ARTIST STATEMENT

My name is Olivia Tierney and I am a sophomore attending the University of Colorado Boulder. I'm majoring in art and minoring in psychology with the hopes of becoming an art therapist. My interest in art started when I was a very young age because my dad is an artist as well. My predominant medium is micron pens and markers. My pieces are influenced heavily by my emotions and mental health through the use of symbolism and color. It says a lot about who I am as a person and is very personable work. I enjoy communicating the way I feel through art as a way to express myself. Some of my pieces that express my style are works that have shown anxiety. I did this through self portraits and symbols of how anxiety makes me feel, whether it is physical things or imaginative. Another piece that portrays my emotions is family or relationship issues and who I am in those situations along with how they affect my life. Overall, I make art to allow myself to let out emotions. Finish pieces open up a vulnerable place to be in, even for myself, and I am able to reflect on aspects of my life I'm trying to portray.