Mia Noel

This piece is dedicated to stargazing and the passage of time. “Star-studded” is usually used to describe a beautiful night sky. Ever since I was young, I enjoyed stargazing because I feel comforted knowing an almost infinite number of stars surround us. It reminds me to take a break from worrying about my life and recognize how special it is to just be present in the universe as we know it. The stylized stars are larger than the splatters in the background to make the subject emerge from the background. Gradients continue this motion from the subject’s head to her finger. The tip of the finger is the brightest point in the piece to indicate that the subject’s finger is leading her movement through space. The dynamic movement of this piece signifies the unstoppable passage of time, framing it in an encouraging light. The subject’s gaze isn’t filled with fear, but curiosity at what’s to come. While focusing on the present is important, so is understanding that things change over time. Stargazing gives me hope in knowing that time always moves forward. Whenever things in my personal life or outside of it make me worried, I know that eventually, things will work out as long as I continue working towards it. No matter what is going on here on Earth, the universe will keep doing what it has been doing since before us and it will continue doing so long after we leave. The subject’s fingertip is meant to represent that hope for a better future and her movement towards it signifies her will to keep working for that future.