This painting is based off of a graduation party I went to. The party was for my childhood best friend that I’ve known for 10+ years, and it was at his house. I know the layout of that house like the back of my hand because his family acts like a second home to me and my brothers, and he’s welcomed into ours in the same way. His family has been through all the big milestones in my life, and I know that if I needed anything, they would drop anything to help me, and vice versa. I used acrylic paint and chalk pastels to create the piece. And I wanted to use expressive and blocky strokes to convey the joy and energy that the picture had. The piece was a difficult project for me because it was only the second time I’ve seriously painted in my life, and I had to learn how to mix all the correct colors and tones for the vibrant picture. It was also difficult to fit everyone into the photo because it was so chaotic that no one could stay still and pose properly, but that’s my favorite part.