Nature is something that inspires everyone–perhaps more so to people living in the Pacific Northwest, an area so rich in flora and fauna. For junior Lillian Pak, this inspiration stretched and led her to win first place in an art competition.
Taking part in a national art contest, Pak entered the Youth Art Competition, winning first place for Washington State alongside a scholarship for her art piece.
The theme this year, “Healing through Color,” took Pak through a unique journey through her home state.
“To resonate with the theme this year I thought of a bandage healing a wound. The land the hands are holding is acting as a bandage to cover the dull fracture in the background,” Pak said.
Her art, full of vivid greens and bright blues, aimed to showcase what Washington state is all about. Pak, by entering a nation-wide contest, hoped to highlight what makes her home state so great.
“I am most proud of the colors and blending in Washington’s spirit into the piece,” Pak said. “I feel like I captured the vibrancy of Washington elaborately, while also incorporating recognizable elements of our state.”
Pak included landmarks like the Space Needle and symbols like evergreen trees in her piece. By using those tools, she could use her inspiration effectively to thoroughly express herself. They lent her something important in her piece: the color palette.
“My creative process was mostly motivated by the color scheme I vividly envisioned in my head; I was eager to convey my emotions through the palette,” Pak said.
Pak, her imagination jumpstarted, then moved onto creating her piece. Pak created her drawing with digital-art techniques, which allowed her to explore a wider color story more freely than with traditional mediums.
“My favorite part must be coloring,” Pak said. “Washington is a colorful state, so I had many inspirations while conceptualizing the piece. Furthermore, I especially loved drawing the salmon in the middle of my piece, he’s a silly little guy.”
However, for Pak the art contest went farther than just creating her piece. By working with the directors of the competition, Pak grew closer with a community of like-minded artists.
“I wanted some inspiration to create more art through a supportive community. Luckily, all that happened and I could not be thankful enough,” Pak said.
