After focusing on the epidemics of Africa as a branch off of social commentary, I became really interested in animal rights in my extension of my investigation into social injustice. My advocacy against animal cruelty began in the middle of my junior year of high school and transitioned into my senior year. My focus as a junior was animal testing and the fur industry, but recently I have explored animals themselves as representations in different cultures, such as Native American and Chinese horoscope symbolism in one of my self-portraits.
            My habit of the cartoony effect in my pieces has been difficult to overcome, but I think I have successfully utilized animal realism in my paintings by using acrylic paints, watered down acrylic and colored pencil to achieve a detailed look to the animals. Angela Singer and Oksana Badrak’s use of animal realism in a composition has influenced me to inquire about this new technique in my own pieces.
            My mediums I have experimented with include acrylic paints, sharpies, colored pencils, graphite pencils, watercolor, and recently digital, film, animation, and audio. I wish to further my skills in not only a traditional sense, but also explore more digital works to expand my skills as an artist.