Penny • 15 • Cork

12-15 Category   •  2026
Hello, my name is Penny Foy. I am a 15-year-old artist from Cork, and I am submitting my piece Mothúcháin under the theme “This Is Nature”. Nature is often understood as greenery such as flowers, grass, and trees. In this work, I explore nature from a different perspective by interpreting it as human emotion. Emotions are a natural part of being human. I have been taught that it is natural to feel happiness, anger, excitement, and sadness, and that expressing these emotions is healthy. While this is widely accepted in theory, I believe society still struggles to fully embrace emotional honesty. People often feel pressured to mask their true emotions to fit in, whether smiling through a difficult day or hiding feelings to avoid judgement. This emotional suppression can prevent people from pursuing what they truly want and can cause them to lose touch with their authentic selves. This idea of hidden identity and emotional restraint is central to Mothúcháin. The painting features half of a woman’s face, revealing only part of her identity and allowing the viewer a glimpse into her inner world through her eyes. Her expression may appear bored or detached, yet a subtle sense of hope emerges through the colours surrounding her. These colours represent her natural emotions, which are wild and varied yet exist together in harmony. Each colour may represent a different emotion depending on the viewer. For me, blue tones represent melancholy mixed with aspiration. Blue acts as a transition between the woman and her emotions, while soft white swirls symbolise ambition and growth. Pink represents calm happiness and contentment. The orange layer symbolises anger and jealousy and reflects how these emotions are often intense but short-lived. Yellow represents pride, joy, and accomplishment, acting as a sense of resolution and hope. I chose acrylic paint for its versatility and ability to create both soft and structured effects. Thank you for considering my work!