Introduction

For the shadowbox assignment, I wanted to have a strong juxtaposition of the soft colours and textures, to play off of the deep, almost dream-like subject matter; drifting off to sleep begins as a peaceful experience, but the lack of control can leave you feeling terrified and alone. The contents of the bottle continue exploring this theme; the seashells relate to the ocean where I find tranquility and a peace of mind; A place I aspire to live by. The arrangement of them denotes being stuck and not able to get out, as symbolized by the barbie arms reaching out. The painting on the left illustrates a mermaid being held back; being silenced, by a creature from the sea. This symbolizes being trapped by life; being held back and not knowing how to escape it. 

Materials

-Acrylic on canvas

-Glass bottle

-Barbie arms

-Variety of seashells

-Box

-Burlap

-Seaweed (for fish tank)

-Hot glue

First I put everything in a box to see how it is going to look like and then I decided how to design the box.

I was thinking the box is like a theatre scene that I can use to show t he story from my dream.

I stick everything with hot glue in the box and I tried to use the burlap like theatre curtains.

Conclusion

Due to the deep, personal meaning of this piece, I felt strongly that I wanted to explore many elements of composition; from the texture of the shells and burlap, to the soft, muted tones of the piece, to give emphasis that even when things seem bleak or inescapable, there can be beauty to them as well. Life is a delicate balance, and like the ocean; can bring you peace, or chaos. It is up to you to either swim against the current or let it take you somewhere unknown.