I wish to start with a proclamation that the arts are the most imperative thing to my survival. I see art in all; I have become completely and irrevocably infatuated with the creative mind and the process and exercise of putting my creative vision into my reality. I have a deep and sincere relationship with the expression of care through my art. I use color, shape and form to display love for my subject matter. This relationship allows me to display my personal feelings about my subject onto my medium. What I create aptly illustrates my feelings about the world, even in a minute manner. I want to see beauty and eccentricity in all. In my experience in working art-related jobs, I have enjoyed influencing my community through acts of kindness and empathy. In my Junior-Senior year of high school, I interned at a local ceramics studio, in which I was able to work with a community of other artists, ranging from 9 to 60 year olds. There was a palpable exchange of information, through tips or questions, that changed the way I thought about my art as void of any interference. I am a collection of the compassion felt around me and it greatly influences my modes of expression. At this time, I also sat at galleries. I saw how people enjoyed or experienced art, and how their faces lit up when they found a piece that called to them. Their expressions became a coveted piece of my creation, especially when I began to sell my work at First Fridays at my college. When an artwork comes to fruition and its message brings as much joy to others as it brought me during its creation, I am purely elated. I have committed myself to majoring in Illustration at my college, though I do not limit myself to working exclusively illustratively. I enjoy ceramics, oil painting, paper-craft and collage. To me, illustration is the best format to express narrative stories. In my future career, I plan to produce graphic novels. Storytelling is incredibly important to me. My work will feature the same struggles I have now, navigating maturing in a hostile world, self-discovery, and creating community and family in which one is able to express themselves without the fear of dismissal or shame. Stories like these helped me learn how to carry on when my life felt like it was better left unlived. Knowing how it feels to be sidelined allows me to share how to create a space where your presence is quintessential and valuable. I want to influence others the way others influenced me.

I wish to start with a proclamation that the arts are the most imperative thing to my survival. I see art in all; I have become completely and irrevocably infatuated with the creative mind and the process and exercise of putting my creative vision into my reality. I have a deep and sincere relationship with the expression of care through my art. I use color, shape and form to display love for my subject matter. This relationship allows me to display my personal feelings about my subject onto my medium. What I create aptly illustrates my feelings about the world, even in a minute manner. I want to see beauty and eccentricity in all. In my experience in working art-related jobs, I have enjoyed influencing my community through acts of kindness and empathy. In my Junior-Senior year of high school, I interned at a local ceramics studio, in which I was able to work with a community of other artists, ranging from 9 to 60 year olds. There was a palpable exchange of information, through tips or questions, that changed the way I thought about my art as void of any interference. I am a collection of the compassion felt around me and it greatly influences my modes of expression. At this time, I also sat at galleries. I saw how people enjoyed or experienced art, and how their faces lit up when they found a piece that called to them. Their expressions became a coveted piece of my creation, especially when I began to sell my work at First Fridays at my college. When an artwork comes to fruition and its message brings as much joy to others as it brought me during its creation, I am purely elated. I have committed myself to majoring in Illustration at my college, though I do not limit myself to working exclusively illustratively. I enjoy ceramics, oil painting, paper-craft and collage. To me, illustration is the best format to express narrative stories. In my future career, I plan to produce graphic novels. Storytelling is incredibly important to me. My work will feature the same struggles I have now, navigating maturing in a hostile world, self-discovery, and creating community and family in which one is able to express themselves without the fear of dismissal or shame. Stories like these helped me learn how to carry on when my life felt like it was better left unlived. Knowing how it feels to be sidelined allows me to share how to create a space where your presence is quintessential and valuable. I want to influence others the way others influenced me.