ARTS
Stenling Yun, Emma Chang, Jing Jing Wang, Antalique Tran, Avocet Nagle-Christensen, Victoria Hsieh, Tori Hong, Alice Mao, Song Wu, Taylor Wang, Agnes Shan
Stenling Yun, Emma Chang, Jing Jing Wang, Antalique Tran, Avocet Nagle-Christensen, Victoria Hsieh, Tori Hong, Alice Mao, Song Wu, Taylor Wang, Agnes Shan
Puddle - Duality (February)
Photography by Sterling Yun
Photography by Sterling Yun
Sterling Yun is a Boston-based photographer. He grew up in Bellevue, Washington, and currently studies architecture at Northeastern University. See his work on Instagram at @syunphoto.
An Intersection Between Action and Thought - Intersect (March)
Watercolor and micron pens art by Emma Chang
Watercolor and micron pens art by Emma Chang
Emma Chang is a high school senior of Taiwanese descent. She is actively involved in many artistic disciplines, from visual to performing, and possesses a fascination with exploring the many aspects of the human condition through the lens of different mediums.
Artist’s Statement:
The definition of an intersection is somewhere where two or more objects meet, or cross each other. When I came up with the idea for this painting, I thought of how many thoughts cross one’s mind every day, and the brief intersection of indecision we stand upon before we choose whether or not to act. Having had chronic depression for many years now, I have stood upon such an intersection many times. There have been many days where I struggled against suicidal thoughts, but ultimately I never let them push me down that dark and dangerous path from which there is no return. This painting is a depiction of what would happen if such thoughts become actions. The red splotches and background represent the pain of the internal struggle. The words represent the thoughts that have plague one, the reasons that would drive one to self-harm. For sometimes words are the most dangerous weapon at our disposal. In destroying herself, the subject only leaves behind the broken remains of her reasoning (the words) for the world to attempt to piece together.
Highlighter Images - Intersect (March)
by Jing Jing Wan
by Jing Jing Wan
CW: Images depict genitals, top surgery scars, and self harm scars
Jing Jing Wang is a genderqueer Chinese American high schooler. They are a multidisciplinary artist (theatre, dance, writing, etc.) and love getting involved with their community. They believe in the power of art to enact change. Art Instagram @jingshiwang01.
Artist's Statement
While I am fortunate to not suffer from body dysmorphia or much physical gender dysphoria, I know that isn't the case for many people. This series (currently at 32 pieces and counting) began as a way to create some finished works while continuing to draw the human figure. It eventually became a vibrant celebration of body diversity as well. There are transgender individuals depicted, people with self-harm scars, stretch marks, prosthetics, tattoos, and more. The body positivity movement, addressing intersection of body image and mental health is so important. I also encourage people to place less weight on the concept of "beauty" and recognize the worth and value of our bodies regardless of their assigned "beauty."
Artist's Statement
While I am fortunate to not suffer from body dysmorphia or much physical gender dysphoria, I know that isn't the case for many people. This series (currently at 32 pieces and counting) began as a way to create some finished works while continuing to draw the human figure. It eventually became a vibrant celebration of body diversity as well. There are transgender individuals depicted, people with self-harm scars, stretch marks, prosthetics, tattoos, and more. The body positivity movement, addressing intersection of body image and mental health is so important. I also encourage people to place less weight on the concept of "beauty" and recognize the worth and value of our bodies regardless of their assigned "beauty."
Tigress - Friction (April)
Digital Art by Antalique Tran
Digital Art by Antalique Tran
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Everyone, instantaneously: Tiger mom.
Yes, but also no. Growing up, my career path has been strongly influenced by what my parents saw as success. My parents were never the strict definition of tiger parents. I always felt an internal need to get A’s, but I was never punished for getting lower grades. It was the anticipated disappointment that drove me. I wanted to be like whom they admired; they often talked of their friends’ kids who were pediatricians, ophthalmologists, anesthesiologists, so on. And as the years passed by, I became my own tiger mom. I watched over myself, dedicating myself to improvement and pushing myself to my limits. It’s tiring though. The friction between my tiger self and my corporeal body wears me down. “Just one more pset!” “But it’s not due until tomorrow evening!” “But whAT IF YOU DON’T FINISH?” “u rite u rite” The tiger self usually wins out. The anticipated disappointment—not meeting a deadline, not presenting my best work, not preparing well enough for a test—drives me, sometimes beyond what is mentally healthy. But I am beginning to learn that success is not defined by the lack of sleep or the looming stress. That friction is a good driving force, but it does not always need to exist. The tigress must put down the strings at some point, for the puppeteer and the marionette have a show tomorrow too. |
Antalique Tran is a self-taught digital illustrator and sophomore at Yale University. As a prospective Neuroscience major pursuing an MD-PhD, she currently works as an art studio aide and Peer Wellness Champion. She hopes to bridge together arts and mental health
Friction (April)
Digital Photography by Avocet Nagle-Christensen
Digital Photography by Avocet Nagle-Christensen
Avocet Nagle-Christensen is a self-taught photographer based in Bellevue, currently studying at Interlake HS and will be attending the University of Washington for engineering this fall. See more of her work on Instagram at @avocetnc.photography.
Artist's Statement: My intention with this photograph was to try and embody the feeling of anxiety. However, if I am being honest, it reminds me of teen angst more. Nonetheless, I believe the photo still is able to capture the kind of anguish and distraught feelings that can come along with anxiety. And on the more technical side, the harsh lighting is supposed to create more of a rawness to the image which is paired with the black and white editing to dramatize it.
Artist's Statement: My intention with this photograph was to try and embody the feeling of anxiety. However, if I am being honest, it reminds me of teen angst more. Nonetheless, I believe the photo still is able to capture the kind of anguish and distraught feelings that can come along with anxiety. And on the more technical side, the harsh lighting is supposed to create more of a rawness to the image which is paired with the black and white editing to dramatize it.
Friction
Victoria Hsieh
featured on the cover of April's issue
Victoria Hsieh
featured on the cover of April's issue
Victoria Hsieh is a current junior at Bellevue High School who is interested in the intersection of environmental studies, politics, and business. In her free time, she enjoys writing poetry and painting to raise awareness about mental health and other societal stigmas.
Arriving In Between - Roots (May)
illustrations by Tori Hong
illustrations by Tori Hong
Dis-Connected
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Washing Rice
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On Purpose
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Unravel |
Tori Hong is a Minneapolis-based illustrator, zinester, and facilitator with roots in community organizing & (inter)personal healing/transformation. Their work centers queer and trans Asian Americans and the ways we relate to ourselves, the natural world, and each other. You can view more of their work at torihong.com.
Artist’s Statement
In “Arriving In Between," the artist explores the effects of PTSD and how they honor their relationships, body, and agency.
Artist’s Statement
In “Arriving In Between," the artist explores the effects of PTSD and how they honor their relationships, body, and agency.
Pride
Jing Jing Wang
featured on the cover of June's issue
Jing Jing Wang
featured on the cover of June's issue
Badminton - Part (July)
Photography by Sterling Yun
Photography by Sterling Yun
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Artist's Statement
This set of three photographs depicts the same badminton match played by Jacob Zhang at the 2018 US Junior Badminton Nationals in Milwaukee, WI. The photographs depict the emotions and fleeting moments within a self-contained sports match - what might be seen as a single event reveals itself to be a narrative within which small moments of triumph, loss, support, and struggle are placed. Even photos depicting the act of reaching for a shot hint at a dynamic between the competitor and his environment: in one, the match umpire observes, a power dynamic at play between the two, while in the other, the audience as backdrop reminds the viewer that each player has some sort of external pressure on them. Photography can document these dynamics and reveal them subtly even in something as seemingly straightforward as documenting the rigors - both mental and physical - of athletic competition.
Thunder
Victoria Hsieh
featured on the cover of July's issue
Victoria Hsieh
featured on the cover of July's issue
Parting: Artist's Statement for the July Issue (Midweek Musings)
- Victoria Hsieh, 8/22/19
Parting evokes some of our best and worst memories. In a literal sense, part could simply be to divide. While I first thought of parting my hair as a piece of possible cover art, I soon realized that this word fit in well with how I often felt. I struggle to let go of fleeting moments that are both fragile and beautiful, but recent events in my own households have only emphasized the need and importance for humans to move on. In this cover, my brother is centered as he had come to symbolize how quickly times have changed and loss of youth but also a parting with naïveté. Thank you for reading and this and please do check out the amazing work featured in It’s Real.
- Victoria Hsieh, 8/22/19
Parting evokes some of our best and worst memories. In a literal sense, part could simply be to divide. While I first thought of parting my hair as a piece of possible cover art, I soon realized that this word fit in well with how I often felt. I struggle to let go of fleeting moments that are both fragile and beautiful, but recent events in my own households have only emphasized the need and importance for humans to move on. In this cover, my brother is centered as he had come to symbolize how quickly times have changed and loss of youth but also a parting with naïveté. Thank you for reading and this and please do check out the amazing work featured in It’s Real.
What Loneliness Feels Like - Thunder (August)
Illustrations by Alice Mao
Illustrations by Alice Mao
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Alice Mao is an emerging artist in the greater Seattle area. You can follow her art on Instagram at @alicemaoart.
Thunder
Victoria Hsieh
featured on the cover of August's issue
Victoria Hsieh
featured on the cover of August's issue
Fall (September)
Photography by Avocet Nagle-Christensen
Photography by Avocet Nagle-Christensen
Transition - Fall (September)
Illustration by Emma Chang
Illustration by Emma Chang
Artist’s Statement
Fall is often seen as a transitional time of year, with the leaves changing color and the weather getting colder. Often, many huge transitions in life are undergone during this part of the year, such as going to a new school or getting a new job as the carefree summer days drift away. You may feel like you are walking on a tightrope, afraid of falling. A delicate balance must be maintained. As you undergo this transition to a new place, people, culture and ideas, it feels as though burdens are piling upon your shoulders, weighing you down, threatening to throw you off balance. This is my representation of the feeling of struggling with a transition, one building the past, the next, the present. The tightrope itself is the period of transition, with autumn leaves in the background to accentuate the idea of change. The sunset is also used to signify change. To me, this piece is not just any transition, it is a transition from illness to health. Though recovering from chronic depression is a difficult, practically impossible task, which the boxes of burden and the tightrope both represent, it is achievable. The stairs point onward and upward, to a better future ahead
Fall is often seen as a transitional time of year, with the leaves changing color and the weather getting colder. Often, many huge transitions in life are undergone during this part of the year, such as going to a new school or getting a new job as the carefree summer days drift away. You may feel like you are walking on a tightrope, afraid of falling. A delicate balance must be maintained. As you undergo this transition to a new place, people, culture and ideas, it feels as though burdens are piling upon your shoulders, weighing you down, threatening to throw you off balance. This is my representation of the feeling of struggling with a transition, one building the past, the next, the present. The tightrope itself is the period of transition, with autumn leaves in the background to accentuate the idea of change. The sunset is also used to signify change. To me, this piece is not just any transition, it is a transition from illness to health. Though recovering from chronic depression is a difficult, practically impossible task, which the boxes of burden and the tightrope both represent, it is achievable. The stairs point onward and upward, to a better future ahead
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The Couple (above) and Basket Case (left) - Fall (September)
Paintings by Laura Song Wu Artist's Statement The overall theme of my work is androgyny. Androgyny is defined as being “partly male and partly female in appearance; of indeterminate sex” or “having the physical characteristics of both sexes; hermaphrodite.” To me, androgyny is unconventional, beautiful, and universal. I strive to create works of art that people of all identities can relate to. Thus, I avoid assigning blanketed genders or sexualities to the people in my works. As an Asian-American woman, I was never taught how to embrace my own masculinity, and as a child, I was taught a strict definition of what beauty is for women of my color (pale skin, doll-like face, long, silky hair, rosy cheeks, etc.), but after growing up and delving into my own opinions and beliefs, I defined what beauty meant to me. I have since learned to embrace my androgynous qualities and to reflect that in my artwork. Femininity is not strictly reserved for females, and masculinity is not strictly reserved for men. Since androgyny is about the exploration of masculinity and femininity, the theme has allowed me to explore a variety of mediums, concepts, and styles. |
Isolation - Hunger (November)
Portrait by Taylor Wang
Portrait by Taylor Wang
Artist's Statement
An Asian American woman stares longingly, both listless and anxious. I wanted to examine the feeling of emptiness that is increasingly apparent among the younger generation of Chinese immigrants. Weighted by high expectations and GPA numbers, we lose all sense of self in our journey to be the best. It's a cold and dreary experience, but one that is undeniably East Asian.
Seattle-based Taylor Wang is an artist who seeks to combine traditional art forms with the emerging style of youth artists. Wang’s art reflects her personal experience as a Chinese American as well as the broader contemporary issues that plague her generation.
An Asian American woman stares longingly, both listless and anxious. I wanted to examine the feeling of emptiness that is increasingly apparent among the younger generation of Chinese immigrants. Weighted by high expectations and GPA numbers, we lose all sense of self in our journey to be the best. It's a cold and dreary experience, but one that is undeniably East Asian.
Seattle-based Taylor Wang is an artist who seeks to combine traditional art forms with the emerging style of youth artists. Wang’s art reflects her personal experience as a Chinese American as well as the broader contemporary issues that plague her generation.
Hollow Mask
Emma Chang
featured on the cover of November's issue
Emma Chang
featured on the cover of November's issue
Illustrations - Retrospect (December)
Agnes Shan
Agnes Shan
Fourth Reincarnation
It Lingers
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Ouroboros
i don't know which is worse
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Retrospect
Emma Chang
featured on the cover of December's issue
Emma Chang
featured on the cover of December's issue
