Odessa • 17 • Cork

Runner-up

This painting is a combination of images of my Dad and his plants. It has a similar composition to that of a collage but is solely constructed through a gouache medium. I used a wide variety of bright and eye-catching colours up against a dark blue background, which I thought accentuated their vibrancy. For my reference for the scale and proportions of my artwork, I took photos on a film camera of my dad working with his plants and drew from them. Inspiration can be seen within two realms of this painting: the inspiration invoked in my Dad by the plants and the inspiration found in the admiration I developed for his passion in caring for them. We have many of these colourful and patterned pots in our home accommodating a plethora of different plant species, and so, seeing them everyday, I began to love their colour palettes and decided to put them on a page. I have always loved to draw and paint from a young age; I find it an expressive and creative hobby that allows me to represent feelings and thoughts visually. When I paint I notice hours can go by without me realising, and while this can sometimes be a problem, it’s also a testimony to how thoroughly I enjoy the process. Expressing myself through art and other creative practices is a very important aspect of my life and I can say with confidence that It will stick with me forever.