I feel the most creative when I’m facing challenges. There are moments in life when joy feels distant, and art becomes the way I reconnect with life—it’s how I see and feel the world. As a child, I never imagined pursuing a career in art. There was no artistic influence in my family, and for generations, no one ever picked up a paintbrush. My mother worked in a factory, and I spent most of my time there helping her organize goods, doing homework, or drawing monsters on scraps of cardboard. I would cut them out and play with them like they were my friends. Some of my most vivid memories are of hiding among the shelves, waiting for my mom to finish work—until sleep finally took over, curled up on cardboard boxes. Being alone for long hours, I found comfort in my drawings. The pencil in my hand became my best friend. Drawing was like reading or watching a movie—through my sketches, I lived fragments of other lives, even when the world around me felt small. But right before middle school, my world shifted. My parents divorced, and soon after, I was diagnosed with leukemia. That time was tough, both physically and emotionally. Maybe going through so much at an early age made me grow up a little faster. I started to think about life more deeply and realized that resisting emptiness isn’t just about learning facts—it’s also about having the ability to feel the world fully. For me, art is how I feel the world. I want to tell meaningful stories that show people that even in difficult times, there’s strength to be found. That’s why I chose animation—it gives me the freedom to create stories that carry my thoughts and experiences to others. Many people ask, “What is the use of art?” especially in an age where AI-generated art is flooding the market. However, for me, art is a sanctuary in this indifferent society. More specifically, the driving force behind my creativity stems not only from my own experiences but also from my dissatisfaction with the world. I often feel frustrated by how people seem perpetually downcast, immersed in superficial entertainment, while the brilliance of humanity slowly fades away. To me, the essence of creating art is to convey beauty. A creator is like a teacher, aimed at inspiring others. The emotions my work evokes are the viewers’ own interpretations, but I always approach my creations with the intention of spreading beauty. To achieve my dream, I spent an entire year applying to my dream school, CalArts, and I was overjoyed when I got in. But even though I worked part-time and sold artwork, and with my mom helping as much as she could, I’ve barely saved enough to cover tuition. Receiving this scholarship would make a huge difference in my life—it would let me focus more on creating art instead of worrying about finances. I’ve included a hand-drawn animation from my portfolio, an experimental piece that tells the story of my experience with leukemia. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_R1KmGR3dw/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==