2021 Student Art Show Artists’ Statements

Glitches Into Reality
by Julia Glassman

During the pandemic artwork was an escape from the harsh reality of what was going on. It was something for me to do that allowed for me to personally be focused on something else other than trying to adapt to the new way of living. The pandemic allowed me to also spend more time on photography and take the time to photograph things I had always wanted to. Taking photographs was something that made me feel like I was back to normal and able to do things without worrying about the pandemic. It gave me a chance to do something that I loved doing, the way I love doing it. I want others to interpret my art in their own way while being guided from the theme given off in the image. This is one thing I love about art, it is viewed differently by everyone and every image can be seen through a different perspective.

Solitude is Bliss
by Mainur Yermakova

Amidst the devastation that pandemic brought into our lives, I find solace in self-expression. I just sit down having no clear idea as where I want to go, and then I begin drifting away. I go outside and drift away even further, capturing what I see and altering it in a way that reveals the world through the lenses of my very own. Enduring lockdown, many if not all of us have experienced a feeling of profound disconnect–disconnect from others, from our daily routine, and things that we are used to identify with–which eventually comes down to a feeling of estrangement from oneself. Through expressing how I personally process the current events, I hope to rebuild the said connection with others and, subsequently, myself. I am able to appreciate what truly makes us human–feelings of grief and sorrow, subtle moments of melancholy, elusive sensations of joy and pleasure–and share it with others in hopes to evoke the same appreciation in more people that would carry them through this pandemic.

Masked Halloween
by Mia Brown

During the pandemic, there was a drastic shift in the type of artwork I made. Usually, as a photographer, I would take picture and document the places I have been, and try to bring the feeling into my art. However, with COVID, I had to change almost everything about how I made art. Instead of going somewhere out in public and simply taking pictures, I had to create my own sets, and use common household items as subjects in my photos. Although it was a hard shift, I believe that it has actually made me a better photographer and artist, by still wanting to create art, and having to use more creative means to do so in order to override the limitations during the pandemic. For me, my art work is a reminder that even in times where we are extremely limited, or feel trapped in some capacity, that there is still always a way to express yourself. Art does not need to have a crowd of people or a beautiful landscape. The great thing about art in general is that it is ultimately what you make of it, and it is such an important part of human culture, that despite the pandemic and the hard times it has brought, it should not limit or stop the creation of art pieces.

Drowning
by Julia Glassman

Drifting Reflections
by Emily Hayashi

During the pandemic, art was a way to escape. While we live in a time of restrictions and constraints, art allowed me to be free. I spent hours working on my artwork, it was my safe place, a therapeutic outlet for me. I hope others can see how art was my therapy during this tough time. With my pandemic artwork, if I can make even one person’s day a little better, I will forever be satisfied. I am also incredibly grateful that I even had the opportunity to make art during this pandemic. I know for many, they didn’t have a “safe place” or “therapeutic outlet”. They didn’t have an escape, and they had to face the pandemic head-on. If someone reading this is inspired to take on art as a way of their pandemic therapy, I will know that my art made a difference, which is all that really matters.

In Search of a World with the Perfect Color
By Sophia Siegner

I centered this piece around the anti-asian hate crimes that are becoming more frequent as of late. I wanted to create a piece to address this subject because I am half Chinese, and these incidents have a very strong impact on me and my family. This piece depicts an Asian woman riding a giant Koi fish through suspended planets. I honestly don’t know what some of the components of this drawing are meant to represent, I just let my creativity flow until I had a piece of artwork I was happy with. I kinda wanted it to show the beauty of Asian cultures and how because of this pandemic, lots of us are being treated like something dirty or alien. During this pandemic many people have said “go back to your own country”, or “we don’t want you here”, etc. to Asians who have lived in America their entire life. These statements make people feel as if they don’t belong anywhere, which is part of what I was trying to convey with this piece. I want my piece to spread awareness about the recent anti-asian attacks and how our culture and people aren’t to blame for this pandemic, and shouldn’t be treated as such. Another message I want my piece to convey is in its title. I titled this piece “In Search of a World With the Perfect Color” because I wanted to show how there is no “perfect color.” In today’s world, people have unfair stereotypes and prejudice placed upon them based on the color of their skin. The product of light waves refracting off of our retinas should not determine someone’s worth. Therefore, my Koi rider will be searching through worlds for all eternity, for there is no such thing as a”World With the Perfect Color”.

Ignorance is Bliss
by Trinity Nystrom

To me artwork during the pandemic is a way to communicate with speaking in person. You can connect with people in a personal way using art in the same way you connect over a conversation . Art can make people smile, it can make them cry, or even just make them think there is a lot of power in creativity.

Look Again
by Sophia Siegner

I drew this piece back when Covid 19 was extremely severe and we were all very isolated from one another. It represents how this pandemic has altered my identity. On one side, you can see me surrounded by colorful shapes with simple, fun, designs drawn on them. This is meant to convey my childish side, something that was carefree and vivacious. This was my personality before covid 19. The other side of the piece depicts a skeleton with a snake coming out of its head. Throughout this quarantine, my stress levels and feelings anxiety and depression have skyrocketed. Without the support of many of my family and friends, I haven’t felt like myself. The snake coming out of the skull is representing my insecurities and intrusive thoughts that have become more prevalent in my everyday life because of the isolation and loneliness. I’ve become more prone to overthinking because I have more time to myself, which means I have no one to distract me from my thoughts. Drawing half of myself as a skeleton is meant to show how being isolated from the world has made me numb and lethargic, immune to all feeling. The black and white collage background is depicting the absence of color in my life, as during the extreme quarantine everything was dull and monotonous. I titled this piece “Look Again” because at first glance, you can’t see the struggles this pandemic has caused for me or for anyone for that matter. I want this piece to speak to people who feel the same way, and to convey the message that they are not alone in their adversity.

Inverted Cityscape
by Cameron Taylor

Photography was an extreme outlet of my personality throughout this past year. It allowed me to reach out of my house, my circle, my comfort zone, and go into the unknown. Through being behind the lens, I was able to see the world and ignore what was going on around me. It was nice to take a deep breath, and focus on a single frame, rather than the crazy world around me. I honestly feel that one of the main things that helped me through the pandemic was having an outlet of photography. Whether it be in my home, my neighborhood, or my greater city, I always was able to focus on the time being instead of the worries I was under. It was nice knowing that I could go out and shoot and spend time by myself focusing on making art that I love. No pressures, no anxieties, just me and my camera against the world. I want other people to understand that my art is extremely thought out. Every detail, every aspect of the photo, and every pixel is meticulously planned. If I don’t like it, I will scrap the photo and go try to take it again until I am satisfied with it. I think that this sets my artwork out from others.

War on Poverty
by Aiden Achuck

My artwork means a lot to me as it is a way to express myself during a time where many can’t as health becomes a main to anxiety to many. Through my artwork I am able to capture many that are struggling during this time of a pandemic and raise awareness to those that can make a change.

Missing Person
by Daniel Fernandez

My art piece “Missing Person,” made during the pandemic ties back to immediate reactions felt at the beginning of the pandemic: isolation, uncertainty, and loss. My photographs became timestamps of my life, documenting what I was feeling and seeing throughout the pandemic. This piece is important to me because it is the beginning of a new way of living. As I get older, this piece ages with me; an emblem of a new time period. Through my art I want others to find understanding within themselves. “Missing Person” is a piece that portrays loss; the loss of oneself and brings thoughts of one figuring out their true identity and purpose. We look for comfort and understanding when faced with immediate responses when there is a shift in environment. I know there is someone out there that can look at my piece “Missing Person” and relate it to their own life experiences and feelings during this pandemic. I know that right now there are people out there in search of understanding, and I hope my piece gives them a chance to find it.

Bird and the Backroads
by Kate Hautau

I chose to take photo class my sophmore year and fell in love with creating anything from prints in the darkroom to working with my first camera ever, Canon t3i (which was my brothers). His hobby for photography rubbed off on me during the end of sophmore year, and when COVID hit, I had a lot of free time to express myself and what I love to do by capturing moments that I hold close to my heart.

Flash Flood
by Colin Svoren

The flood represents the hard times everyone has had to go through. I thought that a natural disaster would be a great way to communicate to others the impact of the pandemic. The pipes sucking out the water represent our slow resolution of the pandemic. The civilians and the workers sit by watching the water getting sucked up, representing how we had to wait for a resolution to our problem.

My Safe Space, My Happy Place
by Emily Hayashi

It’s Raining Fire
by Rylie Dombrowski

My artwork and drive is to attempt to move beyond the pandemic and to encourage others to find a passion or something that interests them that doesn’t require others to be present. It is sort of meant to help others find something they enjoy doing personally without the approval of others and I want people to understand that my art is just something I produce for my own enjoyment and I share solely to spread my message.

Say Their Names
by Ava Dominguez

This artwork is about the victims of police brutality on black youth, men, and women. It portrays just a small fraction of the victims in recent years, such as Breonna Taylor and Johnathan Ferrell. They are in black and white graphite, unfinished because their lives were cut short by members of a force that is supposed to protect them. The flowers, in full color, represent the hopeful good that will come with their families pain and their own suffering. Saying their names, raising our fists in protest and fighting for justice will hopefully bring something good out of their tragic ends. But real justice would’ve meant they would still be alive. Let their names live in history and let them be the last. Say their names.

Willing Suspension of Disbelief
by Mia Brown

Digital Pain
by Sean Flaherty

I want to display how throughout the pandemic, our reliance on social media to stay relevant has increased. However it comes with a toll for many kids. Being 17, many of my friends use social media apps such as Snapchat and Instagram. Because we were not able to see people in person, these apps became the only way to communicate with others and be ‘social’. Sadly, the Internet can be a place filled with bullies and people who try to make others angry. I want people to understand the power of words even if they are written through a text. I want people to see that phones and technology are not always a benefit to society, there are consequences and some of those are young children killing themselves because of someone hiding behind their screen. I wanted this piece to be dramatic and to make people realize they have effect on others lives even if its a simple text or comment.

Uncertain
by Sophia Campos

During these times, COVID has impacted many individuals filling them with many uncertainties as well as anxiety and despair. As a result many of us have had to change our lifestyles to adapt to our environments via online learning, quarantining, masks, and much more. In this photo, the boy looking in every direction and the slightly out of focus photo symbolizes the uncertainties and difficulties he as well as many others are facing with COVID. This photo is symbolic of metaphorically running in place. With all the changes and new information coming out, there is confusion and uncertainty of our surroundings, as we are constantly worried about what is to come and what we should do to help our communities, ourselves, and our loved ones. However, for a while many of us felt overwhelmed by the uncertainties and the many fatalities caused by COVID this was almost like a loophole for many because every time it seemed we had made progress, it rebounded back to where it was which is symbolized by the boy not knowing where to look.

Among the Folds
by Gabrielle George

The artwork I have made during the pandemic reflects on the emotions and experiences I have had during these unprecedented times. Over the course of the past year, we all have had to quickly adapt to a changing environment, from having all of our groceries delivered to the house to “Zooming in” to school to managing a FaceTime reunion with friends. In the same spirit, the time I have spent at home led me to experiment with new media and techniques to convey how I saw and processed the world around me. By simply drawing a quick sketch of the items atop my (rather messy) desk or planning a detailed drawing, art has provided me with an escape from which I emerge calmer and more prepared to make decisions in life. During the pandemic, art has not only been freeing, but has also greatly furthered my abilities in technical skills and the ability to think creatively.

BINGE!
by Emma Tada

With this piece, I explored the sensations of binge eating and its correlation with anxiety due to it being an official eating disorder. I partially drew color and concept inspiration from Van Gogh’s “The Bedroom” but added more saturated colors, because I usually like to for most of my projects. This piece heavily applies to those suffering from binge-eating disorder, but I still want it’s generally applicable to anyone who views it. To some extent, we all find comfort in eating whether it be through consuming junk food or favorite dishes.

Blue Monday
by Mia Brown

During the pandemic, there was a drastic shift in the type of artwork I made. Usually, as a photographer, I would take pictures and document the places I have been to, and try to bring the feeling into my photos. However, with COVID, I had to change almost everything about how I made art. Instead of going somewhere out in public and simply taking pictures, I had to create my own sets, and use common household items as subjects in my photos. Although it was a hard shift, I believe that it has actually made me a better photographer and artist, by still wanting to create art, and having to use more creative means to do so in order to override the limitations during the pandemic. For me, my art work is a reminder that even in times where we are extremely limited, or feel trapped in some capacity, that there is still always a way to express yourself. Art does not need to have a crowd of people or a beautiful landscape. The great thing about art in general is that it is ultimately what you make of it, and it is such an important part of human culture, that despite the pandemic and the hard times it has brought, it should not limit or stop the creativity of artists.

Fading Away
by Arden Lloyd

All the art pieces I created over the span of the pandemic were very important to me as an artist. The creative outlet painting gave me allowed for me to express and process the emotions I was feeling at the time in a way that brought me peace. I would like others to understand that my art is based on very raw emotions and is meant to be interpreted as so! Many pieces I create focus on negative feelings though aren’t meant to invoke those emotions yet support them through understanding. This piece is one thats again meaningful due to it being a kind of self-portrait.

Embrace
by Ava Dominguez

This piece is about finding yourself in a pandemic where you most everything is done alone by yourself, it’s easier so find what you personally like and not what you want everyone to think of you. You can make big changes like dying your hair or trying new clothes without the pressure of fitting in or judgement from your peers you have to see each day. I recently got some new piercings and I feel much more confident in myself. It’s weird how that works. In this painting, she looks free! She looks like she knows she looks good, she is confident and poised and even amongst the plethora of piercings, she looks put together. She feels how I feel when I make a new change.

Suffocated
by Arden Lloyd

The art I created during the pandemic was something very important to me as an artist. Having a creative outlet where I could express my emotions allowed for me to gain a sense of peace with what was happening in the world at the time. I want others to understand that my artwork is an expression of emotions and is raw in order to encompass the emotions felt during an anxiety inducing time. This piece, Suffocated, is particularly meaningful as it is a self portrait meaning it’s truly just an expression of how I was feeling during quarantine.

Opaque
by Alessandra Rosete

Despite the difficulties due to what the pandemic brought, it gave me the opportunity to explore and learn new things that were beyond my ability, which then led me to create art. My art is a reflection of my life. My aspiration in art is to draw the things that I love or want to express my emotions whether it is from frustration or happiness. I believe that art is subjective and everyone has a form of creative expression but we all project them differently. I do art not only for myself but also for others and I want people to look at my art and have the confidence to be creative. I hope people will interpret my art and make their own understanding of what it means.

Sweet n’ Sour
by Sophia Campos

During COVID, many individuals were forced to quarantine. Although this was chaotic and caused anxiety for many, it was also an opportunity for people to grow closer to their inner families like I did. During quarantine, I was able to bond with my mom. We would cook, bake, and walk together on a regular basis. This monochromatic still life depicts a photo of some lemon bars that I had previously made with my mother. Lemon bars are significant in our family because when I was a baby, my lemon tree was bountiful so my mom decided to make lemon bars my dad enjoyed them so much that ever since it became a tradition to make them around my birthday.

Coexisting Contrasting Ecosystems
by Justice Faustina

To me my artwork I created over the pandemic is, in a way a reflection of my emotions I was feeling over the quarantine as well as renderings of landscapes I saw while on hikes. To me my art represents my own perspective of nature. When others look at my art I want them to see the natural world through my eyes, yet also create their own interpretations.

Hope Jar
by Willow Buscaglia

I knew nothing about ceramics when I signed up to take it as my elective. I didn’t understand how pots and mugs were thrown, or how the chunk of clay laying in front of me could become an elaborate sculpture like the ones that hung on my classroom walls. The first weeks of class, I was terrified to be near the wheels. I expected to be horrible, and I didn’t want anyone to see me create. Eventually, my curiosity consumed my fear, and I decided to try it. I wasn’t as bad as I assumed, but I definitely was not a natural. After months of practice, something began to change when I was throwing. No longer were the thoughts of the perfect shape I was striving for or the voices of others judging me, streaming through my head. I felt a sense of peace, internal freedom. I was free from the drama at lunch and the stress of my chaotic schedule. I was living in my own world; the Reggae music beat on as my hands surrounded the spinning mug. The nuances of every movement, and the rhythm of creating frees my mind. Ceramics has become my escape. Creating art allows me to produce my best work in all aspects of my life.

Moths Web
by Breanna Topolinski

This artwork is meant to show what it felt like during lockdown. The moth trapped in the web represents how I felt stuck while everyone else, the moths on the out side of the stump, where aloud to live as normal. In reality everyone was stuck, but through the lens of social media It could easily feel like you where the only one having to isolate.

Adapted Species
by Justice Faustina