Evelyn Alvarez Artist Statement

Through my work I aim to show discomfort, vulnerability, and distress caused by the disconnect between the mind and body. When the mind and body are not in a parallel state, it causes negative feelings like distress, dejection, and anxiety. My work magnifies those feelings that exist in the volatile relationship between a physical body and a mental one that only seem to intersect with a struggle in an internal battle. Using paint, I primarily depict proportional or distorted figures and how it coexists with its surroundings. Often combining expressive brush strokes, areas with precise detail work, as well as outlined elements to create a piece with violent or disturbing undertones. Each piece calls for its own color combination to intensify the mood. My work displays vulnerable moments that I believe call attention to the mental health problems some experience. I want to show the dark state of mind that is not adequately represented when thinking of the mental health journey. My intention in depicting these moments of distress and dejection is to provoke empathy.

Rachel Li Artist Statement

In the realm of my canvases, reality dances with the extraordinary, and the
mundane transforms into the magical. I am a young artist fueled by a deep love
for the surreal, exploring the limitless possibilities that art making offers to
manifest the dreams and fantasies that reside within me. My journey into the world of art is a continuous exploration of the subconscious, where the boundaries between the tangible and the intangible blur, and imagination takes flight. Each brushstroke is an expression of my innermost thoughts, a visual poem that speaks a language beyond the constraints of the everyday.
In a world that occasionally seems bound by constraints, my objective is to offer a refuge—an oasis where the imagination can wander freely. Through my
creations, I aspire to evoke a feeling of serene melancholy, employing
predominantly dark and cool hues, while making bursts of bright color along the edges, like a silver lining on the sky.