Johnee Bentley, “Mental Health,” Rural Retreat High School

 For my portfolio project I chose to create a series of different digital art works that each represent a different mental illness. The first image we can see a girl with pink hair crying. This picture is intended to represent anxiety. The series of dots is meant to represent the girl's thoughts and how due to her anxiety they have become so crazy that she can’t contain them anymore. Moving on to the next image, we can see the backs of six different people who are all in different colors except for one of the people (a girl) who is colored in grey with her head slightly turned to the side. This image represents depression.The person dealing with depression is the girl colored in grey. Everyone is facing backwards to demonstrate that a lot of people turn a blind eye and don’t notice when the people around them are struggling. The third image we can see looks to be like two girls with blue hair facing back to back with arrows going  through their hair. One of the girls appears to be sad and the other appears to be happy.This piece represents bipolar disorder.The arrows are used to signify the rapid change of emotions someone with this disorder can face. In this case, it’s a constant change from happy to sad. The fourth image we can see represents a mental disorder called body dysmorphia. Here we can see a thin girl glancing into a mirror. However, the reflection in the mirror does not match the thin girl. This is because it is not an actual reflection it is how the girl sees herself. We can also see that there are multiple pictures that appear to be models surrounding the girl. These are meant to represent what the girl wishes her body would look like. Moving on to the fifth image we can see a girl with a very concerned expression washing her hands. This picture represents OCD. One of the symptoms of this can  be obsessive hand washing as shown in the image. To demonstrate this even further, we can also see a thought bubble above the girl's head with little images of “germs.” That, mixed with her expression, is used to convey her concern for getting said “germs.” The last image we can see represents the mental disorder PTSD. In this picture we see a girl with blonde hair who appears to be afraid with a thought bubble above her head saying “where are the lights?!” With PTSD anything can be a trigger that brings up a memory that we would otherwise like to forget. This usually causes a rapid growth of emotions, generally anxiety and fear. In this case, the girl in the image is being triggered by the fact that there are no lights and she is completely in the dark. We can infer from her panicked expression that this has caused her a lot of distress due to the memory she associates it with.

Zora Dulaney, “Default,” Floyd County High School

I have always been drawn to the intimacy inherently found in humans, and one day I decided to create something to try and capture that. I began collecting moments, by writing down simple gestures or ideas I experienced throughout the day. Some of them were abstract, like the way people unintentionally connected on a physical level, and some were simple- like a woman drinking soup. I have to admit, however, when I started the first painting I did not plan it out much.

After the first painting of the woman and child was completed, I knew there had to be more. Perhaps subconsciously, I had used color to convey a very specific emotion. Warm, vibrant colors portrayed an undefinable sense of love and comfort. Vincent Van Gogh and Henry Matisse have always been big inspirations for me, and their signature principles of movement and vibrancy came through in my work. 

As more pieces came to fruition, sparked from my little list of ideas, I began to see more common themes, even if they were all slightly different. Warm colors became a repetitive characteristic, and emphasis on the hands and bodies of the subjects. I realized later into the series, many of these key points of focus had been unplanned. Creating six paintings with similar energy was challenging, and I branched away on two pieces specifically. I tried cool colors to create contrast on one, and full bodies to create a dance-like effect in another. Motivation wasn’t the only challenge in creating this series, I was forced to work with repurposed canvases, some of which had texture on the surface. In the end, I found ways to work with- not against these obstacles and create Default, which I believe is the crowning jewel of my studio art.  

Reese Robers, “Glimpses,” Patrick Henry High School

I have long believed that as I learn more about art and how to make it, I learn more about myself. I have yet to find one distinctive style: my artwork often spans across multiple media, serving as an outlet for the expression of the many thoughts, emotions, and perceptions I have come across in recent years. Every mark or stroke is one step closer to understanding myself and the surrounding influences that shape my thoughts and beliefs. Even observational drawings, while they may not hold any great meaning, serve as a means to increase my fluidity and my ability to express myself further. Additionally, I use self-portraiture across a variety of mediums, each with an individual character that reflects certain aspects of myself. As I continue to experiment and explore multiple artistic ideas, I am able to form a more cohesive image of myself as well.

Savannah Schickling, “Feeling Disembodied,” Patrick Henry High School

 One of my most cherished subjects is the human face. There is ample opportunity for an artist to explore almost any subject using just the human face, and combined with a personal affinity for bright, almost garish colors and surreal aspects makes for my own personal artistic haven. I believe I am most influenced by the psyche of adolescents including myself, and how we choose to cope with a setting and society that, admittedly, doesn't cater to us in the ways that most believe it does. In this portfolio I choose to explore myself with a collection of three self-portraits, with three additional pieces exploring concepts I feel are less personal. Overall, I believe this portfolio speaks to my adolescent experience and the dread that accompanies realizing my childhood is coming to an end. 

Avery Tung, “It’s Just Bugs,” Burton Center for Arts & Tech

I have grown a brief, powerful fascination with these creatures. The idea of them mostly, but I also have developed a sort of adoration for their bodies. The structure of their limbs, their eyes, how light they are, and above all else, their ability to just stay the way they are in death. Of course, they do not stay perfectly intact, but they do stay put-together enough to be posed well, photographed prettily, and made to feel alive. I keep a jar of them. They make beautiful models. Of course, I have taken many photos of them. Grasshoppers, moths, flies, wasps, even some beetles mailed to me from across the country. 

They make make great inspiration for painting, drawing, and collage as well. I have drawn them mostly with oil pastels, but I also have used watercolor. On my largest piece as of yet, I wished to paint insect parts with humans; I liked the unity between them.

Elly White, “Finding the Artist Within,” Pulaski County High School

This portfolio is all about finding who I am as an artist. I believe portfolios shouldn't have to be consistent because all artists are unique and why put them in a box in the first place? Some artists are experimenting with their style and different art mediums themselves, including me. I know the judges for these pieces will be looking for the typical perfect, concise portfolio, but sometimes the best artist doesn't have that. I wanted to change it up, and I wanted the judges to learn every part of the artist. It may look messy and inconsistent, but this is the current state of my experimentation to be an even better artist. Within this portfolio, I hope you see the ripe potential of being an all-around, future brilliant artist. I would describe myself and my art as a flower bud. They grow potential every day to become something of beauty. I feel with the help of these pieces, I am a giant step closer to seeing how much I have in store. With this portfolio, I want viewers to see my personality and potential. The key idea is to show whoever sees it how I am an all-around artist. It doesn't have anything in common other than these are the pieces that are helping me find myself. I have been disconnected from my art for years, but it has always been by my side. This year, I am finally discovering myself and my future once again. I am an artist, and forever I want to be an artist. My plans are even to attend one of the top art colleges in the world I was accepted to. Winning or even being recognized for my work will encourage me to keep improving and to be confident that I am an artist. When it comes to the different materials I used, I based it on what was being created. Every material used brought me joy in doing it, and I hope you enjoy the different contrasts my pieces bring.

Courtney Zerrilla, “Disassociation,” Lord Botetourt High School

My collection of works is how modern people disassociate themselves from reality. Disassociation is a mental illness I believe is overlooked by many people. It is a mental process of disconnecting from one’s thoughts, feelings, and memories. It affects one’s daily interactions, healthy lifestyle and causes depression and anxiety from feeling detached from yourself and your emotions. I used a variety of dark media like charcoal and bright media like oil pastel and watercolor to portray the disconnection from reality and attachment to a make-believe reality. People tend to stray away from talking about their mental illnesses because of the shame and fear of how others will perceive their struggles. My goal with my art is to help people cope with their mental illnesses and feel comfortable because nobody is perfect, and everybody deserves to feel safe when opening up about their experiences.