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Shelter from the Storm
Zoe Murata
Colored pencil, 14 x 19 in.
Shelter from the Storm examines the protective harmony between humanity and nature during a crisis. By depicting a figure shielding a deer—a symbol of gentleness and innocence—from an impending avalanche, the piece challenges the narrative of human-nature opposition. Rendered in colored pencil, the work utilizes complex layering, using warm undertones and vibrant purples in the shadows to breathe life into a cold, destructive landscape. This interaction explores the instinctual spiritual connection between living beings, illustrating how empathy can thrive amidst devastation. Ultimately, it invites viewers to reflect on their own role in nurturing the natural world.
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Self-Portrait
Zoe Murata
Mixed media, 9 x 12 in.
This self-portrait examines personal growth through the lens of optimism, illustrating how internal positivity reshapes one’s perception of the world. Created by scanning a textured colored-pencil drawing into Procreate, the piece merges traditional layering with digital manipulation. The background, a cloned and vibrantly adjusted texture from a reference photo, mirrors how a hopeful internal state can “brighten” external reality. By incorporating radiant leading lines that act as symbolic “rays of hope,” the composition draws focus to the subject while emphasizing a harmonious, luminous relationship between the self and the environment.
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Nostalgia
Zoe Murata
Digital, 10 x 17.5 in.
Nostalgia explores the “sad pleasure” of homesickness, depicting a figure caught between a disorganized reality and an illuminated memory. Using Procreate’s digital layering, the piece creates intense contrast: warm, “Color Dodge” glows emanate from childhood silhouettes, while the surrounding room remains dark and cluttered with symbols of neglect, like dead plants and discarded boxes. The artist used a monochromatic underpainting to anchor these values, eventually reflecting the “imagined” light onto the subject’s face. This visual split represents the power of place, illustrating how internal longing can manifest as physical symbols that both comfort and isolate the individual from their current environment.
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Lost in Reverie
Zoe Murata
Digital, 11 x 15 in.
Lost in Reverie explores the idealization of nostalgia, where selective memory filters out hardship to leave only warmth. Set in an abandoned but pristine city, the piece uses vibrant overgrowth and flooding to mark the passage of time against “perfect” architecture. The figure in the boat symbolizes viewing childhood through rose-colored glasses, transforming the environment into a visual manifestation of a simpler past. Using a “Spider-Verse” inspired digital style—merging 3D forms with expressive, comic-like textures—the work reflects how our identities and memories color our perception of reality, inviting viewers to find comfort in their own idealized histories.