ARTIST STATEMENT

Dreams are our exaggerated reality. Real-life is hard, but dreamscape is the ‘in-betweenness, a place where consciousness and subconsciousness co-exists and where we succumb to or conquer our inhibitions, basically decide our truths. Dreams reflect how we feel. When a dream feels real, it can draw the dreamer closer to their true image – knowing what matters and finding courage from within. The girl is in a strange unfamiliar world. The unfamiliarity of this world is life itself. To be fearful and give in, or to be courageous? Her courage is a self-personification– the wolf represents inner strength, new power, and the freedom to transcend insecurities. What matters most is the dream. It is an inspiration of sorts where one can grow, learn about themselves, and build confidence. 

ARTIST STATEMENT

Designed with the shape of a beer can in mind, I chose to illustrate the endless cycle of life, death and rebirth of a lotus flower to loop around the can. In the background is an ink painting I had done using a marbling technique called suminagashi that was then scanned and digitally altered. Centered against this backdrop is an orb sitting above a blooming lotus. This orb is an embodiment of the flower’s spinning life cycle manifesting into light & energy. Within it contains an esoteric symbol called a “gankyil” meaning “bliss-whirling” or “wheel of joy” in Sanskrit that can be found in Tibetan and East Asian Buddhism.

The lotus flower is a symbol deeply rooted in Buddhism and is the official national flower of Vietnam; the country my parents are from and a religion/philosophy I grew up learning about. 

The flower’s growth from seed to full bloom represents different stages on the path to enlightenment. A closed bud symbolizes the time before enlightenment, while a fully bloomed lotus represents full enlightenment. Lotuses only grow in deep muddy waters so for something as beautiful, bright and fragrant like a flower to arise from dirt and darkness, it is a symbol of the human experience seeking to break free and awaken from the hardships of life. But as the lotus floats above the murky waters of material attachment, the roots and stem remain nourished in the mud, where we live our messy & complicated lives.