Heart of the Woods:
I set out to visually represent one of my favorite artists, Kacey Musgraves, and her song Heart of the Woods. Kacey’s whimsical aesthetic, paired with the song’s gentle acoustic guitar and layered vocals creates an enchanted, dreamlike atmosphere. Inspired by the song’s themes of care and connection, I incorporated butterflies as a symbolic element, reflecting the nurturing spirit woven through the lyrics.
Flowers:
This is a creative exploration of flowers in Adobe Illustrator. The process started with mastering the pen tool by tracing flowers, then experimenting with how to manipulate shapes, develop cohesive color palettes, and create texture within Illustrator. I drew inspiration from a blend of meaningful and aesthetic references: the vibrant hues of the Lake Tahoe sunset, the pastels of one of my favorite New Yorker magazine covers and the whimsical bold colors a favorite dress from the movie Barbie Rapunzel. Every bouquet became its own visual story, shaped by its color inspiration and, and the finished series resonated deeply—not only with me, but also with friends and family, many of whom have printed copies of their own.
Create, Deconstruct and Reconstruct:
This project began with an assignment to recreate an art form I admire, and I chose the intricate, highly aesthetic world of food plating. Drawing inspiration from the precision and artistry of professional chefs, I incorporated geometric shapes, vibrant colors, and flowing “sauce line” elements to mimic the elegance and structure often found in plated dishes. Later, in a separate assignment, I revisited this piece for a deconstruction project. The task was to physically alter an existing artwork, photograph it, and then reinterpret it digitally in Adobe Illustrator. I rolled the original food plating design into a cone shape, photographed the resulting warped composition, and then traced and reimagined the distorted forms. Continuing my exploration of Illustrator’s capabilities, I experimented with creating bold, grainy textures that added depth and vibrancy to the new piece. Placing the original and reconstructed works side by side reveals a striking transformation, highlighting how a single concept can evolve into something entirely different through process, experimentation, and creative reinterpretation.
Chef Selena:
This piece was inspired by Selena Gomez, an artist widely recognized for her singing and acting career who has recently expanded into the culinary world through her cooking show “Selena + Chef”. I wanted to explore the theme of breaking free from expectations, the idea that a person can transcend the roles or “boxes” others place them in. I was intentional in my photo selection, choosing an image with distinctive negative spaces (such as the open form of a whisk or the circular shape of hoop earrings) which created visually engaging and intricate silhouette. Visually, I drew from the bright, playful aesthetic often seen in the show from colorful kitchen tools, vibrant clothing, and bold makeup.
