Naida Felix 

My name is Naida Felix and I’m an 18 year old art student attending Holy Name for CAPE. This collection of pieces were my first foray into making art that appealed to me, and not just for exam purposes. I wanted to ensure that I utilized all my favorite elements in art to make a body of work that I could truly be proud of. It felt like I was being reborn as an artist and exploring new and old facets of myself and my style.

 

My goal for this collection of work was to portray a piece of myself and my past through mythology. As a child, I was always fascinated with mythology and deities of different cultures. I loved reading stories about the various pantheons of gods all around the world, especially Greek and Egyptian myths. From a young age I imagined what these gods looked like and I could not pass up the opportunity to bring these ideas of their image to fruition. 

 

I sought to achieve this ethereal god like effect by combining my less than realistic style with vibrant colors and a surplus of decorations, specifically flowers. My reason for choosing flowers as my main motif was due to the fact that beauty is fleeting much like a flower in bloom, and the gods of these stories are known for their beguiling looks but also their immortality and resilience. I thought it was extremely fitting to use faux flower appliqué because it is a symbol of this beauty, but just like these deities, they will never wilt with time.

 

I hope that these pieces have provided the viewer with a look at things through my eyes and my perspective. I hope this glimpse into my imagination gives those that view it a feel for the childlike wonder I felt when reading these gallant tales passed on from a bygone era.