This curated portfolio showcases a diverse collection of my artwork, highlighting my passion for creativity across various styles and mediums. Each piece tells its own unique story, reflecting my artistic journey, skill set and dedication to exploring new possibilities in art.
Knotted
Oil Pastels
This self portrait delves deeply into my emotions and innermost thoughts. The cerulean tones, usually representing tranquility, serve a dual purpose in both cloaking and unveiling my struggle. I focused on mark-making by utilizing the natural texture of oil pastels and scratching them away, while also exploring themes of space, tone, and contrast. The loosely-knotted rope represents the tug-of-war I’ve experienced in my years with anxiety, constantly threatening to be pulled tight. The rope not only represents that tension, but creates a metaphorical representation of the thoughts that often consume me. My eyes, staring directly forward, aim to seek an understanding with the viewer. By facing towards the viewer, rather than a profile view, I expose a certain rawness and a longing for connection. Rather than solely a reflection of my face, I strived to create a window into my emotions with this piece.
Modern Workplace
Ink
This piece uses the Mithila style of art from Bihar, India. The border was drawn exclusively with black pen, using a subtractive technique to create the intricate white floral pattern. I represent the hierarchy of a modern office building through use of Mughal art structuring. Mughal art often viewed three-dimensional spaces in a two-dimensional plane, creating a sense of depth without perspective. Mithila art often represented ancient ‘workplaces’ as well, which inspired me to create this commentary. Each person depicted is shown to have a lifeless expression on their face, signifying the modern detachment in corporate life. The cubicles, which seem never-ending, symbolize the mechanical nature of modern work. Though they share a space, their disconnect is clear through the cubicles and separate rooms. The monochromatic scheme reflects the lack of vibrancy in workplaces. Lastly, I included themes of gender dynamics and our disconnect from nature, seen in the windows of the rooms.
Convoluted
Procreate
This artwork delves into the heart of my own personal identity and the struggles associated with having ethnic features in a eurocentric community, drawing inspiration from the Qajar era. Two opposing faces are depicted, different in nose shape. My own experience resonates with the face on the right, revealing the relationship between ethnicity and societal pressures. In a symbolic representation of this internal conflict, I drew the sun and the moon, to depict revolving entities. Two Qajar women further the narrative, while the left is singing confidently, the right is contorted; often seen in Qajar art where women perform, she is metaphorically reduced to a jester. The inscription in the border is a Persian expression, “Doret Begardam”. Translated, it means “let me do circles around you” or more loosely, “I would do anything for you.” This saying captures the feelings of the woman on the right, aspiring to mirror the left through cycles of self-hatred.
Metamorphosis
Charcoal
In this still life, I explore renewal and decay through a curated composition of a skull wearing antlers, all tied together by rope. Aiming to evoke a sense of unease, I focused on the theme of death, figuratively and literally, by using skeletal imagery and creating a feeling of suffocation within the piece. The use of a monochromatic color scheme intensifies this atmosphere as well. It not only comments about a pining for physical change, but also the mental and emotional factors that accompany the feelings of wanting to be someone else. The skull, entwined in rope, serves as a symbol of how we bind ourselves to our identities. The entanglement of the skeleton within the rope reflects the push and pull between who we are and who we strive to be. Exploring themes of dimensions, point, and tones, I aimed to capture the longing of wanting to emerge from restraints anew, free from the past.
Industry In The Wild
Photography
In this countryside capture, there is a horse set against an industrial background. The mixture of wildlife and mechanical industry creates a dialogue between nature and progress. As I approached the horse to take a picture, it quickly turned to look at me, creating a personal connection between the viewer and the subject. I decided to photograph this scene in a portrait orientation in order to capture the large structures that were next to the farm; creating a city-like feel behind the more natural foreground. This composition makes commentary on the ever-narrowing delicate balance between nature and industry in our evolving world.
Eco
Terracotta
“Eco” represents the contemporary disconnect between humans and their environment. This sculpture was inspired by the ancient masks of the Dan peoples of Liberia. Their masks were believed to embody the individual spirit; this led me to make a statement that addresses the inherent interconnectedness of humans in nature, and how we have lost that connection over time. I crafted this mask using terracotta clay –earthenware material– to emphasize the theme of nature and natural resources in this piece. I explored ideas of shape and sculpting technique in order to create a distinct form that both reflects the traditional and cultural style of African masks while also pursuing a modern aesthetic, bridging the gap between the past and present.
Shades of Blue
Acrylic
Continuing my exploration of Indian folk art, I ventured into the Madhubani style in this piece. This style often used vibrant color, geometric patterning, and cartoon-like faces. In Hinduism, a prominent religion of India, various gods are portrayed to have light blue skin. This developed over time through stories and narrative. They originally were considered to have skin so dark that it was seen in a blue-ish shade due to light reflection. In my experience as a person of color, I have become very familiar with the concept of colorism. From this, I created eight Madhubani faces, six being light blue, and two portrayed in dark blue. The two darker faces stand distinctly apart, staring directly at the viewer, while the others look away. This piece expresses my experience of skin color and diversity.
Solitude
Acrylic
This self-portrait focuses on an experimentation with light and how it falls on the face as shadow. I decided to create the reference photo of myself in a solemn mood in the dark, with me looking down at a light source. This created the challenge of understanding both perspectives and light on my own face. Using color theory to mix skin tone from solely the primary colors, this piece helped me understand perspective, light and coloration.
Untitled Sketch
Pencil
I chose this piece from my sketchbook. This sketch was a study on the side profile view of a man's face; which I chose due to the challenges it presented. His furrowed brows, deep-set eyes, and sharp features made the face captivating but also offered various opportunities to explore shade and depth. The undefined jawline and cheekbones of an aged face provide character, demanding precision in rendering. Through the use of cross-hatching, mark-marking, and additive erasing, I aimed to practice a more loose style of human portrayal. This piece is part of my continuous exploration and growth in my artistic journey.
Oceanic Reliquary
Terracotta
This self-portrait focuses on an experimentation with light and how it falls on the face as shadow. I decided to create the reference photo of myself in a solemn mood in the dark, with me looking down at a light source. This created the challenge of understanding both perspectives and light on my own face. Using color theory to mix skin tone from solely the primary colors, this piece helped me understand perspective, light and coloration.
MB Art Poster
Canva
This poster was designed as a template for the upcoming annual art show at my school. I aimed to create a clear visual hierarchy, making “MB” the main focus. Within the lettering, I experimented with typography that had repeated motifs of Moses Brown inside it. In order to keep the focal point of MB, I subdued the background to ensure the important information on the poster has the opportunity and space to stand out, such as the date and time. Above the title, I created a mini glimpse of the art that would be included in the gallery, and below, a digital rendering of how a large sequin sculpture made by a classmate would be presented there.
Untitled
Charcoal
I chose this arrangement for my still life study because it offered a mix of textures and shapes. It showcases the complexity of forms amidst the objects. The ceramic hand is depicted in an almost spider-like way, which was difficult to grasp the essence of. In contrast the wooden block adds a sense of geometry that contrasts with the folds of the fabric. The draped cloth itself presents a challenge due to its smooth, ruffled texture. Overall, this composition was a study on contrast, light, and observational drawing.
Mom's Kitchen
Chalk Pastels
“Mom’s Kitchen” is a two hour still-life that focuses on the pot of chilies my mom uses in her cooking. More than just an observational drawing, this chalk pastel drawing represents a large part of my memory of my childhood and symbol of my heritage. The chilies, with their vibrant, contrasting green and orange hues, were a challenging subject to draw in a medium like chalk pastel, which doesn’t allow for intricate detailing. As a first-generation American, simple mundane objects like this hold emotional and cultural value– representing the fusion of two worlds, the one my parents are native to, and the one I have adopted.
Glimpse
Photography
I took this photo in a vintage store, one of my favorite places to visit. The presentation of the shelves on this wall felt refreshingly unique. I decided to compose this shot with the shoulder of a mannequin in the foreground, in order to ground the subject in a setting, rather than let it be floating in space. The circular lamp made the light be caught very uniquely within the shelf frames, coming through in the middle right shelf as well. This created a very warm look to the photograph, making a concrete color palette.
Reclamation
Wood scraps
With this mask, I challenged myself to use found materials around the studio. My studio has a large scrap box of remnants from a carpentry class that my teacher did in the past with middle schoolers where they made wooden spoons. Using these scraps, I planned out a piece using inspiration from the masks of the Shona tribe of Zimbabwe. I found that the different types and textures of wood used from these scraps gave the mask a more authentic, traditional feel. This mask serves as commentary on the necessity of recycling material and repurposing them in useful ways, highlighting the essence of sustainability and going back to our roots.
Femininity
Acrylic
Inspired by my study of the Qajar dynasty’s art, I offer an interpretation of how beauty standards have changed over time in this acrylic painting. In my research, I discovered that all portrayals of women looked extremely similar, leading me to research the traditional beauty standards of the time period. Using mirroring to create a symmetric look in this piece, I plotted this painting out on Procreate and then used a gridding technique to bring it to life. The figure on the left represents the 18th century standards, when Iran valued features like unibrows, beauty marks, and full faces. This is a stark contrast to my experience in America, where I was often made fun of for my unibrow, and other ethnic features. Based on this, I created the woman on the right, who both serves as a symbol of this embarrassment, while also representing themes of freedom from traditional standards. With this piece, I aim to provoke thought on how societal norms influence perception of beauty.
Circle of Life
Charcoal, Procreate
In this artwork, my grandmother shines in charcoal against a Warli art backdrop added through Procreate. Her lively eyes and traditional jewelry capture the days of her youth in the drawing. In Warli art, a type of folk art from India, life's continuous cycle is commonly represented through circular patterns. I've incorporated this to signify a never-ending generational cycle, where people transition between stages of life. Through dark hues and evocative designs, I've chosen to give the feel of an old filter to allude to her age and era. My grandmother's legacy is captured here, showcasing the traditions she passed on to me. This mixed-media piece reminds us that life keeps going, urging us to move with it.