Amelia House doesn’t like abstract art. She prefers structure, clarity—art that has something recognizable to hold onto. So, when her art instructor assigned a non-representational piece, she felt immediate resistance.
“I do not like non-representational at all,” House admitted. “It’s hard for me to not make something recognizable.”
But instead of fighting the assignment, she leaned into it. She started with a shape she always found comfort in—a simple circle. Then another. Then another.
Hours passed. The shapes multiplied, overlapped, and distorted. Without realizing it, she had created something that reflected exactly how she was feeling: overwhelmed, restless, caught in a cycle she wasn’t sure how to break.
“I wanted it to evoke an anxious emotion—like there was too much going on,” she said. “Because that’s how I felt while making it.”
The result was Endless Decay, an intricate ink drawing filled with swirling, heavy contrasts. It was a departure from her usual work, but in many ways, it became one of the most personal pieces she’s ever created.
Breaking it Down
From the beginning, Endless Decay wasn’t an easy piece to create. House had to use three different hatching techniques—fine
lines layered to create shading and depth—since traditional blending wasn’t allowed.
Every inch of the paper needed to be covered, with no more than 20 percent left white.
“It took forever,” she said. “I burned through two Micron pens just trying to get all the shading right.”
There was no room for error. Every stroke had to be intentional, every shadow meticulously built up.
But the hardest part? Making peace with the fact that she wasn’t enjoying it.
“I hated making it,” she admitted. “It felt exhausting. Like I was just pushing through, not even sure if it would turn out right.”
Yet when she stepped back and looked at the finished piece, she recognized something in it—her own frustration, captured in ink.
“It’s called Endless Decay because it felt like it was constantly spinning,” she said. “Like a devolving madness.”
Something More
When her instructor, Nicole Davis, pulled her aside in class, House assumed she had done something wrong.
“I hadn’t checked my email,” she laughed. “So when she told me she wanted to submit my piece to the Figge Art Museum, I was like, ‘Wait…that one?’”
She was stunned.
“I thought some of my other pieces were better, technique-wise,” she admitted. “But this one had more emotion. And maybe that’s why she chose it.”
When House finally saw her work displayed at the Figge, framed and mounted alongside artwork from students across the region, she felt something she hadn’t expected: validation.
“It was so weird,” she said. “As a 19-year-old, you don’t think about your work hanging in a museum. Seeing it there made me feel like I was actually an artist—not just a kid doodling in my room.”
Her parents were there, too. Her mom had been involved throughout the process, giving feedback when House got stuck. Seeing the piece formally displayed was an emotional moment.
“She didn’t cry, but she was close,” House said. Her dad, proud in his own way, gave a nod of approval and captured the moment with a few photos.
Art as a Voice
House doesn’t create art to make people comfortable. If anything, she prefers the opposite.
“I want people to feel something when they look at my work,” she said. “Even if that feeling is discomfort.”
She gravitates toward surrealism and collage, often incorporating themes that challenge the norm. Some of her past pieces have been considered too intense for certain exhibitions, but that hasn’t stopped her from creating.
“Don’t be afraid to do what people don’t want you to,” she said. “I’ve been told my work is ‘too much,’ but if I have something to say, I’m going to say it.”
I Am One
House, who is working toward her Associate in Arts (AA) Degree, is still figuring out what comes next. She’s interested in pursuing art education, particularly for elementary students with special needs.
“I have Asperger’s, and art was a really positive coping mechanism for me,” she shared. “I don’t think we truly appreciate art unless it’s taught the right way. I’ve met so many people who didn’t have that positive introduction to creativity, and now they struggle with it. I want to change that. I want kids to see art as something they can connect with, not something intimidating.”
For now, she’s taking in the experience—letting go of perfection, embracing the fact that sometimes, the pieces she struggles with the most end up meaning the most.
“Seeing my work in a museum made me feel like I actually belong in this space,” she said. “Like I’m not just pretending to be an artist—I am one.”