Anni Leonor ’24, Section Editor

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“Throughout my high school journey, I found myself looking at the mirror, gazing at the person that I was, and who I hoped to be. Paralleled by games that changed my life, Undertale by Toby Fox and Omori by Omocat, my reflection is no longer a dream. There are viewpoints of myself that I cannot escape. I can’t escape the reflection I see in the mirror, regardless of whether or not I love or despise what I see.
In spite of this, I can never cross paths with the version of me in the mirror. They are stuck in a single moment in time, while I can live, feel, and breathe the life I lead each and every time I look away. It’s the reality of who I am today, no matter how much time passes, ‘despite everything, it’s still [me].’”

Oscar Ortega ‘24, Section Editor

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“Influenced by Claudia Bueno’s ‘Pulse’ and designs from Iris van Herpen, I wanted to experiment with shapes of corals and marine microorganisms. This project has made me more appreciative of ocean life and its unique beauty.”

Anni Leonor ’24, Section Editor

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“As shown by many of the pieces I’ve submitted over the years, video games are an integral part to my formation as a person today. More specifically, as a source of comfort. I most distinctly remember my sophomore year at Mitty, when I was very afraid of the environment around me.

At the end of each day, I would go home to the comfort of a fantasy world of dragons and beasts, seeking guidance from the characters I met along the way. I started comparing my personal issues to the heroes in the stories, making the realization that maybe I don’t have to be so afraid. I took baby steps. I started to be bolder. I started to make friends. And soon enough, I began conquering my own battles in the real world.”

Azure Livingston ‘26

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“— all of my life I spent searching the words of poets and saints and prophets and kings / now at the end all I know that I’ve learned is that all that I know is I don’t know a thing — ‘dust and ashes’”

—Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812

Oscar Ortega ‘24, Section Editor

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“Partly inspired by the film Everything Everywhere All At Once, I wanted to combine different objects and places in my life. I wondered how it would feel to see it all laid out. Life is often overwhelming and trying to find meaning in it all  is sometimes near impossible. But there are moments that will blur into each other, like paint on a palette, that are worth holding onto.”

Nailah Cannon ’24

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“Eugeny is defined as ‘the nobleness of birth’; it’s also a reference to Eugene Morrow’s character in Gattaca, which is profound in its depiction of the intersectionality of eugenics, racism, and religion.
I was inspired by Kehinde Wiley’s ‘Archaeology of Silence’ exhibition which humanizes victims of racially motivated violence and police brutality; I wanted to do the same in this piece.”

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“The lower half of the canvas’ background is reminiscent of “The Sunken Place” from Jordan Peele’s Get Out, to represent the marginalization of people of color, who are the foundation of our country, yet treated with the least amount of dignity and humanity.
Three women clothed in classical white robes mirror the Holy Trinity and represent the stages of grief, suffering, and dehumanization that disempowered and oppressed communities experience: mourning, murder, and finally, death. The centered figure represents religious whitewashing —the omnipresence of white supremacist ideologies disguised as innocence.”

Zoey Crisan, 25

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“This piece illustrates my family’s dinner preparations and highlights the similarities between the process of making Chinese dumplings and Romanian sarmale.”