Honorable Mention – Drawing

Title of Art Piece: Hidden Expressions
Category: Drawing – 2022
Student/Artist’s Name: Brooks Whitman
School: Lathrop High School
Grade: 9th
Artist Statement:

I enjoy using charcoal because it’s messy, and for most of my charcoal pieces, I use them to express mental imperfections that others may not be able to. There are many mental health issues out there that are never addressed because people think they’ll be judged or ridiculed. This piece shows a blindfold over a woman’s eyes which to me is a form of hiding. I’ve always felt that you can tell a lot about a person from their eyes, and the blindfold being placed there represents the attempt to hide the imperfections beneath it. I made this piece within a fifteen minute time period. I wanted to do something quick, but something that made me feel something when I looked at it. My hope is that when people see my piece, they feel what I felt when I made it.

Artwork Dimensions: 22 inches high x 19 inches wide