Innocence

The first work in my sustained investigation explores the concept of innocence in our earliest years. When we are younger, we don't have the same societal or social pressures on us, which leads children to developing interesting individual interests. While we age, many of us lose this feeling of freedom to express our interests due to growing loss of self confidence and a feeling of needing to fit into social groups, abandoning the very thing that makes you stand out in favor of simply "fitting in." My first artwork, "Innocence," expresses this early optimism and openness in our early years. Something that interested me since I was very young was insects and invertebrates, i'd go out bug hunting and scare the living daylights out of my friends and family. I was not yet afraid to express this interest to others with the fear of being outcast. The harsh environment and alarming size of the wasp represent the way that older people saw my interest, despite my comfort.