Peyton Richard

Artist statement

Hi, I am Peyton Richard. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to share my life and work with you. As I started this project, I went through a process of trying to figure out what lights up my heart most. It took hours of reflecting and running through ideas to realize what makes me happiest has been in front of me my whole life. Therefore, I have created this project as a tribute to all of the things I love, like the people I am surrounded by, the places I have lived, and each little aspect in between. My happiness revolves around cherishing the things I have been blessed with, and this journal is one more way for me to do just that.

The creation of this journal involves generic crafting materials that would be used in a classroom setting such as markers, pens, paper, and glue. I want to use such materials to mimic the nostalgic feeling of scrapbooks and crafting from my childhood. Each of these materials come together to form vivid, animated depictions of cartoons, places, and logos from my life so far. My compositional inspiration revolves around the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books I read throughout my childhood. A few pages are left empty at the end of my journal to signify hope for the future and the happiness it will bring. I hope to continue filling this journal over time.

I hope this project encourages you to reflect on what has given your life meaning, whether that is a favorite cartoon, an old friend, or a combination of each aspect of your surrounding reality. It can be easy to get swept up in the fast-paced world we live in, but I have found that taking the time to reflect on moments of peace and love can make all the difference in feeling grounded again.