My artwork depicts a young woman prying open a Chinese dragon's mouth, while looking around in desperation for a sign of hope. This piece symbolizes one of the hardest things I endured last year, my first serious romantic relationship. While many good things can come out of romance, being an insecure teenager who wants someone to love them can also be a recipe for heartbreak. This dragon represents that relationship, luck, strength, and power. This dragon swallowed me whole and convinced me that all its mighty power and luck was a sign that everything would be okay. But it was dark inside the dragon's jaws, and I learned eventually that it was not luck that brought me here. Which leads me to where I am today, returning from the darkness. Searching for a sign of hope that I didn't completely lose myself those few months I was trapped inside. And what I found when I looked at my reflection? The love that I was so desperately searching for, was staring right back at me.