Fighting Fish

This work was done using acrylic, natural materials, mixed media and was 14 x 14.
It represents the different parts of myself that do not get along.
The struggle of being someone who cares so much for others but has their own pain they do not prioritize.
My fishbowl of a brain has swirling thoughts of hopes, situations, worries, and what-if’s that overwhelm me.
I’m much too hard on myself.
I long for calm and a thriving healthy inner ecosystem.
I represent these feelings by the beta fish, notorious as the “fighting fish” as they do not get along with even their own species.
They tear me apart, as my own ideology does. Because how can I be so grounding for others and so nurturing, yet I attack myself for feeling?
It becomes a bloody battle.
More Stories
Tattoo of the week
Tattoos are not just body ink for Tylik Epps, a VTSU Castleton student and leader of the wrestling team. For Epps, the tattoo on his bicep is a tribute to the greatest woman in his life: his mother. In late August of 2020, right before the beginning of his freshman year of college, Epps got […]
Student tattoo artist: Rainey Skye
Imagine if you were drunk at a college party on a random Saturday night, and the party was packed to the brim, so you went to try and find refuge. You fight your way up a flight of stairs filled with drunk college students who seem to only know how to be in the way. […]
Connecting with him through songs
My siblings and I had an eventful childhood to say the least and through tough times, we navigated our emotions through music making together. Music has always been my outlet. Writing songs, especially with my sibling truly takes me to a different world. I personally have a really hard time verbally communicating my emotions, but […]
Suprises and snubs at the Oscars
On Sunday night, March 2, those interested pop culture and movies popped their popcorn, poured their glasses of wine and geared up to watch the 2025 Oscars. For those who maybe aren’t so in tune with movies and pop culture, here’s the gist. There were a few memorable films nominated for Best Picture including […]
New Wellness branding unites VTSU campuses
Last semester, the VTSU Wellness Center came to my Branding and Packaging class, asking for a new logo and identity. I took this as an opportunity to find a way to do what the VTSU merger failed to do: unify the campuses while retaining their own unique identities. While I knew I had to stay […]
Grammy Awards leaves some happy, others (like the writer) not so much
The 67th Annual Grammy Awards took place on Feb. 2, with Trevor Noah hosting for the fifth year. The event left many viewers with a mix of emotions; some feeling excited, sad, and even confused. From Beyonce’s win for Album of the Year to Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us” winning Record of the Year, […]