This piece titled A World of My Own represents a skeletal figure with a butterfly perched between the figure’s ribs. This piece was made as a depiction of an in class still life that dealt with classic themes such as memento mori. The piece is oil on canvas and is a loose rendering of the still life objects and figures. A World of My Own features cool, earthy toned colors of the skeleton and butterfly against a blue gradient background that emphasizes the skeleton’s shape. In this piece, the figure’s face and body are emphasized along with the butterfly, which are the dominant elements of this piece. Balance is achieved through the placement of the figure in the composition. The flow of the gradient background as well as the subtle lines of color on the figure direct the viewer’s eye around the artwork. The swirling colors composed of light greens, blues, off-whites, greys, and browns surround and draw attention to the butterfly nestled in the figure’s ribs. The figure and butterfly have a less than solid appearance. The figure’s facial features are not distinct but has light shading and color variation to imply eye sockets, a nose, and an ear cavity. The empty planes on the face are distinctly light compared to the rest of the painting. The weight of the piece is formed with the deeper colors around the butterfly. The visual lightness of the figure’s face balances the deeper, earthy toned colors of where the butterfly is placed. The gradual colors of the figure’s face provide a sense of depth and visual light to the painting. In this painting, the light source is not shown but implied through the upper left of the piece. The light source seems to cast a glow upon the figure’s face. This glow also helps to distinguish the figure from the background. The form of the skeleton is composed of shifts and different strokes of color. The lines and shifts of color are used to create the shapes and forms in the painting. The use of analogous colors for the skeleton along with the soft blue gradient of the background create an ethereal quality. The use of these colors also creates unity while the differences of size of the strokes offers variety. The placement of color in the background as well as on the figure create a sense of movement in the piece. The placement of paint on the figure curve around the butterfly and lead up towards the figure’s neck and face. The use of de-saturated colors, the lack of contrast and the smooth texture of the piece give an overall sense of calmness and harmony. The smooth paint is applied with no gaps and gives a feeling of easiness. The figure and butterfly shown in isolation are not scared but are at peace. The various colors of the figure also give a sense of texture to the piece. This painting conveys concepts of both life and death, isolation, and includes natural elements–pointing to their interconnection.