I have always been intrigued by psychedelic art. In my investigation, I wanted to explore the beauty of this form of art while also bringing awareness to addiction. I used this series to honor the people in my life that I have lost to addiction, and show a path that could have led them back. My sustained investigation shows the path to overcoming addiction through a psychedelic style. The use of psychedelic art felt fitting because it is abstract and full of color. I wanted to create hope in my pieces, holding a mirror up to the multiple facets of this struggle. 

 

Throughout my investigation, I used abstract faces and stepped outside of the restrictions of realism. This allowed me to experiment with many colors, shapes and styles and ultimately led to focus on the use of negative space backed by solid or multicolored backgrounds. Through experimenting with color and shape combinations, I was able to translate the complexities of this subject and a hopeful path to recovery. A majority of my artistic process was guided by revision. I often started with black pen and looked for places to explore shape and color. With each new piece, I used a new skill developed in the previous piece.