Drew Mahlmeister 

There are many pressures put on teenagers both by both society and oneself. Through my pieces, I aim to accurately and artistically communicate some of those common pressures and emotions in order to normalize them. My process began by establishing some common pressures faced by teens, which I did by having discussions with many of my classmates. I would bring up pressures that I felt, and ask whether my classmates felt them as well. When we found a shared feeling of pressure, I then began to brainstorm how to display that in a work of art. I am using different media and representing all types of pressures from being left out to the feeling of having an inadequate body. There are emotional and physical aspects and each piece is uniquely portrayed in a media or mix of media that will most accurately display the meaning as well as give an artistic flourish. My investigation has also grown since my first piece. Originally I was focusing on just pressures felt by women in society, however it has broadened to all teenagers.