The beginning of this series was a dream. I was standing in an all-blue expanse, and I could see an island in the distance. I could definitely feel my feet, and I could walk, and I thought it was the ocean. I was searching for something in the endless blackness, with my eyes lit up. I met my alter egos, who were hiding everywhere, and together we walked towards a lighted exit, and I woke up, and it was definitely a pleasant dream, not a nightmare. I decided to paint a picture of what it feels like to explore the world of the unconscious. Having worked on isolation and anxiety for years, what I've realized recently is that in a world where isolation has become the norm, it's not something to be overcome, but rather something that can serve to harden you and those around you. Since the situation is caused by external factors such as COVID-19, I felt that I needed to be more positive, and that looking within myself and finding joy in it would end up being good energy for myself and others I interact with. The "Hide and Seek/Exit" series focuses on the emotion of "playfulness," which is similar to enjoying your own world in a game. It shifts from the perspective of a stranger wandering the outside world to the perspective of a resident living in an inner utopia, and because of that, the characters in the paintings also change. It's a place where I don't have to hide my emotions, so they have faces, eyes that sparkle and make expressions, or they take the form of trees or animals. They become my avatars and new beings in their own right, creating their own world in the painting.
