Ego Oni
watercolor paint, pastel colored pencil, ink pen
Japanese art and design peaked my interest in high school as I was enamored by the intricate storytelling and intention behind each piece.
The oni is a goblin/demon in Japanese folklore, known to some as an aid to the devil meant to guard hell and torture the sinners sent there- while others see them as symbols of protection from evil. I painted this oni during a difficult period of my life, and in some ways I see it as a portrait of my ego.
I was my own gatekeeper, self sabotaging at every turn in response to fear and lack of confidence. My oni serves as a reminder that those feelings are only a mask I put on to protect myself. In other words, I am not my ego.
