Artist Statement

          The first work that helped me guide my investigation was a sketch that I completed of a girl scuba diving. To contrast the brilliant blue of the water with her body, I drew the girl as a dark silhouette. This process has come to serve as a theme for my investigation: How does exploring nature make me happy?, as I envision a bucket list of adventurous activities. In my imaginary scenarios, my figure is painted in black and white, symbolizing that I have not yet completed the activity. To contrast with the greyscale, my surroundings are hues of greens, blues, and oranges, which allude to my excitement and anticipation for the activities as well as the vibrancy of life.

          This question has also served as a means to practice, experiment, and revise my artistic process. In my work, I play with the proportions of humans versus nature. My initial works show humans dominating the canvas, but as my work progressed, I was inspired by Edmund Burke’s idea of the sublime. I reversed my composition to have nature enveloping the canvas and figures paling in comparison to the infinite capabilities of nature. In the end, I want my viewer to embrace the sublime and explore their connection with nature.