What does a fortress do exactly? It keeps people in and it keeps people out. I tend to do this in my own life by distancing myself emotionally. This realization became the inspiration for the piece. The barbed wire represents a “fortress” that I have built for myself because it makes it difficult for people to get close to me but it also keeps me from getting close to them. The original colors utilized were very literal in meaning. I chose to paint myself in green (guilt), black (fear and mystery), and white (isolation and emptiness). However, as the project progressed I began to realize that I could represent the cold and chaotic feeling that comes with guilt, fear, and isolation without using the literal colors. Making this change was very beneficial to the overall prompt “build a fortress with color.” Although I did not utilize the green, black and white, I am grateful that I took the time to physically paint myself because it allowed for unique texture and color mixtures that further enhanced the piece.
