watercolor, ink; 20×16″ 
“Where is the line between Cultural Appropriation and Cultural Appreciation? This is the question I often ask myself when I’m on social media; I’ve often seen this topic be controversial and I wanted to educate myself to better understand cultural appropriation. My piece is centered around the discussion of drag queens appropriating feminine culture. The drag queen is inspired by Marilyn Monroe to share the positives of feminine culture, as she was an important activist for femininity. The character’s eyes are different colors to represent how queer people are often alienated for appreciating culture. For the background, there are camera flashes to show both the appreciation of culture and how some exploit it. The character is walking on a red carpet with a dark background to show that they are in the public’s eye for all to see.
With this piece, I thought it would be helpful to represent a culture being appreciated. Appreciating culture is an important aspect of our society. It can share knowledge and keep fading cultures alive. However, it is extremely important to have permission and give credit, as it can be very harmful to the culture otherwise.”
ARTIST BIO: Cheyenne MEYERS is a grade 12 student at Butler Tech School of Art studying art under art teacher Mary Catherine Ruby.