Faded Echoes
Sofia L.
Acrylic on stretched canvas
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My name was the first he forgot, even though he cared for me until I was ten. I recall watching his lips struggle to form the words that never came. Our relationship, which encompassed my entire life, now felt like an insignificant footnote in his. Can I still have a relationship with someone who no longer remembers me? Originally, I had envisioned a fully rendered, realistic portrait of my grandfather. But as I reflect on our changing relationship, I capture him slumped, not meeting my gaze as my father lifts him from his chair. My grandpa’s face is obscured, capturing his loneliness and confusion. Though “unfinished,” the painting captures my grandpa in his rawest, most vulnerable form—in the quiet fragility of the present. Through art, I’ve learned that what matters most isn’t preserving the past in flawless details, but embracing the present, however fleeting or fragmented it may seem.
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Creativity to me is the act of collaborating and pushing your boundaries to create something meaningful to yourself. It’s a rush of energy brimming when you’re in the flow state while working on a piece. The euphoric feeling of being inspired and constantly wanting to push yourself further.