Save Yourself

Heather Neil-Smith

Year 11

School: Mount Lawley Senior High School

Medium: Watercolour and acrylic on paper

Artist statement: My piece ‘Save yourself’, is a representation of the overwhelming turmoil of emotions and worries we are constantly faced with in today’s society. Although we enjoy our creature comforts, we are constantly bombarded by unsettling information, fake news, societal expectations, uncertainty and pressure to succeed on every level, making it hard to stay afloat. I wanted to show how these spiralling thoughts can make us fearful and unsure about the future, while still offering a message of hope. My subject’s flushed and almost translucent appearance shows her feeling of unworthiness. The contrasting water currents suggest darkness, but with some gold and red glistenings of hope. Lyrics from KALEO’s ‘Save Yourself’ are incorporated in the currents and represent a muddled inner dialogue.