My Work
My sustained investigation explores my experience with dissociation and how it has effected my perception of reality and my relationship with my body. A common theme throughout my pieces is a colorful color scheme in contrast to the grayscale of graphite. I'm drawn to this contrast, one because I believe it's makes my pieces more interesting for the viewer, and it's a metaphor for the disconnect I feel towards my body.
Dripping in Gold - 11" x 14" This piece is a self portrait and is about how I view myself vs how others view me. The most important detail of this drawing is the covering over the eyes. I included this to allude to the saying "the eyes are the windows to the soul." Since eyes are such a recognizable feature, I decided to cover mine to represent the disconnect I feel towards my body. Additionally, the use of yellows and oranges in the background was a very purposeful decision. One, they are some of my favorite colors, and two, the dictionary scrapes in the background are all relate to gold and god. Both of these factors influenced me my color scheme. Mediums: graphite, acrylic paint, water color, pen, scrapbook pages |
How to Quantify a Human Soul - 12" x 9"
This piece was heavily inspired by my philosophy class, especially since at the time we were learning about ontology; a branch of philosophy that explores the classification and explanation of entities. This piece is my interpretation of what a human soul would look like. The color scheme was purposely warm toned to make the piece feel more alive, almost as if it's radiating heat. Mediums: colored pencils, acrylic paint |
Distorted Vision - 12" x 15.5"
This drawing is about having a distorted perception of reality and as well as your own self image. This drawing heavily relies on contrast; contrast between the blue and the orange as well as contrast between the color and gray scale. From the beginning of my sustained investigation, I knew I wanted have a piece including glasses filled with water. I wanted to challenge myself by drawing the interesting ways the water refracts and distorts the image. Mediums: graphite, colored pencils, alcohol markers |
The Forest - 5.5" x 8.5"
This painting is meant to represent how dissociation can effect one's perception of reality and the outside world. The color scheme and the shadow figure reflect the unsettling feeling that can arise due to disassociation. The scene feels wrong and out of place, yet the nature is still realistic retaining it's substance. I really love the overall aesthetic of this painting, and I'm very proud of my use of color. Mediums: gouache paint |
Ghostly Imprints - 10" x 18.5"
This drawing is about feeling trapped and followed by past memories and the person you used to be. The ghostly outline is watching who I am now as I look away, not wanting to acknowledge or think about it. I’m extremely proud of the perspective and texture in this drawing. Another detail I really love is the shape of the ghostly figure. The lines were purposely designed to resemble a fingerprint to relate to identity and as if it is an “imprint” of the past.
Mediums: colored pencil, white gel paint
This drawing is about feeling trapped and followed by past memories and the person you used to be. The ghostly outline is watching who I am now as I look away, not wanting to acknowledge or think about it. I’m extremely proud of the perspective and texture in this drawing. Another detail I really love is the shape of the ghostly figure. The lines were purposely designed to resemble a fingerprint to relate to identity and as if it is an “imprint” of the past.
Mediums: colored pencil, white gel paint
Spliced - 6.5" x 9.5"
This drawing is about having a skewed self image. The stripes represent the fractured and incomplete feeling that comes with dissociation. The silver background as well as the strips are a homage to the idea of a fractured mirror. Mediums: alcohol markers, colored pencils, silver paint. |
Distorted Memories - 13" x 8"
This drawing is about feeling disconnected from your memories and the person you used to be, yet simultaneously, idolizing the idea of childhood. I’m very proud of this drawing, it’s a great representation of my technical skills, it’s aesthetically pleasing, and the reference photo I used has sentimental value. This is my favorite piece from my whole sustained investigation. Mediums: colored pencils |
Childhood - 7" x 10"
This project is a representation of my childhood, the drawing of me is a rather obvious detail, but the colors in the background were purposely chosen to represent the innocence of a little girl. The pastels are soft colors and remind me of the feeling of being a kid without a care in the world. I wanted to try and capture that feeling within the colors and the composition of the background. I had a lot of fun with this drawing, especially while painting the background. While I’m very talented at realism, I find abstract painting more fun and freeing, which is exactly what this painting is attempting to capture, the fun of childhood. Mediums: graphite, gouache, acrylic paint, pens |
Eyes are the Windows to the Soul - 7" by 9"
This piece was created in relation to 'Dripping in Gold.' The beginning and end of my sustained investigation. These two pieces show my technical improvement over the year, while also being inverse of each other. One geometric, warm-toned, and lacking eyes. One organic, cool-toned, and having an excess of eyes. Mediums: graphite, colored pencils |