For my Magenta piece, I decided to take inspiration from the work of Zdzislaw Beksinski, He is primarily known for his nightmare and horror paintings and from Heinrich Füssli (The Nightmare) which is also known as one of the first sleep paralysis-related artworks. 

I have always been interested in sleep paralysis, and for my work, I have decided to dig deep into Heavy Sleep Paralysis theories. 

I wanted to explore the inside-out theme from the context of a person in bed who perceives the outside world from the inside of his bed, while his inside thoughts take presence outside. 

As a child, I would always get nightmares, some I still remember, and the thought of one's visualization of it was a great idea.

This piece started with the image of a blade cutting from inside. I wanted to explore how external environments shape interior perception and vice versa. For this painting, I used acrylic and a collage of photographs I took of the city. A city is the collective impression of its inhabitants; it is worn and shaped by them as they are worn and shaped by it. My painting is thin and smoky because I wanted there to be an underlying ambiguity and stillness in the image. Intimate yet impersonal, the figure is vulnerable, but their head is severed from the frame, disconnecting us. Injury is where the inside and outside of the body meet. Action on environment is externalized thought; thought is internalized environment.

Beyond Bedroom is a piece inspired by the colourful nature of my bedroom—a place of inspiration and creativity, but also one of productivity, relaxation, and independence. I created a piece made of watercolour on a wooden board and hot glue on tulle fabric. The floral border, flourishing and blossoming, represents the “outside” element of my project. Photographic transparencies of myself and the inside of my room in bird's-eye view allowed me to play around with composition. Overall, the piece embodies my love for my bedroom, explores materiality, and shares my story of growth with others.

Beads of Ice is a labour of love dedicated to the movement of water. Blending techniques of collage, action photography, and beaded embroidery, I aimed to create a space where the question "Am I inside or outside?" could arise.

I was drawn to focus on ice caves and the way they are able to capture water in a single moment—the beauty of the crests and curves of tunnelled structures that act as shelter for arctic animals. 

With inspiration from needlework artist Liza Lou, I embroidered every bead by hand. But all of the time is nothing compared to the hundreds of hours I have enjoyed admiring the beauty of water. I can only hope it conveys my love of water and inspires everyone to join in that love with me.

I am an artist who mostly focuses on digital art. I typically like to work in experimental fashions and see where the drawing takes me. So, this piece was a different experience to make. 

I wanted to make a collage, so I had to be very intentional with the placement of items on the canvas to create a pleasing composition. Since the artwork had to include an element of photography, I decided to use my own. The photos I chose have a very dreamy look, so I decided to make a dreamy artwork. I wanted the subject not to be engaged with the viewer to create a feeling of separation, as there is separation between dreams and real life.

Inside & Outside are concepts born out of division. You can only be inside when there's a separation to create the outside. For my piece, I shot a series of photos representing the idea of being confined behind different barriers and borders while capturing the ideas of division and unity. 

I was inspired by The John Lennon Wall, an iconic wall in Prague. The wall is a historic, ever-changing graffiti wall that began as a memorial to John Lennon but evolved into a symbol of freedom of speech and a monument to the Czech resistance. This idea of a wall, a physical manifestation of division, becoming a pillar of rebellious unity was very interesting to me and inspired the title of my piece.

My piece, ‘Through a Different Lens,’ is a metaphor for first impressions and how they are often inaccurate when representing who someone really is. I have photographed an orchid and inverted its colours. The inverted colours lack warmth—much like how I may come across when you first meet me. I struggle with letting people in, so I may put up walls in order to shut people out from getting to the real me. In order to look at the orchid's true colours, you must look through a reverted lens. In relation to me, you have to see me through a different lens to see my true colours—a warm, kind, and caring person.

When creating artworks, I generally gravitate towards the elements of nature. For my piece with Magenta, I wanted to integrate this while challenging myself to include elements of architecture by representing the environment as the “outside” and architecture as the “inside.”. The theme of this artwork is environmental sustainability, and my goal was to convey the contrast between the natural environment and our built environment as well as how they interact with one another. Our built environment affects every aspect of our lives, which is why sustainability is so important. I demonstrated that in my piece by creating a cohesive, balanced image that illustrates architecture and nature coexisting in harmony.

​​I want my art to be seen and felt. My inspirations revolve around texture and what it reveals to the viewer. I used collaged pictures of frames, and a frame within a frame, representing worlds. I referred to the artist Lin Göksin for their use of colour and unconventional collage. Preferring painting to photography, I included photographic elements through collage. I also looked at the photographer Liam Wong, specifically his use of colour theory to create contrast. Art is about storytelling so I painted inside each frame background information that surrounded me as I worked. The first frame is based on the poem “The Nymph Complains for the Death of her Fawn” and the other is a dedication to my initial ideas for this project.

My idea for the Magenta Project was to interpret the theme “Inside Outside” as a combination of flesh and skeleton and to create a piece that shows direct side by side comparisons of both a human skeleton and an average human model.

I took inspiration from fashion designer Robert Wun who created a beautiful show about the layers of the human body, narrowing it to four sections. Skin, flesh, bones and the soul.

While I am not interested in the soul aspect of the human body I drew many ideas from this artistic way of peeling back the layers of our physical being,

I value my friendships since it is so hard for people to make true connections with others that last and are genuine regardless of who you are. I recreated a photo of one of my best friends from Halloween night since it is such a fond memory that I have and a night that I hope to never forget.

I tend to make my art have a dark concept or theme but balance it with a contrast of bright, vivid colours, which is always inspired by David Hockney. I want viewers to interpret this painting as being a reminder to value your friends since death and decay are inevitable, and you never know when or who you might lose.

-Dan Denike

My work explores the interplay between light, shadow, and human emotion, as seen in this piece. Using bold contrasts and symbolic imagery, I aim to represent the struggle between external control and personal identity. The hands, reaching and grasping, symbolize external forces that attempt to confine, shape, or manipulate women in society and who we are. The warm light surrounding the subject signifies inner strength, resilience, and individuality. Through composition and colour, I aim to create a visual tension that invites the viewer to reflect on their own experiences.

My goal is to create pieces that resonate deeply and encourage introspection and to shine a light on women’s struggles.

Childhood has always held a special place in my heart. I loved being a little kid and experiencing the world through that perspective. Through this photography project, I wanted to extend the idea of the transient beauty through fleeting moments, and the bittersweet longing to grow up while still fearing the loss of the past. As a high school senior preparing to “leave the nest,” my piece serves as an ode to both childhood and adulthood and the transition between the two. My goal was to make a project that held nostalgia, aiming to evoke the universal experience of embracing change while still honouring my roots.

Draw the Curtains channels a scrapbook look with photographed window cutouts jumping out of the piece and drawings within. I experimented with different shapes and sizes of windows to create emphasis and to draw the viewer's attention to the people and stories inside them.

I want this piece to remind people to always take time to simultaneously take a step back and look closer. Step back to observe the entire situation, such as the uniqueness of all windows and the harmony they have despite being so different. And then to look closer and notice details, the individuality of each resident and the subtle and complex interiors they inhabit.

I created this piece to capture the complex emotions tied to experiencing dating for the first time as a teenager. Through my experiences, and by listening to my friends share theirs, I began to comprehend why relationships, and even “situationships,” can feel so profoundly discouraging and disorienting when they unravel. Sharing that part of yourself with someone on an intimate level necessitates a deep vulnerability—a willingness to expose parts of yourself that remain hidden from others. It's as if you’re offering your heart to someone. The imitation heart in the photograph I crafted from 100% ceramic material. Thank you to Iraj Atif, Cecilia Takemoto, Mika Hansel, Allie Moffat, and Maggie Kester.

One of the most disappointing things about architecture is that it’s impossible to appreciate both the exterior and interior simultaneously. This was especially felt in the Art Nouveau movement, where the goal was to unite all forms and aspects of art. In my piece I worked to resolve this by bringing the inside outside, creating a surrealist building out of cardboard that united the mediums of 3D art and photography.

There is so much beauty in our daily life, and I hope that this piece inspires us to appreciate the intricacy and thought put into the designs of the interior and exterior of every building we see.

My artwork, Dead Inside Out, is symbolic of the future of our world and what it will become if we don’t change now. From the surface of the globe to the atmosphere, from the inside to the outside, we continue to destroy the planet we call home. This piece is a statement and expresses the importance of sustainability in light of our climate crisis. By 2035, there will be a point of no return; beyond this point, we will see disastrous outcomes that are unavoidable and irreversible. This artwork is a reminder to think about what you can do, big or small, to stop this future. I hope this artwork can inspire action, even if it means one plastic wrapper at a time.

How can you miss someone you never met?

Mt. Koyasan, Okuno-in, a cemetery high in the mountains. Trees so tall and greenery so thick, barely letting in slivers of the midday sun. Walking along the path through 200,000 graves. What starts as a scattering of red becomes a wave breaking over the winding stone path. Little statues adorning red bibs that littered the forest floor, all for dead babies and children. A means to protect their spirits. 

Counting the hundreds of Jizo resting there, some old and weathered, covered in green moss as the forest floor began to absorb them. Some are new with bright red bibs, not yet drained of their colour.

In Nature's Living Room I explore the relationship between natural and human-made environments, challenging viewers to reconsider their relationship with nature and their concept of "home." The piece features a photograph I took of a natural landscape in Bosnia as the background. In the foreground, I painted familiar living room objects integrated into the natural setting. By blending these elements, this artwork invites viewers to question the boundaries we create between our interiors and the natural world, sparking reflection on our place within the environment and the definition of "home." Ultimately, this work serves as an invitation to see the beauty between the wild and the domesticated, encouraging a deeper connection to nature in our daily lives.

As an artist, I often portray the natural world. I think that’s because I thrive on being in nature yet live in the city, where wild spaces are hard to find. Through the theme Inside/Outside, I explored my deep longing for the sounds and sights of places devoid of human influence. In this piece, the cat represents me, the artist, intrigued and delighted at the improbable sight of a robin indoors. The window, rather than separating me from the nature I crave, has become a gateway to it, inviting a vine and branch into my home and breaking down the barrier between the inside and outside.ption goes here

Often, I find myself as the type of person who tends to stick to a select few forms of work, and would rather keep developing my skills in what I am best at instead of looking to try anything new and unfamiliar. A majority of my images focus on things that come from nature, as I admire all sorts of plant life. I love to take photos of the natural environment, but I rarely practice with the opposite.

This time, I wanted to experiment with capturing something new while maintaining that of which I am fond of. I was able to try my hand at architectural photography, something that differs from my usual style, but was still able to include the environment I enjoy.

This photo captures a serene moment, the simple joys of life. A tabby cat sitting peacefully on the windowsill in front of a mirror. You might feel curiosity and contentment as the cat soaks up the sunlight. There is a warm glow filtering through the window, which creates a cozy atmosphere. We are invited to pause and appreciate the beauty of the present moment. The contrast of the tranquility within juxtaposed with the bold outside world represented by the parked cars, power lines, and trees makes you reflect on how we often find comfort in our own spaces while still being aware of the life happening beyond our immediate surroundings. It's a reminder to cherish these quiet moments and the connection we have with nature, even from within our homes.

The artwork I have created combines digital painting and photography and explores lighting and composition. In particular, how lighting can affect the focal point of a work, and highlight it. For the background photograph, I focused on the lighting, and to further extend my work, I edited it and painted on top of it. 

My work connects to the theme by the focus on the outside light shining into the interior of the room. The figure is meant to represent how women around the world are viewed as objects. To illustrate this idea, I drew a doll with holes in its body where you can view the inner anatomy from the outside.

My piece uses three photographs that I took on a school trip to New York and explores the theme of inside/outside through painted imagery on the photos. I took the theme of inside/outside literally, adding anatomical elements to my photos. When I take pictures of my friends, a very literal way of looking at it is that I’m capturing an aesthetically pleasing moment. However, personal photography means more to me—I love taking pictures of my friends because it means I have the opportunity to look back on that moment. Being able to capture the feeling of closeness I get when I spend time with people is the reason I love taking pictures.

This piece was inspired by Egon Schiele. His painting technique is very similar to what I tried, especially the colour palettes that he uses. In my work, I usually stick to a strict series of colours that I love to use and feel comfortable with, but in this piece, I wanted it to branch out and make it feel different from my normal work. I wanted to really go for it, and create something a bit more crazy and wild.

I created this work to showcase the love that I have for my personal time and the things that go along with that. I want other people to realize that love is something more than just an emotion you can feel between people.

For this project, I wanted the viewer to interpret the image in their own way, and to try and find a meaning within the work for themselves. For me, this piece is about letting go. The text in the mirror says, "Everything will be taken away," and what that means to me is that people should live in the moment and enjoy the little things before they are gone.

I am inspired by Frida Kahlo and Expressionists like Edvard Munch or Kathe Kollwitz and Cubist artists like Picasso. I enjoy working with shapes to create something new and using a lot of bright and contrasting colours to express feelings through my work.

In this work, I was drawn to creating imagery that shows feelings projected from the inside out and the duality of our internal and external states of mind. Shape in the square pattern and the bright, harsh colours evoke the rigidity of anxiety and a person’s inner world. My desire was to show how a person can be struggling with things we can’t normally see.