Artist Statement:
The word “self” is defined as “a person’s essential being that distinguishes them from others.” We often think of a portrait as a photograph that represents a person in a manner relative to their identity. Showcasing their unique features in a way that makes sense to their character, or aligns with the theme of the project. Color is an element that many individuals find themselves having a strong relationship with, often having a favorite color that may represent them as a person, or feels represents their soul. Keeping these two components in mind, I wanted to find a way to highlight specific characteristics of the model while playing with bold expression of color. Therefore, I decided to play with water because the natural distortion it provides is fascinating and can be manipulated in so many ways. This allowed me to explore the endless possibilities of distorting body parts through water, and I found myself being particularly drawn to the eyes through the water. I have always been fascinated with eyes, as I find myself noticing someone’s eyes before anything else about them. I consider eyes to be a window to the soul and believe it is incredible how you can look into the eyes of someone new and feel a longing to get to know them more. The unique beauty of a human eye is one that I don’t think can be put into words, or even really captured to its full magnificence.
This exploration of distortion with the mix of color was something that tickled my inner child, as I found myself wanting to stay in this creative space for as long as possible. But it didn’t stop there, it also left me feeling curious as to where the distortion would end, what would happen if I put two people in the water, what about yellow or orange as a color, what about an animal, perhaps someone dressed in a clown costume? The possibilities are truly endless, and I think this experience reminded me that at the core of my creativity there is a little girl who just wants to create something that makes people smile, wonder, or simply want to play.
