---Marin Art Students---
We have a winner for our 2024 Student Art Award!
Her name is Nala, or legally, Aoife Raitt.
She is a painter and graduated from Marin Academy this year.
Golden Gate Marin Artists (NLAPW) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
Some of the main motifs in my art include parts of my identity, marginalization, and the expression of taboo emotion. I painted a mural of my Vietnamese heritage, focusing on a girl with a bowl of noodles. This depicted a very common East Asian "love" language: food. The steam from the noodles rises up and connects with the clouds; the girl's ancestors are watching over her.
My grandpa passed away fighting in the Vietnam-American war when my mom was just two. I created a mural which captured how loved I felt because of my cultural beliefs, and reconnected me with my ancestors. I want to use my personal art as a means of interpreting social issues so I can increase my empathy and social awareness. This mural lead viewers to push the boundaries of their emotional understanding. Not only did it help me, but more importantly, it was a project created in tandem with the new documentary short film, “Go Back to your Country,” about Asian Hate; proceeds from the mural are going to organizations dedicated to stopping this hate.
My most personal piece is entitled “Pieces.” In a place of despair and grief, I put aside everything to create this painting. I remember being so connected to the piece that I briefly forgot where I was. I had no plan going into it. A collection of shapes and strokes culminates in the most raw piece I have created. I truly believe my art comes from the depths of my soul.