color pencil; 20×16″ 
“Everybody sees somebody with an addiction and judges. But, does anybody ever think about the struggle people go through that leads them to it and how it takes them to be free of it? My piece of artwork I have created is made to symbolize that feeling of addiction.This piece is made up of all colored pencils. It is a figure trapped in a medicine bottle chained down into the deep sea. The bottle is being pulled down by weights with the number ‘988’ on each weight, which symbolizes the Suicide and Crisis lifeline. The blue surrounding the object is the Deep blue sea which is based on a void of emptiness that makes you feel trapped. It looks pretty and fun when you look at it but deep down it’s scary and you don’t really know what’s beyond the surface. Addiction is all around us. It has left an impact on society on health, economic stability, and even the warmth of our social connections. Addiction is everywhere now In society and it’s treated like it’s normal when it’s not. It’s hurting everybody around us.”
ARTIST BIO: Kierra CHIULLI is a grade 11 student at Butler Tech School of Art studying art under art teacher Mary Catherine Ruby.