Award in Excellence Gianna Marzilli

Observed © Gianna Marzilli Wakefield, Rhode Island $1,000 Age 20

Observed, pencil (25" x 30") "This piece represents the way in which I imagine another person looking at me - perfectly normal looking, small, fairly insignificant, and certainly not appearing any different than the observer. In fact, the surroundings are more visually compelling than the subject. Yet, what the observer would not know is that the person they are observing has much more going on under her skin than meets the eye." Gianna Marzilli was encouraged to pursue her art by her mother, an art teacher. She is particularly intrigued by drawing, which she considers to "preserve something forever." Gianna's feelings are reflected in her work, which deals with the tension and consequences of appearing unaffected by diabetes. "Part of me is hidden by invisible screens, and I remain ambivalent about whether to hide behind them or tear them down." Gianna will be a junior this fall at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. She is pursuing a double major in studio art and psychology.