The New Beginnings

I grew up in Cambodia in a small village and moved to the United States in 2010 when I was about 9 years old. I have lived here with my family for 12 years. When I started to take interest in art, there were two artists that I was inspired by: Van Gogh and Edvard Munch. I enjoy the colors that both of the artists use and the strong messages in their artwork.

When I started to work on this project, flowers popped into my head. I grew up surrounded by nature back in Cambodia. I have always loved planting and gardening. Everytime I see flowers it brings me joy and a smile. 

Flowers might seem simple and beautiful with their colors. They may seem like just a decoration to fill up the space. Not a lot of people know or pay attention to flowers. Not a lot of people know that flowers play an important role in nature. I want others to stop for a while, take a look at the flowers, and try to understand their deeper meaning. What flowers do you think describe / connect / relate to you?

Throughout my life, I have been a shy and quiet person. However, there are many things that I have kept in my mind. There were so many things I’ve wanted to let out. So I drew a portrait of a lady with her face covered with flowers. There are things that I still have not shared. The beautiful flowers cover my struggle. However, the flower also represents growth to show how I am starting to speak up.