Addaki, Rachelly

Rachelly Addakai  The Path of Life  14x14  Watercolor & Ink  $60  Bio: I am a sophomore at Camelback High School, and I love to make art to express how I feel, especially to represent my culture. I create paintings of how my culture has been explained to me, so my paintings are like whenever I talk to my people. It’s much more than just a representation of my culture, it is a conversation with my ancestors.  I started to draw three years ago and have continued to make art since then.  Artist Statement: In my watercolor painting, “The Path of Life,” the viewer sees a young woman on her knees who is calling out to be guided by a Yei bi chei, which is a medicine man. He provides people with support and guidance. I placed the Yei bi chei behind the woman to show he is there to comfort her and help guide her through her difficulties. I chose a cool color scheme to express both her sadness and the Yei bi chei’s calming presence. The swirling symbols in the background represent the woman’