Artist Statement
Who I Am
Everyone has their own story of how they became the person they are today. Sometimes it starts with growing up in an eccentric family or growing up in a secluded one. We make friends that we connect to immediately or we happen to find someone different that we didn’t expect to have that connection with. From the hard-to-think-about experiences, bittersweet experiences, and experiences that make your heart warm, they all contribute to shaping the person you are today. Beliefs, culture, it’s a whirlwind of happenings. The theme of my illustrated series is gratitude. As my illustration journey at school comes to an end, (perhaps for now) I want to dedicate this work to the people and experiences that brought me to where I am today. These people helped shape me and my creativity. It has been said before that “a picture says a thousand words,” and this rang true to me in this case. Words cannot describe my thankfulness to everyone that helped me in my illustration journey, so I decided to paint the picture. I understand that I come from a place of privilege, and not everyone’s experiences are the same or even similar to mine. However, my goal and wish is for people to see how my life, my own “whirlwind of happenings” has shaped me, and to then reflect on their own life. Who did you connect with? How did you deal with certain situations and how do these contribute to your own identity? They can be remembered by a small kind gesture that someone has done for you that influenced you to do the same to others. Or perhaps an experience you went through that pushed you out of your comfort zone which in turn allowed you to feel accomplished or help you realize how brave you can really be. Imparting even a small sense of gratitude would fulfill my goal if my viewers have reflected fondly on anything that shaped who they are today. I hope through my illustrations of my family and friends, that many will come to enjoy and walk away with something to reflect on.