“Saving Hope” – Oil on stretched canvas

Viktoria Sterkhova, School of Public Health Professions

I took up painting again during the pandemic, a hobby I loved in high school. It has been a profound outlet for my creativity, and it gives me a moment to relax and be present. My favorite part of painting is the process- playing around with the colors, blending the paints, and troubleshooting my next moves.

The concept of light is a common theme throughout my paintings. This time, I was inspired by Pinterest mason jars full of fairy lights. It is such a simple and comforting concept. To me, it evokes feelings of hope and wonder, like the giddy feeling you get when looking at Christmas lights or watching fireflies twinkle in June.

A Gardener’s Delightful Season

Tuqa Asedi, M2, Class of 2025

I started gardening a couple years ago after I decided to finally pursue my dream of having a rose garden. The rose garden is still in progress, but I have had so much fun along the way. This year, I started taking photos of the flowers that I grew. It was a productive year; I had so many beautiful Zéphirine Drouhin rose blooms that I made delicious rose jam for my family! My Stargazer Lilies made a stunning and fragrant centerpiece on the coffee table. Some of my Zinnia seedlings died from the heat wave, some were eaten by bunnies, but the ones that survived had bright, vibrant colors. I bought a new bare-root climbing rose in the spring, and I was pleasantly surprised to see it bloom this year, its first year, which can be uncommon. I also saw a hummingbird drink out of my Petunia basket on multiple occasions. I have never seen one in real life and I could not contain my excitement! Other beautiful creatures that I got to see were different types of birds, a hummingbird hawk moth, and a neon-green praying mantis that lived on my Perfume Delight rose. Overall, it was a joyful experience and I am super excited for the next season. But for now, I am busy collecting the fallen autumn leaves to make food for next year’s flowers.

Coming of Spring

Colette Worcester, G1-P3

Plaza Art Fair at Sunset

Sricharan Yadali, M1, Class of 2025

Last year I unearthed my parents’ old Pentax point-and-shoot that they purchased in the mid 1990s. Upon asking them about the camera, my parents told me about fond memories that they had using it to capture their first few years in a new and foreign land. To all of our surprises, it still worked! I quickly purchased some film and took the camera with me on family trips. When I got scans of my pictures back, I was astounded. 

Chasing Waterfalls

Vy Le, M2, Class of 2024

I picked up gouache painting during my first semester of medical school. Some time during second semester, things got busy, and I stopped painting as much. By the end of the year, I realized that I just didn’t feel happy or did as well because I wasn’t taking the time for myself to relax and paint. So I decided to take some time over the summer to paint. In the time that it took for me to paint each of these pieces, I didn’t have to think about anything but color mixing and creating a scene into which I can escape. Waterfalls have always interested me, and in finding references for and creating this series, it was almost as if I was transported to each of these locations. I hope that anyone looking at these paintings can not only see them but also hear the falls and imagine that they’re in these peaceful places surrounded by nature. Hopefully I’ll be able to chase all of these waterfalls in person one day.

Botanical Study

Angela Li, M3, Class of 2023

If the constantly changing schedule of a third-year medical student has taught me anything, it has challenged me to branch out from my comfort zone and pushed me to seek out a different creative medium than what I am used to. While I am very familiar and comfortable with inkwork, having completed projects both casually and for my undergraduate art courses, it has been more than a decade since I’ve picked up watercolors. 

Himalayan Adventure

Katelyn Schumacher, M4, Class of 2022

I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Nepal in 2019 to take on the Everest Base Camp Trek. This entailed about a week of trekking and staying at teahouses along the way. The first photo was taken about halfway through the trek near Thukla Pass, which is where all memorials for those who lost their lives attempting the famous summit were located. Each one was made of stone and typically decorated with prayer flags. The second photo was taken of Mt. Everest. Seeing the mountain felt surreal and made the thin air worth it. At 5,364 meters elevation, the air was thin and landscape completely covered in snow and ice. Glacier water ran next to the base through the crevasses. The moment we made it gave me a sense of accomplishment, humility, and clarity.

Mars

Stephanie Aron, M2, Class of 2024

Inspired by the book series Red Rising by Pierce Brown.

Windows

Trent Edwards, M1, Class of 2025

You’ve heard it said that no man is an island, but during COVID’s prolonged quarantine, it was difficult not to identify with that floating, isolated unit of life. As minutes turned into weeks, I found myself starving for the very sense of connection which Maslow postulated was a human need. When quarantine ended, I stumbled out into the world with a cautious desperation to rekindle relationships. I participated in conversations with vigor and listened intently. Yet, despite my enthusiasm, I still felt… distant. Sure, there was physically 6 feet of distance, but I found myself confronting another barrier. How could I connect with someone while half their face was covered? 

Zoom Paint & Sips

Betsy Cha, M2, Class of 2023