Gateways
In the Summer of 2016, I spent a lot of time reflecting and listening to the world around me. That summer was different in the fact that I would not be attending school in the Fall like I had for the past 4 years. Being finished with school gave me the freedom to work on what I wanted to do without the pressure of getting a good grade. However, it required that I make some serious adjustments to my work ethic. Without having my grades as a motivation, I needed to make sure I had self discipline to continue to improve upon my craft. These images heavily use symbolism to convey key themes in my life at that moment in time.
In this image, the daisies represent a transformation. They also represent the clarity that I was feeling, shortly after graduating. In the final year leading up to graduation, I was quite terrified of the unknown. But now that I was there, things didn't seem quite so bad. The path that can be seen in this image is one I travelled quite often at my University and it symbolizes the paths I have chosen to bring me to where I currently am. To me, this image symbolizes my passage from Student to Professional. I am left with a feeling of hope and childlike wonder for all of the possibilities that exist for me.
The tree branch is a symbol for growth and creative potential. It also symbolizes the attempt of gaining a higher perspective and to see the bigger picture. I find it is better to step back and assess things than look at them head on. It is much better to gain multiple perspectives than to only see things from the angle one is currently in. The lake is a doorway to other worlds and represent a duality in which I live. The rhythm of this image fills me with the feeling of tranquility. Rocks often represent stability and being grounded as well as the feeling of comfort and strength. I can connect to this very much as I find balance in my career as an artist.
There is dialogue happening between all of these images and this image in particular focuses heavily on taking a step back to reflect. The transition from the lake to the ground is dynamic and hints at new experiences to come. Between this image and the next, there is a transition from inaction to action. The final image represents the act of escaping to other worlds.
Overall, this series is meant to symbolize the attempt to gain a higher perspective in order to see the bigger picture in life. It also speaks upon the desire to live life with tranquility and peace. The Lake, which can be seen in most of these images acts as a gateway to other worlds and possibilities while the rocks and earth serve as a grounding mechanism for bringing comfort and strength.