Art is an important part of my life; I get to describe life itself through my pieces by drawing from my interests. I’ve never really been one to describe what I feel or the emotions I convey when talking about myself with other people, whenever we have a “get to know me” on the first day of school. I’ve always been more confined about myself and towards my surroundings, and this got me thinking about why that was. I reflected upon myself and realized that it was because of what I was surrounded by, growing up. So I wanted to convey that feeling in my piece.

This artwork explores feelings of powerlessness, restraint, and control experienced during my childhood. Through this piece, I reflect on how being unable to speak or act freely as a child created a lasting sense of confinement that still influences who I am today. Additionally, symbolism plays a central role in communicating this meaning. Through the checkered board, it represents being used as a pawn, controlled by forces aside from myself. Tape symbolizes the inability to speak up- whether about my emotions, my circumstances, or the choices I was allowed to make. The toys in the background reference my childhood, contrasting innocence with restriction. The shift in color from dark on the outside to lighter tones toward the inside represents light being trapped by darkness, reflecting how I felt confined even when hope existed. The composition is shown in another person’s perspective to suggest an unseen presence, emphasizing how childhood experiences continue to influence who I am today.

For my current pieces I am trying to explore a more symbolic aspect referencing a renaissance painting. This piece specifically is important to me because I was able to showcase the sadness and loneliness I felt during my childhood on my own. Furthermore, when I was creating this piece I was going through a ton of emotions and memories that I felt I needed to tell someone, and the opportunity to express myself was an opening to new opportunities for artworks in the future.