Hello is a small and unassuming acrylic piece on wood. A creature appears to be emerging from the right side of the canvas. It is lanky and bone-thin, with its spine visible and a single eye as its only facial feature. Despite its inherent eeriness, it hunches over as though trying to make itself smaller. It holds a gift — a star, a ball of golden light that seems to shine upon the creature itself, reflecting hues of blue, yellow, and pink.
The inspiration for this creature came to me in a dream. It was terrifying — I ran for my life. Yet, when I hit a wall and could run no longer, the creature stopped and simply offered its hand. Upon waking, I drew it in hopes of preserving the memory. When I later found the wooden board, I knew I had to paint it.
The golden star was my own addition. While I knew the creature was kind, I wanted the viewer to understand that it was not something to fear but rather a giving figure. I sought to reflect this notion through light and color while keeping its original shape and form — hence the creation of highlights in varying hues.
I created this piece to show that the world isn’t so frightening and that fear is something to be overcome — something I struggled with deeply during the artwork’s creation. Often, fear is what holds us back: fear of how the world is, or of what it might think of us, keeps us stagnant. Yet fear can also hand us gifts that make it all worthwhile. Perhaps the star represents hope. Perhaps it symbolizes joy, or the brightness of the present moment and the promise of a better future — if only we are willing to see a creature for more than its face.
By Nina Noguera