When I was twelve years old, I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Depression and began taking medication soon after. As a child, I had always lived in fear, anxious of what could happen to me and how bad it could be. When I wasn’t living in this fear, I was living vicariously through my art. I have used my art as a creative and emotional outlet since I could pick up a pencil and put my thoughts into pictures. It has supported me endlessly throughout my darkest moments, my diagnosis being one of them. I not only create art because I enjoy it, but because I am able to truly express myself and learn how to live freely. My goal with my art is to be able to continue to create pieces and take advantage of the opportunities and growth that creating art has offered me. As a person, I want to be able to fully understand myself as well as express myself, beginning with self-expression in my artwork.

When I create art, my favorite topics and concepts very densely revolve around angels, monochromatism, patterns, and symbolism. A majority of my work pictures people and human-like figures over landscapes or other types, as I feel like I am able to depict the emotion I am trying to channel best through human faces. I have experience with acrylic, watercolor, oil pastels, graphite, and many other mediums, but I have an affinity for acrylic mediums. I try to tell a story with every piece I make, but I tend to keep details open and explorable so people can create their own meaning when they see my work. 

My current work still focuses on these elements, though I have been the most drawn to angels. I tend to stay in my comfort zone and focus on my favorite topics, but the piece I will be submitting strays away from a majority of these things. My piece, “Gift of Life,” pictures a slender woman holding what appears to be her own beating heart, letting herself feel the life that is escaping it, the life being the lavender butterflies. It is a simple piece, yet it holds much meaning to me as I created it in a state of frustration and stress, after having painted over my progress on the canvas over and over again due to dissatisfaction with my work. This piece came out of arduous labor and anger, yet I feel like it holds a very gentle demeanor. While its simplicity may be confused for a lack of effort, it is truly one of my most emotional pieces yet.