I am human, but not a person
Faculty Mentor
Joshua Hobson
Presentation Type
Creative Work
Start Date
May 2025
End Date
May 2025
Location
Art Building Gallery
Primary Discipline of Presentation
Art
Abstract
I am human, but not a person
Mya Patrick
“I am human but not a person” is a work that tells multiple stories at once. This piece displays a school bathroom, showcasing the sink. Behind the sink, stand two girls. One girl is looking at herself in the mirror crying. While the other girl is watching her friend closely with her hand on her shoulder, trying to be comforting. However, in the mirror reflection her face is smeared; tainted by the chaos inside her. The words “I’m human, but not a person” are displayed at the top of the piece melting into the bathroom walls. This is an oil-based painting conveying the heartache of being emotionally supportive as a friend who’s also struggling mentally.
Trying to be emotionally supportive is often exhausting. Allowing yourself to be open and connect to others can be isolating to your own well-being. The only thing you can do for them is force a smile and pretend everything’s okay. During the process, it was a battle attempting to understand what narrative I wanted to portray and what direction to take. For this piece, I just allowed my emotions to guide me. Friendships are never simple, but they are valuable and teach important lessons.
Living in the moment is an expression I live by, but when you’re in a time of weakness all it can bring is sadness, confusion, and self-depreciation. “I am human, but not a person” describes what you feel when you only help others but never yourself. Something I learned about myself when creating this piece is that I am human, but not registering how I’m feeling is why I am not a person. I’ve learned that I’m allowed to be both selfish and selfless. It's all about balance; you have to hold on and let things go.
Recommended Citation
Patrick, Mya A., "I am human, but not a person" (2025). 2025 Symposium. 1.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2025/cw_2025/art_2025/1
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
I am human, but not a person
Art Building Gallery
I am human, but not a person
Mya Patrick
“I am human but not a person” is a work that tells multiple stories at once. This piece displays a school bathroom, showcasing the sink. Behind the sink, stand two girls. One girl is looking at herself in the mirror crying. While the other girl is watching her friend closely with her hand on her shoulder, trying to be comforting. However, in the mirror reflection her face is smeared; tainted by the chaos inside her. The words “I’m human, but not a person” are displayed at the top of the piece melting into the bathroom walls. This is an oil-based painting conveying the heartache of being emotionally supportive as a friend who’s also struggling mentally.
Trying to be emotionally supportive is often exhausting. Allowing yourself to be open and connect to others can be isolating to your own well-being. The only thing you can do for them is force a smile and pretend everything’s okay. During the process, it was a battle attempting to understand what narrative I wanted to portray and what direction to take. For this piece, I just allowed my emotions to guide me. Friendships are never simple, but they are valuable and teach important lessons.
Living in the moment is an expression I live by, but when you’re in a time of weakness all it can bring is sadness, confusion, and self-depreciation. “I am human, but not a person” describes what you feel when you only help others but never yourself. Something I learned about myself when creating this piece is that I am human, but not registering how I’m feeling is why I am not a person. I’ve learned that I’m allowed to be both selfish and selfless. It's all about balance; you have to hold on and let things go.
