Sensational | Original Charcoal Portrait with Emoji Art

Sensational is an original mixed media portrait: a young woman drawn in charcoal, surrounded by a crowd of hand drawn emojis in coloured pencil, marker and acrylic, 44.5 by 34cm. The woman is drawn in soft greys, her braids falling into loose curls as she looks back over her shoulder. Around her, in full colour, are dozens of small emojis: hearts, crowns, flowers, cake and champagne, faces laughing, crying and sulking, and a tiny Nigerian flag among them. In the artist's words, the calm charcoal figure is her quiet essence, steady and timeless, while the emojis scatter around her like fleeting sensations. Together they show how feelings can be loud inside yet muted outside: joy, pressure, confusion, hope and vulnerability all at once. It is a piece about the beauty and weight of being a woman who feels deeply and silently. It is signed Leōn & Cisca at the foot of the drawing and is photographed in a plain black frame. Charcoal, coloured pencil, marker and acrylic, 44.5 x 34cm.