some of the world's most incredible works of art.

Why create a Design Portfolio?

I am presently in my final semester of graduate studies and am taking this class on web design as one of my last course requirements for graduation. This is really my first introduction to the world of web design, and while I believe it will be a valuable skill to have, I am still riding the learning curve.

About my Final Project

Romaine Brooks (1874-1970) was a wealthy American expatriate and professional artist. Prior to her death she made a generous donation of twenty-three paintings and thirty-seven drawings to the National Collection. While her paintings have been shown in various exhibitions worldwide, her drawings have been archived preventing them from receiving the recognition I believe they deserve. The goal of my final project is to publically share a selection of Brooks' drawings in context with selections of her autobiographical material to increase awareness of Brooks' remarkable and very personal contribution to art history.

In researching I have made every effort to use images in the public domain, provide source documentation or secure the use of images and content displayed on this web site. This is often challenging particularly in the case of the unpublished autobiographical material from the National Archives. For more information on their holdings of Romaine Brooks portraits and drawings, please visit the sites below. Ultimately, this is a non-for profit site intended for educational use only. All of the written material is original work and meant to convey my interpretation of a select body of works. Please contact me with any concerns as to the use of images or written material on this web site.

Sites of Interest

Smithsonian American Art Museum

National Archives