State of Mind VA High School
Visual Arts artists reflected on all of the feelings and thoughts they were having during times of quarantine to create new mixed-media pieces of artwork. As an added challenge to push their creative process, students were asked to use mystery art materials distributed via curbside pickup. They used all of the materials in the mystery pack with the option of also using their own art supplies. The results are direct reflections of what was on students' minds at the time.
Click on artwork images for artist and artwork information.
The Butterfly Mixed mediaSofia RodriguezAge: 17
The butterfly is a representation of how during this COVID-19 pandemic I have learned so much about myself and how much I enjoy interaction and spending quality time with everyone. Even though we can’t do that now, I learned that I am more independent that I thought I was. The mix of color in the background is the representation of COVID-19 and many other things that are surrounding me as we are faced with many challenges.
ImbalanceMixed mediaJillian Baylon-BrutonAge: 14
“Money makes the world go round” is a saying that is painfully true. The “top dogs” take from others and don’t give back, which causes an imbalance. Millionaires became billionaires during this pandemic. Meanwhile, less fortunate people do not have the funds to shelter or safety from this virus. The “1%” thrive off the suffering of others and don’t seem to have second thoughts about keeping the money all to themselves.
Optimistic Mixed mediaAva GutierrezAge: 15
During this time of quarantine a lot of negative things are happening and some of it can be overwhelming. I feel like I am constantly trying to be positive about what is going on and am always trying to be positive for others. The mouth is mine and the flowers and glitter symbolizes that positivity.
Mind WavesMixed mediaAvi WhiteAge: 16
The waves of the mind are complicated and unpredictable, like the ocean waves. The push and pull of the waves is steady, but it doesn’t stay that way forever, it is continuously changing. Sometimes the waves reach far enough to touch the shells, but in the end it isn’t enough to touch every grain of sand. The mind is the same way, we never make use of our whole brain, and we never really think to. Once we think we know enough, we might not think to learn more unless it is necessary or convinient. This is how I typically feel: that what I know is almost enough, but in reality we can never reach that last piece of information.
Absence Mixed mediaAshley BargAge: 17
I made this work from paper and chain on canvas. The piece reflects my grief for my beloved deceased dog and how it impacted me personally. The chain represents how I will never be able to let him go and the slipping blocks and drops in the background symbolize my feelings towards the situation.
Four Moons and a Happy CrowMixed mediaSara CanestaroAge: 17
The four full moons represent the four months we have been in quarantine, so far. The crow looking up at them with a festive hat represents how I know that the world is in a dark spot right now, but I still celebrate what makes me happy about this situation, like being able to stay home all the time, a dream come true for an extreme introvert like me.
Turn to DespairMixed mediaCristino-Paul FuentesAge: 17
The creature seen emerging from the canvas is a depiction of all global conflict in the form of a monster-like being. The creature was brought to life from the inspiration of other fictional characters such as Venom, The Violator from Spawn and Freddy Krueger. In the left hand of the monster you can see a heart with a screw through it; this represents a feeling of having all these things that one holds close to their heart being stripped away and taken from them. The violet paint used on the canvas beneath the main piece of the art is used to show a sense of love being destroyed. In the DC Comics universe violet is one the colors in the spectrum used to show love. The creature itself was cut out from a sheet of paper and drawn with markers and pens.
“Fetti”Mixed mediaSean EmersonAge: 16
I wanted to make something that is dear to my heart; for example, one of my favorite songs of all time is called “Fetti” and I wanted to make a piece about all the artists on a canvas, including Playboi Carti, Da$h, and Maxo Kream. Through all of this going on with COVID and staying home constantly, whenever stressed, I just play this song and instantly feel happier and better.
Movement of Pain Mixed mediaDakota ReaAge: 16
I created this piece to show how I feel pain in my head without seeing or knowing what it is.
New YearMixed mediaTiara StriblingAge: 16
During quarantine, I got to experience things in a new way. At this time I'm becoming more spiritual and on my way to becoming better, this time is really a new beginning for me. The lotus flower means rebirth; the moon phases are to represent cycles; and the stars show it's in the universe.
An Oppressed Voice Mixed mediaAva AcostaAge: 16
Due to the activism regarding Black Lives, I felt inspired to create a piece that represented the oppression of Black voices across the world. They have fought for years to be treated like equals and now, due to the overwhelming support of people around the world, their voices have reached every corner of the globe. We won’t be held down anymore and we won’t stop fighting for the people that have been shoved down, ripped of opportunity, any longer.
Torn Mixed mediaRachel Joyce PerryAge: 18
During quarantine I felt really conflicted about the situation that everyone around the world was facing, including my family and I. I painted my piece to look like it was in half and painted some torn up pieces of paper. It shows how I felt out of place and how I was trying to act like someone who was okay, but really wasn’t.
Corona's Slumber Mixed mediaAlexandra Garcia EstradaAge: 16
I feel that my mindset changed during the Coronavirus pandemic; when I had just gotten used to my new “normal,” I learned that I had to change to adjust to the virus. I was constantly sleeping, feeling like the outside world was a nightmare and I didn’t want to wake up from my naps. Now I’ve coped with those feelings and can display them.
Adolescente Mixed mediaSarai RuizAge: 16
Lately it seems the world has been crumbling within itself. I, the alien, sit calmly watching another planet end. The destroyed planet does not signify our planet Earth, but its current situation of the neverending conflict. The asteroid is merely a reference to peace because although it’s always around we know we’ll never truly have it.
