Warrior
Nolan C.
Oil
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Being AAPI, I wanted to explore my heritage and I wanted to go large scale, almost life-size. My mother became my first live model and I wanted to represent strength in an important figure in my family - and importantly to represent my community, especially with recent issues like hate crimes. She is surrounded by a soft, interior light that almost glows. But I also wanted to display strength and grit. I looked at blending Chinese, Mongolian and matador warrior details on her shoulder to reflect ancestry and honor. But I wanted her clothing and presence to be modern. Painting this piece gave me a lot of time to reflect on my family’s journey. Despite so much sacrifice and challenge, there is a lot of value and pride and I wanted this painting to explore themes which should not go unnoticed.
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I ride the 24 to school and I see so much life in the street. When I paint, I get to take apart the puzzle piece of my week and put it back together. It’s seeing what hasn’t been seen, that’s the most inspiring and fun in my creative process.
