Many times, we view ourselves through the lens of negativity. It’s those moments when we look in the mirror and point out each of the flaws we believe we have. The truth is it’s because we are our own worst critic, as the saying goes. This is something I had been struggling with. I’ve been pushing myself down because I wasn’t believing I was a good enough person for others.
An idea popped into my head, so I reached out to some of my most artistic friends and asked them to create an art piece depicting what I look like to them. The results of this amazed me. It gave me a new perspective that others view me in such incredible ways and I loved being able to view this through their illustrations. Here are three pieces of how these artists view me:
1. “Chelsea in Blue” by Jarlisa Martinez
“I really wanted to include tropical plants and flowers in the background of my drawing because when I think of Chelsea, I think of sunshine and positivity,” said Jarlisa Martinez, 21, an elementary education major.
“I also see Chelsea as someone who is always smiling and laughing. She makes everything fun and happy, so I made sure to capture that in her facial expression.”
2. “Me” By Lauren Pence
“When I view this piece, I see someone who went from being a randomly assigned roommate to a dear friend,” said 20-year-old computer engineering major Lauren Pence.
“Her face is always smiling and happy, and she is someone you can always go to for a good laugh. She is very involved and always down to grab a coffee. One of the most bubbly people I’ve met, she can be very positive, sweet, and supportive during rough times.”
3. “Rolling Into Another Dimension” By Eileen Zelaya
“Doodling Chelsea was fun because I just had to think about a color scheme that was playful!” said Eileen Zelaya, 19, social sciences major.
“I usually add dialogue to pieces but this one didn’t need much that wasn’t already depicted in the piece itself. I needed something that was cheerful and fun like Chelsea!”
What I want others to take away from this is that although we can be so hard on ourselves, there’s so much more others see. Each person we know has gotten to know us on different levels and we’ve even learned something new about ourselves as we have evolved and grown. It’s important to understand that even if we are our own harshest critic, there are so many positive things about us as well! Just remind yourself that others may see you in such a beautiful and creative light, even if you don’t view it yourself.
Images: 1, Jarlisa Martinez, Lauren Pence, and Eileen Zelaya