Artist Statement

With my AP art and design portfolio, my goal was to answer the question: “How can I translate my internal experiences as an undiagnosed autistic person through animal symbolism and interactivity?” I hoped to transform the inner workings of my mind into art pieces that fuse my love for visual art, animal symbolism, and autism awareness. I wanted to create a portfolio that allowed others to engage with a perspective that may reflect or deviate from their own. While painting remained the dominant medium in my work, I made a point of exploring a versatile array of materials: canvas, wood, cardboard, clay, plastic, faux fur, and canvas panels. Additionally, I tried to elevate my pieces by being hyper-intentional about which paint I used per piece. The use of oil paint indicates that the emotion and /or experience depicted is internal, while the use of acrylic paint suggests a more outward expression. Oil paint, being slow to dry and easy to blend, is reminiscent of emotions that are difficult to pin down, like a mess of shapes and colors in your head. Acrylic paint, being quick-drying, is reminiscent of more ephemeral and intense emotions. In a similar vein, I avoided man-made references, such as clothes, buildings, and products, instead opting to combine animal imagery and human bodies and body parts. My portfolio is dedicated to embracing human experiences, the beautiful, the brief, and the uncomfortable.