Visual Arts

Artist Statement: I Belong Within the Beauty of Nature means that there is beauty around the world such as these California poppies I painted. 

Artist Statement: It is a person holding our home which means that every one is welcome.

Artist Statement: A sense of belonging isn’t a place, it’s a feeling! The things and people you are surrounded by create the feeling of inclusion, no matter where you are! 

Artist Statement: I am a Hindu, studying in IHMS, living in San Ramon with my parents. I don’t want anyone to tell me where I belong because I know that everyone belongs to where they are from and where they are living now. I belong to my community.

Artist Statement: Anyone, anywhere — we all belong. In new places, we might not know everything, but we can still know who we are. It’s crucial to show your true self to the world, because being authentic is what helps you truly belong. Don’t live your life trying to be someone you’re not. Because no matter who you are, or where you are — you belong.

Artist Statement: When I stand in front of the mirror, I see a little girl - wide-eyed, curious, and full of hope. Instead of seeing my grown-up reflection, I see the younger version of myself, the part I sometimes forget but never truly lose. The mirror doesn't just show who I am now, but who I have always been. No matter how much I grow or change, the little girl is still inside of me. The caption says, "I belong to Myself" - because who I was, am, and will be, truly belongs to me.

Artist Statement: This artwork brings together characters with different strengths, stories, and scars — each unique, yet sharing the same purpose and belonging. It represents the idea that no matter who you are, how you look, or what your journey is, you belong just as much as anyone else.

Artist Statement: My work is me in my heart. My work relates to the theme because it doesn't matter if someone doesn't like me or not, I always belong in my heart.

Artist Statement: My artwork shows how I belong with nature. The warm and cool colors represent balance — day and night, earth and sky, light and shadow. I used these tones to show that nature lives within us all. No matter our beliefs, culture, or differences, we are all connected to the same world. The blending of colors reminds me that we don’t just exist beside nature — we are part of it, always changing and growing together.