Artist: Samantha Tan | Location: Lexington, SC, SC
Peace Bringer
Medium
Pen & Ink, Watercolor
Age Group
Middle (Grades 6-8)
Artist Statement
When I was given the subject of birds, I wanted this artwork to represent peace. I had heard that pigeons symbolized peace in the language of birds an that olive branches were also significant when portraying peace. I originally wanted the pigeon to be perched on the olive branch, but I soon realized that wouldn't make any sense seeing that pigeons are city birds. Eventually I decided to put the olive branch in the background and put the pigeon standing on some rocks. For this piece, I was given a variety of different materials, but I decided to go with pen and ink since it was something that I had never used before. This was challenging, since I had to make sure I didn't accidentally smudge or drip the ink onto my paper. It was also very tedious having to dip back into the pot of ink multiple times. After this, I added a watercolor wash to the leaves to make it stand out enough, but not make it distracting. I'm glad I pushed through it and feel I created an outstanding work of art.