Spark

Artist Statement: This painting represents the longing for one’s ‘spark’ that has been pushed away from them, maybe because of school or work or just during the busyness of life. A spark is something that brings one joy and gives meaning to life, and for me, that is art. I made this painting during a time when school was getting really difficult for me and I hadn’t had the opportunity to do any art for myself in months. Working on this self portrait gave me a sense of clarity, and made me realize that no matter what I’m going through I can use my art as an escape. I used a limited color palette to represent the feeling of having limited choices for what I can do with my life, and the bold contrast shows that it’s possible to rediscover your spark even when everything seems dark.