Artist Statement
“Me” is a representation of how I feel about my religion, and what it’s like sometimes when I reveal my true feelings and thoughts in a public space, like school. It shows a snake about to strike at a mouse, and the mouse is wearing a yamaka and the Star of David.
I see the elements of value and contrast most distinctly in my work with the black-and-white theme. I made this piece with charcoal and colored pencil. I shaded them with charcoal before using a fine-tipped eraser to add highlights. To me, this piece is about my reality, how I live my life, and what I fear. It’s not just my religion, but sometimes my sexuality and race. The thing is, it’s not just me. It’s everyone. Everyone feels that way sometimes, and this piece is meant to showcase that.
I think that I wanted this piece to help me express all my feelings through my art, instead of just the beautiful ones, and I think that I’ve made progress on that goal, but there is still more to come. One thing I noticed while making this piece was that it evolved from the original idea more than many of my other pieces, and that might be because it symbolized more than some of my other art.