Art: “Rise with Blooming Resilience” by Emily Centeno

Emily Centeno: Artist Statement

In my visual art piece, “Rise with Blooming Resilience,” the main subject is the rising
trans male in the middle, as he is being depicted blooming, representing growth and
acceptance through the glowing and light colors emanating from the cracks in the corrupt
ground. He lives in a world where plants can grow in a harsh environment where everything
is dry and on fire due to negativity. That is why some people are on fire due to their
negativity, causing them to burn out. I painted the flame people a darker, redder color
palette with cracks in their skin to show. My intention is to utilize the visual tension between
the character and the audience to teach my audience that even in a harsh environment,
someone can rise to the clouds, and become who they want to be, even in a place that isn’t
ideal for growth.
In order to inspire audiences to rise as themselves, despite difficult circumstances, I
include a bright light shining on the protagonist, representing all of my people. The light
conveys the idea that trans people can be themselves by rising and shining. I want to shed
light and raise the truth that trans people exist and are a part of the world. The piece also
depicts photosynthesis and how struggling flowers bloom because of light. I want the viewer
to think about the struggles that trans people go through trying to exist and how it is hard to
rise up in environments that go against them, but they are still able to, moved by the rising
central figure. As a society, we need to question and think about the way people react and
treat not just trans people, but all queer people. Secondly, my piece contains burning people
which are depicted with dark, cracked skin and fiery auras, which conveys the notion that
those consumed by negativity and hate are themselves broken and self-destructive. I want
the viewer to contemplate the fact that hate ultimately harms the hater, creating internal
suffering and preventing personal growth.
Furthermore, my piece contains a cracked floor that is dry and glowing in areas
where the plants bloom, symbolizing the harshness of the environment, highlighting the
resilience of life that pushes through these cracks. The glowing aspect represents hope and
the ability to thrive, and rise above the clouds, despite adversity. I furthermore want the
viewer to think about the resilience and determination required to overcome these obstacles
and assert one’s true identity. It’s interesting that the juxtaposition of the vibrant, flourishing
central figure against the hostile ground constructed by thick application of modeling paste,
underscores the theme of hope and the potential for transformation even in the most
challenging circumstances.
As an artist, I made several design choices in order to communicate that we can rise
and thus bloom amidst adversity. The focal point is the isolated protagonist, with long hair
and top surgery scars. Transformation is therefore rising. I emphasize him with size (the
biggest flower) and convergence (having the light point towards their direction). Moreover,
contrasting visual tension of the character’s thriving colors within the dry environment
highlights the struggle to thrive in a hostile world. I unified the piece by repeating the motif
of cracks, drawing the eye from the foreground to the background, and repeating people or
plants blooming and people burning due to their own obsessive hatred. Regarding a limited

color palette: the positives are depicted by the white yellow light is repeated, with various
browns, yellows and purples, going for lighter and softer color, because rising leads to
softness within humanity. The negatives are depicted by the contrasting darker colors of red
and yellows. Balance is achieved because of the burning figure on the bottom right corner
and clouds (representing acceptance), are equally heavy, guiding the eye to move around the
piece, and travel along the bright yellow white cracks. The movement of the hopeful twinkles
in an S curve helps the eye to travel through the piece. The visual weight of the clouds also
creates circular movement, revealing the emerging cyclical nature of destruction and
growth. The composition therefore demonstrates that hatred can thus inspire us to rise by
growing. Finally, with a progressive rhythm of the ground tiles moving from dry to soft, it was
my hope that viewers would feel a sense of increasing hope and the potential for positive
rising due to the structure and color.
Regarding process, iterations began with digital Procreate drafts. I collaged images
together, experimenting with layout, before committing to the final design. After
transferring planning to canvas, I worked with oils for the first time. A crucial step was
developing a balanced color palette that would effectively convey the contrast between the
harsh environment and the resilience of the central figure. I mixed for what felt like hours,
and worked hard to create a variety of values reading from a distance. I carefully selected
warm, luminous colors for the blooming figure to emphasize its vitality and growth, while
using cool, darker tones for the surrounding fiery figures to represent negativity and
destruction. Throughout the painting process, I paid close attention to the textures, using
smooth gradients for the figure and rough, implied textures for the cracked ground and
burning figures. This was all to enhance the visual tension and reinforce the theme of hope
emerging from adversity. Finally, I experimented with linseed oil and modeling paste.
I want my audience to experience “the transformative potential of embracing diversity and
fostering acceptance.” I want my audience to ask questions such as “How can we create a
more inclusive and supportive environment for marginalized communities?” I am leaving a
lasting impression that “even in the face of adversity, the human spirit can flourish, inspiring
hope and resilience in others.”