Reflections Winners

Colorful Sparks

Alyssa Kao · Middle School · Visual Arts

Most of my life I have been half-in and half-out of many things. I am Chinese-American born and raised in California. I lived half my life in California and half my life in Texas. As I got older, I learned to appreciate being a Texas who loves visiting California; an American who celebrates New Years on January 1st and Lunar New Year. I began to understand I belong to more than a single identity. I expressed this in my painting with Texas bluebonnets and California golden poppies, both sprouting around me. A Lunar New Year dragon flying across the canvas, blending into the blue sky instead of clashing with it. The hundreds of sky lanterns surrounding me represent all the people that have entered my life in different ways, all sparks that are unique, yet floating together in harmony. As I hold my sky lantern: my spark, I am preparing to let it fly with the others because I know I belong.

See it in the Texas PTA gallery

Photo: Texas PTA Reflections gallery

Eyes of a Warrior

Alyssa Kao · Middle School · Visual Arts

My painting related to the theme because many people and animals with differences such as heterochromia - when you have different eyes - are considered weird, ugly and abnormal. Normality is something that continues to control and restrict humanity because it tells us that we are not good enough, and that we aren't normal enough to be satisfied with ourselves. But the truth is that nobody will ever fit into the label 'normal'. We are beautifully imperfect, and that is what makes us unique. The cat in the painting is surrounded by normality - green grass, clouds in the sky, flowers - but it stands proudly, symbolizing an icon of the misunderstood, imperfect, and beautiful warrior in this world, battling the label that stops us from accepting ourselves.

See it in the Texas PTA gallery

Photo: Texas PTA Reflections gallery

Heroes Come in All Sizes

Darcie Haggerty · Middle School · Photography

See it in the Texas PTA gallery

Photo: Texas PTA Reflections gallery