1st Place – Mixed Media

Title of Art Piece: Don’t Touch Me
Category: Mixed Media – 2022
Student/Artist’s Name: Avari Hays
School: Wasilla High School
Grade: 11th
Artist Statement:

My painting titled “Don’t Touch Me” was inspired by the emotion of anger. This piece is painted on a pane of glass. A man is shown yelling with tears flowing and broken glass is shown shooting from his mouth. I achieved this by breaking a separate pane of glass and gluing the remaining pieces on the original pane of glass directed towards the hand reaching out. This implies that the gentleness of another is met with hostility and brutality. I used acrylic paint and chose to paint the man’s skin tone in darker shades than the hand to create a contrast from light to dark and warmth to coldness. He is wearing a red button-up and a blue shirt underneath. This is meant to represent anger masking sadness. The subject is uncomfortable with the vulnerability that comes with showing his sadness so instead, he disguises it as anger. The man is burdened and this is represented by the pieces of media displayed in the background. I glued newspaper clippings, utility bills, and covid-19 forms onto the back of the glass because it can cause anger to have many obligations expected of you and the tumultuous events that are going on worldwide currently can be a source for animosity. The hand is reaching out despite the turmoil the man is going through and represents care and comfort in the midst of anger and stress. This piece is very personal to me because it represents how at times, my anger can push the people I love most away and how important it is to recognize that there are people who care and want to comfort you.

Artwork Dimensions: 14″ wide x 11″ high