Drawing

My intention in my body of work was to examine the burden of expectations experienced by teenagers, both those that are self-imposed and those that are enforced. It represents the quiet and reflective moments in which raw emotions surface and contemplation occurs. Through my experimenting with the tedious technique of stippling, I made tangible the profound intensity and pressure which defines the adolescent experience.

My body of work investigates how humans are both physically and mentally reactive to time's inevitable consequences for all living things, including its effect on our ability to remember visual images clearly. The four portraits represent ageing as a shared physical experience, with the development of wrinkles and blemishes. The scattered background works symbolise the pursuit of describing a memory: when trying to do so we are unable to recall an image clearly due to cognitive decline over time. Distorted photos convey this visual confusion and interference between memories.

My body of work explores the distortion of identity due to our hyper-fixation on personal appearance. Insecurities cause us to lose a sense of ourselves, of those who are close to us and our outlook on life. In my work the contortion and deformation of the face represent this struggling identity, uncomfortable in its own skin. The use of grayscale is intended to create a sense of overwhelming intensity, so the audience focuses on the fluctuating form which expresses my own experience of helplessness.

When you look in the mirror, who do you see? When I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin Lymphoma in 2021 I saw a stranger, a companion, an evolution of who I was before. My life was irrevocably changed, and although it felt like the end it was really the beginning of something new. Through the symbolism of my colourful wigs, my body of work represents time passing and my growing acceptance as I progressed through treatment, emerging stronger on the other side. Chiaroscuro lighting and fauvist colours convey my experience of self-expression and resilience in the face of adversity.

We build ourselves in different ways during different stages of our lives. As we build our identity, we rely on the strength and resilience formed at our starting point, just as buildings rely on their foundation layers. My body of work represents the different qualities that we require to push us forward. Further, each piece is drawn within a shape that conveys each concept: knowledge - in the shape of an octopus, inspired by their well-known intelligence; family - tree; social life - butterfly, social butterfly; physical activity - human heart; creativity - camera, exploring the variety of lenses we can see art through.

My body of work, Beyond the Lines, examines the intrinsic relationship between identity and experience in its most evident form, within older generations. I drew a pair of portraits representing each of my grandparents, contrasting their serious exteriority with their expressive inner selves to deliberately transcend the singularity of portraiture. The background consists of text taken from anecdotes, phrases and wisdom my grandparents have shared, conveying the transformative effect of these words upon us. My intention in exhibiting the stories we tell and everyday diction is to open the window to our truest selves.

In 2023 America introduced over 500 anti-trans Bills, further marginalising those who deserve a secure sense of identity and an accepted place in society. My body of work investigates the disconnect between body and mind, and how our internal perception can be misaligned from our outward appearance, manifesting in strong emotions of dysphoria or gender envy. My personal conflict between femininity and masculinity is represented by contrasting discomfort and euphoria, an experience common among trans individuals. Inspired by Renaissance frescoes, my work combines Pre-Raphaelite romanticism with Baroque lighting to express the heightened emotional states common to the trans experience.

My body of work explores the paradox of concealment and confession. The concept for the work is that concealment, under fabric, covers the subject's insecurities. Initially, the veil of fabric grants a confidence to be the subject. In the space of the work, the subject is represented as becoming comfortable enough to confess her form. My artmaking practice included composing reference photos, ensuring specific lighting to highlight all 3D components in order to represent insecurities. Additionally, the medium of scratch art complements my concept as each inerasable scratch holds a sense of finality, confessing my intentions and my subject's insecurities.

Blue-Collared represents a variety of standard working men. Using an average blue biro pen, which is used on a daily basis by many different workers, my intention was for the simplicity of the medium to allow the audience to empathise with the regular working class.

My body of work is a series of portraits that emphasises negative space, alluding to the notion of unknown identity. It examines the concept that not knowing someone can modify our perception of their appearance. I expressed this concept by asking strangers to allow me to draw them. I was also inspired by Picasso's view on incompletion in art: “To finish it means to be through with it … to rid it of its soul.” Using charcoal and pencil on paper panels, my intention is for L'Etranger to be like an 'identity puzzle' which the audience is left to resolve.