Katherine Cintron
Cherry Picker
*Finalist*
As a child, I have been fascinated with book illustrations and the childhood innocence they imbue. I daydreamed to live within the pages of these colorful, beautifully designed stories as an escape from my reality. As I grow older, I strive to use the same youthful imagination in my own work by juxtaposing symbols and imagery into one coherent theme or message with my passion for illustrations. I also find inspiration in the ability to capture exceptionally intricate details on a single page, by using line art as my guide, I achieve these effects through black and white and paint within these designs like a coloring book.
Working in watercolor reminds me of the soft, pastel colors used in book illustrations. Trying to control this “free medium” has made me work closer to the surface, working more intimately with my art for intricate details and complex coloring. Occasionally, I incorporate mixed media into my pieces, for instance, string, magazine, or different papers to bring in patterns and textures for a variety of the symbols I include. I paint to become closer to understanding the intricacy of themes and the process of storytelling, finding comfort in tying it all together and by making sense of the world around and within us.
In my artwork, “Cherry Picker,” I confront the depressive reality I usually escape, dissecting the heartfelt emotions of being a growing artist in the middle of college-life and a pandemic. Most people view the lingering effects of the pandemic as a loss of opportunities, especially for budding college students who must adjust to a new life that was already unknown and stressful. I delve into the theme of finding oneself through the midst of this confusion, where people can try to take over your well-being by searching within you to discover who you truly are when you are not even sure yet. The various designs of the surrounding hands signify a different figure of trust in one’s life that may pry into our inner self, such as parental roles, significant others, or even career related professions. These people ‘cherry pick’ the best aspects of you, pulling apart one small sliver they might enjoy while revealing the rest of your unwanted vulnerability; a part of you that will continue to grow if left unchecked. This leads you to massive insecurity in who you want to impress and the person you want to become in life. The post-it note on the person’s right eye signifies how we hide these struggling and confusing emotions within us. As the viewer, we realize the chance to pry beneath the post-it note, acting as another hand in the piece and uncovering another gruesome weakness that ripples in the manifestation of a traumatic scar. And yet, as depicted by the blooming red fuchsias as a symbol of confiding love, we continue to move forward and heal by learning how to trust those around us again.