"Though we may wish otherwise, art history does not “explain” a work of art the way the Pythagorean theorem explains the relationship between the sides of right triangles. Instead, it exposes what human beings have done with, for, and against images in order to communicate ideas that are important to them and to their society."
This was always the clear distinction when it came to my interactions in math class or certain science classes. In those classes, there was always one right answer. There was a set formula, a set equation, and a right and a wrong answer. It was an awesome and infuriating process (I've never been good at numbers). But in Art History, I've come to learn that theory is king. It's a new way to think about finding an answer to a question that didn't already have a truly correct answer. It's challenging and forces me to think outside of the box I'm comfortable staying in.
"Art history helps objects that have largely fallen mute to speak again and reminds us that the way we see the world around us—at a particular place and time—is just one way to see. When we try to “explain” art, to find a single, narrow meaning, we risk closing down possibilities for empathy with others and with the past, and with aspects of our own humanity."
I really liked the way this idea was conveyed. To help give a voice to a long-lost time period by examining and talking about historical art, and to theorize about why it was made. Who was it created by? What could possibly have inspired the creation of this art piece? Explaining art can be difficult, as it is such a personal action to take and sometimes, there's no reason at all for creating a piece of work. Art comes naturally to some, after all. But that doesn't mean it's pointless. You can learn so much from examining and asking questions about art and can learn much about different cultures and places just by delving deep into art history.
I have a few artists that I recognize as influential to my work. The most obscure being Hieronymus Bosch, who I was immediately captured by in one of the first art history classes I had taken back in Hudson County Community College. His art was tedious with details and those details, the closer I looked, were strange and sometimes disturbing. That intrigued me because it was like experiencing a jumpscare staring at a painting for too long. I do love horror movies and games, so the sometimes scary, fantastical nature of his paintings drew me in. I also met Norman Rockwell here at NJCU and loved the energy that he brought to his illustrations. He was a more recent illustrator that had illustrations that broke through many social barriers the US had at the time. He quickly became a favorite of mine. But more recently, I think many of the artist that inspire me are limited to the mangaka scene. Hayao Miyazaki and Junji Ito are some of the heavy hitters of the industry that I pull a great deal of inspiration from; especially Ito, as I love horror media as a whole. I've also found a great deal of inspiration in other mangaka, such as Gege Akutami and Kei Urana. Akutami's quick, almost sketchy style of action scenes and Urana's distinct and unique stylization of her own art greatly inspire me to experiment with my own personal artwork. There are also a number of peers that inspire me within my own community on Bluesky, like Cardinal Gray whose are is extremely expressive and diverse in body shapes or MAF, a comic creator whose gone on to create two fantasy comics, The Under Garden and Stray Souls with dark themes and engaging storytelling. I'd love to explore illustration, manga and comics more, as it's the path I've chosen to walk.
Dungeons and Dragons Illustration, 2026
I almost exclusively use Clip Studio Paint for digital illustrations. I've been doing commission work under the pen name 'Jade Bubbles Art' for 10+ years and have only recently gone on hiatus from commission work to focus on my studies at NJCU. Much of the art I do revolves around my other hobbies and communities I'm active in. The Tabletop community is a major source of inspiration for my art, and the community itself has a supportive and active community of artists where I've comfortably sold commissions. Being a part of a community of online artists on Bluesky inspires me to continue growing as an artist and work towards finishing my comic. Seeing my peers work towards and complete their own personal projects is extremely motivating.
My goal this year is to tell my story in the medium of my choice and finally put it out there for others to see and to enjoy. I hope to develop my style further as I progress through my comic, and I also hope to carefully curate a diverse and unique cast of characters as I do. I know it makes me happy to see characters in media represent things that I find familiar, so I want to strive to do the same for others.
Earlier in this post, I mentioned that the mangaka and illustrator Kei Urana was a more recent inspiration to me. The way she doesn't shy away from representing other races in her stories intentionally and respectfully is something I admire in her work. Not only that, but her personal style and how distinct she's made it in visuals and sound is something I aspire to reach someday.
I love your talent, dedication and composition within your art. It is really strong! I did not know you created these pieces!
ReplyDeleteI love your use of colors and sense of atmosphere, it definitely brings the pieces to life! 🙌🏼
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