2021 Submissions
Self Portrait
A colorful and vibrant representation of me! Made with acrylic paint on canvas.
A Stupidly Absurd Walk
An ambiguous duo, Sam and Max, walk in the woods and come across a troll, who in standard troll fashion, blocks their path. Incredibly critical, the two friends berate the troll for an absence of creativity, which upsets and angers the troll. Emotionally wounded, the troll shoos them away.
Vines
The painting can be interpreted in any way that seems fit, but it was made with the intent of expressing the feeling of being held back by something or someone. The subject is glowing with life and the background reflects that. The vines are meant to juxtapose that, as they are meant to be connected with the feeling of suffocating (metaphorically). The vines can represent a person, an obstacle, an emotion, etc. Despite the vines being a negative force, a fragile balance is established between the subject and the vines that confine her. The vines could be interpreted as something that keeps her grounded, a challenge, that once overcome will lead to incredible growth, or something else entirely.
Medium: gouache paint on watercolor paper.
Dimensions: 18 by 24
Stuck Inside
Stuck Inside is a comedic mockumentary about an unemployed waitress and a hard working lawyer battling the ups and downs of quarantine from the comforts of their home. Sabrina is a former waitress who got laid off at the start of quarantine. She struggles to find a new job in the new climate and faces unemployment. She is forced to find new ways to spend her time and cope with the social isolation. Elle struggles with her fear of the virus, and tries to keep extroverted Sabrina from putting them at risk. This mockumentary is a great showcase of the economic and mental health struggles people have had to battle during the pandemic that is very relatable to many.
In the Shadows
The shadows and placing capture one's attention, the way my sister and palm tree are on one side of the photograph and the shadows on the other.
Surrender
To me, the painting represents an individual taking back their power from someone else, something, or from herself (her mind, her doubts, her fears, etc). The lighting and dark background shows that she has this enlightened power, but her expression shows that her power is still a little unstable. The painting was inspired by the song Surrender by Jhene Aiko featuring Dr. Chill.
Medium: Acrylic Paint and gel pen on claybord
Dimensions: Approx. 11 by 14
Submerged
I took this photo on a long walk after rain during quarantine. I find the complexity of leaves, combined with their fragility, a really interesting subject for photography. This leaf—almost completely submerged in water, but with one tip still in the air—creates both visual contrast, and a possible connection to our current circumstances. The leaf could represent us. What with the pandemic, racial injustices exhibited throughout our society, and the climate crisis, it can feel we are drowning slowly in hopelessly dark waters. But the one tip of the leaf still above the waterline, able to breathe, represents the hope that we can get through it all.
Red
This photo explores the theme of opposites. You have the contrast of nature and technology, represented by the leaves and the car. You have the contrast of old and new, represented by the shiny body of the car vs its fading and scratched wheels, and you have many contrasting shapes: the nautilus shape of the wheel well, the circle of the wheel, and many intersecting vertical and horizontal lines both on the car body, and in the diagonal scattering of the leaves on the wet pavement.
Footprints in the Sand 1
Footprints in the Sand is a small group of photographs that talk about our imprint on the ocean and the beaches. The beach is a safe haven for me and I want to protect the beaches so other people later on can have the same experiences as me. I hope that these photographs help people see how easily the land is influenced by our imprint on the environment.
Dance kaleidoscope
I chose this photo because it’s calming with the sunset, graceful leap, calm waves, and calm colors. I think it also looks cool with the editing because it looks like a kaleidoscope.
A peek into my world
I show my corner, the corner where I do my thinking, create my ideas, where my journeys begin. I show that you don't need an over the moon area to be able to do things.
