Lily Crowley

Over the last few years, I have used my art to explore ideas of relationships and of entering adulthood showing the difficult balance that this requires. My art is currently quite autobiographical in that it reflects what part of my life I am in. While my art is, I think, quite beautiful to look at, I use symbolism in my pieces to portray some of the tension and pressure that young women feel as they grow. It might look pretty but under the surface it's a huge balancing act of emotions. I was born in Christchurch. In my first week of school, we experienced the first earthquake. The following February we had a very large earthquake. My school closed. My home was damaged. My life has changed. Many specialists in childhood education and psychology explained that because of our experiences we would be more resilient as adults. While that might be true I don’t always feel so resilient. I have a lot of anxiety. I feel a great deal of responsibility and am driven to achieve at a high level. I am very critical about what I produce. Art is a way for me to express this and for me to calm my anxiety.

Works by Lily Crowley