Firel Lang
I depict human emotions and experiences, especially ones I have experienced personally, in a more allegorical and less direct form. I use animals as a substitute for people, since I find them easier to depict and I was often forced to draw or paint people when I was younger, which was never enjoyable. However, I try to keep the symbolism clear so that my audience can pick up on the themes within. I want to convey the experience of being a social outcast, and both the negatives (ostracism, dehumanization, insecurity, being seen as expendable) and the positives (receiving less attention, fewer social complications, being less affected by trends and expectations, greater appreciation for positive influences) that come with it. Even if viewers are not familiar with the context, as long as they understand some of the emotions I hope to convey, I will be satisfied. I generally start by thinking about what emotion or experience I want to depict, and thinking of a symbolic way to do that that fits my theme. Then, I try to add a sort of storyline by changing the designs of the subjects and background. Once this is done, I select my medium, although I do not find this step to be as important to the process: I choose the medium I feel I could create the work the best in (as close to what I imagined as possible). I don’t think it has too much of an influence on my process or symbolic meaning, but that may change. I make this type of art so I can hopefully emotionally connect with my audience, since I have never enjoyed talking about painful experiences. I also do it so that people can understand my experiences, and hopefully have their minds broadened. In the future, I hope it increases their empathy for people in my position, or those who have been.