![user profile avatar](https://static.bold.org/profilePictures/7147864905152913c15b245441ba2a30bd87f2ac6393ce3987b51c14d459ae6b1b86f4a973b.webp)
Hobbies and interests
National Honor Society (NHS)
Crafting
Painting and Studio Art
Sarah Gunn
325
Bold Points1x
Finalist1x
Winner![user profile avatar](https://static.bold.org/profilePictures/7147864905152913c15b245441ba2a30bd87f2ac6393ce3987b51c14d459ae6b1b86f4a973b.webp)
Sarah Gunn
325
Bold Points1x
Finalist1x
WinnerBio
Hello, I am Sarah Gunn from Lakeland, Florida. I have been actively pursuing an education in visual arts. Life since a child has been unexpected. My mother's death and my dad's absence left me feeling alone, but art became my creative outlet to express my emotions. As an eighteen-year-old sharing these personal and intimate hardships in my artwork is still challenging for me. I have overcome staying silent to hopefully inspire other people to do the same. Without this pain, I would have never become the artist I am today, not only maturing with my art skills but also as a person. Continuing my art education in college is one of the many steps for me becoming a fine artist!
Education
Harrison Center for Visual and Performing Arts
High SchoolMiscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Master's degree program
Majors of interest:
- Fine and Studio Arts
Career
Dream career field:
Arts
Dream career goals:
Catherine (Kay) Williams Memorial Arts Scholarship
WinnerMemories are timeless and personal and need to be honored. I have focused on intimate memories through emotional paintings. The tragedy of losing a loved one is sad, but I want to embrace the memories spent and look at death as one's celebration of life. Through my process, I explore allusive mark-making, colors, and textures that represent how I usually perceive depressing obstacles. I juxtapose these materials into a memorial of all the good times that have lasted in my memory. With the loss of loved ones in my life. I want the viewer to acknowledge grieving is a healing process. Through the creative power of personal expression, I can acknowledge loss through the celebration of memories and life itself.
In this piece titled “ Mourning Print,” I was inspired to make a piece after the death of my guinea pig Espresso. After she died I was only left with the items that represented her while she was living. One of the items was a mould of her feet. So, I decided I wanted to make a painting to honor our bond together. The paw prints in the background were made by using the mould of her feet. I wanted to represent her, but not explicitly. Using a 3-D element in my piece was the route I decided on. No matter what, the memories we spent together are eternal. I will never forget the impact she made on my life.
The central figure is me. Previously, this painting was left in my closet. I never had a true intent to finish it. It was nothing more than a simple self-portrait. After an epiphany, I was finally able to continue the once-discarded piece. The piece once represented me before the death of my guinea pig, but now continuing it represents my emotions after her passing. With this new narrative, I was able to complete my piece to honor the timeless memories I and my guinea pig shared.
However, the piece was difficult to start. Reminiscing on the past is not easy, especially after making this piece so soon after her death. Although initially it was a struggle I was able to overcome myself only focusing on the unfortunate aspects of death, but instead I came to memorialize the good memories spent together. Though she was a guinea pig I want the viewer to understand the death of a pet is still an impacting death. It will never easy losing something, especially a pet.