After Soft Rains by Richard Wu

Iris by Richard Wu

Lift Me Up by Richard Wu

Smile by Richard Wu

The theme of hope runs through every drawing in this mixed-media collection by Richard Wu.

“After Soft Rains” (color pencil): This work depicts a puddle in the midst of some abandoned ruins, with the puddle being the only part of the artwork that has color. The puddle, which could not have been formed without rain earlier, now reflects the bright blue of the clear sky above, representing how past pain or trauma can ultimately be overcome and reframed to provide a source of strength for the future.

“Iris” (marker): The iris is the part of the eye which gives it color. Iris was also the Greek goddess of the rainbow. This artwork draws upon both of these meanings for inspiration.

“Lift Me Up” (colored pencil and watercolor): This was inspired by the artistic style of the painter Vincent Van Gogh. Van Gogh suffered from mental illness throughout his life, and found solace in creating art.

“Smile” (pen): I rarely ever see artworks that feature smiley faces as focal points, so I decided to make one. Just as there are ribbons radiating outward from the smiley face in this artwork, so too can smiles and hope be spread out into the world through healthcare workers’ efforts to heal and serve others.

Richard Wu is a Eugene McDermott Scholar and recent graduate from the University of Texas at Dallas. Richard enjoys creating art, writing stories, and composing music, and his creative works are published or forthcoming in Bellevue Literary Review, The Healing Muse, Pulse: Voices from the Heart of Medicine, JAMA Internal Medicine, Nature, and other publications.