Senior Year

Art & Science of Ocularistry

I am training with my dad to become an Ocularist. Ocularists make artificial eyes or ocular prosthetics. Below are pictures of some of my work, the tools and equipment I use and a little bit of the process.

Here is the oven we use to heat the eyes after we clear them so that it "sets" up. Monopoly, molds, tin foil, monomer and a bunsen burner pictured here are all used.

This is a grinding wheel. On the left is High Shine and on the right is Tripoly, These are all used to polish the eyes.

This is where we set up the molds.

This is the interior side of an artificial eye I made.

Here is the posterior (and completed) eye.

Here is a box full of temporary eyes, grinding tools, and molds.

On the left is pumice and the right is grinding which is used for polishing and shaping the eyes.

Here are some eyes I painted and veined and the tools and paint I used to do so.

Yoga
I took yoga for my senior year. Here are some of my favorite poses.

Tree Pose

Side Plank

Locust

Lotus Position

Psychology

I really enjoyed my psychology class. All the tests and workbook assignments helped me learn more about myself. I also created a collage of showing those things most important to me. 

Women's Literature

After reading, evaluating and discussing  many books written by women I was asked to write an essay of personal reflection that included my future goals. 
You'll find it below. 

Me, Myself & I 

     My name is Ruthie Johnston, I am 18 years old, I live in two places, Chicago and Indiana, and I am a Ocularist in training, which means I am learning how to make artificial eyes.There are a lot of people in the world who have lost their eyes due to blindness, an accident, cancer or another illness and it is so nice to help them out. I’ve always wanted to help people in any way I can and becoming an Ocularist will help me achieve that goal. I have been working with my dad for about a year now and I can honestly say I am really

   enjoying it. It is a very interesting job that not many people have the opportunity to do. 

           My mom and my dad are my biggest supporters and definitely the people I look up to the most. Without them I don't know where I would be. 

My mom got diagnosed with cancer when I just turned 14, it changed my family's lives so much. I really thought I was going to grow up without my mom by my side, because I truly didn't know how bad or good her health was and I didn't know anything about cancer really. I didn't really need to know anything about cancer, I was 14. Most of that year has blended in with the past 4 years for me really. I remember my parents sitting us down explaining what was happening and I remember the first time they told us “prepare for the worst, hope for the best.” I remember the first time I saw my dad cry and I remember my horse backing riding trainer of 8 years coming up to me saying she was there if I needed her. I remember a lot of things. I especially remember being jealous of my older siblings because they got to spend more time with my mom then I did simply by just being that much older than me. I remember becoming very sad, and I remember my mom fighting for her life, for us. And she continues to fight. She is most definitely the strongest woman I know and I hope that one day I can be half the woman she is. She definitely pushes me to be the best that I can be so I think my chances are good.

It's the same with my dad. I don't know how I got so lucky. They showed me that taking the high road no matter what and being strong and confident was some of the most important things in life. They have taught me so much and I hope I make them proud.

My future scares me, but I am excited for it. I really want to travel the world. It would be great to have a life where I can brag to friends and family about my traveling, my work and just my life. I want to be happy.  

And on a broader spectrum, I want people to understand equal rights more and appreciate the seriousness and necessity of them. I also want people to be okay with LGBTQ+ people. I want the world to start saving the planet! And I really want peace as well for my future.  Somehow I want to be apart of those movements.

 I try to see greatest in all people. I try to lift people up rather than bring people down. I hate all of the hate that is in the world. If I could change anything on this earth it would be equality, no matter the color of your skin, no matter the gender you are, no matter what you believe in, we should all be equals. That’s what I want to change in this world. I am a Feminist and I see no shame in being one. And nobody should.

These are the things Ive experienced and learned about myself over the past four years. I hope I am fortunate enough to follow my dreams and live the life Ive thought so much about.