My name is Alana Leonard, and I am a junior taking Honors 2D Portfolio at Pacific Grove High School. I would eventually like to apply my knowledge of drawing, painting,and design to a career in film production, whether that be in set design, lighting design, cinematography, or something else. Artistic expression has always been a part of my sense of purpose, and I don’t know who I would be or what kind of life I would lead without it.

I am currently building a portfolio centered around the theme of escapism. My pieces feature places and objects that symbolize my own use of escapism to distract myself from the unpleasant realities of being in this transitional stage of life. I am often inspired by liminal spaces because they represent that transitional stage, as well as both the comforting, nostalgic aspects of escapism and the isolation and dissociation from reality it can cause. Nostalgia is a big part of my art, as it is a main source of escape for me. I also explore how light and color can emphasize the themes in my art, usually gravitating towards vibrant colors and dramatic light and shadow. I usually use colored pencils because of the precision and smooth blending they allow me.

I decided to stray from my more frequent subject matter of buildings and landscapes, instead focusing this piece on the colors and light of a small glass dish of candies. This piece is called “A Dish of Dopamine,” as the half-emptied dish and the strewn wrapper represent indulging in sugar as a way to self-soothe. The peppermint candies themselves have sentimental value to me, so they also represent indulging in nostalgia. I used alcohol markers as a base for colored pencils to give the piece more depth of color.