Artwork by Andrea Jakubowski ’22

When I first read Purchase’s motto, I immediately started to envision this elaborate sketch that was completely the opposite of my finished product..

As I got to work, however, I realized that it didn’t have to be anywhere near as intricate as I was making it out to be. In my eyes, the phrase “think wide open” is easy to understand. It doesn’t need a large, theatrical piece to explain the concept that we should accept ourselves and others no matter who and what we identify as. Our sexuality, race, and gender identity are just a few of the components that makes us ‘us’, and if someone’s willing to free their mind from any prior judgement and simply let others be themselves, it’s a step in the right direction.

For my piece, I decided to use a friend’s eye as the center, surrounded by the scattered colors of the rainbow that represent the different sexualities, skin colors, and beliefs that exist in the world. It’s a hazy yet dreamlike background, but combined with the eye, the message has the ability to be striking.