Jperry Peace through Connection

My partner, jperry, made an avatar that conveys “Peacefulness through calming colors” (jperry) through the idea of focusing on elements that exemplify his beliefs & his passions, bringing across the idea of a harmonious and well rounded character. His avatar is visually made of and focuses on small and connected circles colored blue and red, which he uses to represent drums, an activity where he “Finds peace within mind” (jperry). The circles represent a sense of unity and rhythm, mirroring a core aspect of his character. This design is furthermore detailed with a dumbbell and cross, symbols that serve to weigh the spiritual against the physical, showing his commitment to faith, because “I am a Christian” (jperry) and his attribution to fitness & overall health. In summary his overall impression left with me is a character who maintains peace through balance and practice. 

jperry’s creative process mainly focused on bringing these differing elements together through a cohesive showing of his inner self and overall characteristic, communicating the idea of a character driven by simple and honest values. He brought the idea that his character is a representation of calmness and overall tranquility, supported by the connectedness of the circles, which he thought and felt “Brings all together the feeling of calmness and peace of mind.” (jperry) His choices were mainly based on the things he actively engages with, like the paintbrush, which embodies art, as these tools are much needed for that specific area of his interest. Even his color choices were closehearted and personal, “I generally like the colors” (jperry). His process of using existing, closehearted meaningful items, rather than making abstract symbols, shows him to be an honest & down to earth person. His grounded or down to earth personality shows him as a “rounded” character, as his avatar and character show a holistic view of his body, mind, & spirit through the specific things, such as colors, items, & the meaning he assigns them, allowing the reader to see and picture his persona. 

I found that comparing jperry’s approach to my own shows the core difference in the source of our artistic expression. jperry chose elements from his existing interests, leading to a process that I see as abstractly made from generic and common things, which paradoxically makes his expression of simplicity and peace differ. To me this was a surprising observation, as I initially anticipated a simple design, but the choice of connected circles serves to show a deep layer of meaning. My process differs from jperry’s through focusing on making multiple, symbolic avatars to bring the idea of a complex, conceptual ideal. jperry’s method, however, shows more about his daily life and personality, allowing me, the reader, to imagine and picture him as someone who integrates his passions and faith into who he is. 

All in all, jperry’s avatar successfully visualizes a complex sense of self through a deliberate and careful combination of everyday objects & colors. By using the elements of his life that bring him peace–music, art, faith, & fitness–he has created a self mirror that reflects his personality as a whole. His avatar brings upon a clear and concise view into the things jperry values most, defining him as a thoughtful & well balanced person

“File:Weightlifting .jpg” by robertDouglass is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.