Pride 

12’’ x 9’’ 
Watercolor and Pencil 
 

Ella Culton  
 

Of the 8 pieces of my portfolio, each represents a 

different aspect of my memories, which come to together 
to form my life experiences so far. This particular piece 
represents a moment when I felt very confident and even 
beautiful. This artwork is based off of a picture taken of 
me after the Rhode Island Pride Parade, which brings 
back exciting and fun memories. While my sexuality isn’t 
the most important part of my personality, it was relaxing 
to be able to spend a few hours around such positive 
energy, where I felt supported and I could support others. 
Visually, I thought the shape of the tulle skirt and the 
position of my head were very interesting, and I wanted to 
explore how I could recreate the original image, while at 
the same time changing it slightly to incorporate the 
emotional message behind it as well. I began this piece 
with pencil and ink in mind, but after experimenting with 
watercolor, I decided that color would be an important 
element to the piece, making it more aesthetically 
pleasing and adding to the message of “pride”. When I 
think of myself at my best, this artwork comes to mind, 
where I have a newfound confidence and freedom to be 
authentically me.