"This piece is very personal to me; I made this piece because I needed an outlet to express the internal conflict and pain I was feeling inside when in my life I felt like I didn’t have the time to do so or show weakness when I felt it. In this piece, I tried to show my pain but also, highlight the realization that amongst all of this pain I know I can make it through it and I will fly once the cranes are gone."
Feature Artist: Zaria Armstrong
artwork title: 'Cranes in the Sky'
medium: Charcoal & Soft Pastel on Kraft Paper
size: 40" x 48"
price: NOT FOR SALE
"I am a 22-year-old 8th Generation Black Canadian artist from Oakville, Ontario that blends realism, expressionism, and pop art influences to create my drawings and paintings. I like to create artwork about what I know, and portraits of people to portray their uniqueness and beauty.
I am a recent graduate from the University of Guelph with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Studio Art. I’ve always loved doing art but it wasn’t until I started my art minor where I began to take art more seriously. Personally, I love to draw, so I usually work with art mediums like charcoal, pastels, graphite and etc. I hope to pursue additional techniques through digital art and continue to build my art portfolio."
instagram: @zarsroom
Winner of the AFTERSHOCK art display
Artwork Title: 'Shanice'
Soft pastel & charcoal, 2020
"I had so much fun doing this piece; it really helped me push myself as an artist as well as, play and work with bold colors, shadow, and work on perfecting the likeness of a sitter. This artwork means so much to me because it is a depiction of my oldest sister Shanice. She is a strong, black, curvy, confident; independent, stylish, and opinionated woman who I have looked to for guidance and support for most of my life. I was inspired to make this piece of her because I like to create what I know.
Most black women, feel the pressure to act like superwomen, projecting themselves as strong, self-sacrificing, while coping with the stress of race and gender-based discrimination that occurs in their daily lives. My artistic goal of this piece was to express the strength, beauty, and self-acceptance that I see that my sister has in herself, but also the uniqueness and delicate pieces of her personality that you won’t truly learn until you get close."
1 comment
Rhonda Paris
Beautiful!! Thank you for sharing this artist!