Tri-City Art

Something I wish my parents knew is that I often felt isolated and alienated during middle school. I wish my parents understood how difficult it was to fit in and adjust to a new school.

My piece depicts the strikes nurses went on in order to protest a shortage of workers in the healthcare industry and the dangers faced by patients as a result of being treated by underpaid, overworked professionals. Strikes can serve as crucial tools for securing fair wages and hours.

In light of the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, the heartbreaking reality of violence and loss of innocent lives (especially among children) is deeply distressing. Regardless of one's perspective on the conflict, there is a shared understanding that the lives of children should never be sacrificed in the name of vengeance.

Music impacts my mental health positively, especially when I am feeling down. I can relate to lyrics and feel understood when I listen to a song. Music guides me through difficult times and leaves me feeling more positive

Music can connect people or make us feel connected to others. Music can lift spirits, give us energy, and touch our souls, which in turn improves our mental health. My dad often sings a specific Chinese song from his childhood, whose title translates to “Spring in the North.” […] The song essentially talks about how spring...

“My ‘Hope’ entry is meant to represent what I’ve become post-pandemic. It shows how screens, like my cellphone, have affected my life. It feels like I’m being sucked in and losing control; but a special person has been able to help me [keep] from losing all touch with reality. My hope is that I can learn...

“My piece is a representation of my anchor in life – my pets. Life can be stressful at times, but the simple presence of an animal is immediately calming; it’s why people have therapy pets and why dogs are brought to hospitals to cheer people up. When life gets hard, sometimes the best thing you can...

“My mother has always been someone I can rely on and brings me happiness. She is always available to offer me guidance and console me when I’m going through a hard time. My painting shows my mother acting as a guide, helping me go through my journey of life which is represented by a map of...

My art reflects upon the idea of young people being seen and heard with their mental health. I feel as though many young people aren’t taken seriously when it comes to this, especially in younger children. This is an important problem that is overlooked in society. A world where mental health is taken seriously is what...

Growing plants is a big part of a world that supports my mental health so I drew a person gathering dirt around a new plant that curls into a green ribbon. I thought that it was a creative way to incorporate the ribbon into the plant showing how plants can help improve mental health. Plants are...

My artwork shows one person handing a “text HOPE” card to another person. The piece is meant to show how offering help, or where to get help and noticing when someone needs it is really important and can shed light on a dark situation. The person at the top of the frame is in bright colors...

I drew a digital news article which discusses the bad treatment Palestinians are facing. For the main “article” art piece I drew the Palestinian flag, with the keffiyeh pattern, which is worn by many people showing their support for Palestine, and a child hurling a stone with a slingshot, which shows that children are trying to...

Content warning: About violence and contains content that might be activating. "I wanted to discuss both violence and concerns related to mental health. Violence in the workplace, in schools, and even online has been a common concern over the years, and it still occurs every day. I made this piece because I wish those who are...

This is my version of Michelle Yeoh winning an Oscar at this year’s award ceremony. Her message of hope was inspiring. I added in some celebratory aspects, and animated the image a bit, but wanted to express absolute joy and excitement through features in my art. Out of the 95 years the Oscar award show has...

For this project, I used acrylic paint and water to paint a recently hatched butterfly and its chrysalis. The butterfly has a rainbow pattern to represent the rainbow LGBTQ flag. The chrysalis represents the proverbial and literal closets that so many LGBTQ people are forced to hide in. Butterflies represent hope, so this project represents my...

After reflecting upon actions that can be made by young people to better the environment, I thought that reusable bags would be a unique concept to highlight. In this day and age, there is so much plastic everywhere and for the most part, plastic bags are an example of this. I feel that instead of getting...

To the viewers of my artwork, I’d like for everyone to take a first glance, and see a coral reef. Then, I want the viewers to look closer, and see that there’s cardboard and paper and plastic integrated into the painting. This piece was designed to draw attention to the fact that garbage does not belong...

The concept behind my artwork is fast fashion and the many cases of abuse to which it is connected to. What my artwork represents is a teen who is saddened by the effect of fast fashion, but ignorant of their growing contributions to it. A figure with flowing hair is contrasted by the more explicit forms...

“For 2023 I wish that stereotypes stop defining who we are as a person, and we are defined by our own selves no matter what ethnicity. I wanted to include some of the most common stereotypes that have been used in the past couple years and put them up on a cork board because I know...

“My submission represents my hopes for 2023. I’m graduating high school during the 2023 year, so I wanted to emphasize this as the focus point since it will be the biggest accomplishment that I will soon experience. Growing up and graduating high school can carry a lot of fear and anxiety for me, so I decided...

“My piece is meant for the monthly prompt category, which could have been interpreted in different ways. The route I went with has changed because for the new year, I wanted to be a newer, better version of myself. As someone who feels like they don’t fit the binary, I’ve struggled with my gender identity a...

"Something that always gives me hope for the future is my cat, Mickey. He was rescued off the streets of Malibu, California and then brought to a shelter East of Los Angeles. He was part of a “trap, neuter, release” program and half of his left ear had been clipped as proof. Suffice to say he...

“Destition: Movie shows how film can be a temporary escape from reality.”

My painting “Recovering” is about my anchor. Last year after coming back to school and getting involved with several school activities, I had some problems with mental health- overthinking stuff, getting pressured, not maging my time wisely- so I had to find a way to go back and make an anchor. As I was working on...

With this piece, my goal was to show a runner escaping a cluster of chaotic things. Running has been my “anchor” over the past few months, so I decided to have the person running away from the sort of nonsensical, disorganized madness that, without an anchor, can really leave people detached from what matters. I painted...

My entry is about the recent overturning of Roe V. Wade. On the canvas, there is a television playing a news coverage of a protest fighting against the overturning. The people protesting look upset and are all holding signs with pro-choice designs. There is a woman intently watching the screen looking slightly unkempt with bandages. This...

In this artwork, I aspire to instill a feeling of hope; as although the figure is presented with limited categories to force themself into, they still chose to be themself. I dually aim that this instills hope amongst those who have been faced with a similar scerio, who feel alone in their struggles. I hope those...

My artwork shows a group of Asians protesting to get justice for them, you can see in the middle picture I have a picture frame of a woman, she is Michelle Go, a victim of racism, as well as anti-Asian hatred, she has pushed down the tracks of the New York subway. I drew her because...

My entry depicts a group of women known as the “Harvard Computers” who worked at the Harvard Observatory for a man med Edward Charles Pickering. In 1877, Pickering became the director of the Harvard Observatory during a time of great technological advancement, increasing the prevalence of photography, and subsequently the astrological data available to interpret. Pickering,...

This piece is about the hope and resilience of the Ukrainians in the War raged by Russian leader, President Vladimir Putin. When the war first began many photographers and jourlists captured the devastation and shock of Ukrainians. A photo was captured of a woman awaiting a train out of Kyiv. The way her hands were held...

I have a friend who is always upbeat and radiates positivity; she is a person who makes everyone around her feel good. She not only supports and consoles me but also those friends around her when they are unhappy; in my eyes, she is a mental health hero who will always be there to encourage and...

“I chose to show my gratitude towards rain. Rain for many people including myself, is a very special thing, especially living in Southern California.”

“I wanted to share how being around ture is a great comfort to me. I think it’s important to recognize the importance of appreciating ture, as well as taking care of it.”

“I hope when people see my art piece, they can think ‘Oh, I just need to reach out’ for mental health help.”

“My artwork is inspired by the overwhelming pollution in the ocean that affects the life of sea animals.”

“You're not alone; if you turn around to look in all directions you'll see that there are people like you who feel isolated and sad.”

“As people fight for justice across the world they look towards the symbol of Lady Liberty in their fight and I feel as though this is an important concept that deserves to be showcased.”

“Rosalind Franklin was a woman who made exceptiol contributions to the discovery of the double-helical structure of D, however, it wasn’t until recently that her me became widespread, which teaches us the importance of discussing sexism in STEM.”

A watercolor piece about the mental health of soldiers and veterans.

A watercolor piece sharing the tiol Suicide Prevention Lifeline and showing a youth reaching out.

“There is polluted air in the sky, and mountains made of trash on the ground, with one shining bright green plant that survives and grows through all those circumstances.”

“I am inspired by migrant workers that work so hard to provide. Justice and equality for the migrants is crucial for getting them the quality of life they deserve.”

“Warm Embrace is an artwork I created where there are two people coming together for a hug and there is a caring moment between the two.”

“My piece is about the feeling of vulnerability and social anxiety, about how it feels for me when I try to pass off that I’m fine and how I feel like anything I do, people will judge me, as if all eyes are on me.”

“The meaning of the piece represents prejudice and stereotypes always following the individual in the portrait, the individual being Hispanic and Latino. Instead of letting these stereotypes control their life the person keeps walking through the twists and turns of life's road.”

“During the transition of coming back to school (in-person), I felt I lost my sense of balance which set me and my plants to wilt and burn a bit. Something that helped me bring back hope for the future was speaking affirmative words and phrases before leaving home and starting anything new.”

“My idea focuses on an advantage of returning to school- the ability to connect with friends, and the support and relief friends can provide.”

“The glass represents things falling apart and shattering but also being free and the toys relate back to a time when one was a child. My world feels like there isn't the rule of gravity to hold it down in place but everything is in its own motion choosing to go whichever way it pleases.”

“Persolly, music is really helpful for me at school and other places because it has the power lighten my mood and condition.”

“In these hard times a way that I’ve coped with these times is riding my bike.”

“This piece represents the power of music. Specifically, how it can take you to different worlds, somewhat becoming an escape from the stresses of reality.”

“Even though they need to wear masks and have a tough workload in school, they are happy about having social interactions and having normal days with friends. The present box is tied with green ribbons, which represents mental health.”

“I wanted to express how there is hope for those who are struggling in their lives and are desperate for help and may not know where to look.”

“I drew two friends wearing masks walking toward the finish line and balloons with reminders of last year’s quarantine. They are happy to be together in person.”

“When I feel overwhelmed or anxious, I like to read a bit to get out of my head and out of my own world and into another. It isn’t always easy but I see a therapist to help me talk through my tough times.”

“My idea was to capture the tranquility of music and its feeling of calmness and peace, even in times of hardship.”

“All of the figures in my drawing represent me and my many thoughts, sometimes overwhelming me. The figure being lifted up reaching for the stars symbolizes hope.”

“I was inspired by what I felt on the day of the January 6 insurrection. Watching the extremists march into the capitol building and walk over our democracy with that much hate was surreal.”

“I think more times than not deciding the verdict for a court case is made using someone’s biased views, that someone’s emotions (the heart) are used to decide someone’s fate or to judge actions.”

“What I am grateful for is my cat, Ora. She has been with me through thick and thin. I love my cat and I’m grateful for her being by my side all these years.”