Untitled
Throughout my life, art has always been the one passion that’s stuck with me the entire time. From when I was just starting preschool up until the present day, there hasn’t been a time where I haven’t been creating. The subjects of my work have naturally shifted as I’ve grown and changed as a person, from cartoonish animals to, most recently, realism and depictions of mental health.
The common thread through each of my following pieces was the theme of common collective experiences that teens might experience while struggling with their mental health. As someone who has experienced the (issues) depicted in each piece, I wanted to portray my own experiences but also use myself as a symbol to represent the experiences of the broader group of teenagers dealing with their mental health. I’ve sometimes felt as if my struggles didn’t matter or were inadequate compared to what others may have experienced, but I think it’s still important to bring awareness to and show concern to those who might be feeling a similar way, especially because the experiences and feelings I’ve depicted have been seen more and more commonly and as the norm in recent times.
The first piece depicts the frustration and overwhelm caused by the pressure of school, a feeling that I think many can relate to. In this piece, I utilized a motif of light and darkness to represent hope and despair respectively, particularly how one can easily fall into the “hole” of distress from school.
The second piece illustrates both the nostalgia of looking back at our childhoods and growing up, but also the frustration of having several years taken away from us during the pandemic. I felt as if years of my life had been missing after returning to a normal life after Covid, and those years had been crucial in developing “normally.” I’ve found myself wondering whether or not I’d have the same struggles with anxiety if the pandemic had not happened and I’d been able to experience these crucial years of growth.
The third piece represents a situation that many will find themselves in throughout their daily lives—putting up a facade to hide what’s really going on in their minds. I wanted to depict how many people, including myself, will attempt to hide their emotions and feelings, especially the more negative ones, behind a mask of false happiness, despite the strain it may put on them.
Finally, the fourth piece aims to display feelings of anxiety, and fear of judgement, especially in social situations and when around others. In particular, I wanted to depict the unease caused by the presence of others through the topdown view, as if they are lurking in the background just to judge.
I hope that when others look at my art, they can both understand my life and struggles a bit more than before, but also see themselves in the experiences I’ve depicted, and relate to and maybe even find comfort in recognizing their same struggles in a wider community.
