Violet's Portfolio
How can I portray the transition from childhood to adulthood using colors and reflective themes?
I have worked on these 15 pieces in preperation for the AP Studio portfolio, and I hope you enjoy! They are very personal to me, but I hope they can ressonate in some ways with you, too! Thank you for looking!
"Life in Violet"
acrylic, 8x10 in.
From a still life, the subjects created a new meaning together when it came to my theme. Something I wanted to include in the transition from childhood to adulthood was the constants for me. Life and death, a prevalent part in my life and history together have a melancholy meaning. The mirror is the reflection I have on myself all the time, as well as how I reflect in the past. And of course, the color choice being Violet, my name, which stays with me forever. It is my signature to others, how people know me. That will never change.
construction paper, colored pencils, marker, 5.5in x 8in
"About Time"
This piece, about being in the moment, has a subject of a sunset with my friends presenting the idea of savoring moments. The paper used is from a stack that I have saved since I was at least six. I’ve always saved it for the future, the perfect moment, and I decided what better moment than now. The things that I held onto in my youth are now coming in handy and making me realize the point in having possessions is to use them.
"Birthday Wish"
19in x 16in, chalk pastels
This piece is from one of my birthdays where I’m blowing a candle out at my kitchen table, what I’ve done every year since I was born. This is tradition, something that is a part of my identity. I hate change, and this has always been a constant in my life. It’s a way for me to look back and see the progression of who am I since I was a kid.
"New Generation"
9in x 9in, acrylic
I’ve always had pets since I was a kid, and there were pets I grew up with that I can't remember not having. That would be Chloe, Kitty, and Gracie. However, as I’ve gotten older, the pets have passed or gotten old. Now, we have Orion and Salem, our two baby cats that we adopted. The colors represent the new comings beginnings with these cats now. The arbitrary theme displays the wildness navigating this life. They are not replacements, just another start of a story.
"Lasting Love"
11in x 8in, graphite and watercolor
This piece is about the importance of family and the introduction of death at a young age. My grandpa was sick for years, and at six he died. I always thought he would get better because I didn't understand life could end permanently. The photo is of my grandma, grandpa, and my hands together at his last moments. The color of the hands shows the life while the background will be black and white, the seriousness. Family has always connected with me and going into adulthood has made me reflect on how these moments impacted my valuing of life.
"Class Party"
10in x14in, oil pastels
This piece is about the nostalgic and comforting feeling school events still give me. During Halloween, my art class had a party, and everyone brought food, drinks, and we watched movies and listened to music. It was a blast from the past, and I knew this feeling wouldn’t come often because it’s a specific feeling only these moments can bring. Being a senior now, I’m valuing these moments more than ever because as I transition to an adult, I won’t have this moment often, if not ever.
"Building Blocks"
24in x 16in, acrylic
This piece was made to represent not only how karate has been a part of my identity since a child and how my passion has resurfaced, but also the building blocks that it taught me that I hope to teach others in my karate classes. Reflecting on how my childhood shaped me, karate taught me the basics of how to be a decent human. Integrity, respect, discipline, all learned through karate. And not only did I learn these, I also found my passion for karate. Now, instead of my dad teaching me I teach other children what I learned, and I hope to give them those same starting lessons in life.
"... The End?"
10in x 8in, acyrlic
As a kid, Minecraft played a huge role in my life. It was the game that bonded me and my best friend and one that became a hobby during Covid. This piece is about the end of not only the game, but my school career. I’m graduating this July and it evokes bittersweet emotions. I’m graduating in person, no longer attending online school, and I’m doing it beside my best friend. This photo represents the presence of technology and the impact it has on me. It is a staple of my childhood that stays with me in adulthood.
"Flow State"
10in x 20in, acrylic
The aging into your adult face is a massive part between the transition of childhood and adulthood, in this photo, I remember feeling so grown. Now I look back, and my features have refined and molded into the adult me. I think subconsciously I was making the features harsher than the image because in my mind, I was painting the version of me now. The water represents the flow of growth and aging.
"The Little Things"
16in x 20in, markers and colored pencils
One of the most meticulous pieces, this shows my friend's room as we were all having a sleepover. Although it appears we are not doing anything, we are having conversations that remind me what life is about. It is the little things in life, like the friendships that make you feel safe and heard. They are my little things that I need to not take advantage of.
"Accidents"
12in x 17in, markers, colored pencils, acyrlic
This piece is inspired by the difference in perspective on accidents as a child versus an adult. An accident to me as a child was falling off of my bike and scraping my knee. No real damage was done, and seeing as life was so vibrant and fun back then, it wasn’t a big deal. However, as I’ve grown and gotten a car, the work accident has taken on a new meaning. The car is crushed in the back and smoking in the front, a costly fix that could have insured people. Using colors, the seriousness of life is exposed.
"Bad Habits"
16in x 16in, colored pencils
This is a piece of me biting my lips with a distinct cut on my mouth and picked fingers holding my face. While this piece might seem gross, to me it is something that represents a habit I've had since a child, so it is normal to me. Because I did it as a kid, most of the time when I look in the mirror, I see my face with a scab on my lips or look down at my hands and see the bitten nails. Yes, a gross image but these have become part of my appearance, and in a way, I find it beautiful as it identifies me. However, I am aware of it being a negative habit and as I grow up, I'm navigating what it is like to consciously stop myself from the habit instead of accepting it.
"Behind Closed Doors"
16in x 11in, graphite
A darker toned piece, this is about medical trauma and the effects it has on me to this day. I had a health problem that I hid from everyone for 4 years, and holding the secret in cause lots of trauma not only to my body, but to my mind. I was constantly fearful of going to the doctor and to this day I struggle with the sense of fear from having a resurgabce of complivaions.
"Parental Love"
16in x 11in, charcoal
This image is wholesome and I wanted to capture the intensity and light between parent and child relationships. This is my mom and her dad, and the image reminded me of me and my dad when I was a kid. As I’ve grown up though, our relationship has changed in a way I don’t know how to handle yet. We are not as close and I’m no longer his little girl. As I transition from child to adult, I’m trying to navigate my way in retaining my relationship with parents.
This by far is my most advanced piece I have made. Using 3 mediums, I depict my first day of school side by side my first last day of school. Once again, it is tradition for me to take a picture in front of my fireplace every school year. With this year being my last time doing so, it rattled something in me. Present me is drawn in pencil to show the maturity and refinements that have come about since I was a kid, which is drawn in color to show the vibrancy in me. The background is watercolor, not just because I didn’t want it to be distracting, but to show the flow my background/life has gone through since that first day of school. Everything had changed, and my memory has been hazy when it comes to my surroundings, especially from when I was a kid. How I have grown up into this version of me now and the things I have gone through to become me is integrated into my identity and will never leave. That young version of me is still inside, I’ve just grown around that self.
"End of the Beginings"
22in x 16in, graphite, colored pencil, and watercolor
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