Saguaro, acrylic
Luci Cole
Monterey High School | Junior
My name is Luci Cole, and I am a junior in the Monterey High School art program. I have been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember, and I hope to continue to be able to for many years to come. Art for me has always been the ultimate form of self expression. It gives me the opportunity and means to turn my brain inside out and make
my thoughts and feelings into something tangible. This year I have been focusing on building a portfolio and pushing my designs out of my comfort zone of what I would normally paint.
Although over the years I have been given the opportunity to experiment with many different techniques and media. At this moment I have been focusing mainly on acrylic painting, as well as some digital art. I gravitate towards bright and intense color schemes, and I like to incorporate elements of nature and growth into my work.
This particular composition is inspired by a poster I had when I was little of a saguaro cactus with birds living in it. I was fascinated by the symbiotic relationship of the ecosystem that this cactus supports, as well as the idea of the bird’s life being so intertwined and dependent upon the cactus, but still remaining separate entities. The contrast between the desert's dead and dry outer appearance and the rich inner life its supports was also something I especially wanted to explore in this piece. This past year my life has changed so much, and trying to balance my own inner personal issues even when there’s much bigger turmoil in the world has been a challenge. Examining myself through these relationships in nature has been a big part of how I make sense of the world around me.