Artist Writeup: Ariana Thornton

by | Jan 2, 2024 | Art

“Of the People, by the People, FOR the People?” (New Hampshire Best in Show)

2021
Medium: Procreate

This piece is inspired by a December 2021 hunger strike I witnessed in Washington DC, in which five young people fasted outside the Capitol for two weeks to protest climate inaction. When a senator brushed past a young striker in a wheelchair without a second glance, he revealed the extent to which our elected officials lack empathy for the distress of younger generations. Those in power must truly be for the people.

“Looming Threat”

2023
Medium: Multimedia, 20 x 24 x 3 in.

I made this piece by weaving together plastic strips from grocery bags and scarves donated by my mother. As today’s plastic problem grows out of control, so, too, do these plastic strips tangle beyond the frame. The meticulous fusion of these elements underscores the pervasiveness of plastic pollution. The stealthy intruder has mutated into a cancerous threat, surfacing before our eyes.

“Mother” (Scholastic Silver Key)

2019
Medium: Ink, watercolor, micropen, 17 x 14 in.

Mother Earth contains our identity, history, and future. Sadly, her decline is becoming increasingly conspicuous. Polluting the global ecosystems which provide all the resources and services our society relies upon will ultimately destroy us — yet, there is hope. With collective action, we can protect and renew the beauty of our Earth, thus securing a future for ourselves and for future generations.

Ariana Thornton

Ariana Thornton

Ariana is an avid writer and environmental advocate with over ten years of experience in the fine arts. Her works have been nationally recognized by Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and published in Aster Lit and Elán Magazine. Outside of class, she co-edits Ecosystemic Magazine, leads Exeter’s Ocean Club, and finds inspiration in outer space. Find her on Instagram @ar.i.tistic.

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