“A Journey Towards Self-Discovery” | watercolor on paper, 22” x 22” (2012) - They say that hindsight is 20/20–we only acquire that knowledge after something has happened. I’d like to add more to that; sometimes one has to take two steps and one step back. Growing up into adulthood, as well as being an artist, is one of the toughest things in the world; because good things take time right? In an age where we’re constantly being distracted by notifications, e-mails, and a barrage of messages, it can be hard to find the time to do personal reflection. I’ve also been guilty of such distractions, sometimes by necessity and other times by an inner struggle to satisfy my brain’s level of dopamine. Looking back, the visual arts have always been a form of self-expression that I valued but so was writing. I remember being in high school and failing my AP Composition class and then having to repeat the course the following year without the AP tag. Soon, I realized that writing to express myself rather than impressing the teacher was how the written word should be used. At the end of the day, it’s just about communication. Eventually, I developed a love for writing and kept a personal blog in order to practice my English. It stayed with me throughout college. As I transitioned into post-grad life, I sort of neglected the old friend–writing. As a result, there’s been a lot of built-up thoughts and emotions that just gets entangled and no where to put them. Over time, I felt like I lost my ability to draw and paint anymore–or rather, make artworks that I had more passions for. As I traced back to my old journal entries, I’ve realized how much my writing have influenced the illustrations that I was doing–primarily exploring the human condition and the nuances of emotion. The interplay between writing and the visual arts have been, for me, a bedrock of self-expression. Seemingly, I would have to do both in order for both to exist. We’ll see. P.S. Happy New Year!
