“Rise Slowly,” Jahin Claire Oh, 2023

There is a lot of symbolism in this drawing. The lily of the valleys, the flowers, represent “returning to happiness,” whereas the dark room represents a person’s isolation and unhappiness. The one bright window is the only source of light, and it symbolizes hope that she will be able to leave the darkness behind. This illustration shows a girl trying to escape from her lonely prison and find happiness. Today, sentiments like depression, loneliness, helplessness, etc. are much more common.  Although the natural scenery and warm autumn colors create a sense of calmness, the concealed meaning is quite different. This illustration shows that even when you feel like you are trapped in a room filled with darkness and loneliness, there is always hope and a way out.

Jahin Claire Oh is a ninth-grader at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, California. She likes to code and takes an interest in media art for fun. She prefers warm tones over cool tones and generally likes calming imagery with naturalistic depictions. In her free time, she likes to spend time with her friends and occasionally goes to local art exhibits.