GERARD D.

As an artist I'm all about my self expression. I involve my inspirations of music and feel into all of my artwork to hopefully add a personal touch to it. I hope to achieve more reach of my art. Its very therapeutic for me and I hope that it will be for other people.

KHOUMBARE S.

Art’s ability to teach and communicate is a significant factor that motivates my creativity. As an artist, I strive to explore various mediums, with a particular focus on photography, visual arts, textiles, and literature. These are often influenced by my reflections on the experiences of youth, particularly its relation to self-identity and introspection. My inspiration stems from observing how both myself and my peers navigate these themes within our daily lives.
Growing up with a Mauritanian background, I always experienced a sense of duality. There existed the home that my parents knew, which they made great efforts to share with me, and then there was the environment in which I found myself. In a way, I became a bridge between these two ways of life, embracing two different perspectives through two distinct sets of eyes. Lately, I have been delving into the significance of perspective in our lives. I view it as our unseen eyes, as we cannot truly see without the context provided by our individual perspectives.

SWEET PEA C.

My name is Sweet Pea Chit Ba and I'm currently a junior. I always liked taking pictures, I'm the first in my family to ever be involve with the photography world and photography became my main interest because whenever I take picture for someone they would always compliment me saying "wow you're so good at taking pictures", "look who it is, the future photographer", these compliments makes me like I was capable of being a photographer. I started learning more about photography as I joined Digvid CTE at my school, over time I would go out my way try to find my own style of photography, which I'm still working on.

My writing means a lot of me, I wrote this. back in 9th grade. This poem is about my home country(Burma) and I wrote this with the intention of spreading the sad war that is happening in my country. People in America doesn't know at all about what is happening in my country and I hope when people are reading this poem they'll understand more about the sufferings that is still happening in Burma. My photography pieces makes me feel like it's my first time living because of the beauty that I see through it, all the pieces are not intentional at all which makes me feel like I've achieved, and I'm proud of it.

HARMONY G.

I use a lot of my art to represent the parts of me that I try to hide from most people. So having art that represents that piece of me feels freeing and it makes me feel safer. I think it could be a good message to anyone hiding parts of themselves that they can let themselves be themselves, even if it's not safe sometimes in different ways.

JASMINE B.

I’m an artist trying to capture what I find interesting in my life and put it on display. With the photographs I submitted, I wanted to show how our current society puts up walls on our creativity. Often, something is blocking us from fully expressing ourselves creatively and I wanted to express that with my photos.

MALAYA U (Freedom Rain) is a 15 year-old Filipino-American international artist. Malaya Ulan utilizes art mediums such as poetry, dance, film, and visual art to share and empower her voice. She has received awards from Mighty Writers, and taken part in Scribe and WHYY programs/internships. Ulan has performed in spaces such as Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, Movement Research at Judson Dance Theatre, Barnes Foundation, Asian Arts Initiative, Philadelphia Fringe Festival, Outlet Dance Festival, Swarthmore University, Multicultural Education in Counseling through the Arts, and a dance concert at Festive Walk (Philippines). She performs with her mother, Anito Gavino, in their collaborative dance company, Ani/MalayaWorks Dance. Malaya Ulan has also co-produced a collection of poetry and writings, De-Scribing, with her mother. She recently has just released her solo poetry collection, Ulan- When my Tears Turn into Roses.

MIA D.

I make art because I enjoy doing it. Art can be stress relieving and I think that it is a fun activity to do with people.

My name is Mia and I'm a teen artist based in Philadelphia and Michigan. I have always had a deep love for all things creative, especially working with clay. My hands are my tools and I find so much joy in shaping and molding clay into unique pieces of art. I love playing with clay because it's squishy and messy and so much fun.
I also love photography and fiber arts. For me, art is all about having fun and exploring the endless possibilities. I like to think of my art as a big, fun adventure. I hope you like my clay art because I put a lot of love and joy into making it. Whether it's in the studio or out in nature, I am constantly inspired to make something new and exciting. I hope you like my clay art because I put a lot of love and joy into making it.
Don’t be afraid to take risks and make messes. Have fun!

LISHELE L.

I am a multimedia artist that enjoys painting, drawing, crochet, photography and sewing. I use art as a way to explore and relax.
The goal of my piece was to express the moments of overwhelming isolation I would feel and the feeling that my life has yet to begin.

JADYN D. For as long as I can remember, I've always been a creative person. Whether it was scraping together pieces of cardboard to make a dollhouse or making the most elaborate card for mother's day, my imagination has never ceased to run wild. Art, for me at least, is endlessly tangible. I've never had trouble molding or conceiving something of my own. So it's safe to say I'm pretty passionate about the topic!!

With this piece, I was really trying to capture the detriment that comes with self-wallowing. I think we've all had those moments where it seems nothing is going our way and all of our efforts have gone to waste. And although there's no inherent harm in self reflection, letting these shortcomings prevent us from becoming our best selves is not the solution. I just wanted to shed light on an issue that many have dealt with, but have yet to overcome.

CHLOE H. From a very young age I have always had a strong appreciation for the arts. And have felt as thought there’s been a creative force driving me. While I have enjoyed other pursuits such as sports and music, I have always had a love and a curiosity for creating. While I am relatively new with the fine arts, I have felt nothing but familiarity and comfort in my endeavors. Drawing and painting has acted as an escape for me, an outlet I don’t ever want to give up. As I continue exploring this new found passion, I allow nothing but positivity and imagination to drive my work. My inspiration comes from those around me, my family, and friends act as my main motivation. Through my artwork I hope to connect with people, and inspire joy and curiosity.

LOGAN N.

Growing up in a multi-ethnic family,  I am constantly questioning how my mixture of cultural influences affects my views of the world. I was quite young when I noticed I was darker than most American Jewish people, and lighter than my nuclear and extended Dominican family. Being labeled as ‘the Jew’, ‘the twins’, ‘the Dominicans', forces a person, a young boy, to find answers as to why he is not just another person. How his rare dealt hand and people’s response to it forces him to view the world from a different perspective, with a desire towards connecting polar sides of their world. Spending Sundays listening to bachata music, or Frank Reyes, sidestepping across the newly moped linoleum floors with my Abuela, as she admired my curls, running her fingers through my hair. Grating potatoes and frying latkes in the skillet, covered in oil and grease, with my Mommom and Poppop, setting the table with lox, whitefish and bagels. These are the experiences that show a person where they came from, and the traditions that carried through the generations to make them who they are.  I seek to use art to bridge a cultural divide that was so prevalent in my childhood. How racism, and antisemitism present in even minorities of color further create cultural fissions. More importantly how art telling stories of people like me, created from two so distant worlds and seeking to bridge them, can push forward the movement to rid stigmas within and between cultural groups. My Pieces explore the complexities of growing up in a single parent household, and how especially in the world of a mixed child you are forced to embark on a deeper road of cultural self discovery, learning not just who you are but why you are enough.

DYLAN D.

I'm a portrait, street and editorial photographer born and raised in South Philadelphia. My work is heavily inspired by my close friendships and relationships and often very personal. I'm also very inspired by my upbringing. Being raised in Philadelphia I realized how much of a unique experience it was and how much culture I was surrounded by, which can be seen in my work. love experimenting with different color palettes, print techniques and different types of film. I try to push the boundaries of what's considered street, editorial and portrait photography and often blend a lot of them together.
Portraits, Personality, and Connection is a series of photos highlighting my three friends Laila, Danny Cole, and, Isaac Allen. Laila is a producer and singer-songwriter, Danny Cole is a visual artist and Isaac Allen is a clothing designer. This project aims to capture the artist, their work, and their creative space. I shot each subject with a different film and a different camera. Laila’s photographs were taken on a Fujica 6x9 camera, Danny Cole’s on a Mamiya 6x7 and Isaac’s on my own personal Canon 35mm camera. These photographs serve as a reminder that art is rarely a solo process and that leaning onto other creative people can change the way we interact with art itself. When I look at the full collection of photographs I’m inspired by their artistry and hopeful to keep photographing this intimately.