"running out of time" | (dec. 2024)
mixed media --- oil paint and oil pastel on 20" x 24" canvas
for my final project, i knew i had to continue stepping out of my comfort zone, so what better way to do that with oil-based mediums? during the process of painting the background, i was growing increasingly more agitated as i mixed and muddled the colors in an attempt to get a clean-appearing surreal clock in the flurry of anxiety-red hues. despite my ongoing struggles with paint, i loved the pastels, much to my surprise. i'd never tried oil pastels that weren't from a $10 kit, so i was pleasantly surprised by their blending ability. admittedly, the colors i chose for my portraiture are based off of Inside Out (2015), but i felt the colors and their emotions were very genuine to mine.
"the death of fantine" | (nov. 2024)
oil paint on 18" x 24" canvas
i have never painted with oil paints before, so this was definitely a journey. throughout this semester and the development of my artistic style, i've realized i rarely stray from my love for monochrome palettes. to depict the somberness of the scene from "Les Misérables" where Fantine dies, i kept the color palette to a variety of rich, dark blues, with some lighter blue/green/gray for highlights.
"self" | (oct. 2024)
charcoal on 18" x 24" drawing paper
for my art class, we were tasked with a self-portrait assignment. normally, i have no trouble getting the proportions for portraiture, but in a struggle with facial dysmorphia, i found myself erasing and re-drawing my facial features. overall, i like how this came out, but if i'd had more time, i would've rendered the torso more.
"closets!" | (oct. 2024)
construction paper on "18 x 24" white bristol paper
this was a fun one to do LOL. despite the fact i had another idea for this assignment originally, after i saw a vintage pin that read "closets are for clothes" at the USC ONE Archives, i knew i had to incorporate that within this project. with just a $5 variety pack of construction paper, my x-acto knife, and a dream, i completed this project overnight before this was due. i love how it turned out though (but i wouldn't recommend the process...)
untitled | (sept. 2024)
charcoal on 18" x 24" drawing paper
this was an in-class three hour assignment focused on shape. i always find it easier to focus on the drawing when i tone the paper, which is why there is decidedly more focus on tone and the balance between light and shadow here. this was one of my first ventures back into drawing, so of course, i had to use my favorite medium, charcoal.
"fruit bowl" | (mar. 2022)
colored pencil on 4" x 6" toned paper
an assignment focused on tone and realism within the simplicity of a fruit bowl. this is where you can tell i really reached for the white gel pen...
"teenage bedroom" | (feb. 2022)
charcoal on 18" x 24" toned paper
i remember this project taking me a few months to complete, much to the chagrin of my high school art teacher. in retrospect, i love how this turned out for the time, and the objects featured in this piece are very reminiscent of my coming of age. one thing i would've changed is the rendering of the skein of yarn and the mcnally jackson tote in the background.
"encore" | (mar. 2021)
watercolor paint on 8" x 10" mixed media paper
one of many watercolor pieces i created for my 10th grade basic drawing class during the pandemic. thankfully, i've let go of the watercolors. you can really tell i was struggling between hyperrealism and just letting the style of watercolors to spread across paper take place. this piece is from when the encore casino opened in 2019 and my family and i visited. can't wait to return when i'm 21...