Jane Chang

My series is meant to show what home and family mean to me. I take inspiration from my memories objects, and scenes that are important to me. I work from reference photos that I stage or past photos that evoke joy. I use mostly grayscale and layering colors on top to accentuate the parts that make me feel at home, such as the food, figures of my family, and pictures. I was initially inspired by rendering and dynamic perspectives but I became more interested in linework and blocking colors.

My earlier pieces reflect an enclosed headspace where I constantly think “why?” and “I’m not good enough” (pieces 1 and 2). This unhealthy mentality made me fail to realize the “home” around me, which is mirrored in the ghostly figures of my family (piece 2). But I take a moment to self reflect and look at past memories to escape from the cycle of negative thoughts and learn to appreciate all the little moments that make home “home.” For piece 4, I intentionally chose a perspective from my seat to invite viewers into the scene. As the series progresses, I start to focus more on myself and self-development by exploring where and when I feel comfort, warmth, and security without my family.