“My artwork shows how emotions can change as you grow older. The girl in the painting is sad on her birthday because she’s had so many disappointing ones that the excitement has faded. She’s become so used to feeling let down that the happiness she once felt just isn’t there anymore.”

“My artwork is inspired by my emotions, the drawings I create with my dad, and the ideas I find on Pinterest. These influences help me express feelings that are sometimes hard to say out loud, and they shape the mood and meaning behind my painting.”

“My favorite form of art is painting because I can mix my own colors and build each piece layer by layer, shaping the artwork exactly how I imagine it.”