Silent Nights by Wendy Lee
(pardon the glare!)
“Growing up with my mother for 16 years, she always told me to always reach for the stars – work beyond what I think I can do, and instead work towards and past what I can do, to constantly break that boundary and go further. However, I was never met with many incredible hardships and often gained selfish, self-centered habits, and attitudes. To reflect on this negative trait and emphasize my progress in mental growth, this self-portrait painting was created. The dark, black acrylic-paint background symbolizes space and emptiness. Often times I find myself oblivious to the needs of others and only able to focus on my own goals and comfort. The stars and colourful cloud effects were created to imitate space because I believe there is nothing lonelier than being in outer space by yourself. To put further emphasis on myself I used cool, soft water colour paint to contrast the dark background. Furthermore, the star in my hand illustrates that despite all these negative traits and aspects of my life, as long as I can remember my true goals, I know that nothing is insuperable and unachievable as long as I take it one step at a time.” – Wendy Lee
Welcome to Acting Up on AOS where we will meet the stars of our world: people I find inspirational and exceptional in becoming stars in their own life. This artist is a local Gr. 12 student whose painting is featured in a gallery I visited. I was so inspired by the wisdom in her writing, in particular, her understanding that often as we work to achieve our goals we may become self centered and unbalanced. Caring for others is, after all, one of the most simple joys of our human experience. And what an incredible visual representation of a concept. It is teens like Wendy that make me feel hopeful. They are such an important part of our community and I celebrate the parents and teachers that support them.
Thank you Wendy for being a part of Anatomy of a Star!