Teacher Name: Phyllis Burstein
Grade: 12
Materials: Paper, Charcoal
Dimensions: 12” × 12”
Description: With the experimental nature of my approach, I tried to display the chaos of the scene through jumbled sketches I often draw, laying them in a centered but loose pattern. The title, King’s Domain, is a reference to the sanctuary of my home, finding total control and freedom within it. I am usually not outspoken, as my communicative disorders affect my ability to process and socialize in a prosocial manner. The show of personal intimacy of being alone is portrayed as rising catharsis in shape, whilst remaining rough and visceral in line and color.
Artist Statement: My work was made to express the anxieties of my environment and identative paranoia. Each piece is a self-portrait of personal experiences I have journeyed both alone and with family members through my discovery and navigation of my social anxiety diagnoses. Most of my art begins with asking myself how my anxieties are affecting me at that very moment, basically asking myself “what am I feeling right now?” I draft thumbnail sketches of my ideas to map out how I want to portray my feelings and thoughts in displayed form, taking into consideration the subject(s), colors, shapes, and the meaning of my message. Because I think in a mode of visual interpretations, my goal was to actualize my thoughts optically while encapsulating my feelings using different types of art methods without losing my personal artistic touch. When I chose the design for these particular pieces, I decided I wanted to experiment outside of my artistic comfort zone by incorporating aspects that I do not normally use to construct my artwork, such as collages, patterning rough line work, and playing with framing. Art gives me the courage and freedom to portray my true perspective in a medium that allows me to communicate in a more accessible, relatable, and passionate manner. I have come to realize the difficulty in expressing personal deep-rooted issues is easier for me when expressed through my art, especially the work I am presenting here after finally growing the confidence to share my vulnerabilities.
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