MY MONA LISA MOMENT

How I ended up being featured at the Charlotte Mint Museum

2020 was an overwhelming year that many of us would like to forget. The combined impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downturn, social and political unrest, natural disasters, and heightened stress took a toll on the mental well-being of many people. It was as if our world came to a screeching halt and was turned completely on its head. At the time, I was a naïve and hormonal sophomore in high school, already convinced my life was falling apart (little did I know, the real chaos was just around the corner). That same year, I was in Mr. Thomas’s AP 2D design class. It was the perfect outlet for me to put all of my angsty teenage feelings into works of art. However, channeling my emotions into art during that tumultuous time proved to be more rewarding than I anticipated, as it led to one of my pieces being showcased in an art museum two years later.

I remember the beginning of my sophomore year really well. The third season of Stranger Things just came out, TikTok was starting to get lots of attention, and it was the end of the “2019 VSCO girl” summer trend. I thought I had finally solidified myself in a friend group, I had my first-ever boyfriend, I was driving myself to school in my own car, and I was beginning to focus on what I wanted to do in college. I felt so grown up! 

Everyone knew me as being very artistic and creative in school. I had Mr. Thomas the previous year in his second-level art class, and he took note of my potential. He suggested that I take AP 2D, which was my first advanced art class. I had grown up going to summer art camps, attended private after-school art lessons, and created many pieces that were worthy of display on the refrigerator door, but none matched the effort and dedication that I invested into my AP art portfolio pieces. Mr. Thomas encouraged us to crank out new works once a week to build our portfolios around our focus statement. My focus statement was, “How can I portray my emotions through my experiences with ADHD?” People with ADHD often experience heightened emotions and may react more strongly to situations, which others might misinterpret as overreacting or being overly sensitive. My goal in choosing this statement was to explore and express these intense emotions that may accompany individuals with ADHD by providing a personal and insightful perspective. 

When I entered high school, I cared so much about what people thought of me, and sometimes still struggle with that issue to this day. I started to develop this deeper understanding of my diagnosis after being medicated for ADHD since elementary school. I felt misunderstood and feared that people would assume I was lazy or not trying hard enough, despite having challenges with concentration, time management, or staying organized. 

With all of this built-up turmoil and the support of Mr. Thomas, I hit the ground running. I spent countless nights locked up in my room tearing up pieces of cardboard and newspapers, covering old t-shirts and rags with splotches of acrylic paint, sketching, painting, and examining every intricate detail. I researched images for inspiration on Pinterest, took reference pictures of my own, watched TEDx lectures from psychologists and artists, scrapped failed ideas, and even started over. The routine repeated every week. I put so much passion and energy into each piece, making sure that it was perfect and up to my standards. Each time I would find a flaw, I would ponder for ages trying to figure out what I could do differently. How can I make this better? I dug deep into my brain to channel my emotions and sketched out the things I saw, felt, and heard. 

Halfway through the year, the pandemic hit. My emotions shifted as isolation became the new normal. It was difficult shifting from the hands-on experience of Mr. Thomas’s classroom to having my work critiqued over Zoom calls. Eventually, at the end of the year, I created 15 different self-portrait pieces that made up my portfolio to submit to the AP College Board. But amongst the final 15, one stood out above the rest. My favorite piece, titled “Overwhelmed.” I called it my magnum opus. 

The piece presents a visually striking and emotionally evocative scene of myself contorted in a silent scream while being submerged in a deep blue sea (fun fact: the reference picture of this piece was taken in my parents’ bathtub). My head is surrounded by a constellation of abstract bubbles, which I made out of black paper and white charcoal pencil. I wanted the juxtaposition of organic and inorganic forms to create a sense of disorientation and chaos, mirroring the turmoil within myself. The bubbles, often associated with joy and lightness, here take on a sinister quality, suggesting my struggle to reach the surface when feeling overwhelmed. I decided to use colored pencils for this piece to create a monochromatic scene of blues and grays to reinforce the sense of drowning through depth and isolation. I wanted this piece to be a powerful exploration of the ADHD psyche, delving into the themes of anxiety, deep fear, and the overwhelming nature of emotions while having ADHD. My goal for this visually arresting and thought-provoking piece was to invite the viewer to contemplate the depths of my experience. When I turned the piece into Mr. Thomas, he was gobsmacked, to say the least. He was probably thinking, “Damn kid you got some issues.” But knowing Mr. Thomas, he knew I had something special (sidenote: I genuinely owe everything to this man for my success and passion in the arts, I see him as a great mentor and friend to this day). 

One day, Mr. Thomas asked me if he could send in my “Overwhelmed” piece to the National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens. Oh what the heck, why not? Not knowing much about the competition, I said he could go for it because it was worth a shot. I never had luck with competitions anyway, so I thought I probably wasn’t going to go far in it. It’s funny how life works sometimes.

By the end of sophomore year, I had completely forgotten about my piece being submitted. I moved on to junior year and spent the entire year online as the pandemic continued to rage on, still having no remembrance of my submission. That was until I reached my senior year around late March 2022, when my dad called me into his office. On his laptop screen was a slideshow of different works of art, all made by teens my age who lived in North Carolina. “Watch this…” he said. All of a sudden, I see my “Overwhelmed” piece flash across the screen with the label underneath saying, “Overwhelmed by Catharine Yoder, 18, Western Guilford High School, Greensboro, NC, Gold Key Winner.” The art piece that I made as an angsty 16-year-old received the highest award for the National Scholastic Art & Writing Regional Awards.

I was shocked. Stuff like this never happens to me. I was then told that my piece would be on display at the Mint Museum in Uptown Charlotte. I was so excited! Many words of congratulations poured in from my family and friends, but nobody was as proud as Mr. Thomas. I had made my teacher, my mentor proud.

I arrived at the Mint Museum in early April to see my piece. I walked through a room filled with sculptures and drawings and photos that were created by hundreds of students across the state. I was so busy soaking up all of the amazing talent being displayed in the room, that I almost forgot what I had come for. I started searching the room for my piece, anxiety surged through me, worrying that it might have not arrived. I came upon a crowd of people circling a piece hanging on the wall. I caught a glimpse of the bright shades of blue. They were looking at my piece. I squeezed my way through the crowd to see it, and there it was staring back at me. My face in distress, the bright blues and grays of my face in the water surrounding me, the fruits of my labor finally getting the recognition they deserved. I looked around at the people standing next to me as many of them were taking pictures of my work and smiling in amazement. I started to cry.

Seeing total strangers, whose paths have never crossed mine, enjoy my art and resonate with the message was truly fulfilling. Watching people take pictures of my work to remember forever is such a core memory. It is my motivation to keep reaching for my goals and to keep going. I knew in that moment that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, to create work that brings people together and makes them feel seen.

What started as a way to channel my angsty teenage feelings became a moment that shaped my future. My time in Mr. Thomas’s class was a turning point—not just for my art, but for understanding myself and the power of creativity. “Overwhelmed” is a reminder that even in the most challenging times, there’s beauty and purpose waiting to be discovered. Seeing my work bring others joy was a transformative experience, one that affirmed my desire to keep creating and connecting with people through the art I make. If there's one thing I’ve learned from this journey, it’s that art—like life—can be overwhelming, chaotic, and imperfect. But that's what makes it beautiful, and that's why I'll never stop chasing it.

<—— “Overwhelmed” by me

<—— 18-year-old me with my painting :)