Ariyah Bunch, 17.
What are your main inspirations?
My mental illnesses are my main inspiration.
How is that translated in your work?
Things that I can’t express because I’m really bad at expressing emotions. I just try to paint it away. And it usually doesn’t come out the way I intend. It usually is really random and I just do it to do it.
Why did you sign up for our art show?
I never put myself out there. And I just moved here from L.A. So I was just curious to see what it would be like. And I honestly didn’t think I would get in. So when I got that email back I was like, ’wow, ok.’ I can do something.
Tell us about one of your works.
Discomfort. The ’Dis’ is in parentheses. It was inspired by my favorite movie, ”Carol.” It represents so many different things. Not only is it a fan-art thing. It’s also just-the colors. I picked greens, reds; yellows. Because her emotion was so confusing. I wanted to show that not everything is going to be easy. The reason it’s called discomfort, is because it was such a bittersweet moment in the film. The movement and the eyes, and the lines- crossed off like a barrier.
What was your inspiration with Lovers?
Like almost all my art I just start and it just goes from there. I don’t have a thing in mind ever, and I just start it. So that outcome was surprising because i didn’t expect it. Whatever, it made a lot of sense to do it that way. In the space I was in at the time. Romance is a really scary thing for everyone.
What is the benefit of sharing your art?
Their reactions obviously; their emotions toward it. I love seeing how other people feel about art. I feel so many things when I see a piece. I see my piece and it’s totally different from what someone else’s could be.
Where do you want your art to go?
I want to be a filmmaker. I really want to incorporate all of my paintings and stuff in film. My biggest thing is to spread more awareness about mental illness. My bipolar disorder takes over a lot of me, so I would like to show that people with intense problems can do it.
Tell me about a film you are making.
It’s a romance. A lesbian romance. There’s a lot of twists and turns in it. The main thing I want you to get out of it is self-love. The movie is about self-love and how that flips. The other huge thing is that I want to show a real lesbian romance. The ups and downs and intensities. Not the usual bland [stuff]. That along with self-love and realization. Especially because all lesbian movies end so terribly. It’s not all bad.
My biggest thing is to spread more awareness about mental illness.
Do you have an ending statement?
My main thing is mental illness. My panic disorder and my bipolar disorder completely take over my life most of the time. And my social phobias. Which is why things like this are so hard to do. So when I share my poetry or share my art it’s a weird experience. I want people with bipolar disorders to show themselves. It’s hard because of the fear of being judged. Especially with teens we are scared of people judging us. I want to put myself out there more. You aren’t what your brain tells you, you are. You are an artist and you are something beautiful. And I want people to know that.
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