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Purple Pansies Print

Purple Pansies Print

I was an excellent target for bullying as a teenager. I was Asian, skinny, and gay. And like everyone else, I tried hard to fit in with little success. Thank goodness those years are over; nobody can pay me enough to relive them. LOL.

Childhood was a terrifying time for gay youth like myself. So for Pride 2023, I wanted to create something to commemorate having survived it—a piece that's a marker of resistance, strength, and triumph in our early lives.

The symbolism explained:

1. The color purple. Before Gilbert Baker's iconic rainbow flag, purple symbolized resistance and power amongst western queer communities. It is why I assigned purple as the painting's dominant hue due to its historical and cultural significance.

2. The pansy flowers. For those unfamiliar, calling someone a pansy means calling them "a weak, effeminate, and often cowardly individual (mostly targeting gay men)." Otherwise, pansies are more popularly known as bold and beautiful garden flowers. The irony, right? In this the context of this illustration, the purple pansies represent the strong and defiant gay individuals who were bullied growing up.

3. The bouquet vs. single flower. Representing "strength in numbers." The gaze of flowers towards the viewer was designed to resemble those same bullied individuals now standing together as an alliance, watching each others' backs, supporting one another in the face of danger. We are never truly alone in our battles.

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  • All sales are final. To reduce waste, products are made to order. Please double-check your sizes and fittings before placing your order. Learn more about replacement & refund policies here. Questions? Please email me.
  • Quality is guaranteed. I stand behind every art piece I create. If your print order doesn't meet your expectations, I'll send a replacement or full refund.

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$45.00
$45.00
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  • How It Works

    Standard prints are made only when orders are placed. So when you place an order, my printing partner and I will be notified. Once your order is processed, my printing partner will package and ship your products to you. I love this method because it avoids overproduction which reduces environmental waste! Easy-peasy. Standard prints are not hand-signed.

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  • Print Borders

    Unless otherwise specified, standard prints come with a minimum border of approximately .5in (1.27cm).

    Borders help with the matting and framing process. It also helps prevent finger prints or accidents from damaging the actual print area.

  • Paper Quality & Specs

    Standard Prints
    Prints are on thick and durable museum quality paper. These are not archival.
    Paper thickness: 10.3 mil
    Paper weight: 192 gsm
    Finish: Smooth Matte

    Collector's Edition Prints
    Archival Ultrachrome HDR inks printed on archival, thick, museum-grade, 100% cotton rag, fine art papers.
    Paper thickness: 19 mil
    Paper weight: 255 gsm
    Finish: Textured Matte (like watercolor)

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