What is the significance of this work to you?

I created this picture at a time when I was sad, angry, depressed, and experiencing a lot of existential nihilist thoughts over the way humans treat each other and the planet. It was a therapeutic endeavor to create "Gaia" and I was able to channel my emotions into creating it. 

What is the significance of the medium you chose for this work?

I drew everything out freehand in pencil which felt quite organic and I was not sure what picture would come out when I sat down to sketch. For coloring I really loved the bright, bold options that I could get on the computer which I was unable to create using my acrylic paint. The mixture of digital and traditional mediums allowed me to fully express the feelings I was trying to capture in this piece. 

What was your process for creating this work?

I sketched the initial image out on paper and then ended up painting it both on canvas and then digitally. There was a lot of emotions that went into this piece so it was very cathartic to use multiple mediums. It ended up taking a lot of time to complete as I kept experimenting with new layers, colors, and other ideas. 

Tina Anton has been writing professionally for several years and decided to take the plunge into creating artwork in 2020. She lives in Ohio with her dog, Furiousa, and can be found on Twitter at @Dean_Is_Batman