The central idea of my concentration is childhood memories, specifically how people and experiences have shaped my perspective on the world. Portraiture has always interested me because it tells a story about the person portrayed through their appearance. I wanted to use portraits of myself, friends, and family throughout my concentration to depict influential moments in my life.  

In my concentration, I have connected my pieces together by drawing from personal memories to portray my childhood. I believe that childhood is defined as much by experience as it is by people around us.

Imagination encourages us to explore different ideas and look at the world in a new way. I wanted to depict seemly simplistic events of everyday life through the imaginative lens of a child. In Image 1, a music lesson is set in a forest representing the magical, overwhelming feeling of music. Image 5 depicts how play shapes our dreams and ambitions to new heights. Imagination also can help us reflect upon ourselves as we learn to become more independent.  Images 9 and 10 represent a journey of self-expression through fashion and beauty. Even how we choose to perceive bad events like bullying (Image 2) or nightmares (Image 8) as a child help define who we are.

Family and friends have also had an enormous impact on my childhood. I learned about my cultural heritage through my parents (Image 12). The close ties with my siblings have made me realize that I am a part of something bigger than myself (Image 11). I am comfortable being myself around my friends and together we are united by common interests (Image 7).

My memories make up my identity; both the events and people I have shared them with have made me who I am.