By visualizing my influences and three important moments in my life, I made a book cover that tells a visual story about me. I wanted to create a piece that makes people feel something while looking at my work. I used a haiku from Kobayashi Issa that I thought encompassed my life experiences up till now. Each image in this collage/stop motion is a part of three personal experiences that have defined me. Below are these stories.

In the warm water off the shore of Hawaii, I experienced one of my fondest memories- shark cage diving. On this family vacation, only my cousins and I were brave enough to jump into a cage and wait for the sharks to arrive. The intense and exciting emotions I had felt the entire trip swelled up to this moment. Watching my first shark in its natural habitat was a captivating experience. They were not fearful, but curious as to who or what we were. Observing life in the ocean reminded me how incredible the planet is and just how much we take for granted above the surface. To honor the sharks, I continue to look at nature as a reminder to enjoy each day

The last few weeks of the semester are always the most stressful and intense. During this period of high anxiety, I experienced a devastating loss- my great-grandmother. After a series of unfortunate deaths in my family a few months before, my great-grandmother's death was the last straw. I needed the world to stop, but of course, it would not. I had to continue working on my finals and this moment changed my life. She influenced my work while she was alive and continues to inspire future work. In her memory, I try to live my life the way she did, with confidence, kindness, and empathy

For as long as I could remember I wanted to be a Kindergarten teacher. I thought my purpose in life was to shape minds through education. However, in my education classes, I found myself bored and always doodling in my notebook. Drawing again reminded me of the joy I have when I create art, so I decided to change my course of life. With no formal training, I became an art student at the college of liberal arts. For the first time in my life, I had followed a passion. Changing my degree was exciting and nerve-racking, but I knew that this was one of the best decisions I had ever made. I now know that I was meant to become a graphic designer and shape minds through creativity. Creating art is not only my passion but my purpose in life.