Jessica • 13 • Cork

12-15 Category   •  2026
my artwork is based on the idea that nature can be found in the most surprising places. i live beside a medieval graveyard that is still used today. some of the headstones are very old and back to the 1800s. even though it is a place connected with death and history it is also full of life if you stop and look closely. i went to the graveyard to find a reference image for my artwork. everything was very grey and quiet but suddenly i noticed a bright green fern growing out of a stone wall. the bright green fern looked very out of place against the harsh, grey stone wall. it made me think about how nature finds a way to grow in places you'd least expect. i chose colouring pencils first because i like how they allow me to add finer details to the leaves of the fern. i hope this artwork shows that nature is not just found in forests or fields. for me, "this is art" means finding something beautiful where you least expect it. it can grow through cracks in walls, in secret places and even in graveyards.