Growing
Markers, pencil and embroidery on watercolour paper
By: Faith Lee
Artist Statement:
My work highlights my personal relationship with the idea of growth, exploring its dual nature, and the obstacles and freedoms that come with it.
The gradual change from grayscale to colour is one of the overarching visuals of the work. Through this, I wanted to show the slow impact of changes and growth. The grayscale portion represents the difficult and traumatic parts of life, and the coloured portion depicts the moments of happiness. At the bottom, the wolf and human face slowly merge together to find a purpose, yet with the ribcage on the right, they are suggested to both be caged up and fighting. As leaves and flowers sprout and fall from the plant, questions on the nature of growth are raised. The various butterfly motifs reference the butterfly effect where each action has its own consequences, whether they may be good or bad. Finally, the hand is reaching out for opportunity, and unlocking the trauma of life to set the past free.
I used markers as it reminds me of the happiness and the carefree nature of childhood. In addition, needle and thread are used as I enjoyed how its process of cause and effect explore consequences. Once you puncture a piece of paper with needles, marks are left behind, and the thread exposes the consequences.