What is Happiness

What is happiness? How do you know when you’ve felt it? Is it the burn of alcohol As it slides down your throat Or the feel of a cigarette Between your fingers And smoke filling your lungs? Is it the relief Felt when the yelling finally stops? Is it your favorite food, Over and over again, Until the mere mention Makes you feel sick? Or maybe, It’s the rare moments That someone seems To actually give a damn. Maybe it’s the smell of weed, And the feel of a blade. But if this is happiness, Then why is it so unsatisfying? Why would people chase A feeling so empty? But if this isn’t happiness, Then what is? Happiness is Christmas Eve And Graduation day. It’s a soft cat curled up on your chest And purring in your ear. It’s the feeling of grass beneath you feet, The sun shining down on you. Jasmine LeClair

The sound of the dishwasher running, And freshly mopped floors. The smell of pies in the oven, And the feel of cookie cutters in your hand. It’s shopping, Just for random things you want Rather than things you need. And an pet who doesn’t normally like people, Coming up to you for attention. It’s the sound of children Running across the floor, And their little voices Desperate to be a part of your world. It’s driving home With the music loud Singing along without worry About whether or not you sound “good”. It’s doing a cross-stitch, Or watching TV With those you enjoy being around. It’s the knowledge That someone you don’t particularly know, Is making an effort To understand you And communicate. Its chocolate From your favorite candy shop, And blankets Fresh from the dryer. It’s a hot bath And a good book. Or staring at a starry sky On a cloudless night Happiness is peace, Its contentment. Happiness is freedom.

Judge’s Comments on “Dressed For Success”

This piece really brought me back to my inner child! I have vivid childhood memories of putting on my mom’s makeup or going into her closet and playing dress up and trying on her clothes or jewelry. Two words come to mind when I look at this painting: sweet and darling. The subject matter seems to reflect a ‘coming of age’ moment. We see a young girl (5-6 in age) in an innocent, white summer dress looking down at her adult heels. I feel the piece is very fun and playful! Maybe the artist is trying to communicate to us that growing up doesn’t mean you lose your child-like innocence— that it is important to hold onto and carry that curiosity and imagination with us into adulthood. When I was little, I never wanted to grow up. But as I matured, I still kept my child-like enthusiasm and playfulness and carried that into my adult years. There is a repetitive pattern that happens throughout the piece. It reminds me of the water ‘ripple’ effect. The painting has rhythm and movement throughout the space that balances the painting. This “vibration” captures a moment in time and also reminds us of where we are today. Integrating both thoughts, possibly, this could symbolize growing up, bridging that next chapter from leaving adolescence to stepping into adulthood. The young girl is our focal point and is in the middle of the canvas. Cohesively, the piece has a lovely sense of balance. The repetitive lines keep the content framed and unified. Overall, this artwork captures precious moments, thoughts, and feelings.

by Paige Nordstrom